by Lea Hart
Grams crunched on a chip loudly. “You won the lottery with your mama and me. We more than made up for that sorry son of a bitch.” Pointing her finger, she winked. “Colin only had you. His poor mama wasn’t up for the task.”
Bea sipped her drink carefully. “It’s time to get over it. You get to choose your own story, and I hope to God it’s with that man who came to Texas to protect you.”
“My head is spinning and it’s not from the tequila.” Ivy took another sip and let the information roll around in her brain. “I’ve spent a lot of time working my hiney off to become worthy of my daddy’s attention. I could have stayed home and gotten a job at the Tastee Freez and called it good.”
“Maybe Bill did you a favor. You fulfilled your potential and took advantage of every opportunity that came your way. Maybe that was his gift to you. He certainly wouldn’t have left you a multimillion-dollar company if all you could do was make double-dip cones,” Grams said.
“You and Colin are overachievers, and I think that had a lot to do with Bill. I’m not saying that I recommend it as a parenting technique. But it worked for the two of you. I’ll bet you both are going to do a ton of good with all that oil money. Bill Bellows may end up helping people despite his best efforts,” Bea said.
“Well, hell’s bells,” Ivy said. “I don’t know which way is up and which is down. I’ve planned my life a certain way, and it all fell to pieces over the last month.”
“The things worth having in this life are the things you have to risk everything for,” Grams said. “I’m talking about love and not money. I want to see my brave granddaughter risk heartbreak. I want to believe we taught you that going all in is the only choice. You have to be willing to feel foolish, vulnerable, and out of control if you want to win the jackpot. We raised you to be brave. Show us that we did a good job.”
“I don’t know how,” Ivy wailed.
“Then you’ll learn. I imagine Ryan might want to help you out with that,” Bea said as she stood. “I need to get that enchilada casserole into the oven before I’m too tipsy to care.”
“Let go of your daddy’s story, the resentment, and the anger,” Grams instructed her. “Unlock that heart of yours and see what happens. It’s not going to happen overnight, but if you work at it half as hard as you’ve worked on everything else in your life, then I expect it will happen before you know it.”
“I always thought that I wasn’t good enough for Daddy. Why would anyone else love me if he didn’t? But that’s not true. Daddy loved me in the way he was capable, and that is the end of the story. Maybe I am good enough just the way I am,” Ivy said quietly.
“That is the truest thing you’ve ever said,” Bea told her as she kissed her daughter’s head. “We’ve loved you from the day you were born. Let that be your story. Not the story about the one man in the world who was never capable.”
“Lord have mercy. It’s a lot to take in,” Ivy said.
“If Dolly was sitting with us, she would tell us to have another drink and turn up the radio. We just solved a lot of things in the last sixty minutes that some people don’t figure out in a lifetime.” Grams lifted her glass in the direction of her daughter. “Fill it up.”
Ivy lifted her glass and smiled. “Me too!”
Ryan walked in the back door, and the screen door slammed. Ivy looked over at the handsome, brave and loving man covered in dust and dirt and figured he was worth all the effort she had. “Hi, honey. Want a margarita?”
“Sure.” He came over and kissed her head. “Are you ladies getting drunk at four in the afternoon?”
“I sure hope so,” Grams said as she pushed the chips and guacamole in his direction. “Ivy makes a fine margarita, and I think it’s going to become her signature drink.”
Ivy leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Is that the tequila talking or you?” he said as he kissed her back.
“All me, Ryan. All me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Friday
Ryan sat at the kitchen table and waited for Ivy to finish her phone call with her brother. She was receiving updates, and he wanted to know what the DA decided to do about Davis and William. If they were lucky, they might also find out what was happening with Sherry. It would be great if they could go back to Florida and know that everything had been taken care of. It had been a wild couple of weeks, and he was ready to have some normal with Ivy. He heard her say her goodbyes and then watched her end the call. “Good news?”
“I think so. The DA has filed charges against Davis and William, and they are due to be formally charged today. There wasn’t enough evidence to tie Brook into the embezzlement scheme, so he’s free for now. I think he was just incompetent.”
“Good news, honey.” He took her hand and held it. “Butchko has been giving me updates, and the wells are now fully secured with the new protocol. Ken is in the process of ensuring that the new security managers are working out. I think we have the right system in place, and soon we’ll have the right people, so wells going offline or catching fire shouldn’t happen anymore.”
“I hope so. I want to show six months of no problems and then put the company up for sale. I need a COO to work with Phoebe and Grace in the interim. I don’t think it’s going to be easy to find someone.”
“You might get lucky. It seems that the companies up in Barnett have just about pulled out, so there might be a few people looking for jobs.”
“I contacted a friend from school who has an executive search firm, and she’s looking for someone. I hope we have some candidates soon.”
“The private detective still owes us some information on the Reardons. It doesn’t seem likely that Nelson and Stuart are going to give up easily. I’ll bet they are lying low and coming up with a new plan.”
“What is their end game? Daddy’s dead and there isn’t anything to gain financially.” Ivy remarked.
