The Only Purple House in Town (Fix-It Witches, #4)(84)

Okay, that’s adorable. Eli smiled, imagining Henry Dale locked on to this research like it was one of his DIY projects. Since the man had never been interested in romantic relationships, he was now taking notes to try and support a friend.

“Hate to break it you,” Eli said, “but that only works in a script.”

“Are you sure?” Henry Dale asked.

“Well, I haven’t tested it, but I’m pretty sure if I blow off Iris’s wishes and try to force a reconciliation, she’ll call the cops and file a restraining order.”

Rowan nodded emphatically. “And she’d be right to do so.”

“Oh.” The old man was visibly crestfallen.

Guess he really thought he had it all figured out.

At least the burgers were delicious, as were the milkshakes. Rowan had the biscuits and gravy plate, and Eli smiled because he remembered inviting them to go to Bev’s before. He’d just thought it would be with him and Iris, not him and Henry Dale. Regardless, he savored the meal in good company, quietly taking comfort in the fact that Henry Dale wanted Eli and Iris to get back together so much. Hell, Eli wanted it too, but not at the expense of what was best for her. She needed time, and he planned to give it to her.

“My plan…is to wait,” he said eventually.

“That’s it?” Rowan asked.

“At some point, she might be willing to talk. I’ll stick around and hope that day dawns.” He dipped the last fry in ketchup and ate it.

“That’s not very romantic,” Henry Dale said. “At least, not according to the movies I’ve watched, which accounts for most of my knowledge. I got the rest from novels, but one of them was set during WWII, so I don’t think Eli going off to war is a viable strategy.”

Eli laughed. “I’m not enlisting. Hard pass.”

Rowan shook their head, still seeming fixed on the older man’s first point. “It’s sweet that Eli is willing to live on her time, you know? Not asking anything. Not expecting it either. But…hoping. You screwed up, you owned it. That’s all you can do.”

“You’re really wise for nineteen,” Eli noted.

“People say I’m an old soul. I was the only one in my family who didn’t see the point of trick-or-treating,” Rowan confessed.

It took a lot for Eli to confide this. “Frankly, I’ve blocked out a lot of my childhood. My mother died when I was young, I was bullied afterward…”

“Been there. It sucks.” Rowan reached over, touching his hand briefly in sympathy. Their mouth twisted. “With the bullying, I mean, not losing my mom. For better or worse, she’s out there praying for my soul as we speak.”

He smiled at Rowan. It felt good to open up, and Henry Dale was listening with full attention too. They both seemed to expect him to continue. “I lost my dad a few years later. I have relatives on my mom’s side, but…I’ve never sought them out.”

“Why not?” Henry Dale asked.

For the first time, Eli admitted the truth out loud, what he’d barely acknowledged to himself. “If there’s no connection, if they just see me as an outsider, it will hurt so much that I don’t think I’ll ever recover from it. So I’m afraid to try.”

“Wow,” Rowan whispered. “This feels like a hugging moment. Do you want a hug?”

“Sure,” Eli said.

They leaned over to give him a careful side hug, easily achieved since Henry Dale had commandeered the whole other side of the booth. The man didn’t like sharing space.

“Better?” Rowan asked.

“Yeah. Thanks.” Eli did feel better.

Henry Dale cleared his throat. “If you want my opinion, you should go see them. You have family you’ve never met, and I’m sure they wonder about you.”

“If they even know I exist.”

“Then you’ll be an amazing surprise,” Rowan said.

“I’ll think about it.” He signaled for the check, and the other two let him pay without argument. At least one good thing had come from everyone finding out about his streak of success with various apps. “Hey, I don’t think I said so before, but I’m happy that your comic is taking off.”

Rowan visibly glowed over hearing that. “Between the discount for helping with Iris’s business and what I’m earning online, I’m pretty close to self-sufficient now. And it’s such a relief. My parents have been saying, ‘You have no marketable skills, no education,’ and they had me scared that I’d end up homeless if I tried to move out.”

“That’s bullshit,” Henry Dale said fiercely. “You’re smart and resourceful, and lots of people care about you.”

“Aw. You’re making me want to hug you too, HD.” Rowan grinned, likely knowing that the older man would rise to the bait.

Sure enough, Henry Dale pretended to glare. “The cheek!”

Taking that as his cue, Eli stood up and headed out, still thinking about what they’d said about his mom’s side of the family. Once they got in the truck, he said, “Maybe I don’t have to start with anything as big as a visit. I could look for cousins on the socials and reach out that way, see if anyone…”

“Cares?” Rowan suggested.