Chapter 35 SEASONS, CHANGING
SEASONS, CHANGING
The last few days at the Pink House had slipped through our fingers in a flurry of baked goods and contentment.
Although perhaps they moved more quickly for me than anyone else – because I’d spent every waking moment and most of the non-waking ones with Noah.
It was bittersweet to know that, a morning from now, we’d all be back to our regular lives, or at least a version of them, given all that had changed these past few weeks.
‘I can’t believe it’s back to the office,’ said Mom as she waited for Lorraine to whip up our cardamom spice lattes – the last of the season before Lorraine broke out the pumpkin-spice ones. ‘I feel like we were barely here.’
‘That’s because you spent most of your time on your email,’ pointed out Tiff as she eyed the decadent pistachio-filled beignets. Then she relented. ‘Although I’m impressed you turned down that tech client in the end. I know that would’ve been a huge account for you.’
Mom sighed. ‘There’ll be other huge accounts. Although I am a bit disappointed that I don’t get to oversee a name change for them. Island, spelled “AI-land”. It’s awful.’
‘Horrible,’ I agreed.
‘But I’m looking forward to seeing your dad,’ said Mom, a tad wistfully. For someone so famously aloof, she definitely had a soft spot for Dad. They balanced each other well.
She blinked. ‘Speak of the devil!’
A familiar, tall figure strode into the shop, ever-present laptop bag slung over his shoulder. The thick wavy hair he shared with Tiff and me was messy as always, and his usual stubble was reaching beard status.
‘Rufus?’ exclaimed Mom, smudging the display cabinet in her surprise.
Thankfully, one of Lorraine’s anti-fingerprint spells went quickly to work on it.
And, thanks to the fact that everyone’s magic had returned to normal following the other night’s epic storm, without the risk of cracking the glass.
‘Oh my goddess, Dad!’ cried Tiff and I together.
‘You two are terrible actresses,’ said Mom.
Then, having properly clocked Dad’s presence, she ran towards him, wrapping him up in a hug that was entirely too passionate.
Tiff and I stood awkwardly as Mom wrapped her legs around Dad, kissing him so fervently that a passing group of college kids started fanning themselves.
Lorraine overfilled a coffee and had to magic the excess away into a drip tray.
‘What about the agency?’ asked Mom, instantly in work mode.
‘It can survive a day,’ said Dad. ‘Especially with our new project manager, Bex, stepping up. Brilliant suggestion from Lara – make sure she knows that, Molly.’
Mom set her phone back down. ‘It’s going to take a little while for me to get used to it,’ she admitted. ‘But I suppose that’s the whole point of running a successful agency: being able to take a step back so that it can continue to grow.’
She grinned sharkily around her cup. ‘Besides, Shauna is going to be too busy with that awful AI firm to fight me for the new accounts I have my eye on.’
I smiled. It looked like Mom had made a much-needed decision as well – and for the better.
‘Could I get another of those, Lorraine? Ta.’ Dad pointed at Mom’s coffee. ‘Anyway, I’m thinking that maybe it’s time we take a trip to Portugal. Spend a bit of time at a B&B with this future son-in-law of ours.’
I raised an eyebrow at Tiff. ‘What’s this now?’
Tiff flushed. ‘That’s not official yet. I mean, not until we’re back in the same room together. But the B&B part definitely is.’
‘We’ll be your first guests, then,’ said Dad.
‘I’ve been thinking about a side hustle where I test out accommodations for safety.
I have tons of experience from when the two of you were kids and were determined to kill yourselves by undoing the hotel light fixtures or jumping off the end tables. I’ll let you know all the flaws.’
Tiff whacked him on the arm. ‘Dad,’ she warned. It never took long before we had to invoke our warning voices around Dad.
‘Plus, it’ll be tax-deductible,’ he added. ‘The perfect trip.’
‘I can’t believe you’re here,’ said Mom. ‘Did the girls arrange this?’
Tiff and I exchanged a grin.
‘Our lips are sealed,’ I said.
‘Speaking of lips,’ said Dad, giving me a meaningful look.
Oh goddess, here it came.
‘You and Noah, am I right?’ He sidled over to give me an elbow jab, the type that only dads could get away with.
I hid behind a napkin dispenser. ‘Uh huh,’ I whispered.
‘Between Tiff’s move and your new job, we’ve got lots of change on the horizon, then,’ he mused. ‘Especially once Noah starts working full time at a law firm while also volunteering at the animal shelter and you start adopting all those cute stray kittens.’
‘She wouldn’t!’ Mom looked alarmed.
‘She definitely would,’ said Tiff. ‘Imagine Molly with a dozen kittens, trying to decide which ones to keep. She’d be on the news and dubbed The Cat Lady within the week.’
‘You say that like it’s a bad thing,’ I teased. ‘I have decided to stay at Easterly, though,’ I told Dad. ‘So you and I can keep doing our Thursday lunchtime strolls around Spellbound Park.’
He reached out for a high five. I obliged him, because it was the law. Or something like it, anyway.
‘Here you are, love,’ called Lorraine, pushing Dad’s drink across the counter, along with a huge basket of pastries and bread for us to take back to the Pink House.
Well, some of them. Because at least half of them weren’t going to make it all of the way there.
It was a long walk, after all. And Lorraine’s pastries were enchantingly delicious.
Dad was pointing at various bouquets and asking Mom to rate their allergy quotient. Mom was patiently responding.
‘So, what are our plans for the last night in Whisperwind Cove?’ asked Dad, when he’d sufficiently annoyed Mom.
‘They’re the same as every last Summerween night in Whisperwind Cove,’ replied Mom, shaking her head. ‘A backyard potluck and a movie outdoors. With all the best people from town invited, of course,’ she called to Lorraine from over at the flower display.
Lorraine beamed as she scooped coffee beans into the hopper of her grinder. ‘Wouldn’t miss it for the world. I hear Rosie’s got quite the hydrangea bloom going on.’
‘It’s a bit ridiculous,’ I agreed, hanging back for a moment. ‘She was struggling with them a few weeks ago, but they’ve proven us all wrong.’
‘Things have a way of finding their balance again,’ said Lorraine. ‘Especially when good-hearted people are involved.’ She pushed one of her heart cookies across the counter. ‘That one’s for you, on me. Because I hear you’ve found your own heart.’
I smiled shyly. Although it hadn’t just been me, really. Everyone around me had helped me see how I truly felt. And Josephine and her story had given me the push I needed to act on those feelings.
I’d told her all about it over a coffee the next morning. Although she hadn’t responded to my giddy, scrawled note. I supposed there wasn’t much else she had to tell me. I’d miss Josephine, though – we’d become quite good friends through all of this.
Lorraine came around the counter to give me a hug. ‘You, Molly, are going to live a long, love-filled life. And you deserve every bit of happiness that comes to you. Now run along and catch up with your family. I’ll see you all tonight at the pot luck.’
‘Deal,’ I said.
‘One thing before you go: what should I bring? The éclairs or the spiral croissants?’
I laughed. All right, so I’d never live down my indecisiveness. But with a strong support system of people around me who truly wanted the best for me, and the conviction of my heart, sometimes even I could make a decision.
‘The cardamom heart cookies,’ I said decisively. ‘And an enormous pitcher of your spiced chai latte.’
Now it was Lorraine’s turn to grin.
‘Well, look at you go,’ she said, then set to work boxing up a delectable assortment of baked goods.
‘Come on, Molly,’ shouted Tiff from outside. ‘If you take much longer, the season’s going to change.’