Page 92 of The Strawberry Patch Pancake House

‘I know,’ Iris said. ‘But he’s trying.’

‘Has he tried Bisquick?’

‘He gets very offended if you suggest using a mix.’

Bex raised an eyebrow. ‘Kinda high maintenance. Are you sure you want to get into all this?’

‘All what?’ Olive asked, her little ears perked and listening.

Iris shot Bex a look that said ‘shut the hell up in front of the kid!’ Or at least she hoped it did.

‘Nothing. I was thinking of opening a competing diner and making my own pancakes, but I don’t think I will.’

Olive stared at her.

Iris attempted a smile.

Olive frowned like she was disappointed in her.

‘Hey, isn’t that Hazel and Noah over there?’ Iris pointed out Hazel and waved at her. ‘Why don’t you go say hi.’

‘Okay.’ Olive slid out of the booth slowly like she knew they were just trying to get rid of her, but as soon as she was with Hazel and Noah, she was giggling and dancing around next to their table.

‘Seriously, Iris. What the hell is going on?’

Iris kept her gaze on Olive to make sure the kid didn’t make a run for it. She hadn’t tried to escape the house in a while, but Iris didn’t trust her not to see a bunny outside or something and try to follow it.

‘We may have slept together.’

‘You what?!’

‘Bex,’ Iris hissed. ‘Keep your voice down!’

‘Sorry. You what?!’ she whisper-shouted.

‘We slept together, and it was amazing. Like, earth-shattering, and now I don’t know what to do.’

‘Do what you always do.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

Her cousin sat across from her with her arms over her chest. They looked nothing alike. Apparently, Bex looked like her dad, tall and strong with wild blond curls, and a booming voice. Iris looked like hers, and neither took after their mothers.

‘You are the queen of one-night stands, Iris. When was the last time you actually dated a guy?’

Iris sighed. ‘Eleventh grade.’

‘Exactly.’

‘But he has a kid, Bex. This is serious.’

‘A kid you already love and take care of all day long.’

Iris looked at where Olive was now reciting some kind of poem or song or something for Hazel and Noah. When she’d first started working for Archer, Iris remembered how closed off Olive had been, how lonely and sad. She’d come a long way.

And maybe Iris had, too.

She’d been terrified of kids before, convinced she never wanted any of her own. And now, maybe, she could picture a life with Olive in it.