Chapter 32

ChapterThirty-Two

‘He just carried you out of here?’ Annie asked, her eyes so wide Jeanie nearly laughed.

‘Yep.’

‘Over his shoulder, or like a bride?’

Jeanie tapped her pen to her lips. ‘It was more that I was climbing him like a tree and the tree grew legs and started walking.’

Annie nodded like that made perfect sense. ‘Okay, like a baby koala situation.’

‘Exactly.’

Hazel rolled her eyes and took another sip of tea.

‘I just can’t believe I missed it!’

It was after-hours at the café, and Annie and Hazel had come for their afternoon pumpkin-spice drinks and chat. It had become somewhat of a routine over the last week. They all sat at a round high-top table, mugs and plates of leftover goodies from the bakery laid out between them. It was another day of rain and the café was dim but cozy, the windows fogged up with the warmth from inside. Someone had drawn a heart in the condensation earlier in the day and it was still there, a happy little doodle standing out in the gloom.

‘It was pretty romantic,’ Jeanie said with a smile she knew must be dreamy and ridiculous, but she couldn’t seem to help it. ‘And then we went back to his place and spent the whole day—’

‘Nope!’ Hazel held up her hands as though she could physically stop Jeanie’s words from reaching her. ‘No way. That’s where I draw the line. I cannot hear about Logan doing whatever it was you two were doing yesterday. Nope. Sorry.’

‘Okay, okay. I won’t get into the details.’

‘Thank you.’

‘I’ll just say he was very good at it.’

‘Agh!’ Hazel covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.

Annie cackled beside her. ‘Good for you, Jeanie. Glad to hear our dear Logan is up to the task.’ She took a bite of her scone. ‘But, seriously, no details.’

Jeanie nodded and peeled Hazel’s hands away from her ears. ‘No details. I promise.’

Hazel blew out a long dramatic sigh of relief. Jeanie smiled thinking of the first time the two women had come in to warn her about Logan, and, she now realized, tried to protect their friend’s heart. It made her more than happy to know that not only did Logan trust her, but his best friends did as well.

A sharp rap on the front door startled them all.

‘Who on earth?’ Annie muttered.

A tall figure in a black raincoat stood outside the door. Rain ran in streams down his hood and the wind crashed into him from the side. Jeanie was proud of herself for thinking it might be a murderer for only a second before realizing it most likely wasn’t.

The figure raised a hand in greeting.

‘Noah,’ Hazel breathed, recognizing him first.

‘Oh!’ Jeanie hopped down from her seat and hurried to let him in. ‘Noah, what are you doing out there?’

Noah came in with a rush of wind and rain, his entrance making an instant mess of the café floor. He pushed down his hood and grinned at her. ‘Just a little rain.’ His gaze flicked to where Hazel and Annie still sat, and his smile grew.

‘I was looking for you,’ he said, his gaze now fixed on Hazel, and Jeanie didn’t miss the blush that was slowly creeping up her friend’s cheeks.

‘You were?’ Hazel’s eyes were wide behind her glasses. ‘Why?’

Noah’s grin slipped, some of his usual confidence faltering in the face of Hazel’s shocked question.

‘I ... uh ... was hoping that book I ordered had come in.’

‘And you needed it right now?’ Hazel asked, gesturing toward the storm out the window.

‘Well, I was pretty excited to read it.’

Annie huffed a laugh, but Jeanie shot her a warning look. This thing between Noah and Hazel was too cute and awkward to interrupt.

Hazel sighed and grabbed her coat from the back of her chair. ‘I did get some orders today. I guess we could go check.’

‘Great.’ Noah rubbed his hands together in excitement and Jeanie had to bite down on her own giggle.

‘Come on.’ Hazel flipped up her hood and headed for the door. ‘See you guys later,’ she said over her shoulder and Noah followed her out into the rain.

Annie collapsed onto the table. ‘Oh, my God! Those two are ridiculous!’

‘I think they’re cute.’

