“That’s right,” Braden concurred. “So please say yes to Piper’s offer. It would mean the world to her.”
“I’d like to show you something.” Otis stood up and went over to a cabinet in the corner of the kitchen. After rummaging around in a drawer for a few minutes, he let out a sound of triumph. When he turned back toward them, he was clutching a big scrapbook with frayed edges. He sat back down at the table and lovingly ran his hand over the material. “It’s taken me over fifty years of pie baking to compile this book.” He let out a ragged sigh. “June gave it to me. She told me I needed to put my recipes in one place so we could pass them down to our children and grandchildren. But Ned and Bonnie don’t get back home much, and I barely know my grandkids.”
Piper’s heart cracked wide open. The loneliness emanating from deep inside Otis threatened to break her. How could she not have known all of this? She saw him several times a week at the diner. It made her feel ashamed of herself for failing Otis. She wanted the diner to be a place where people connected, not only with her but with each other. A tight-knit community of sorts. All the while Otis had been suffering in silence. She’d been so busy worrying about the diner’s future, she hadn’t noticed the older man’s isolation.
She swallowed past a huge lump in her throat. “Sharing the recipes with us is kind of like passing them down, Otis. We’ve known you our whole lives. When it comes right down to it, you’re like an extended member of our family.” She wasn’t trying to flatter the older man. Everything she’d just said was true.
Otis bowed his head. “Hearing you say that means a lot to me.” Tears misted Otis’s eyes. He ran a shaky hand over his face. “I’d be happy to work with the two of you. And you’re free to use any of my recipes. Things do tend to get a little isolated around here. Working with a team sounds like fun.”
“That’s wonderful,” Piper said, leaning over and pressing a kiss on Otis’s cheek. “I’m so thankful you’ll be joining us.”
She looked up to find Braden’s eyes glued on her and Otis. The corners of his mouth were showcasing the beginnings of a smile. She grinned back at him. Things were looking up for her beloved establishment. She had no tangible proof that business would increase, but Braden’s assistance at the diner had changed everything. She’d known that recruiting Braden to work with her would yield wonderful ideas.
Their friendship seemed so uncomplicated at the moment. They were working together as a unit toward a common goal, and both of them were putting their best feet forward to salvage her diner. It almost made her believe she’d imagined the distance and tension between them. Deep down she knew she hadn’t.
She prayed this moment of tranquility would last, although she feared something would happen to turn everything upside down.
* * *
For much longer than they’d initially planned, Piper and Braden sat with Otis and went through his scrapbook of pie recipes. Braden couldn’t bear to tear Piper away when she was clearly enjoying herself. Spending time with Otis was serving as a pick-me-up for her. It was understandable, considering she spent most of her waking hours at the diner. Visiting Otis had provided a well needed break from her day-to-day routine. But they both knew there was a lot of work to do at the diner.
After saying their goodbyes to Otis and arranging for him to come to the Snowy Owl at the end of the week, they began their drive back to town. A few minutes down the road, Piper made a request. “Braden, can you pull over?”
Braden’s hands tightened on the wheel as he safely maneuvered the truck to the side of the road. A heavy weight sat on his chest. He didn’t need two guesses to figure out why Piper wanted him to stop. Just breathe, he reminded himself. Please, Lord. Give me the strength to get through this without falling apart.
Piper jumped out of the car and walked toward the base of the trails. She stared off into the distance. “I haven’t been back since that day,” Piper said, her gaze focused on the mountain.
“Me neither.” Braden felt as if he couldn’t breathe properly. He hadn’t ventured out here since the accident on purpose. His last memory of being up here involved the moments where he’d feverishly tried to save Jack’s life. Being this close to the tragic scene felt shattering. Jarring memories flashed before him. He shuddered at the impact. For so long he’d been trying to stuff them down, yet this was proof they hadn’t gone anywhere. They’d just roared back to life.
