"Yeah.I want to go find that lilac bush.Are you ready?"
"I will be in just a few minutes.Are you ready to go?"
"I am," he said with a smile."I'll wait here for you."
She ran back into the house.She wanted to grab her phone so she could show him Delaney's text about the wind chime order.She didn't know if she could bring herself to say that much money out loud — especially since she thought she knew where the order had to have come from.
As soon as they set out toward the pond, Peanut and Butter ran on ahead, and Ollie took hold of her hand.
"Are you okay?"she asked."You seem a bit...weird."
He laughed."I'm fine.I thought you loved the weird about me."
"You know I do."
"I'm good," he said."If I'm weird, it's just because I'm happy."
"Oh, I'm happy too."
"Happy but expecting a call?"he asked, nodding at her phone that was still in her hand.
"No, not expecting a call.Just wanted to show you something.And to ask you something."
"What's that?"
"Delaney had an order come in — or at least a request, or whatever you call it — and it's for a heck of a lot of money."
Ollie grinned."Told you.You're going to be stealthy wealthy."
She rolled her eyes at him."Maybe so.But that's not the point."
He looked more serious."What is the point, then?What's bothering you?"
She opened the text and held her phone up.He let out a low whistle when he saw it.
"Damn.Someone really wants one of your wind chimes, don't they?"
She nodded."Yeah.But Ollie, the thing is — no one's seen my wind chimes."
He frowned."What do you mean?"
"I don't make many, and the ones I have are hung around the cottage.At home."
She watched his face as realization dawned, hoping he wouldn't be mad.She really didn't want this to be a setback between him and Miles.But there was no way she would have hidden it from him.
He stared ahead of them down the avenue between the rows of vines as they carried on walking, looking thoughtful.
"It has to be your dad.How do you feel about it?"she asked when she couldn't take it any longer.
He turned to her and smiled."Sorry.It took me a minute to figure that out."
"You're not mad at him, are you?I really don't want you to be mad at him."
"No.I'm not.It's okay.In fact, I kind of like it."
"You do?"She was thrilled but surprised.
"Yeah.I mean, think about it.He fell in love with the wind chime the moment he saw it — the same way I did.That meant something to me, that he saw things the same way.And now, if he buys one from you, takes it home to his place in LA — it's like us reconnecting over the broken pieces."He smiled."Seems fitting, really, doesn't it?"
