“Sides? There are no sides,” Ivey said as she took a seat at one of the wrought-iron tables.
“It’s fun. Don’t you love small towns and all their little quirks?”
“No,” Brooke answered.
“Remind me again why I decided to go out today.” Ivey threw a pointed look at Brooke.
“To show your face. Let everyone know ‘Hello world, it’s me, Ivey, and I’m not going to go down without a fight.’ Something like that, anyway.”
“Oh yeah. I forgot.” Ivey tried to break out a smile and it took such effort she was sure it died before it even got to her lips. Not happening today.
Brooke noticed. “See that? That’s exactly why I’m never falling in love.”
“What?”
“That look on your face. Love hurts. And you’ve let love for that man torture you since you were sixteen years old.”
“I should have told him.”
“All right, so maybe I was wrong. Next time don’t take advice from a woman who’s never been in a serious and committed relationship. I can’t do much more for you, but I promise you I’ll take care of those pink and blue ribbons.”
“I don’t mind, actually. It’s kind of sweet.”
“How is it sweet?”
“They do it because they care about us. They’re showing their support the only way they know how. And Genevieve is right. It is kind of fun. All the blue and pink ribbons all over town. Like a party.”
“That’s a new way to look at it. I remember how upset you were when you first heard about it.”
But when she’d first come home, she’d tried to move forward and pretend she hadn’t lost everything. She’d always felt like the wronged one, but it turned out that hadn’t been entirely true.
Seemed also that she was stronger than ribbons.
After lunch, Brooke and Ivey walked past storefronts covered in pink and blue ribbons. For the first time, Ivey noticed many storefronts with both a pink and a blue ribbon and people who were smiling and winking. This, she supposed, passed for entertainment. No harm done.
They heard the loud voice of a woman inside Ed’s Hardware store. “Seriously, get a hobby. Get a life. Stop giving these out!”
“Give those back to me. They’re for paying customers!” Ed could be heard shouting back.
“Send me the bill.” Ivey nearly collided with Ali as she stormed out the front door, carrying a box of blue ribbons. “Sorry about all this. I know how it must seem.”
“I don’t mind anymore,” Ivey explained. But she couldn’t stop staring at the box of blue ribbons in Ali’s hands.
“We’ve decided it’s quaint,” Brooke offered.
Ali smiled. “Is quaint the new word for crazy?”
All three of them had a good laugh, while Ed eyed them suspiciously through the front glass door entrance.
Ali pulled Ivey to the side. “But seriously, please don’t give up on him. I happen to know that he loves you.”
“I know. And I love him.” She would until the day she died, but maybe love wasn’t enough when two people had hurt each other so much.
“He’s super stubborn when he’s hurt. He usually nurses his wounds for a while, like a grumpy bear. And I know work has been strangling him from the inside out for some time. Please be patient.”
“All right,” Ivey said with a shaky voice.
Ali waved good-bye, throwing the box of ribbons in the trunk of her car and slamming it shut with a loud thump.
“Wow. That was something, huh?” Brooke asked.
Amazing, seeing Ali come to Ivey’s defense that way. Ivey would have expected even worse from her, once she’d found out about the big lie. Not this kind of compassion and understanding from the woman who would have done anything to protect Jeff.
Unless she was finally clear on the fact that he didn’t need any protecting from Ivey.
14
“Are you certain?” Dr. Cooper asked.
“I haven’t come to the decision lightly. I’m sure.” Jeff sat across from the chief of cardiology.
“I know how hard you’ve worked for the hospital. If I’m being honest, I’d love for you to come on board.”
No, it hadn’t been part of the plan, but there it was. Emergency medicine wasn’t a good fit, and the more Jeff had considered it over the past two weeks, cardiology fit right with where he wanted and needed to be. He didn’t want to wind up four years later, unhappy with his career, still questioning whether or not he was doing any good. And was there anything more important to the human condition than the heart?
“And a pediatric cardiologist? Dr. Leonard is doing great work here. He’ll be thrilled.”
“I guess it’s a matter of waiting for an opening now. I’ve already informed my attending.”
“Right. I’ll meet with Lillian, and we’ll see how fast we can get this done.”
Jeff made his way to the lounge and his locker. He wasn’t kidding himself. It might be a while before there was a resident slot in cardiology. But now that he was certain of where he needed to be, he didn’t mind waiting.
He still had a lot on his plate for today. Okay maybe he was still a little bit into planning, but who would have thought he’d wind up pursuing a specialty in pediatrics? Still, the more he’d thought about it the better it felt. Seemed right, rang true to him. He’d always liked kids, had once planned to have three of them with Ivey’s help. And in some small way, he thought maybe if he could help sick kids, he’d be making up for the fact that he hadn’t been there for his own baby.
Yeah, it hadn’t been his fault. Not entirely. But maybe if he hadn’t been so insistent on planning every aspect of their future life together, Ivey might have felt comfortable coming to him. She might not have thought she’d be ruining everything. Maybe if he hadn’t been so wrapped up in medicine, in his career, expecting Ivey to meekly come along as a silent partner, he would have seen the signs.
