“Even so, you have a great memory for faces.” Olivia glanced toward the dining room to make sure no one was coming their way. “I certainly thought your drawing of the young girl looked very much like Alicia. I wonder why Mom would go to all this trouble.”
“I wondered about that, too,” Dolly said.
“My mother’s ways are often mysterious,” Olivia said. “Do you have any idea how many of those charms you sold?”
Dolly frowned in concentration, which only made her more gorgeous.
It’s a good thing Dolly is a likable person, Olivia thought. She was surprised by her fiercely protective instincts. She had already watched Jason nearly go to prison for a former girlfriend, and she still didn’t trust his judgment. Besides, irritating as Jason could be, Olivia didn’t want her baby brother to endure another broken heart.
“I think I sold four of those heart charms,” Dolly said. “But I’m positive that three of them sold to adult women. I could sketch them for you, if you like.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Olivia said.
Dolly motioned to Olivia to follow her to a more private spot near a bookcase. “Listen, Livie, about Jason and me,” Dolly said. “Please don’t worry that I’ll throw myself at him. I do like the guy a lot, but I’m not a dumb teenager anymore. Not that all teenagers are dumb, of course, but I sure was. I thought all those guys who were after me really liked me as a person. Ha! They were only chasing after me because of my . . .” Dolly shook her perfect golden curls impatiently. “That’s not important. I want you to know that I like your brother because he treats me with respect. I swear, the first thing Jason noticed about me was I changed the oil in my car all by myself. We started discussing auto maintenance, and pretty soon we were talking about classic cars and how to restore them. That was the best conversation I’ve ever had with a man.”
“Okay, then,” Olivia said. “I will worry no more. But I do have one little piece of advice. If you ever find yourself in an arm wrestling contest with Jason, don’t—”
“Oh, we arm wrestled soon after we met,” Dolly said with a lopsided grin. “I used to arm wrestle with my brothers all the time. Believe me, it wouldn’t occur to me let a guy win. Jason put up a fight, but I won in the end. Jason took it well. Wait, you don’t think he let me win, do you? That would be so disappointing.”
Ellie entered the living room, followed by Alicia, who stared, wide-eyed, around the room as if she were having second thoughts about entering. “Poor kid,” Dolly said. “She’s had a rough time. I think I’ll wander over for a chat with her.”
As Dolly left, Ellie joined Olivia. “Dear Maddie is minding the kitchen while the meatloaves finish baking,” Ellie said. “I thought Alicia might enjoy some social time before dinner.”
Olivia observed Alicia’s animated expression as she chattered with Dolly. “Those two seem to be getting along well.”
“I thought they might,” Ellie said. “I must say, Alicia has been quite helpful with the meatloaf experiments.”
Olivia’s antennae perked up. Her mother’s experiments usually had an ulterior motive. “Dinner is an experiment?”
“Of course, dear,” Ellie said. “Alicia has a remarkably sophisticated palate. Who better to help me discover the secret to Pete’s secret meatloaf recipe?”
Uh-oh. “Mom, aren’t you worried that spending an evening discussing Pete’s meatloaf might make Alicia feel even worse? He did just fire her, after all.”
“I am hardly in my dotage, Livie. Naturally I discussed the idea with Alicia before moving forward with it. She lit up like a house on fire . . . such a disturbing analogy, when you think about it.”
“Extremely disturbing, but I won’t tell anyone you used it.”
“How thoughtful of you, dear.” Ellie checked her watch. “I should get the rest of the meal ready soon, but let me reassure you that Alicia is looking forward to our little experiment. She told me she adores all types of cooking. She seems to have survived being fired rather well. She confided that Pete spoke to her privately after he’d thrown that sad young man out of the diner. He said he wasn’t angry with her, but he owed it to his customers and staff to keep them safe from violence.”
“That still sounds like Alicia got fired,” Olivia said.
“Yes, Livie, but Pete also expressed concern for Alicia’s safety. He suggested she break all ties with Kurt and report him to the police if he bothered her. I suspect Alicia hasn’t experienced much kindness from adults—with the exception of her father, poor soul.”