“Piper, why did you want me to stop here? There’s nothing here for you but sad memories.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and ducked his head. He didn’t know how to handle all the feelings coursing through him. Was this God’s way of telling him he couldn’t run from the past? That he needed to face it head-on before he moved forward? He had avoided this location like the plague, but here he was, standing in close proximity to the accident site.
“I don’t know,” she answered with a shrug. “This was the place my father felt joy. He loved being up here. He was so busy at the diner, so he rarely had time to go snowmobiling. But every now and again, he would carve out a little bit of time to engage in the things he loved. Sometimes it was heading over to the Avon theater on Main Street with Mama to watch a classic film. Other times he went mushing with his friends from Homer. He was a man who enjoyed life.”
“He deserved moments like that. I’ve never seen a more hardworking man than Jack.”
She turned toward him, her eyes full of questions. “You were with him that day. Was he smiling a lot? Happy? Excited about taking a run on his snowmobile?”
Braden winced. How could he possibly answer these questions? If he were to tell her what really happened between him and her father, he knew their friendship would be over. He couldn’t imagine a world where Piper wasn’t his best friend. But he knew she deserved the truth.
Piper reached out and grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry. I know you were with him after the crash trying to save his life. I can’t imagine how terrible those memories must be.” She shrugged. “I suppose I’m just looking for something to hold on to, a tiny kernel to help me process losing him in that way. Knowing his last moments were full of happiness helps.”
Braden looked down at Piper’s hand entwined with his own. He squeezed it, hoping to provide a measure of comfort and reassurance. Piper wanted something he couldn’t really give her if he stuck to the truth. But there were shades of gray in the story. Jack had been happy that day. He’d seen him smiling and joking with some townsfolk before he confronted Braden. He knew with a deep certainty that Jack had been in the pursuit of an activity he loved when he crashed.
“Jack was happy that day,” he confirmed. “When I first saw him on the mountain, he was surrounded by his buddies. They were teasing him about the few pounds he’d recently gained.” Braden chuckled at the memory. “He really took it in great stride and made a comment about having a little more stuffing to play Santa at the holiday stroll.”
“That sounds just like him,” Piper murmured. “He always looked at the bright side of things. No one embraced the holidays more than he did. It’s pretty heartwarming, considering his rough childhood and being in all those foster homes. He never had a real Christmas until he met my mom. She was raising Hank as a single mother after her first husband died. Dad said his whole life changed when he met them.” A hint of a smile played at the corners of her mouth. Braden felt relieved she could talk about her father without breaking down in tears, especially considering their location.
He’d always admired Jack and Trudy’s relationship. Although he knew no marriage was perfect, they’d made it look effortless. “True love from the sounds of it. I imagine he spent the rest of his life making up for all those holidays he lost out on.”
Piper nodded. “He really did. And he had a ball doing it. You have no idea how much you’ve helped me, Braden. I just wish I’d asked you a long time ago.”
“I guess I didn’t make it easy for you by leaving tow
n,” he said. By taking off from Owl Creek, Braden had been under the belief that he was sparing Piper the cold hard truth of his argument with Jack. In retrospect, perhaps he’d been protecting his own self. And even though he was happy to have given Piper a little bit of closure, guilt still stabbed at him. What he’d just told her wasn’t the entire truth. It was a lie of omission.
Braden wasn’t sure God would agree with him. He would probably consider it a flat-out falsehood. Matter of fact, he imagined God wasn’t very pleased with him for a number of reasons.
After the accident his faith had wavered. He hadn’t been able to wrap his head around such a tremendous loss. Jack’s passing had created a deep void in his hometown. Piper’s grief had nearly swallowed her up whole, and watching her crumble had been gut-wrenching. His own guilt and frustration had spiraled into anger toward God. Why had He allowed Jack to die? Why had God placed Braden up on that mountain to be the focus of Jack’s wrath? To this day he still struggled with those questions, along with a host of others.
