Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
The House
Archie
Morning, Wynelope. I left the keys to the truck on the counter. I let Mildred out before I left. See you guys at noonish. P.S. the egg bites were incredible.
I set my cell phone aside and sat up in bed and looked at the sausage dog curled up like a donut next to me.
My door had been shut when I’d gone to bed, and I hadn’t heard it open. Had Mildred been pawing at the door? Or had Archer poked his head in?
My cheeks flamed.
I tended to sleep erratically. One leg poking out of the covers. Arms hugging a pillow. Sprawled out like a scarecrow.
That wasn’t super embarrassing.
What was embarrassing was that I was in nothing but panties and an oversized T-shirt. Because I got hot when I slept.
What if he saw me in my skivvies?
I was not going to ask him. I’d play stupid.
Yeah, stupid was the way to go.
I heard Lenni’s door crack open, and Mildred perked her head up and let out a low whine.
There was a moment of shuffling and then a soft knock on my door.
“Come in.”
Lenni opened the door and poked her dark head in. “Hey.”
“Hi,” I said, waving her into the room. “I just woke up.”
Her mouth flickered with a smile as she entered.
“What?” I demanded.
“Yeah, I know you just woke up.”
“How?”
“The hair.”
My hand went to my long blonde tresses.
“There’s a pillow crease on your cheek, too.”
“Ah,” I said with a wry smile. “Well don’t just stand there, come sit while I brush my teeth.”
Lenni traipsed over to the bed and flopped down next to Mildred who sniffed her hand and then cuddled against her.
I flung off the covers and stood.
“Wow,” Lenni said.
“Wow what?” I asked in confusion.
“Your legs. They’re . . .”
“Muscular, yeah. I ran track in high school. I was pretty good too.”
“No, that’s not what I was going to say—you’re practically transparent.”
“Hey.” I laughed. “If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all.”
“Sorry.”
“Yeah, I don’t buy that apology for an instant,” I remarked as I looked around for my sweats. They were underneath the covers at the foot of the bed. “And for the record, I’m pale because I’m Norwegian. Viking blood.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Got a bad ass shield maiden in my lineage.”
“No way! That’s so awesome.”
“I’ve even been to Norway.” I headed into the bathroom. “I used to go in the summers for six weeks and spend time with my grandparents. I haven’t been back for a while.”
“Why not?”
I picked up my toothbrush and doused it in toothpaste. “Adulting. Six weeks is a long time to miss work.”
“Right,” she said. “What’s it like?”
I turned the faucet on. “Well, where my grandparents live, the sun doesn’t set in summer. So that’s a little weird. You can see the Northern Lights often though, because it’s so far north. You can see the Northern Lights, here too, apparently.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “I’ve never seen them here, though. Only in Norway.”
I stuck my toothbrush in my mouth.
“I’ve never seen the Northern Lights before,” Lenni said. “That’ll be cool. To see them, I mean.”
After I spit and rinsed, I wiped my mouth with the hand towel. “You’ll probably see them this year. They’re easiest to see in winter. So, you want to help me feed Mildred?”
The three of us headed down the stairs into the kitchen. “Mildred’s kind of bougie,” I explained. “So, she gets chicken and some veggies instead of dry dog food.”
I pulled out the container of her food that I’d made the night before. Lenni got Mildred’s bowl and set it on the counter.
Mildred sat, patiently waiting for her delicacies. Lenni placed the bowl in front of the dog and then Mildred jumped forward and began to eat.
“What are we doing for breakfast?” Lenni asked.
“I need coffee,” I explained. “And I thought we could stop off at Poet’s for a quick minute and then I’ll take you to Sweet Teeth. It’s right next door to Poet’s soon-to-be bookstore.”
Lenni grabbed the truck keys off the counter. “Am I driving, or are you?”
“Ha.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and dragged her against me. “We’re walking.”
“We’re what?”
“Walking. That’s what us New Yorkers do. Besides, Mildred needs a walk.”