Annie rolled her eyes. ‘He has been ordering books for weeks now. Random books, Jeanie! Like I don’t even think he looks at the title before he buys them. All just so he has an excuse to go in and see her.’

‘That’s so romantic!’

Annie scowled. ‘It’s painful. He should just ask her out and put us all out of our misery.’

Jeanie laughed, climbing back onto her stool. ‘And what about you?’

‘What about me?’

‘You and Mac.’

Annie’s jaw dropped and then snapped shut. ‘Me and Mac are mortal enemies so I couldn’t possibly imagine what you are talking about.’

‘Right. Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.’

‘Stop smirking, Jeanie.’

‘I’m not smirking.’ The laughter was clear in her voice.

Annie narrowed her eyes. ‘Just ride off into the sunset with Logan and leave the rest of us alone.’

‘Of course. I plan to.’ She took a bite of a snickerdoodle and grinned at Annie. Her new friend glowered back at her.

It was lovely.

* * *

‘Where is he?’ Aunt Dot stormed into the café on a quiet afternoon in November, her wool wrap flying out behind her like a cape.

‘Aunt Dot! You’re back!’ Jeanie ran around the counter to greet her. Dot pulled her into a patchouli-scented hug, one of her enormous earrings smacking Jeanie in the face. Jeanie breathed in memories of her childhood visits here. The Pumpkin Spice Café and weekends with Dot used to mean freedom and fun and endless cups of cinnamon-spiced hot chocolate. It meant different things to her now. It was belonging, and satisfying work, and friends just a few steps away. It meant stumbling down the stairs in the early morning hours to share a cup of coffee with Logan before he drove back to the farm. Those quiet, pre-dawn moments were her favorite.

Her aunt’s strong grip remained on Jeanie’s arms as she pulled away from their hug, holding her niece still as she inspected her.

‘You’re happy?’ she asked, her face softening as she took in Jeanie’s smile.

‘Very.’

Dot nodded, the starfish dangling from her ears swinging to and fro. Her salt-and-pepper hair was swept up into a topknot and she sported a golden tan. She even smelled like coconut. But Dot’s face was anything but relaxed. In fact, her expression had slipped back into the determined one she wore when she first burst through the door.

‘It looks beautiful in here.’ Her aunt turned her attention from Jeanie to look around the small space. She tucked her arm through Jeanie’s. ‘You’re keeping the place up nicely.’

Jeanie flushed with pride, temporarily forgetting to ask what was bothering her aunt. ‘Thanks.’ For the past few weeks without Norman, Jeanie had been perpetually worried she was one false move from running the café into the ground. But as it turned out, her years of working for Marvin had taught her to be organized and efficient. She was good with people, even the prickly ones. And she worked well in chaos and high-pressure situations. Maybe she hadn’t given herself enough credit to begin with. Maybe she, Jeanie, was the right choice to run the café after all.

Maybe Dot had known that all along.

Adelyn, one of the café’s newest baristas, smiled from behind the counter. ‘What can I get you?’

‘Peppermint tea, please,’ Aunt Dot said, her gaze still flitting around the room. She was practically vibrating with nervous energy, and peppermint tea was another sign her aunt was keyed up about something. Dot always claimed peppermint calmed her nerves. And she was looking anything but calm at the moment. Jeanie had never seen her like this before.

‘How was your trip?’ Jeanie asked as they settled in at a table in the corner.

‘It was good. Very nice.’ She finally turned her intense gaze to Jeanie. ‘I’m just so sorry I left you in such a bad situation.’

Jeanie winced. She’d told her aunt about Norman a few days ago, and she certainly hadn’t been expecting a surprise visit.

‘It’s fine. Really. Everything is straightened out now.’

Her aunt huffed, as though in disagreement.

‘Here’s your tea.’ Adelyn left the mug in front of Dot and scurried back to her post, obviously sensing the mood at the table. Jeanie was suddenly wishing she could hide behind the counter, too.