As he drove back to town, Piper chatted nonstop regarding promotional opportunities for the business. He really liked her countdown to Christmas idea. It was a nice tie-in to the way Jack had run the diner—a nostalgic throwback. But Piper needed to put her stamp on the place in order to move forward. It was fine to honor Jack, but in order to thrive she should carve out her own identity as owner of the Snowy Owl.
“I think it’s important to honor the diner’s past, but at the same time you’ve got to make it your own,” Braden said. “People need to think of it as your establishment.”
Piper winced. “I still think of the diner as belonging to my dad. I can’t seem to shake it. My father was such a beloved figure in town. It’s like I’m an imposter or something.”
Braden stopped the truck at the moose crossing sign. He turned toward Piper, and their eyes held and locked. It wasn’t hard to see the raw vulnerability lurking in their depths. He wanted to hold her in his arms and reassure her by telling her she was enough. She didn’t have to compete with Jack’s legacy. Piper was making her own way and leaving her own special stamp on the diner. “You’re nothing of the sort. You’re the most genuine and loving person I’ve ever known. You are the spitting image of Jack. Your heart is just as big as his was. People here in town adore you. Surely you know that.”
Piper reached out and touched his hand as it rested on the steering wheel. Braden felt a jolt when her skin brushed against his. For a moment it felt as if an electric current had passed between them. His skin felt all tingly. Feeling stunned, he turned his gaze back toward the road and proceeded to drive back into town. The landscape passed by in a blur. He drove the rest of the way on autopilot.
No matter how hard he tried, Braden couldn’t seem to wrap his head around what had just happened. Surely he was imagining things. The little spark of electricity he’d felt between them had come out of nowhere. It had felt like attraction, which completely stunned him. He and Piper had always been in the friend zone. Best friends, in fact. Things between them were already complicated due to the secret he was keeping from her. Adding another layer to their relationship might just push him past the breaking point.
Chapter Seven
The aroma of a dozen holiday pies permeated the air in the diner’s kitchen. Piper closed her eyes and sniffed the one she had just taken out of the oven. It was triple berry—blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Her mouth began to water as she imagined how good it would taste sliding down her throat. “It might be wrong to compliment myself, but this pie smells incredible.”
“If you do say so yourself,” Braden added with a grin. Piper laughed at the sight of his face smudged with flour. He’d insisted on helping despite his inability to bake. So far she’d witnessed a lot of sampling from where he sat at the table. She had to admit, he was incredibly easy on the eyes. More and more, she was beginning to appreciate that fact. He wasn’t a boy anymore. He’d done a lot of growing up in the last few years.
It was after-hours at the diner and Piper had assembled her bakers—Otis, Birdie and Sue McCall—in order to do a dry run for the holiday rollout. Piper planned to feature the pies at the diner the following day. Pure adrenaline was racing through her veins at the idea of putting it all out there for her customers. She had so much on the line it was almost too frightening to contemplate the situation. There would be at least a dozen fresh varieties ready to go by morning. She couldn’t ever remember feeling such a mix of excitement and trepidation.
Piper placed her pie down to cool off on the counter. She walked over to Otis who had lined up all of his in a row. She pointed to the one he’d just taken out of the oven. “That smells out of this world delicious. I can’t wait to taste a sliver.”
“A sliver?” Otis asked with a chuckle. “This is my favorite. It’s eggnog cream. One bite and you’re going to be in a state of bliss. Might as well have a whole slice. There’s plenty more where that came from.” Otis let out a hearty chuckle that reverberated through the kitchen.
“Who am I to argue with that logic?” Piper asked. She would be counting down the minutes while the baked good cooled down. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d had a sweet tooth. The aroma floating around the room left her hankering for a taste.
“I think you’ve just stumbled upon a great name for it. Bliss pie,” Birdie said, smiling flirtatiously at Otis. With her silver hair and tawny skin, Birdie was a good-looking woman. It hadn’t escaped Piper’s notice that Birdie seemed to be overly fond of the sweet widower. However, Otis appeared oblivious to Birdie’s sentiments.