Some things in life did require planning. Only not when it came to love. He hadn’t expected to fall in love in high school. Certainly hadn’t thought he’d want to marry his first love. But that’s exactly what would happen, if Ivey would still have him. Because he couldn’t be without her. Not like he hadn’t tried. They both had. Five years and she wasn’t out of his system. When she’d waltzed back into town, something in his heart popped open, and it was almost as if his life had been on pause for five years. Then Ivey had hit “play” again and they’d been off to the races.
He was a long way from being able to support a wife in the style he’d planned at one time, and he had a few years ahead of him before he could be in practice. But he’d leave it up to Ivey this time. They didn’t have to wait another minute to be married as far as he was concerned. There was an official courthouse in the next town over, and if that didn’t work, there was a rumor that Burt the chief of police was secretly an ordained minister.
Now all he needed was the ring.
A week later, Ivey had avoided it long enough, and now it was time to visit Mom’s grave. It must have been hard for Mom to live in wine country, trying to pretend that she was like everyone else and could stop at one or two drinks.
Speculating wouldn’t do any good now, because Mom hadn’t stopped drinking even after child protective services threatened to take Ivey away. She didn’t stop drinking for Aunt Lucy, who didn’t understand why Beth couldn’t go out drinking Friday night without winding up under the table.
The cemetery where Mom had been buried was on the outskirts of town, ironically on land rumored to have long ago been occupied by a vineyard that had gone out of business. Ivey hadn’t been here since the day of the burial.
Along the way, Ivey stopped at a flower stand and bought a dozen gardenias, Mom’s favorite flower. Ivey heard a florist say that gardenias were not a good idea in arrangements—they were fragile and required a precise amount of light and cool nights and the leaves turned brown after being touched, making them almost impossible to work with. But maybe
Mom should have what she’d wanted in death, even if she couldn’t have it in life.
Ivey bent down and replaced the plastic flowers with the gardenias, even if they wouldn’t last long in this environment. Kind of like Mom.
Ivey didn’t know what to say to a gravestone. Mom wasn’t really here, but maybe Ivey could pretend for a minute. Despite the fact that Mom had made life at home a minefield, Ivey didn’t blame her anymore. Some people could be as fragile as the gardenias, and couldn’t help but make mistakes. Mom had made a lot of them, but so had Ivey.
She was learning to forgive herself. “Hi, Mom. Sorry it’s been so long. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but if there’s a special place in heaven for babies that were never born would you please find my baby there? Give her a hug from me.”
She didn’t want to cry, but when a memory of Jeff’s warm hand slipping inside hers on the day of Mom’s funeral came to mind, tears flooded her view.
She hadn’t heard from Jeff in two weeks, and although she tried to tell herself that fourteen days wasn’t all that long, every day seemed to be further proof that Jeff couldn’t forgive her. Couldn’t trust her, and would never get past her betrayal.
But she wasn’t going anywhere. Running wouldn’t solve anything. If Jeff thought she’d ever give up on him again, he was about to find out different. She’d wait for him, and give him all the time and space he needed. However much time was necessary for him to realize they were meant to be together. She’d be patient this time. Jeff was right in that life sometimes needed a plan.
Or at least a rough draft. Even if she’d always flown by the seat of her pants, like Mom taught her, this time she’d try a plan.
A stop at Mama's Kitchen was precisely what she needed right now to cheer up this melancholy mood, and a double helping of the Knock You Naked Brownies wouldn’t hurt. Today of all days she deserved them.
She arrived at Em’s in the late afternoon lull before dinner.
“What’ll you have, honey? Made some of my pot roast today. Best in a while.” Em pulled out her pad.
“I’m having my dessert before dinner today. Life’s too short. I want some Knock You Naked Brownies,” Ivey said with a sigh.
“Si, are those brownies ready yet?” Em turned to yell.
“No, woman, I said twenty minutes. Hold the phone. There isn’t magic in this oven, ya know!” Si shouted back.
“Good Lord that man will be the death of me yet. I told him to put those in two hours ago, as I live and breathe. I’m sorry, dear. Anything else you want now?”
“No thanks, Em. I think I’m going home.” Maybe it was a sign from the universe that one more helping of those brownies would turn Ivey into a size eight overnight.
She walked out the door to an unsettling sight. In plain view outside the diner sat Jeff’s car, with a huge pink ribbon draped over the hood. The ribbon was large enough to cover the windshield, and it draped down the sides of the front windows.
She didn’t think he’d be too thrilled with the idea, even if, like her, he’d grown used to the ribbons. This one was a bit over the top, and Ivey wondered who the joker could be. She turned in circles and didn’t see anyone nearby. Maybe she could take it off herself and he wouldn’t be the wiser.
Carefully she pulled on the ribbon.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
Ivey startled and turned to see Jeff standing in the shadows, leaning against the wall of the building. “I didn’t see you there. I’m only trying to help. Somebody’s idea of a joke.”
He moved towards her. “Don’t take it off.”