Olivia glanced across the room at Alicia as she chatted with Allan. “Well, I’m glad she is staying with you and Allan. If she mentions anything that might help resolve what happened to her father, you will tell me, right?”
“Of course, dear, just as soon as I’ve passed the information on to Del.” Ellie’s expression brightened as she looked over Olivia’s shoulder. “She is such a charming young woman, don’t you think?”
“Wait, are we still talking about Alicia?” Olivia turned and followed her mother’s gaze. “Ah, you mean Dolly. Charming, gorgeous, artistically and mechanically gifted . . . If only she weren’t so pleasant, I could happily hate her. As far as I can see, her one flaw is she is besotted with Jason.”
“Now, now, Livie,” Ellie said. “You give Jason too little credit. Although, to be fair, he gives you even less. The two of you are so different. I can only hope that someday you will both learn to appreciate one another.” With the wistful sigh of a long-suffering mother, she added, “I would so enjoy seeing that happen before I die.”
Olivia rolled her eyes heavenward. “Nice delivery, Mom. However, you exercise and do yoga a million times a day, while I live on pizza. I suspect you will outlive me.” Olivia regarded her mother with deepening suspicion. “Okay, Mom, what’s the real reason for this dinner?”
Ellie’s eyes blinked too rapidly, or so Olivia thought. “Livie, dear, I don’t understand what you mean. How many reasons must I have to host a dinner for my friends and family?”
Olivia stroked her chin. “I wonder . . . Dolly doesn’t really need to be here to identify Alicia, does she? I’m guessing that was just a ruse. I’ll bet you and Struts hatched the idea to get Dolly here tonight so she and Jason could get to know one another in a casual family setting.”
Ellie shrugged but admitted nothing.
“I thought so,” Olivia said. “You’d better hope Jason doesn’t get wind of your intentions. He likes Dolly, but he’d hate being set up by his mother. As would I, by the way.”
“You have no need of my services,” Ellie said.
Olivia couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re right about Jason. He’d never pick up on Dolly’s interest, despite the fact that she is perfect for him—though arguably out of his league, but that’s just my opinion. Does Dolly know about this little plot?”
“Heavens no,” Ellie said. “No woman likes to be thrown at a man, especially when it’s his mother doing the tossing. Struts and I discussed the options. It was her idea to tell Dolly that we wanted to be certain Alicia was the girl who’d bought the little charm found with . . . well, you know.”
“Ah.” Olivia remembered seeing Ellie intercept Struts as she left The Gingerbread House during the impromptu event on Tuesday. “So this dinner isn’t really about Alicia or even about Pete’s meatloaf, is it?”
Ellie shrugged her slender shoulders. “One might as well take advantage of an opportunity,” she said. “Dear Struts is quite the romantic, you know.”
Olivia didn’t know, but she wasn’t surprised. As a mechanic, Struts was the best, but she indulged in regular manicures, and her work clothes always managed to show off her tall, slender figure.
“Of course,” Ellie said, “Struts is also practical. She’s been watching Jason and Dolly get to know each other. She is worried that Dolly might quit the garage if she feels Jason is
rejecting her. You see, Dolly is a promising mechanic, and she definitely attracts business . . . especially from men who usually do their own oil changes. Struts doesn’t want to lose her.”
When her mother announced dinner, Olivia joined Dolly as she headed toward the dining room. “I just wanted to let you know,” Olivia said, “that Jason never lets anyone beat him at arm wrestling. Such an idea would never occur to him. So you did good.”
“You won’t tell Jason we’ve been talking about him, will you?” Dolly asked in a whisper.
“Not a chance,” Olivia said.
“Good, because I like being one of the guys to Jason. For now, anyway.”
Followed by Olivia, Dolly entered the dining room and glanced around the table. There were two empty chairs left. One was next to Jason, who gave her a quick wave. Dolly smiled at him and chose the other seat, across from Jason and next to Alicia. Olivia sat next to Jason. At least she’d be able to observe Dolly and Alicia. Also, Maddie was seated on Alicia’s other side, so Olivia could communicate with her nonverbally, if needed.
