Page 8 of A Package Deal

“What’s a virgin?” Piper asked. Chet’s eyes widened.

“I’ll tell you later,” Ava said through gritted teeth as she tugged Piper toward her.

Chet scrubbed his hand over his face before squeezing Ava’s shoulder. “Let’s wait a few years, okay?” Ava nodded. Piper looked disappointed. Ava and Chet looked like they wanted the floor to swallow them up, but Eric laughed like this was the funniest thing he’d seen in days.

“It’s a coconut pineapple drink without the alcohol,” Nelie said, hoping to get them out of this mess.Poor Chet, she thought, biting her cheek so she wouldn’t laugh. Was she a bad person for enjoying his discomfort? His daughters were so different. It was obvious Ava took her role as big sister seriously, and Piper was a force of her own, keeping everyone on their toes with her endless curiosity and energy. “Are you staying for lunch?”

“That was the plan,” Chet said. “Girls, go find us a table and I’ll be right there.”

“Ava, you look half frozen. Would you like a hot chocolate?” Nelie asked.

“Yes, please,” Ava said over her shoulder as she walked toward a table.

“You, too, Piper?” Nelie asked loudly, since the girls were halfway to their destination.

“I want a virgin,” Piper shouted. Eric snorted and several patrons chuckled.

“Do you want a virgin, too, Chet?” Eric asked, clearly enjoying himself more than he should at work.

“I’ve never had one and at the ripe old age of forty-eight, that thought makes me queasy. Coffee, please.”

“Anything in it?”

“No, I think I’ll need my wits about me this afternoon. Any chance you can deliver our drinks to the table and keep an eye on the girls? I need to talk to Nelie. Privately.” Eric agreed too easily for Nelie’s liking. Chet hadn’t asked, but had ordered in his usualtake command and be in chargeway. It was annoying when he directed it at her, in her restaurant, but she found it thrilling at other times. He was a bit like a duke or a pirate in those historical romances piled by her bedside. But she wasn’t a damsel in distress. She was a modern woman with agency.Forgiving and avoiding.

“I need to—”

“Please?” Chet’s brown eyes bore into hers.

“Fine.” Nelie closed her laptop and walked toward her office, feeling Chet hot on her heels.Nothing good ever happens when they sayplease.

“Wasthisacloset?”Chet shut the door as Nelie maneuvered between the desk and a table covered with paperwork, a printer, and a copier. This was the smallest office he’d seen.

“No. It was Gus’s storage room for all his tools. He moved the ones we don’t use back to his garage and the others are in the cleaning closet.” Chet held up his hands at her defensive tone. Pissing her off before he’d asked for her help wouldn’t help him. “Someone suggested that I needed to clear off my kitchen table and separate my business life from my personal one.”

“Sounds like a smart guy.”

“More like another thorn in my side.” Nelie shoved a few errant pens into the BEST BOSS EVER mug on her desk.

“A thorn who has your best interests at heart.” Chet’s smile broke free, and she rolled her eyes. He couldn’t help it. He was amazed and touched. She’d listened to him and had acted on his comment. Well, not so much commenting as badgering, since he must have nagged her about it every time they’d shared a meal at her apartment upstairs.

He missed her, and seeing her pocket-sized office gave him hope. She’d listened to him once before, and maybe if he kept pleading his case, she’d forgive him and give them another chance.

She was a human Energizer bunny, constantly in motion, but he found Nelie’s presence soothing, like anchoring in a calm inlet during a storm or sitting in front of a toasty fire after being out in the snow all day. Comfortable and warm, but with enough flaming sparks to keep him on his toes. It wasn’t the crazy lust-filled haze he’d had with Heather almost two decades ago. What he’d had with Nelie was better, and he wanted her back. Everything was better when she was around.

“What did you need to speak with me about?” Nelie asked, fidgeting with the papers on her desk. He wondered if she was nervous, because he’d asked to speak with her or because of their forced proximity. Regardless, he didn’t want her to be uncomfortable. That wouldn’t help his cause.

He opened the door a few inches, saying, “The girls hate aftercare.” Nelie’s fingers stilled, and she cocked her head toward the kitchen noises.

“Hate’s a strong word, and they’ve only gone for a little more than a week. You’re not exactly the poster boy for patience. You need to give it time.”

“They’ve been uprooted enough and I’m trying to smooth things out for them,” he said, ignoring herbe patientcomment.

“That’s admirable, but I don’t know why you’re telling me this.” He didn’t like her disinterested tone, but he had to try. If she saidyes, everything would work out. For the girls. For him. Maybe even for them.

“I need you to take them,” he said.

“What?” Nelie’s blue eyes widened, and she dropped a stack of papers, scattering them on her desk.

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