“Why not?” Her foolish heart beat triple time against her rib cage as he drew closer.
Please calm down. Don’t get your hopes up.
“I kind of like it, seeing as I put it there.”
“You did?” Ivey’s heart did a weird flip when he reached her side.
“What can I say? I wanted to get in on the fun. I hate to tell you this, Little Face, but you’re becoming a little predictable.”
“Me? What do you mean?”
“Every afternoon around four you’re at the diner.” He put one hand on top of the hood, effectively blocking her in on one side.
She felt a little bit pinned in, but in a good way. Had he been watching her? “Where did you get a ribbon this large?”
“Special order two days ago. Did you know you can find anything online?”
“Yes, I do.” But probably not love. At least not the kind that made you ache.
He grinned. “All right, so I’m still a planner. I can’t help that. It’s part of who I am, like taking care of people is part of who you are. I wanted a big enough ribbon so that the whole town could see how crazy I am about you.”
Now her heart had entered the Kentucky Derby because he was so close, and she couldn’t speak because there was a good possibility she’d been struck mute. Good thing he wasn’t touching her, because if he did there was a good chance her knees might give out on her for good.
“I’m sorry,” he said, and she thought she might have heard wrong.
“You’re sorry?” she finally managed to say.
“I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like anything was more important than you are.”
Ivey swallowed. She’d heard wrong, somehow, otherwise how could he say exactly what she needed to hear?
His finger traced the curve of her lips. “I love you, Ivey. I want to spend the rest of my life proving that you come first with me.”
She was dreaming again. This couldn’t be real, because it was too good. Too perfect. When Ivey noticed Em and Si walk outside the diner, and then noticed Ophelia and Genevieve, as well as many other patrons and customers, she had to admit this was no dream. It was her reality, and far better than fiction.
“What’s all this?” Ivey glanced in the direction of their audience, who had formed a semi-circle around them.
Jeff reached inside the front pocket of his slacks. “I thought I could use a little support.”
He got down on his knees in front of the mini-crowd. She almost gasped because those were a new-looking pair of slacks, and he was kneeling in a parking lot. Had he thought this all the way through, or was he trying unpredictability on for size?
“Marry me, Ivey. Say my timing is right this time. I’m not going to lose another chance with you.” He had a beautiful antique-looking ring in his hand.
Ivey’s heart broke open, and a zillion tiny butterflies made their way up her stomach and out her throat. “Yes! Of course, yes!”
Was that loud enough? God, she hoped so. She hoped people in the next town heard her loud and clear. Her finger shook as Jeff placed the ring on it.
She tugged Jeff up off his knees and threw her arms around his neck. He pulled her up onto her toes and kissed her square on the lips, deepening the kiss like there was no one else in the lot. No one else in the world. People were clapping, possibly, the sound fading in the background.
Sophia was right behind Jeff then, trying to aim her smart phone over his head. “I can’t reach, can you get out of my way?”
“No,” Jeff said, kissing Ivey again.
“Well damn, how can I get a selfie with both of you in it?” Sophia complained. “My followers are going to want to see this.”
Ivey was vaguely aware of someone, possibly Em, dragging Sophia away, muttering a few expletives. It didn’t matter, because she wasn’t aware of anything other than the pounding of Jeff’s heart beat under her hands.
“Let’s celebrate, everyone. Knock You Naked brownies on the house!” Em cried out, and Si groaned.
“Should we go inside?” Ivey asked Jeff.
“No. I’m going to knock you naked,” Jeff said, smiling against her mouth.
All things considered, that was a much better offer. She did love her chocolate, but she also wasn’t crazy.
“See you later, Em! Thanks anyway,” Ivey called out.
Jeff was still holding onto her like he thought if he let go she mi
ght disappear. But she wasn’t going anywhere. Ever again.
“One more thing. I decided to change specialties, so you’re going to be the wife of a resident for a while. I don’t know exactly what lies ahead, but I hope you’ll be there with me.”
“It sounds like an adventure.”
They drove home in Jeff’s car, but first they took the ribbon off.
I hope you’ve enjoyed Jeff and Ivey’s romance. To read the next book in the Starlight Hill series, click here. There are 8 books in this series.
You may also be interested in Country Gold and She’s Country Strong in my Wilder Sisters series, both small town romances. All books are connected but stand alone.
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Somebody like You
A Starlight Hill novel
1
With any luck, Brooke Miller would not receive a marriage proposal tonight.
On a warm August evening, the wine flowed at the Serrano winery in Starlight Hill. George, the owner and her boss, wouldn’t give Brooke much of a hint as to the occasion. Only said that tonight’s announcement would be momentous, unprecedented, and a surprise to everyone in the community.
It just had better not be a proposal.
Having an affair with her boss was hands down the singularly most stupid thing Brooke had ever done. When after a few months she’d realized that, as so many times in the past, the fizzled had fizzed and the pop had— well— popped, she’d avoided George. And it hadn’t been easy.
Starlight Hill: Complete collection 1-8 Page 14
