Chapter 5 #2
Troy grinned. “We’ve got you covered, Janine. Have you met Olivia yet? She and her daughter are in town for a few days at least.”
The woman, with a golden retriever on a leash, couldn’t have been more normal, and Olivia let go of the last of her nerves. Her paranoia wasn’t going to rob Ella of another fun experience.
Janine smiled. “Hi there, Olivia. And hello, cutie.” The woman poked Ella gently in the belly and brought on giggles. “This is my dog, Potato. Do you like dogs?”
Ella clapped her hands, and Olivia smiled. They hadn’t been around many dogs, but Ella hadn’t been afraid. This gentle retriever made her smile. Only in a town named Phail would a dog be named Potato.
After patting the dog, she followed the group into the store. A teen worked at the register and grinned. “Hey, everyone. See, Troy, the store didn’t burn down or anything. You were brilliant to leave me in charge.”
Smiling, Olivia shoved her fears away and followed Piper through the store. A sign decorated with a cartoon firefly and fox had her smiling.
Piper pointed. “I don’t know if you know Paxi, the comic strip artist, but she now lives in Phail. She created Fancy the Firefly and Phil Phail the Fox for our town mascots.”
Olivia didn’t know the comic artist, but she’d look her up soon. Her art was amazing.
The walls were covered in art of all kinds. Paintings, sketches, decorations. They had her craving a home of her own so she could decorate it.
Handmade moccasins had Ella squealing with delight as she touched the brushed leather and soft fur.
There were books on display as well—baby board books showcasing the Ojibwe language and novels by A.
Migizi. “This is one of my favorite authors. I adore her books.” She didn’t say it out loud, but Binesi and Ziigwan had inspired some of her own characters.
Their fierce bravery and love for adventure were exactly the qualities she wanted Lelja and the others to have.
Piper grinned. “Addy lives in a farmhouse just on the edge of town. She’s one of the sweetest people I know, and she absolutely hates being in the limelight.”
That sounded familiar. Olivia wondered if the woman also had reasons to be more comfortable in the shadows. It would be amazing to meet one of her favorite authors. Maybe one day, she could even share that she was an author herself.
In the end, Olivia couldn’t resist buying one of the board books for Ella along with a pair of tiny moccasins and a t-shirt featuring Fancy the Firefly telling the world to Come to Phail to succeed. It was a message Olivia hoped would work for her. Could she truly find her place in this town?
Another t-shirt showed Phil Phail the Fox showing off his muscles.
Phail’s Super Hero at your service. Olivia laughed at the captions and picked through them for a Charlie-appropriate size.
She hoped they’d text her and she’d see him and his dad again.
This would be a small thing to thank them for their kindness the previous day.
When she brought the items to the counter to pay, Piper grinned. “That’s my favorite slogan. Might be a little big for Ella though.”
“It’s for a boy we met yesterday in town. He was so kind to Ella and I’d like to thank him.”
Piper’s eyebrows shot up. “Was it Charlie? I didn’t get a chance to meet him yet.”
Wow. “How did you know that?” But instead of fear running through her, it was curiosity. There was no way this woman was connected to Adam.
Piper grinned. “Small towns. He and his father are going to help out our friends at the apple farm. They’re expanding the business, and someday we’ll be stocking some of their products as well. I heard they were in town yesterday making snowmen, but I didn’t get a chance to meet them.”
Olivia smiled. “Charlie invited us to help them with the snowman. He’s a great kid.”
“You should head out to the farm for a visit. I bet Ella would love to play in all that snow. And I know they’re looking for ways to diversify the business, so if you have any ideas in that area, you should let them know.”
Piper’s words continued to run through Olivia’s head for the remainder of the day as she and Ella explored the town and played in the snow.
Did she have anything to contribute at an apple farm or in town? The more time she spent here, the more she wanted desperately to stay.
The next morning, they found that Jim and Carl had prepared the table overlooking the bird feeders for them. They were undeniably being spoiled.
Jim swung through the swinging door with a tray. Along with the bowl of berries and fruit cut into tiny pieces, there was a pancake for Ella and a full plate of them for Olivia, along with a fruit plate of her own.
Ella had devoured her pancake and half her fruit when the door to the kitchen swung open. Olivia braced herself as she did with every appearance of someone new.
But it wasn’t Adam. It was a gorgeous woman with a bright smile and a pink sweatshirt sporting ducks dancing in puddles. The words below it read To heck with rows, let’s dance.
Carl walked in with the woman, and they aimed straight for Olivia’s table.
Carl grinned at Ella. “You liked the pancake, didn’t you? Well done.”
Then he smiled at Olivia. “Olivia, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Jolie Malssum. Jolie, this is Olivia Gonzalez and her princess Ella Mae.”
Jolie grinned. “Hi to you both. It’s great to meet you. Do you mind if I sit?”
Befuddled but not worried, Olivia gestured to the seat across from her. “Go ahead.”
Jolie sat. “My family owns an apple farm on the outskirts of Phail. I hear you met our two newest arrivals the other day.”
Olivia smiled. “Nash and Charlie.”
Jolie grinned. “The irrepressible Charlie. He’s been talking about you two nonstop.”
“He’s a pretty great kid.”
“He really is. And his dad’s a sweetie. Anyway, when Carl said you were in the dining room, I figured I’d pop in and introduce myself. That way, you’ll have one less stranger to meet when you come out to the farm.”
When Olivia merely gaped at her, Jolie laughed.
“Forgive me if I’m being pushy. It’s just that Charlie desperately wants to see you again.
I thought you might feel a bit awkward and wanted to assure you that we’d all love you to come out for the day.
We’ve got plenty of room and we’re a friendly bunch. ”
A little flustered, Olivia nodded. “I can see that.”
Her words had Jolie grinning again. “We want Nash and Charlie to feel at home and part of the team we’re building out there. Having you come out will have them both feeling like they belong, that they’re welcome to invite friends. Please say you’ll come.”
“They haven’t texted yet.”
Jolie grinned. “Come anyway.”
Before she could respond to that, Olivia’s phone buzzed with a notification. She pulled it out to find Nash’s number on her screen.
She tried to contain the silly thrill she felt when she saw his number on her phone. She slid open the text.
Hi Olivia. This is Charlie. My dad said I could use the phone and ask you and Ella to come visit the farm today. He can send you directions. Please come.
She looked up to find Jolie with a raised brow. “Was that your invite?”
She nodded.
“Good. I’ve got a few errands to run. Why don’t I meet you back here in half an hour and you can follow me out. Does that work?”
After she agreed, Jolie waved and left through the kitchen, leaving Olivia discombobulated. “Well, Ella Mae, it looks like we have our first play date in Phail.”
For the first time in a long while, Olivia felt safe enough to be excited about the day.
No nerves. No fear. Just a play date.
And if she wished it could be a real date, she’d keep that deep inside her heart.