“Before we begin,” Ellie said, “I want to tell you all that I have an ulterior motive for organizing this gathering. I’m hoping everyone here has tasted the sublime meatloaf served at Pete’s Diner? Good, because I am determined to replicate his recipe. Pete has refused to share it with me. Normally, I would respect his wishes, but . . . well, his meatloaf is the best I’ve ever tasted, and I am a connoisseur of meatloaf.”
Olivia sneaked a quick look at Alicia to gauge her reaction to the mention of her former boss. Alicia showed no sign of discomfort. In fact, she looked more relaxed than Olivia had ever seen her.
From the opposite end of the table, Allan belted out an enthusiastic, “Here, here,” in response to his wife’s announcement.
“Thank you, dear,” Ellie said. “Although Pete has every right to keep the recipe to himself, there’s no law against trying to decipher it through trial and error, is there? Naturally, should I be successful, Pete’s secret will be safe with me.” Ellie beamed at her guests. “Now for the fun part. I’ve made four meatloaves, all slightly different. As you taste each of them, I’d like you to rate them in comparison to your memory of Pete’s recipe. I did not buy any of Pete’s meatloaf for comparison. That didn’t seem fair because . . . well, I’d feel compelled to tell Pete what I’m doing.”
“How do you know one of us won’t squeal on you to Pete?” Olivia asked.
“Oh, Livie. That would make me so very sad.” Ellie’s tone had an edge that Olivia recognized from childhood. “Now everyone, you have small score sheets hidden under your plates, and tiny pencils under your napkins. We will taste the meatloaves one by one, rate each one, and cleanse our palates with salad and steamed broccoli. Once we’ve finished our ratings, feel free to eat more. Are we ready? Good, then let the feasting begin.”
Feeling oddly self-conscious, Olivia tried but failed to catch Maddie’s eye. Everyone at the table seemed eager to follow Ellie’s orders, including Alicia. Perhaps she hadn’t really minded losing her job, now that she had a place to stay. Or maybe she enjoyed the thought that Pete’s exquisite and very private recipe might be revealed?
“Livie?” Jason nudged Olivia’s arm with his elbow while holding a large pan in both hands. “If you don’t want your share of this meatloaf, I’ll take it.”
“Hand it over,” Olivia said. “My brother, the human vacuum.” She was pleased to hear Alicia giggle.
“I wish I had a brother,” Alicia said.
“No, you don’t.” Olivia softened her jab with a grin.
After the tasters had marked their score cards, Ellie said, “I can’t stand the suspense. What’s the verdict?”
“Very tasty, sweetheart,” Allan said.
“Yes, dear, but does it taste anything like Pete’s meatloaf?” Ellie’s gaze fell on Alicia.
“Well . . .” Alicia took a second bite and closed her eyes as she chewed. With a decisive nod, she said, “Your husband is right, Ellie. It tastes great, but it isn’t Pete’s recipe. Too much tomato sauce, which overpowers the subtler flavors. The meat tastes similar, though. Did you use finely chopped shallots instead of onions?”
An enthusiastic yap from the dining room entrance seemed to support Alicia’s analysis. Either that, Olivia thought, or Spunky could smell the meatloaf and was angling for a taste.
Ellie beamed. “I did indeed, Alicia. How clever of you.”
Olivia had begun to catch on. Crystal, Alicia’s mother, had mentioned what a skilled baker her daughter had become. Clearly the girl had a gift for discerning subtle taste differences. Ellie, whose own special skills included understanding people, was using Alicia’s talents to draw her out, get her talking . . . perhaps to relax her enough to discuss more painful memories?
Alicia appeared more comfortable with each sample meatloaf that made its way around the table. The second experiment, Alicia decided, had too much garlic in the meat. The tomato sauce on the third meatloaf tasted too sweet, and the fourth was closest in taste to Pete’s recipe except the sauce wasn’t sharp enough. “By any chance, did you use regular mustard in the sauce?” Alicia asked. When Ellie nodded, Alicia said, “I thought so. Pete does use regular mustard in some dishes, but I’m almost positive he uses Dijon mustard for his meatloaf sauce. I’ve wondered if he sneaks in a pinch of horseradish, too. He won’t share his recipe with anyone, not even Ida.”
