Chapter 31 - Jackie and Olive ♡︎

The house had gone quiet after breakfast, a rare sort of calm settling over the Walter home. Olive padded up the stairs, the soft creak of each step echoing faintly through the hall. Her room, though small compared to the chaos of the rest of the house, had quickly become her sanctuary — neat, warm, and filled with little touches of her gentle personality. The scent of lavender lingered faintly in the air from the candle Katherine had given her.

She began tidying without thinking, folding her favorite pastel blanket at the edge of her bed, smoothing out the creases twice just to make sure it was perfect. Her stuffed animals sat neatly against the headboard, and she adjusted each one like they were old friends—lining them up from smallest to largest, whispering a small apology when one tumbled over.

The door creaked open, and Jackie's familiar voice drifted in. "You really cute when you tidy up your stuffed animals like that."

Olive turned, startled for a second, then relaxed when she saw Jackie leaning against the doorframe. She smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you, Jackie," Olive said shyly. "It helps me think."

Jackie grinned, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. "Can I come in?"

Olive nodded, her smile widening a bit. "Of course."

Jackie crossed the room and sat down on the edge of Olive's bed, her elbows on her knees as she watched Olive rearrange a few of her stuffed bunnies. The sunlight caught the streaks of gold in Olive's hair, making her look even softer — almost fragile, but in a way that was endearing rather than weak.

After a pause, Jackie sighed, her tone gentle. "I've been thinking about what I said this morning. About Cole. And... I just wanted to say I'm sorry if I've been too overprotective."

Olive blinked and slowly sat beside her, tilting her head. "You don't have to apologize, Jackie."

"No, I do." Jackie's voice wavered just slightly, though she tried to keep her usual confidence. "Ever since you moved here, I've kind of made it my mission to... keep an eye on you. You've always been so shy, even before you came to Silver Falls. I guess I just didn't want anyone to hurt you." She gave a half-laugh, shaking her head. "But I might've gone a little too far with that."

Olive smiled faintly, her eyes warm. "You've always looked out for me. You still do. That's not something you should be sorry for."

Jackie looked down at her hands for a moment, then met Olive's gaze again. "I just love you, Olive. You're my best friend. And I know how hard it's been for you to come out of your shell. You've been so brave lately — going to the dance, meeting people, even..." She hesitated, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "Even falling for a guy."

Olive's face flushed instantly, and she ducked her head with a soft, nervous laugh. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

Jackie smiled, leaning in slightly. "Not bad. Just... dangerous."

They both giggled quietly for a moment before the room fell into a comfortable silence. Jackie reached out, squeezing Olive's hand. "You know, when I first met Cole, I didn't think he was capable of caring about someone the way he seems to care about you. He's stubborn and impulsive, but... you've changed him somehow."

Olive's eyes softened. "He's changed me too," she whispered.

Jackie smiled, nodding slowly. "Yeah. I can see that." She gave Olive's hand one last squeeze before standing. "Anyway, I'll stop hovering now. Just... promise me you'll keep being you, okay? Sweet, kind, wonderful you."

Olive laughed quietly, her heart feeling full. "I promise."

Jackie grinned, backing toward the door. "Good. And maybe... don't let him into your room again, okay?"

Olive's blush deepened instantly. "Jackie!"

Jackie laughed, holding up her hands in surrender. "I'm just saying!"

As she disappeared down the hall, Olive sighed and glanced around her now-perfectly tidy room.___

Olive blinked sleepily and let out a soft yawn, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

She murmured to herself, half under her breath, "Why am I so tired? It's only one o'clock." Her voice was light and fuzzy with sleep. She reached for one of her stuffed bunnies, hugging it close for a second before setting it aside and running her fingers through her hair.

Just then, Cole leaned against the doorframe, that familiar smirk tugging at his lips. His green eyes softened when he saw her sitting there in her comfy clothes, clearly trying to fight off sleep. Without saying anything else, he slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind. Olive gasped softly, caught off guard by the sudden warmth of his chest against her back.

"You look exhausted, tiny," he said, his voice low and teasing.

"Cole," she whispered, her face turning red almost instantly. "You scared me."

He chuckled softly against her hair. "Didn't mean to." His voice dropped, smooth and low near her ear. "You should take a nap, tiny. You're practically falling asleep sitting up."

Olive shook her head, though she was still pressed against him. "I can't," she mumbled shyly. "Jackie needs my help today. We were going to clean out the barn loft and maybe bake something for Parker."

Cole sighed dramatically, resting his chin on her shoulder. "You and Jackie always have something to do. You never just relax."

"I do relax," Olive said, still flustered but trying to sound firm.

He chuckled, tightening his arms around her for a brief moment before letting them rest loosely around her waist. "Sure you do," he teased, his breath warm against the back of her neck. Then, before she could reply, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the side of her neck.

Olive froze, her breath catching in her throat as her face turned an even deeper shade of pink. "C–Cole..." she whispered, half in surprise, half in protest.

