“Yeah,” Miranda says with a grin, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It threw me for a loop too when I first started dating Miles. The guys on the hockey team have the most ridiculous nicknames for each other. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track.”
“But why Sean?” Tessa asks, her confusion deepening.
Iris jumps in. “Well, as the story goes, my brother Beckett misheard Logan being introduced as Sean the first time they met, and from that point on…” She trails off with a grin. “He—and eventually the rest of the team—just ran with it.”
Tessa blinks. “But Sean and Logan sound nothing alike.”
“I know,” Anna says, shaking her head. “That’s why it’s hilarious.”
I groan and drop my head back against the couch. “Yes. Absolutely hilarious.” I roll my eyes, which only makes them laugh harder.
“Oh, don’t let him fool you,” Penny says, waving a hand dismissively. “He loves it.”
“Yeah,” I mutter. “Who wouldn’t love being called by a completely different name every single day?”
Their laughter fills the room, and for the first time since she arrived, Tessa looks relaxed. Her shoulders have dropped. Her hands aren’t clasped so tightly in her lap anymore.
I know exactly what the women are doing—lightening the mood, easing the tension, making the air feel breathable again—and it’s working.
“So tell me,” Penny says, leaning forward with exaggerated seriousness, “do you have access to pumpkin spice latte mix year-round?” She lifts her brows hopefully.
Tessa smiles. “No, the owners only order it in the fall. I’m not even sure if it’s available at other times of the year.”
“Yeah,” Iris jumps in, pointing at Penny, “I wormed my way into this one’s heart with bags of pumpkin spice latte mix from Starbucks.”
“You did?” Tessa grins, her eyes lighting up.
“Yeah.” Iris nods. “It was ridiculous, really. But I have a friend who works there, and she managed to secure several bags of the mix for me. When I first met Penny, she wasn’t exactly open to new relationships.”
Penny shrugs, feigning indifference. “What can I say? I’m selective.”
“Yep,” Iris says. “That is—until she’s bribed with pumpkin spice latte mix.”
“Well,” Penny scoffs, gesturing with her hands, “it just doesn’t taste the same when it’s made at home. You need the fancy coffee shop mix.”
“I will say,” Tessa adds, “ours tastes a little different than Starbucks. We don’t order from the same company, but it’s still really good.”
“Just wait,” Iris says with a laugh. “Penny is going to worm her way into your heart just so you can be her new pumpkin spice dealer.”
“I wouldn’t mind,” Tessa says, and her smile is genuine now. “Honestly, the owners of the shop are two of the nicest people. I’m sure they’d gladly order you extra bags of the mix to keep you stocked in pumpkin-flavored coffee all year long.”
“That would be amazing,” Penny says, her eyes lighting up.
Miranda shifts in her seat, turning her attention to Tessa. “Logan mentioned you’re also in college?”
Tessa nods. “Yeah, for social work. I have a semester left.”
“That’s awesome,” Anna says, tucking her legs farther beneath her.
“Yeah, I’m excited.” Tessa’s expression softens. “I hope I can make a difference. Though I am going to miss working at the coffee shop. The owners are like family.”
The girls chat for a bit longer, the conversation flowing easily now. After a while, Penny catches my eye, then looks at Tessa.
“She’s going to be in the spare room?” Penny asks me.
I nod. “Yeah, the one at the end of the hall with the big bathroom.”
“Great.” Penny stands and brushes her hands against her jeans. She turns to Tessa with a warm smile. “Can we pull you aside for a private chat?”