“Some people can’t give up the war they’ve been fighting their whole lives. If they do, then they might as well be dead.”
“I guess so.”
“Let’s get out of here and go on our date. I’m ready to go to the Hamilton Pool Preserve. I’m hoping there are not going to be a lot of people there so I can smooch you under the waterfall.”
“When I was in high school, I dreamed of going out there with a boyfriend and having a romantic date. I’m twenty-nine, and it’s finally happening.” Running her hand down his face, she smiled. “You were worth the wait.”
“I didn’t know what I wanted or what I needed until I met you. Now that I have you, I can’t imagine living without you.” Leaning over, he held her face in his hands and pressed their mouths together. When she moaned, he deepened the kiss and felt her hand against his heart. Maybe it was time to tell her how he felt. Holding back never got you anything in life, and he figured that was probably especially true when it came to love. He released her mouth and grinned. “Let’s go have our date.”
“Okay. I’m excited to show you the pool. It’s one of the prettiest places in the state.”
He stood and pulled her out of her chair. “Quit dawdling, woman. Let’s go.” Watching her saunter away made him laugh. There was never going to be a dull moment with Ivy around.
***
Ryan held the picnic basket and blanket and waited for Ivy to grab her bag. The parking lot had only a couple of cars, so it looked like they were going to get lucky with the crowds.
“It’s a short walk to the water,” Ivy said as she took his hand.
“Lead the way,” Ryan said as he followed her. They walked for less than a quarter mile and came to a sunny opening with a white sand beach and an amazing blue-green tiny body of water. There was a large overhang at one end with a small waterfall. “Damn, Ivy, this place is great.”
“I know, and there are not that many people. This place can get packed in the spring and summer. A weekday in fall seems to be the perfect time to come.”
&nbs
p; They walked hand in hand and found a spot on the sand, and he unfolded the blanket. “Feel like getting in the water?”
“Yes, please. It’s close to ninety today, and I’m ready to cool off.” She flipped her dress over her head and put her hair up in a bun. “I’m ready.”
Ryan looked around and counted around a dozen people. He loved seeing Ivy in her bathing suit. He just didn’t want anyone else to enjoy the view. It was a prehistoric way of thinking, but he couldn’t help himself. She was his and his alone, and the thought of another man looking at her body made him a little crazy. Pulling his shirt over his head, he dropped it next to her dress. “Let’s go.” He led her into the pool and felt the cool, clean water lap at his legs. It was surprisingly cold.
“Holy moly, that’s cold,” Ivy said as she hopped around.
“It’s better to jump in and get it over with. The slow approach will never work.” He held out his hand and watched Ivy shake her head. “I’ll carry you in, and my body temperature will help with the shock.”
“You go ahead and I’ll be in in a bit.”
“Liar.” He stepped forward, lifted her up and held her tightly as he swung around and walked into the water. Her wiggling body was turning him on, so he moved as quickly as he could. “Settle down or I may drop you.’
“If you drop me then I’m going to be as mad as a wet hen.”
“Might be fun to see what that looks like. Don’t tempt me.” Her arms wound around his neck tightly and she quieted down. “See, if you trust me, then you have nothing to worry about.”
“We’ll see about that.” She kissed his cheek and grinned.
When they got toward the middle, he let her slide down his body. “Feels great, doesn’t it?”
“You were right. Getting in fast was a good idea.”
“I have a lot of good ideas. Just you wait and see.”
“Yeah, like what?”
Holding open his arms, he waited for her to move toward him. When she was within reach, he lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. “I think we should move here permanently and open an SAI office together. I’ve got a pile of money in a trust, and I think investing in our future is the best place to put it.”
“You want a future with me?”
“Of course. I like looking at you, and I want to do it for the rest of my life. I figure you have about ninety more stories to tell me, and we have a thousand dates to go on. Our love story is just beginning, and I can’t wait to see where it’s going to take us.” Dipping his head, he pressed their mouths together and tried to convey his feelings. If he could, he would have fused them together so there would never be a breath of space between them. It was crazy how much he wanted her, and he accepted that it was probably always going to be that way.
“You used the word love,” she said quietly against his mouth.
Tipping his head back so he could look into her eyes, he grinned. “I love you, Ivy Bellows, and I want to create a life with you.”
Her eyes grew huge, and she sucked in a big gulp of air and stared. When she remained that way, he wondered if she was going to pass out. “Honey, breathe. If you pass out after I tell you I love you, it’ll make me feel bad.”
“Sweet Lord, have mercy…how can a man as good as you be interested in me? I’m not easy. Many men have told me that. Why would you want to involve yourself with someone like me?” she said in one long breath.
“You are the one my heart chose.” Both of her hands moved to his shoulders, and she looked at him with more seriousness than he was prepared for. “I hope you have something good to say.”
“You are a dream, and I hope to God that I don’t wake up and find out you’re a figment of my imagination. I love you, Ryan. With every crazy bone in my body, I love you.”
