Page 83 of Meet Me in Ivy Falls

‘While I’d love to lie you down on this blanket and do naughty things to you, I think the local ladies would not appreciate the show.’

Old Mrs Vanderpool sat on a nearby quilt and couldn’t hide her look of horror. On the blanket beside her, Isabel wore a wide grin. She moved to her feet and approached us.

‘Uh-oh, incoming,’ Beck said.

‘Torran and Beck! It’s good to see you.’ Isabel bounced toward us with a little too much glee in her step.

‘Love the glasses. They’re very patriotic,’ I teased.

She pressed a hand to the red, white and blue star glasses perched on her face. ‘Got them from Minnie’s Market. Have to dress the part, right?’

‘Of course,’ I said.

‘How is everything going with Huckleberry Lane?’ She leaned in. ‘Word around town is it’s a stunner!’

Beck and I swapped a smile. ‘It’s coming along,’ I said.

‘When will your sister move in? I know a lot of people in Ivy Falls will be glad to have her back,’ Isabel said.

‘Well, I’ve been thinking—’ Beck was interrupted by a jarring reverberation of microphone feedback.

‘Welcome, Ivy Falls.’ My dad’s gruff voice cracked through the air. ‘Please gather over by the town hall steps as we’re ready to start our traditional singing of “God Bless America”.’

I wanted to hear Beck finish his sentence but, as usual, my father had crappy timing.

Isabel raced back to her blanket as the crowd shifted toward the steps. Bright orange flares of the wavering sunset eased behind town hall. Fireflies zipped through the oncoming night with their hypnotic green glow. My father tapped at the microphone again and began his speech.

While I had many issues with Miles Wright the father, Miles Wright the mayor was a great steward for the town. His speeches were always filled with hope and created a sense of town pride that lifted up each citizen. I only wished he’d applied that same type of fervor to his own family.

Once the band finished the final bars of the song, Dad tapped the mic again. ‘Now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for.’ He gave a dramatic pause. ‘The winner of this year’s “The Sign Says It All” contest is…’

The band came in on cue with a drum roll.

‘Congratulations, Barb and Susan and all the folks over at the Sugar Rush Café. Their winning entry is… What Do You Call A Sprinting Donut? A Sugar Rush.’

Barb and Susan shared an excited hug and kiss as the entire crowd cheered.

‘Bonus points to the ladies for working the name of their shop into their saying!’ Dad added with a laugh.

After more applause for Barb and Susan, I chased the girls back to our spot on the grass. Glasses of lemonade and bottles of water made their way around our group as everyone ate and shared stories of past Fourth of Julys. Amos joined Isabel and Mrs Vanderpool who sat next to Diego’s family. They laughed and cheered as they all played cards.

Tessa and Manny sat further back on the blanket engaged in a deep conversation. I couldn’t hide my smile. They could claim they were ‘just friends’ all they wanted but there was something real between them.

Pete sat next to his dog in the grass and the little girls hovered close by. Earlier, Pete had talked my ear off about the sketches we’d sent for the Brinkley pitch and how Ivy Falls lived up to all of Beck’s hype. He was intense but I liked how he and Beck worked as a team. How he seemed to know about Beck’s past, and Piper’s issues, and supported Beck through it all.

Afternoon slowly morphed into evening and a bright bulbous moon rose over town. A smattering of stars shimmered like diamonds in the clear night sky. The first thud filled the air and a bright red blaze shot across the heavens. I reached back for Beck’s hand but he was distracted by his phone. I didn’t like the way his face twisted with worry.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I keep trying to get a hold of Piper but it goes straight to voicemail.’

‘She’s probably out with friends. Having some fun.’ I pressed a hand to his cheek. ‘Let’s enjoy this moment. We’ve earned it.’

He leaned into my touch and everything felt right. Like we were meant to be together. Like nothing could ever keep us apart. I’d been so scared of what his returning meant to my life, but with every moment we spent together all I could see was a future filled with intimate touches and bright new memories.

I inched back between his legs and he wrapped his arms around my waist. The crowd ooohed and aaaahed as bright blue and white blasts punctured the night sky. Beck pressed a kiss to my ear, and I settled into his arms. The lull of his steady breaths brought me a kind of happiness I hadn’t felt in a long time.

As I began to relax, movement in the crowd caught my eye. My father waded through a sea of blankets and picnic baskets. The haunted look he wore said something was wrong.