“I’m confused,” Olivia said. “Ida has served Del and me lots of extra meatloaf. She always tells us that ‘the cook made too much,’ and Pete wants to get rid of the leftovers.”
When Alicia laughed, she looked like a carefree teenager. Her light brown eyes sparkled as she shook her long, chestnut hair. “That’s a little game they play. I figured that out right away.” She relaxed against her chair back. “I always wanted to work at Pete’s Diner. I was so happy to get that waitressing job, I came in early my first day. I wanted to learn everything as fast as possible because . . .” Alicia lowered her gaze as if she felt shy sharing information about herself. “Well, because I want to be a cook. Not just any cook, but one of the best. I want to open my own restaurant someday and specialize in desserts. My dad taught me how to make decorated cutout cookies. We were going to open a bakery together when I . . .” Alicia stared down at her hands. “When I got old enough,” she finished softly.
“Hey, there’s no time like the present,” Maddie said. “After dinner, I’ll be heading back to the Gingerbread House kitchen for some evening cookie baking. How about joining me for a couple hours? I can drive you back here before Ellie and Allan start nodding off.”
“Gosh, I’d love that.” Alicia looked toward Ellie. “Would it be okay? I wouldn’t stay too late.”
With a wistful sigh, Ellie said, “Oh, if only my own children had been so solicitous.”
“Hey!” Olivia protested.
“Yeah, hey!” Jason said.
“I was only teasing, dears,” Ellie said. “Alicia, I would like you to be back no later than eleven, so we won’t have to worry. Worrying is so exhausting. However, I will give you a key, in case all of you lose track of time. Creating decorated cookies can have that effect.” She scraped back her chair and stood. “Now that we’ve finished our dinner, shall we have coffee and dessert in the living room? Alicia, would you help me clear the table?”
“Sure.” Alicia sprang to her feet, nearly toppling her chair backward. Olivia felt sad as she watched Alicia’s eager response to Ellie’s firm, yet attentive mothering. Remembering her conversation with Crystal in the band shell, Olivia suspected that Alicia was more used to harsh criticism.
While Ellie and Alicia carried soiled dinnerware to the kitchen for washing, Allan led the others to the living room. “Winter is coming, no doubt about it,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Make yourselves at home, while I stoke the fire.” Spunky plunked down in front of th
e fireplace. He knew from past experience that a lit fire meant warmth, and he intended to claim the best spot.
Jason settled on the sofa next to Dolly. “Want me to head out and chop down a tree for firewood, Allan? We wouldn’t want the womenfolk to freeze.” Dolly jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, which made Olivia like her enormously. “Hey,” Jason said. “You’ve got a strong arm, for a girl.”
Dolly turned her back on him and asked the group, “Does anyone know what Ellie is up to? Because it looked like she planned that whole dinner scene pretty carefully.”
“Ellie’s ways are often mysterious,” Maddie said. “And convoluted . . . which is probably why I love watching her in action. I’m never quite sure what she’ll do or say next. I wish she’d gotten Alicia to talk about her boyfriend. He’s the one who got her fired from Pete’s Diner this morning, right?”
“Kurt?” Jason snorted. “He’s such a loser.”
“You know him?” Olivia’s eyebrows shot up. “How? And why didn’t you say something?”
“You didn’t ask, Olive Oyl. Jeez. And I know him because Struts fired him sometime back. Kurt claimed he was an experienced mechanic. We’d lost a couple guys in the previous months, so Struts decided to give him a chance. Big mistake. He didn’t know a piston from an air filter.”
“Wow,” Dolly said.
“I know, right?” Jason said. “Boy, was Kurt ever mad when Struts canned him. I followed him out to make sure he didn’t damage anything. I don’t know why he thought he could fool Struts and me. You just had to look at those scrawny shoulders and arms to know he wasn’t a mechanic, but Struts likes to give people a chance to prove themselves.” Jason socked Dolly’s shoulder, and she socked him back harder. “See? Dolly is lots stronger than Kurt, and she’s a girl.”
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