Page 11 of A Package Deal

Gus settled at the table with Piper, and Ava followed Nelie into the walk-in cooler. Once they’d gathered the food, Nelie placed prepared lettuce on several plates and then showed Ava how to finish them with a scattering of carrot shreds, a few red onion rings, several tomatoes, some quartered cucumber slices, and a spoonful of sunflower seeds. She wondered if her mom had felt this way when she’d taught Nelie how to prep the side salads. Nelie was usually frazzled as the dinner rush approached, but working with Ava was nice.

She smiled, remembering the ruckus Gus had caused when they’d added green salads to the menu. He’d thought coleslaw was all they needed. It was easy to make and didn’t go bad quickly, unlike the perishable salads. He thought it was an expensive experiment, but Stella had changed his mind, like she usually did.

“Nelie, I like being in the kitchen with you.” Ava smiled at her.

“I do, too,” Nelie said, but it was more about being with Ava than being in the kitchen, prepping the salads. She didn’t mind the kitchen work or the business end of running a restaurant and bar, but she didn’t love it either. Not like she loved doing the baking and making cakes for friends. She’s never gotten an order for cookies before, and she hoped the business from the ice castle might lead to more baking opportunities. “Alright,”—Nelie pulled a stack of empty salad plates toward them—“let’s get these done. Your dad should be here soon.” Nelie’s traitorous heart raced at the thought of seeing him.Stupid heart!

Chetpausedattheentrance. The kitchen was a symphony of knives slicing against cutting boards, pans sliding across stove burners, an oven door slamming, water running into the large industrial sink, voices murmuring and a few rising. It was organized chaos and its conductor, or ringmaster now, was in the back with her silvery blonde head leaning close to Ava’s.

He unzipped his jacket as heat flooded his face, not because of the steam wafting out of the nearby pots, but because last night’s dream still lingered in his body. The dream of being tangled in the sheets with Nelie. It was so vivid; it had driven him out of his bed at four o’clock to the couch where he’d read until it was time to wake the girls. The dream had aroused him too much to go back to sleep.

He wanted Nelie, and he wanted the girls to be happy and secure. From the way Ava beamed up at her, he thought he could have it all, but Piper’skissingfriendscomment reminded him he needed to tread carefully.

Chet didn’t want to spook Nelie or his girls. He needed to play it smart, play it for the long-game, and make sure they were all on the same team. If Nelie couldn’t love the girls as hers or if the girls couldn’t accept her as a mother, it would be game over. Everyone needed to be all-in on the new family he wanted to build, the one with Nelie in it. Chet would never again be a weekend dad. It would be Heather’s turn at part-time parenthood, assuming she came back from Australia, and if she didn’t like it, she’d have a fight on her hands. Chet wouldn’t back down again.

“All right, monkeys, let’s pack it up and get out of Nelie’s hair,” he said, moving toward them and clapping his hands.

“We’re not monkeys. We’re pixies, right Mr. Peterson?” Piper said.

“Smart pixies, too. Can’t believe the words this little one knows how to spell.” Gus patted Piper’s shoulder, and she smiled at him, basking in his praise. Chet nodded at Gus. He hadn’t included Gus in his family picture, but he should have. He was Nelie’s father.

Chet’s parents lived in Florida, and they’d laughed when he’d suggested they move to Minnesota to be closer to him and the girls. He was an only child. Ava and Piper were it for them for grandchildren. Heather’s parents were divorced, living on the West Coast, and her two brothers lived on the opposite end of the country—one in Maine and one in New York. The brother in Maine was married with three kids, and Ava and Piper had met their cousins about five years ago. Between him and Heather’s loosely tied family, the girls didn’t have much. Chet wished his parents would take an interest in their granddaughters. He was the one who initiated phone calls and the semi-annual long-weekend obligatory trips. His girls had drawn the short end of the stick in families.

“Look at my salads, Dad,” Ava said.

“Hey, those look good enough to eat.” Ava rolled her eyes. It wasn’t too long ago she’d have thought he was funny.

“They’d better be,” Nelie said, walking toward the sink. Ava giggled at Nelie’s threatening, boss-like tone.I get eye-rolls, and she gets giggles?Chet studied Nelie as she scrubbed her hands at the sink. This wasn’t the first time she’d turned her back to him. Lately, it felt like he’d seen more of her backside than her front side. It wasn’t a hardship. All her sides were great, but he missed watching her face. Her bright blue eyes shining and her delectable lips with their perfect cupid bow turned up in a sunny warm smile.

“And we soaked the red onions in cold water for ten minutes, so they’re not as strong.”

“Is that the secret?” he asked, wishing he knew Nelie’s secret—why she was avoiding him—and not the onion secret.

“Ava,” Nelie said, drying her hands on the towel tucked into the waistband of her jeans. “Go wash your hands. I’ll wrap up three salads for you to take home for your dinner, if that’s okay with your dad.” Chet glanced up, tearing his eyes off the way her light blue polo shirt and black jeans hugged her figure.Busted. He should feel guilty, especially after last night’s dream, but there was no harm in looking, right? But until he had a plan, touching could lead to problems.

“I won’t say no to vegetables. Especially if they come with your berry vinaigrette.”

“And cookies! Don’t say no to those,” Piper said, bouncing toward him. “Aren’t they pretty, Daddy? The ice castle people want to sell them.” She looked at the tray of cookies like some women look at a tray of Tiffany’s finest jewels.

“Well, if the ice castle people want to sell them, we can’t take them from Nelie. That’s money out of her pocket,” Chet said, and Piper frowned.

“But Nelie loves us. She won’t say no,” the little girl argued.

Nelie squatted in front of Piper. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to. They ordered four dozen, and that’s what I have left. I’m sorry.” Piper frowned. Nelie looked disappointed, too.

“I have an idea,” Ava said, breaking into their small circle, and handing Nelie the apron she’d used. “Nelie should come to the ice castle with us on Saturday and we can buy the cookies there.”

“Yes, oh yes,” Piper said, grabbing Nelie’s hand. “That would be the best-est day ever! Please, Nelie.” He’d expect something like this from Piper, but not Ava. She was his cautious, straight-shooting daughter, but right now she was the picture of innocence. A bit too innocent.First, she eye-rolled me and now she played me. Chet wondered what else his eldest daughter had up her sleeve, but it was hard to be upset when she looked so happy.

“Ava, you can’t—”

“Honey, I’d love to, but I’m the MOD for Saturday,” Nelie said, interrupting him and sounding truly sorry. Ava sighed and fixed a crooked smile on her face.

“What’s an MOD?” Piper asked.

“Manager on duty,” Gus said, joining them. Between watching Nelie and being tricked by Ava, Chet had forgotten he was there. “And nonsense, Nelie. Of course, you can go for a few hours. I’ll cover for you.” Nelie’s eyes widened like a deer caught in the headlights. Chet wasn’t sure if it was from surprise or fear. He knew she and Gus butted heads on how she ran the Galley. “I still know where the first aid kit is and how to use the fire extinguisher. We’ll be fine,” Gus said over his shoulder, pushing through the swinging door. Nelie stared at the door as it settled into place. The issue was resolved in Gus’s mind, but was it in Nelie’s?

Ava and Piper looked at Nelie anxiously. It was clear both girls wanted her to join them. A wise man would be concerned by how quickly Nelie had captured his daughters’ hearts, but Chet wasn’t. He trusted her. It was him he didn’t trust. One false move and he’d ruin any chance he and Nelie had. Nelie, however, didn’t trust him, and until she did, he needed to play it cool.

---