Page 53 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls

‘I’m afraid if I let myself try, I’m going to say and do the wrong things. Pick another bad guy. Ruin the people I love again.’

‘You won’t.’ She lovingly patted my cheek. ‘From what you’ve shared with me, you know what you need. What you deserve. After all the work you’ve done to change your life, don’t you owe it to yourself to test the waters? It doesn’t have to be a commitment. Go on one date. Have coffee with someone. It’s like learning to ride a bike. Start slow until you’re ready to pedal like hell on wheels.’

I placed my hand over hers. ‘I promise I’ll think about it.’

‘Thank you. Now enough with the love lecture.’

‘Good,’ I said, patting at my eyes with a tissue. ‘Because I have other issues to deal with, like figuring out how I’m going to get Lauren not to be a pain in the ass on Torran and Beck’s wedding day.’

‘They agreed to let Hearth and Home film it?’

‘Just the getting ready part. After that, they can only have access to a few frames of still photography for the show and social media.’

She faced me back to the mirror to finish my hair. Crying always made my eyes and cheeks puffy. She was right. I was glad makeup was last in her devious plan to make me presentable. ‘And this concerns you how?’

‘They asked that I run interference with the production crew. Make sure they keep their promises. Not film the ceremony. Stay out of the way.’

‘So they’re making you play defense to a very cagey offense?’

‘I have no idea what that means.’

‘It’s football. Joe has it on from late August to January. You learn a lot through osmosis.’

I laughed. Maisey was like a computer with about a hundred tabs open.

‘You’re going to have to keep them from making things uncomfortable during the ceremony, basically.’

That sent a chill down my spine. ‘Really? That’s what you think?’

‘Torran and Beck’s wedding will be a big marketing boon for the network. The more images and video they have to promote it, the better their numbers. The more viewers they attract.’

‘Well, shit. That sounds like a lot of work.’

She gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. ‘You won’t keep the wolves at bay alone. I’ll be there to help.’

The stress that had been building in my bones ever since I agreed to help out Beck and Torran started to ease. ‘You’re the best, Maise.’

She gave me a cheeky wink in the mirror. ‘I know.’

The square was aglow with hundreds of twinkle lights. Booths flanked the outer perimeter, the scent of kettle corn and burgers filling the air. Children dressed in their Sunday best chased each other in a game of tag on the lawn in front of town hall. The wondrous green tinge of fireflies danced around them. On the stage set up near the fountain, a five-piece band unloaded their equipment and tuned their guitars.

Maisey locked arms with me and dragged me to a corner near the community bank where Torran stood with Manny. Beck, Torran’s dad and Tessa stood a few feet away having a quiet conversation. Tessa’s girls and Manny’s daughter sat on a picnic bench, licking frantically at melting ice cream cones all in an attempt to keep their frilly lavender dresses clean. Their hair was plaited in elaborate braids courtesy of Manny and his obsession with online hair tutorials.

When we reached them, Torran let out a low whistle and gave a megawatt smile.

‘Nice work, Maise. I can’t remember the last time I saw Piper dressed up.’

Maisey gave an overdramatic bow and all I could do was shake my head. Flinch at the way they all stared at me in wonder. It wasn’t like I dressed in grubby clothes all the time. Sometimes I wore… nice jeans.

I glanced toward the sidewalk, considering what kind of excuse I could make to get out of this night. Beck, sensing my mood change, took my hand and dragged me over to the stand where they were making grilled corn. More than once his stare moved to the small bandage on my head.

‘Next time I see the doc, I need to thank him for taking care of you. Tell me again how the shower curtain fell?’

‘Beck,’ I groaned. ‘I. Am. Fine. See, all arms and legs intact.’ I held his gaze. ‘You’re doing it again.’

‘Doing what?’ he said as if he didn’t know where this conversation was headed.

‘Dr Catherine told you more than once during our family sessions that it’s not healthy to hover.’ I made a propeller motion with my finger. ‘But here you are doing just that.’