The weight that had been pressing against his heart since he retired was finally gone. The very last of it seeped away when she told him how she felt. Twirling her around, he let out a loud whoop. “You just made me the happiest man in the world.” He walked toward the inside of the rock ledge and stood under the waterfall. As the cool water cascaded around them, he kissed her. “I didn’t even get you a baby piglet yet. Just imagine how much more you’re going to love me when I do.”
“If you get me a baby piglet, then I’ll probably be yours for life.”
Hugging her tightly, he buried his face in her neck. “That’s the plan,” he said quietly to himself.
***
They sat on the blanket, and Ivy opened the picnic basket. He watched her open the Tupperware containers and start piling food on a plate for him. He got a kick out of it every time it happened. It made him feel like she cared about him and wanted him to be happy. “So, what do you think of opening an office together?”
Her eyes flew up, and she smiled. “I think it’s a great idea. We just have to sell it to Max and Rory. The biggest challenge is going to be finding people to work with us. The spec ops community isn’t that big, so we have limited resources to pull from. A majority of the SAI workforce are retired SEALs. We’ve gradually begun to add people from other branches, but it’s been slow. It’s one of the things that I’ve been charged with doing.”
He took the plate she handed him and waited for her to fix her own. “I think guys like Ken can help. He was Delta, and if he puts the word out, then we have a chance of finding some good people. Also, the guys from Butchko were Rangers, and that gives us an additional group to talk to.”
“Those are good ideas, and we have to remember to tell Max and Rory when we see them next week.” She pointed her fork at him. “Please eat.”
He dug into the food that she’d made, and they were both quiet while they ate. For the first time in weeks, he felt relaxed. Most of the troubles that had been plaguing them were done. He figured it wasn’t the end, but it was a break. “This is the beginning of our love story, Ivy.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean…us figuring out how to be together in everyday life. I think it’s going to give each of us a chance to lay down the stories we were handed. I’m not a little boy who was abandoned by his mother, and you’re not a little girl who was rejected by her dad. Who we become together is how those ghosts are going to be vanquished.”
“When I was at Mama’s the other day, we talked about that. Grams told me that Daddy’s story isn’t mine, and it was up to me make the one I wanted. It finally made sense to me, and I want to be brave when it comes to love.”
“The falling is the easy part. The staying and figuring out how to make a relationship is where our love is going to shine,” he said with conviction.
“We’re both strong-willed, so if we put our mind to it, I imagine that we’ll succeed.”
“Not just our minds, Ivy. Our hearts too.”
“My heart beats for you, Ryan, so that’s easy. It’s your bossy ways that are going to take some getting used to.”
“I love you, Ivy, and I’m already used to your bossy ways. So for me it’s easy.”
“Did you just say that I was easy?”
He watched her hand press against her heart and wondered what the right answer was. Might as well be honest. If they were going to make it, it was the only choice. “Yes, honey. I think you’re easy.”
When she flew into his arms and wrapped herself around his body, he figured it was the right answer. “Easy like a tornado.” He laughed.
“You said ‘easy’ and that’s all I can hear. Whatever you say after that doesn’t matter.”
She pushed him over and kissed him like it was her last chance. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her back and he swore that he tasted the next sixty years of his life.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Tuesday
Florida
Ivy walked down the hall and called for Ryan. “Honey, I need your help.”
He came around the corner and smiled widely. “That’s the dress you wore on the day I met you. I thought you weren’t my type, and I argued with myse
lf about walking away.”
Turning around, she lifted her hair. “Can you zip me up?”
He pressed a kiss to her neck and pulled the zipper up. “It took about ten minutes for me to figure out that I was completely wrong.”
Spinning around, she patted his chest. “When I saw you sitting next to me, I thought you were handsome and more trouble than you were worth. I pegged you as a player and I figured any man who had that much testosterone couldn’t possibly be blessed with a personality.”
“I didn’t think you noticed me until I handed you those papers.”
“I noticed you, all right. Why do you think I ignored you?”
“That makes no sense.”
Stepping around him, she laughed. “If you’re a girl it does.” As she walked into the kitchen, she noticed that he had set the table and had fruit and toast made for them. “Oh, my God, you made breakfast.” Her hand covered her heart as she stared at the table. “Thank you.”
“Honey, it’s not that big a deal. It’s not like I made you biscuits and gravy.” He kissed her head as he walked past her and opened the oven. “I made an egg scramble to go with it.”
“You are the best man in the world.”
He served them both and then sat down. “You just keep thinking that.”
Digging into the meal, she ate quickly. “I had a conversation with Rory yesterday, and I ran our idea past her. She thought it sounded great. The only thing she’s concerned about is whether we’ll be able to staff the office.”
“We can start out small and add people as we find them,” he responded. “I spoke with the banker that handles my trust and told him that I’m going to pull some funds out.”
“Did you mother leave you and your brothers a trust?”
“Her father set it up, and when she died, her estate was divided among the four of us. I felt a lot like you and Colin when I heard the news. I let my dad handle it, and I haven’t thought about it until you talked about opening an office.”