‘It’s absolutely not fine, which is why I demanded he meet me here today.’

‘You what?’ Jeanie had managed not to run into Norman since he quit, which had proven trickier than she expected. Just the other day in the grocery store, she had spent a full twenty minutes hiding in the frozen-food aisle while Norman finished up his shopping so they wouldn’t accidentally meet at the register. Her fingers were so numb she could barely get her card out of her wallet when she finally went to check out.

‘We need to settle things.’ Dot folded her hands on the table, her stacks of gold rings clinking together.

Who needed to settle things? Dot and Norman? Norman and Jeanie? For Jeanie’s part, she felt perfectly fine with never seeing the man again.

The bell above the door jingled and her attention snapped to the entrance.

Logan found her immediately, his lips tipping into a smile that transformed his face from stoic to soft in an instant. He noticed Dot next, and he lifted an eyebrow in a silent question. Jeanie shrugged as he strode toward their table.

‘Hey, Dot. What brings you into town?’

‘Logan! Please join us. I hear you and my niece have become quite an item.’

Jeanie watched in delight as Logan’s cheeks turned red above his beard.

‘Uh ... yes ... we ... I mean, I––’

‘Just sit down, Logan,’ Jeanie said with a laugh, and he gratefully sank into the seat next to her. Adelyn came over with his usual black coffee and he thanked her with a smile.

Dot’s laser focus returned to the door. Her leg bounced nervously under the table, bumping into Jeanie’s over and over. Was her aunt really this worried to confront Norman? Sure, he was grumpy, but the man wasn’t exactly threatening.

‘What’s going on?’ Logan whispered into her ear, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

‘Aunt Dot invited Norman. So we can settle things,’ Jeanie said, leaning into his comforting warmth.

‘Good. I have some things I’d like to settle with that guy, too,’ he muttered quietly.

Jeanie was about to remind Logan that under no circumstances was he allowed to fight Norman, when the door opened again and in came the man in question.

Norman’s eyes scanned the room until they landed on Dot. Her aunt sucked in a little gasp of breath, her entire body going still. His gaze lingered on her like he was drinking her in, absorbing every bit of Dot that he could. Jeanie could feel the longing. The angst. The love.

Holy shit. Hazel was right. There was something big going on here.

Norman pushed up his glasses and ran a hand down his vest. Jeanie caught Dot tucking the wisps of silver hair that had escaped her bun behind her ear as Norman strode toward them. An uncharacteristic blush crept up her aunt’s cheeks.

‘Dorothy,’ he said with a small nod.

‘Norman.’

Jeanie glanced at Logan. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged, at as much of a loss with the whole situation as she was.

‘I’d like to apologize,’ Norman began.

‘You damn well better,’ Dot snapped, the imaginary cartoon hearts circling her head crashing to the floor. Logan stifled a laugh and Jeanie kicked him under the table.

‘I’m sorry for the damage I caused to the café, and to Jeanie’s state of mind, as well. Things went much farther than I ever intended them to.’ He caught Jeanie’s eye, and she gave him a small nod of forgiveness. Beside her, Logan, feeling much less forgiving, glowered at him. Norman snapped his gaze back to Dot. Not that she was being any more sympathetic. Poor guy. Jeanie really did feel bad for the man. This level of awkward conversation seemed like more punishment than was really necessary.

‘You terrorized the poor girl. Scaring her half to death in the middle of the night!’

‘To be fair, that wasn’t him,’ Jeanie cut in, but ignoring her, Dot didn’t take her eyes off of Norman. Beads of sweat formed on the poor man’s forehead.

‘I never intended for that to happen. I just thought I could cause a little trouble. It went too far. I paid for the damages.’

‘Well,’ Dot huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘That was the least you could do.’

Norman gave a stiff nod. ‘I know. My actions are unforgivable.’