“I’m not a New Yorker. I’m a Georgian. And we don’t walk anywhere. Plus, it’s really cold and I don’t have a real winter coat.”
“That’s not gonna cut it.” I shook my head. “Poet’ll have something you can borrow and then we’ll get you decked out for a North Idaho winter.”
“Hurry,” Poet said, popping the door open and ushering us inside. “I don’t want anyone to see the place before the grand opening.”
Mildred, Lenni and I stood in the main room of the bookstore that had been nothing more than Poet’s dream a few months ago.
“This came together so fast!” I remarked.
“You sound surprised.” Poet laughed. “I sent you videos of the process.”
“Yeah but seeing it in person is something else.”
The two couches in the center of the room were slouchy and inviting. The bookshelves that Brooks had made for her were polished to a gleam and completely full. The walls were a soft, inviting shade of blue. The counter was an old wooden slab with a vintage cash register.
“This place is so cool,” Lenni said.
“You think so?” Poet asked with a knowing smile.
“Yeah.” Lenni began wandering around, her fingers touching journals and gel pens. “I love this place.”
“You like to read?” I asked.
“Love it,” Lenni said.
Poet looked at Mildred and smiled. “Could she be any cuter in her little pink coat?”
“No, I don’t think so,” I said with a grin. “It’s so cold. Even with her fur, I was worried about her freezing.”
“She’s not built for the streets,” Poet said with a laugh.
“You mind if she hangs out with Lottie for the day? I want to take Lenni to Sweet Teeth for breakfast and then we’ve got a bunch of errands to run. Also, we were wondering if Lenni could borrow one of your winter coats until we get her some winter clothes.”
“Mildred can definitely hang with us.” Poet took Mildred from my arms. “I’m stuck at the bookstore for the day. Gotta make sure everything is ready for the opening. And I’m still playing around with the displays . . . And of course, Lenni can borrow one of my coats.”
“Thanks,” Lenni said with a small smile.
“Oh, you’re never going to guess who I’ve got coming for a book signing in the spring,” Poet said.
“Tell me,” I stated, loving her excitement and watching it spread across her face.
“Sibby Goldstein,” she said.
I frowned. “Who?”
“Sibby Goldstein. She writes those snarky romantic comedies about a klutzy heroine in New York.”
“Oh, right.”
I had no idea who she was talking about.
“Anyway, you guys have fun,” she said. “Take the coat on the rack, Lenni. There’s a wool hat and a pair of mittens in the pockets.”
“You sure?” Lenni asked as she went to the coat rack.
“I’m sure,” Poet said.
It was a bit too big, but it got the job done. At least until we could buy her what she needed.
“Bye, Poet,” she said.
“Bye, Lenni.” Poet smiled and then looked at me. She mouthed dinner tonight you and me?
I nodded emphatically.
The cold air hit my face as we tromped next door to the bakery. I opened the door, and the cheery bell greeted us.
Sweet Teeth smelled like sugar and vanilla, and I absolutely adored the large booths and marble coffee tabletops. It reminded me of a Parisian café but set in the north Idaho mountains. There was small-town charm, but it felt worldly, too.
“Is everything in this town cute?” Lenni asked as we got in a line that was only three people deep.
“Yes,” I said with a laugh. I pointed to the chalkboard with the listed meat pie specials. “I suggest a breakfast meat pie. They’re insanely good. Pick which one you want.”
“Can I get a donut too?” she asked, her brown eyes wide.
“Yeah. But you can only eat it after you finish your meat pie.”
“Yeah, okay.” She frowned. “Something tells me nothing gets past you.”
“Very little.”
“Wyn!” the bakery owner exclaimed in happiness, a smile blooming across her flushed cheeks. Gracie scurried out from around the counter and hugged me. “I had no idea you were coming! When did you get here?”
“Early yesterday morning,” I said as she pulled back. “Because of Hadley.”
“Right,” she said. “Salem texted that it was just gas pains?”
I grinned. “Yesterday she put garlic olives in one of your bear claws and ate it. So who knows what she ate the night she had to go to the ER.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.”