“I think we’re all set for the holiday stroll tomorrow,” Piper announced. “A dozen pies plus the pizzas will give us a great foundation. Hopefully people will love the pies so much they’ll be begging for more.” She felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach.
So much was riding on tomorrow. It made her incredibly nervous, yet full of hope that she could turn things around at the Snowy Owl. They were also going to launch the unique milkshakes, which would be Braden’s area of expertise. Working on the theory that good things come in threes, Piper also planned to introduce the countdown to Christmas event. She prayed all of her endeavors would be successful.
“Don’t forget we’re inviting the townsfolk to trim the tree with us,” Braden said, pointing toward the boxes of ornaments he’d pulled out of storage earlier that day. “Trudy put together some cranberry and popcorn garlands for us, as well. It’s going to be a really festive night.”
Piper rubbed her hands together. With every minute that passed, her excitement built up more and more. “I’m not sure I’ll get a wink of sleep tonight,” she admitted. “There’s still so much more to do.”
“It’s going to be a long day, which is why you need your sleep,” Birdie cautioned. “Tomorrow’s celebration will be wonderful. I have a feeling this place will be filled to the rafters.”
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Piper murmured. If they hit the ground running with the holiday pies and the milkshakes, it could really result in an increase in the diner’s foot traffic. And once customers focused on the diner’s new offerings, it might mean they would become regulars.
She bit her lip. Was she hoping for too much? It would be painful if all of her hopes were dashed.
At her request, Braden had hung up Christmas lights outside and placed sprigs of mistletoe by the diner’s entrance. It was a nostalgic gesture on her part. How many nights had she witnessed her parents sharing a kiss under the mistletoe? They’d taught her everything she would ever need to know about love everlasting. She prayed often about finding a love story like the one they’d shared. Now that most of her friends were pairing off and settling down, it made Piper realize more than ever that she didn’t want to walk through life alone.
“You two are standing under the mistletoe,” Sue crowed. “That means you have to kiss.”
Birdie let
out a little squeal of excitement. “Oh, yes. That’s the tradition. Your father used to insist on it, Piper.”
“I—I don’t think so,” she stammered. She felt uncomfortable at the suggestion. Normally she would have just laughed it off. Braden was her close friend after all. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel so put on the spot and jittery? It made absolutely no sense.
“A little peck won’t hurt either one of you,” Otis added. “Unless there’s some reason why you don’t want to.”
Piper darted a nervous glance at Braden. His face appeared flushed, and he was shifting from one foot to another. His beautiful green eyes were wide with a look resembling alarm. He let out a sigh and took two steps toward her, quickly closing the gap between them. Without any warning, Braden dipped his head down and placed a swift kiss on Piper’s cheek. A woodsy scent filled her nostrils as he leaned in. Although it was a fleeting gesture, it rattled Piper. For a few agonizing seconds, it had seemed as if he was going to smack one right on her lips. The moment he pulled away from her, she heard clapping and sounds of merriment.
Braden quickly backed away and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He didn’t seem very eager to make eye contact with her. His gaze was focused on the black-and-white parquet floor. “You ready to head out, Otis?” he asked.
“Sure thing, Braden. I’m mighty grateful for the ride home. My night vision on these dark back roads is terrible.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Braden said, placing an arm around the older man. “It’s the least I could do since you made me the official pie taster tonight.”
“I think that position was self-appointed,” Otis responded, garnering laughter from the group.
Piper forced herself to smile and chuckle along with everyone else. Ever since Braden’s lips had landed on her cheek, she’d been battling feelings of discomfort. She couldn’t even put her finger on why it had been so unsettling, but her stomach was now tied up in knots. She needed to get a grip. Why was she being so fanciful? It was nothing but a peck on the cheek.
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