‘Already forgiven, Norman,’ Jeanie said, and Dot cut her a look, but her aunt’s face was already softening. Jeanie’s attention flicked back and forth between Dot and Norman, but she might as well not exist with the way they were locked in each other’s gaze. She gave her aunt’s shoulder an encouraging nudge.

‘I suppose, if Jeanie forgives you, I could, too. Maybe.’

Norman let out a sigh, his posture relaxing but the angst still etched into his features. ‘I was hurt,’ he said. ‘When you left, I thought, well, after all these years working together, I thought it just made sense for me to buy the café. That I should take it over for you.’

‘Or you could have come with me.’

‘What?’ Jeanie clapped a hand over her mouth, not meaning to cut in again, but really, what?!

Norman blinked, his mouth opening and closing before words finally escaped. ‘Dorothy ... I don’t understand?’

Her aunt let out a long sigh. ‘Of course, you don’t. I suppose that’s half my fault. But the reason I didn’t leave you the café was because I hoped you might retire, also, and that we could ... we could finally...’ Dot’s words trailed off as Norman sank down into the nearest chair.

‘I d-didn’t know,’ he stammered.

Dot gave a feeble shrug, all the anger draining out of her. ‘I never told you.’

Jeanie had never seen her aunt be anything other than confident and strong, moving through the world in exactly the way she wanted to. But now, looking across the table at the man she had apparently been in love with for years, Dot looked shy, nervous even, and Jeanie could feel the butterflies reflected in her own stomach.

‘Maybe we should go—’ Logan whispered, but Jeanie waved him away.

‘Shush.’ She wasn’t about to leave now. Things were just getting good. This town was really rubbing off on her.

Norman reached across the table and grabbed Dot’s hands. ‘Dorothy, I’ve been in love with you for years.’

Dot sniffled and Jeanie slid her a napkin. She’d never in her life seen her aunt cry. Dot dabbed her eyes and then placed her hands back in Norman’s.

‘I should have told you sooner,’ she said. ‘But I was afraid, I guess.’

‘Afraid of what?’

She shrugged. ‘That you wouldn’t love me back.’

Norman shook his head. ‘Impossible.’

Jeanie smiled, even as Logan took her hand under the table and tried again to tug her away, to give her aunt some privacy.

This time, Jeanie agreed, and the two of them got up and stood together behind the counter, watching Dot and Norman scoot closer and closer together until her aunt’s head rested on his shoulder.

Jeanie sighed. ‘Imagine loving someone for so long and never saying it,’ she murmured.

‘I can imagine it,’ Logan said, the gruffness of his voice hiding the emotion Jeanie knew was behind it.

‘You can? You told me you loved me after like a month,’ she said, leaning her shoulder against his, loving his sturdiness.

He let out a small laugh. ‘I know, but you made it easy.’

She smiled. ‘I did?’

‘Yeah. You were kind of obvious.’

‘Hey!’ She swatted him playfully on the arm. ‘You were pretty obvious, too.’

‘Oh, really?’

‘Well. Nothing says I love you like installing new locks.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Anything that involves a toolbox really. Fixing something, making something. Big giant ‘I love you’ gestures.’

‘Wow, I had no idea.’

Jeanie leaned into him again. ‘Yep.’

‘I’m glad we were both obvious about it,’ he said, before their attention drifted back to Dot and Norman’s reunion. Jeanie couldn’t imagine working next to Logan every day and not being able to tell him how she felt, or hold his hand, or kiss him. It would be torture.

But she could imagine how someone might worry that they were unlovable. It might have crossed her mind a time or two. The fact that her brave, strong aunt felt the same way made Jeanie think that maybe no one had things really figured out.

And maybe that was okay.

Maybe she could be cheerful and dark, messy and competent, sunshine and rain, New Jeanie and Old Jeanie mixed together.

Logan pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and she felt the warmth of it down to her toes.

It certainly seemed to be working out so far.

Maybe the picture-perfect small-town life she had imagined didn’t exist, but the one she had found was pretty damn perfect for her.