AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, Ivy,” I said, scooting over so she could sit down. “I’m surprised you’re here. I figured you’d be at home sleeping.”
She brushed her hand at me. “I had to run over and grab something from my office. Lucy is out like a light already. Thank you so much for looking after her today. Shep and I both appreciate it.”
“It was no problem,” I promised, patting her shoulder.
“None at all since we had a blast,” Lance said, a smile firmly in place.
I was glad to see it. By the time we got to the diner, he seemed to get past the shock of seeing Mary at the shop and was ready to enjoy the evening. I suspected there would be a lot of those moments for him over the next month and I was determined to be there to help him through as many as I could. I didn’t always have the words, but if my presence helped in any way, then I would drop everything every time to be with him.
“I heard all about the horseys, the wagon, and how Uncle Lancie let her ride the pony.”
“Hey, now,” Lance jumped in with a furrowed brow. “I did no such thing. I held her on the back of the pony who was still in the stall. She was in no danger.”
Ivy chuckled and shook her head. “I was teasing you. She demands it every time we’re there. Thankfully, Cameron is always a good egg about it.”
“Are you kidding?” Lance asked with an eye roll. “Cameron loves it when Lucy shows up just as much as we do. She’s got him wrapped around her pinkie finger. He’s going to make a great dad.”
“He will if they ever set a date,” Ivy said on a huff.
I cleared my throat until she turned her attention to me. “I sort of found out why they haven’t yet when I was out there this morning. I think you know about what happened during her childhood?” I asked and Ivy nodded. “From what she told me, that’s what’s holding her back. I don’t understand everything, but she told me she’s afraid people will take pictures when she isn’t expecting it and then she will have an episode and ruin the day for Cameron.”
Ivy put her hand to her heart and frowned. “Oh, dear. I never thought of that. Dang it, I should have. That would be a problem for her because the sound of a camera snapping, or a flash, might throw her off.”
“That’s what I gathered, so I gave her some ideas about how to make it a safe zone for herself. She’s going to talk to Cameron about it. I suggested she also talk to you because you’d do anything to help her figure it out.”
“Absolutely!” she exclaimed without hesitation. “Goodness, had I stopped to think about it for a moment I would have known that was part of the problem.”
I patted her shoulder and winked at Lance. “I know you like to be the nightingale of everyone, but that’s not feasible. Sometimes, people have to come to you with what they need. I’m sure Becca will talk to Cameron about it now that I helped her think things out past just being terrified. Once they work it out, I’m confident they’ll set a date.”
“I sure hope so,” Ivy said with a grin. “What would Bells Pass be without a Christmas wedding?”
“Sad?” Lance asked, biting back a smile.
“Devoid of all holiday cheer,” Ivy lamented.
It was my turn to bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing.
“If we don’t have a wedding, we at least need a new Christmas couple! Who can we get together?”
Lance rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Ivy, you have to stop.”
“I have to do no such thing, Lance Garland!” she declared, dropping her fist to the table. “If only I knew two single people.” She glanced between us several times as though she expected one of us to bite.
“On that note, I think we should take some pie to go and head home,” I suggested with a chipper tone to my voice.
It was Ivy’s turn to snicker while she pointed at the empty plates. “First, tell me what you thought of dinner.”
“Beyond delicious. It was like a one-two punch between the sandwich and the nachos. Give my congratulations to Brittany. The nachos were out of this world.”
She clapped giddily and grinned. “She’s come so far in four years! She went from barely speaking to producing dishes to knock our socks off. I’m so proud of her.”
I shoulder bumped her. “That’s all because you invested your time with her and gave her opportunities to let her spread her wings. That’s the kind of difference you make in the community and now everyone gets to enjoy the fruits of your labor.”
“That was awfully tasty fruit,” Lance agreed, as though he knew exactly why I was trying to distract her. “You know what else is tasty? Some of Mel’s cherry cobbler.”
Ivy jumped up, motivated by the need to feed the people she loved. “I’ll get you some! Ice cream?”
“No, just the cobbler. We’re going to take it to go,” he said, helping me out of the booth. “We’ve been out all day and Indigo has an early morning.”
