It would be, but right now there were boxes to get, and Greta didn’t have time for any more big ideas about how to change the inn. But the boxes weren’t the only thing waiting for her in her kitchen. Oliver stood in the doorway.
“Hey,” he said sheepishly.
Greta was relieved to see him, but she couldn’t shake Sissy clinging to his neck. Or the fact he hadn’t said a word since. “Need more formula?” she asked.
“No, I fed him earlier, thanks.” He paused uncomfortably. “Things look busy in here.”
“Yeah. Moving all of Sissy’s boxes,” Greta told him. “You know, for her big day.”
When he didn’t say anything, Greta decided she needed to. “So you guys know each other?”
This made Oliver look more uncomfortable. “We used to. It’s been a while.”
Greta did not say,one year and five months, as he had the day before. Instead she kept her mouth shut.Let Oliver fill the silence, she thought. When he finally did, it was not what she expected.
“About our dinner plans… would it be alright if we postponed?”
“Postponed or canceled?” She looked him dead-on as she said it, just as surprised by her reaction as she was by the hurt in his eyes.
“Whichever you prefer,” he said. This only made her instantly annoyed with them both—at herself for backing him into a corner like that and at him because she still didn’t have an answer as to why.
Before she could answer, there was a knock at the back door and a man poked his head inside. “Hi, I’m looking for Greta.”
“That’s me. How can I help you?”
“I have a delivery for you.” He was maybe a few years older, in a chambray shirt that brought out his eyes. Arresting eyes, she decided as she looked into them. And not a bad smile, either.“Ben Walters,” he said, extending his hand. “I have your order from Oyster Boys.”
Greta could feel Oliver watching her. She grinned back at Ben. “Love the name. Are you one of them?”
“Turns out I am.” He handed her the slip. “I’ll run out and get the order, if you tell me where you’d like it.”
Greta led him into the walk-in fridge and showed him the ice cooler. When she came out, Oliver was gone.
She was moving the last of the boxes out of the way for Ben’s delivery when Holly and Linus swung into the kitchen. “Anything else you need moved?” she asked.
“Yeah, I have something coming in now, actually. So I need to clear a path to the cooler.”
“Great.” Holly groaned. “Another delivery. Where’s this one coming from?”
“Oyster Boys,” Ben answered.
They turned to see him standing in the doorway, a heavy bag of oysters in each hand.
Holly blanched.
Greta looked between them. “Holly, this is…”
“Ben,” Holly said, her voice barely a whisper. “Ben Walters.”
Ben straightened, a slow smile unfolding across his face. “Hey, Holls. It’s been a while.”
“Have you ever heardanyone call her Holls?” Linus whispered. They were saddled up at the little bar, along with Francine, who’d arrived a moment too late after Ben walked out. Just as Holly disappeared into her library, claiming she’d be “right back.” That was twenty minutes ago.
What Greta wanted to say, but did not, was thatHollssounded just as intimate asOllie. It was unfathomable that almost the same scene had played out in her kitchen a day earlier, only with two other sappy characters. Oh, how she wished she weren’t working tonight. She could really use a taste of that icy whisky sour Linus was making Francine.
Between shakes, Linus rambled on. “HollisI can see. It’s got the appropriate girl boss vibe.Hollyis how we know her. ButHolls?” He wrinkled his nose and cracked an egg. “So middle school.”
“What do you expect? They’ve known each other since they were kids,” Francine allowed. “Ben was her first summer pal. And, later, well… Those two were inseparable. Seeing him again must’ve given our Holly a little shock.”