Gracie’s blue eyes sparkled with amusement. She turned her attention to Lenni and arched a brow.
“This is Archer Keel’s daughter, Lenni. Lenni, this is Gracie. She went to high school with Salem and Hadley, and she bakes all the delicacies in this fine establishment.”
Gracie kept her cool. Surprise didn’t color her expression, and she said, “It’s nice to meet you, Lenni.”
“You too,” Lenni said. “Cute place.”
Gracie beamed. “Thank you. Now what can I get you ladies?” She headed back around the counter and stood at the register.
“Lenni?” I urged.
“Oh, um. I’ll have the egg and cheese pie, a blueberry buttermilk donut and a hot chocolate, please,” Lenni said.
“Coming right up,” Gracie said as she grabbed a to-go cup.
“Upgrade her hot chocolate to a Hadley’s Hooch.” I looked at Lenni. “Trust me.”
Lenni’s grin was lopsided, and it looked so much like Archer’s it made my heart pang.
“It’ll take a few minutes for the meat pie to warm,” Gracie said. “And a new batch of blueberry buttermilk donuts are about to come out of the oven, so you’ll want to wait for the fresh ones.”
“You treat us so good,” I quipped. “I’ll have the exact same thing as Lenni, to make it easy. But add a shot of espresso to my Hadley’s Hooch.”
“You got it.” Gracie smiled.
“Why don’t you go snag that big booth in the corner,” I said to Lenni. “I’ll square up and bring you your drink.”
Lenni nodded and headed for the table.
“Archer’s daughter?” she whispered when Lenni was out of ear shot. “Archer has a daughter?”
“You didn’t know?” I asked in surprise. “She showed up on his doorstep yesterday. I thought for sure the entire town already knew.”
She shook her head. “I had no idea.”
“Huh,” I said slowly. “Well, Archer has a daughter, and I just became her nanny.”
“Don’t you already have a job?”
“I did . . .”
She raised her brows. “Color me intrigued. Guess you’re not going back to New York, then?”
“Why would I?” I pulled out my wallet to pay. “All my friends are here. There’s nothing in New York for me anymore.”
“Forget it. It’s on the house.”
“Thanks.”
“Go sit. I’ll bring everything over.”
I dropped some dollar bills into the tip jar and then went to join Lenni. She looked like a doll on a shelf. The booths were huge and she was petite. Her pigtail braids and large brown eyes only added to the doll-like image.
“Were you guys talking about me?” she inquired with an arch of her brow.
“No,” I lied.
She cocked her head to the side, suddenly looking far older than eleven.
I sighed. “Yes. Look, this town is teeny tiny. Everyone knows everyone. You’re new, and Gracie had no idea Archer had a daughter. For this place, that’s news.”
“So, what did you tell her?”
“I told her you’re an outlaw on the run.” I quipped.
She made her fingers into makeshift guns and pretended to fire them. “Fastest gunslinger in the west.”
I smiled. “I told her I’m going to be your nanny for a while.”
“That makes me sound like I’m five.”
“Fair enough,” I agreed. “What should we call me then?”
“Wyn. We should just call you Wyn.”
“But I am Wyn.”
“Exactly.” She leaned back against the booth. “What’s Wyn short for anyway?”
“What’s Lenni short for?” I asked, wondering if she’d disclose the truth to me even though I already knew.
She wrinkled her nose.
“You don’t like your name?”
“No. It’s old fashioned and girlie.”
“Well, my name is not old fashioned. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
“Okay.”
“You promise?” I asked with a raise of my brows. “Or are you going to do that thing where you make me tell you my name and then you keep yours private?”
She didn’t reply.
I grinned. “Thought so.”
Gracie came to the table with our drinks. “Meat pies and donuts will be out in a few. Enjoy.”
She flounced away just as the bakery door opened, and a flood of customers entered.
“This drink is insane,” Lenni said as she looked at the mound of whipped cream.
“It tastes as good as it looks. Now fuel up, kid. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”