He smiled against her skin, clearly amused by her reaction. "Alright," he said quietly, still close to her ear. "I'll let you off the hook this time." He pulled back slightly, enough to look at her face, his expression softer now. "But I'm holding you to it, tiny. You owe me a cuddle later."

Olive turned her head enough to glance at him, her cheeks still flushed. "You're ridiculous," she murmured with a shy smile.

Cole grinned. "Maybe. But you love it."

She laughed quietly, unable to deny it. Cole finally loosened his hold and stepped back, running a hand through his hair. "Go help Jackie," he said, his voice playful but tender underneath. "Just don't wear yourself out, alright?"

Olive nodded, still a little flustered but smiling. "I won't," she promised softly.

Cole gave her one last look — that half-smirk, half-smile that always made her heart race — before walking out of her room. The moment the door closed, Olive flopped back onto her bed, covering her face with her hands, her heart thumping fast in her chest.___

The sky outside had faded into deep shades of lavender and navy, the kind of soft dusk that seemed to settle gently over the ranch. The Walter house was quiet now, only the occasional creak of the wooden floorboards and the hum of the wind outside filling the silence. Dinner had been a noisy affair, full of laughter and teasing from the boys, and now that everything was done and the chores were finished, Olive finally had time to herself.

She'd spent most of the day helping Jackie — cleaning, folding laundry, sweeping out the barn loft, and organizing Parker's overflowing collection of football gear. It had been fun in that tiring, homey kind of way, and Olive loved the feeling of belonging, of being part of the family rhythm. Still, her small frame felt sore, her arms a little tired, and all she wanted was her bed.

She padded around her room quietly, brushing her hair and humming softly to herself as she got ready for the night. Her pajama set was light and soft — pastel pink with tiny clouds and stars on it, paired with fuzzy socks that didn't match. The outfit made her look even smaller, even gentler, like something straight out of a dream. She didn't dress to impress; she dressed for comfort, but somehow that made her look effortlessly sweet.

After she folded her day clothes neatly on her chair, she sat cross-legged on her bed, her hair down and slightly messy, her cheeks warm from washing her face. She took a moment to breathe, her thoughts quiet for once. Maybe she'd write a little in her journal before sleeping, or text Jackie goodnight from the room next door just because it was something they always did, even when they'd just been together all day.

A soft knock sounded on the door, barely a warning before it opened. Olive looked up in surprise — only one person ever just walked in like that.

Cole stepped inside, his hair still slightly damp from a shower, wearing a dark t-shirt and sweatpants. He looked tired, but that easy grin still played on his lips when his eyes landed on her.

"Hey," he said quietly, his voice rough and low, softened by the late hour.

Olive blinked, her face instantly going pink. "C–Cole, it's late," she stammered, tugging nervously at her sleeve. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged and leaned against the doorframe for a moment, his eyes never leaving her. "Couldn't sleep," he said simply. "I need some cuddles from you."

Her cheeks heated up even more at that, and she tried to look anywhere but at him. "Oh. Well..." she mumbled, fiddling with the hem of her pajama top.

Cole chuckled under his breath and crossed the room, slow and deliberate, until he stood right in front of her. Olive looked up, wide-eyed, her heart fluttering in her chest. He smiled softly — not teasing this time, but warm, almost tender — and then without warning, he bent down and wrapped his arms around her.

Olive froze for a second, her breath catching as she found herself pressed gently against his chest. Cole smelled like soap and rain and the faint scent of pine. His hug wasn't rough or possessive; it was careful, protective, as if she were something precious.

"You look cute in your pajamas," he murmured against her hair, his voice deep but laced with affection.

Olive's face turned red immediately. "C–Cole!" she squeaked, hiding her face against his chest. "I wasn't trying to look cute."

He chuckled quietly, his chest rumbling against her cheek. "Yeah, well, you failed at that," he teased softly. "You always look cute. Especially like this."

Olive pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at him, her lips parting as if to say something, but no words came out. Cole just smiled at her again — that small, genuine smile that only she seemed to get — and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

"Long day with Jackie I bet?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, still blushing. "Mm-hm. I helped Jackie clean, and Parker... well, she made me run around the barn twice."

Cole grinned. "Sounds about right."

Olive yawned softly, and he smirked. "See? You're half-asleep already. You should've taken that nap when I told you to."

"Maybe you were right," she admitted shyly, resting her head briefly against his chest again.

Cole held her there for another quiet moment, just long enough for Olive to feel her heartbeat slow. Then he leaned down, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head. "Get some sleep, tiny," he said softly. "I'll see you in the morning."

Olive smiled, her eyes half-lidded. "Goodnight, Cole."

He lingered for just a second more, then gave her one last squeeze before letting go and heading for the door. Just before he slipped out, he turned his head slightly, his grin returning. "By the way," he said quietly, "those pajamas? Definitely my new favorite."

Olive groaned softly and hid her face in her hands, laughing quietly as he left.