Chapter 10
By Tuesday evening, Ivy couldn’t hold off her mother any longer. The woman was like a dog after a bone when she wanted something. And at this particular moment, the bone she wanted to gnaw on was Ivy. She’d blown up Ivy’s phone ever since the auction, and with nothing left in a hefty bag of readymade excuses, Ivy had finally given in and invited her over.
She tossed a pillow onto the sofa and heaved a sigh, irritated that her immediate future would entail the engagement charade and dodging Deidre’s prying questions. She gazed longingly at the big-screen television. It wasn’t fair. All she wanted was a big bowl of popcorn and at least three uninterrupted hours of Criminal Minds.
“What’s with the long face?” Kip walked out of his bedroom, hair wet from the shower, with only a towel wrapped around his waist.
“In case you forgot, my mom is going to be here soon.”
“I didn’t forget.”
“She prefers people with their clothes on.”
“I’ve got some time.” He winked. “I like your mom.”
“Give it some time. Trust me, it gets worse.”
He walked over to the kitchen island, grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit, and took a bite before turning back to Ivy. “Must be a mother-daughter thing. I get that. My sister and mother have their moments.”
Since Ivy hadn’t met his family, she couldn’t comment. “I don’t think you can appreciate the storm that is my mother. You’ve met her once, and she was on her best behavior because the sight of this big rock accompanied by a man who looks like a Greek god stole every word inside of her. I swear, I can’t remember the last time she was silenced so effectively.”
“I like that.”
“What?” she snapped.
“The Greek god thing.”
I wish I did.
Ivy paused. She took her time and gave him the once over, hoping for a small sliver of something. Kip Lafferty was in his prime. He was a picture-perfect visual of the male form. From the defined abs to the muscled pecs and biceps, he was beautiful. He had a couple of tattoos that enhanced all that skin and gave him an edge. And then there was the face. And the hair. The smile. Not to mention the family name and athletic prowess.
But for Ivy. There was nothing. Not a damn thing. Why couldn’t her lady parts sing for this man instead of…
Nope. Not going there.
“Do you need a few more seconds?” Kip asked.
“For what?”
“I can remove the towel.” A slight grin touched his mouth.
“It won’t do any good,” she mumbled.
Kip took another bite from his apple and spoke between chews. “Chin up, Ivy. You’ve only got a few more weeks to play pretend and then you and the vet can get busy doing all the things you’re trying so hard not to think about.”
“Me and the vet are never going to be a thing.”
“The two thousand bucks you spent on him tells me otherwise.”
“I told you. That was because of Val. She just makes me so mad, and she pushed things too far, is all.”
Kip finished his apple and tossed it into the garbage, then walked over to her. Ivy kept her eyes trained on his abs because she knew more than anyone how much this guy saw. He might play the part of your typical jock, but his waters ran deep. He was intuitive. And he cared.
He’d listened to her whole sad story, so he knew things. More than Mike Paul did anyway, and she’d practically laid her heart bare to him all those years ago.
“You’re going to have to deal with him sooner than later. You know that, right?” His hand on her chin forced her eyes upward, and a knot formed in her throat at the look on his face. There was pain there. He got it. Which was something she wondered about from time to time, but so far, he hadn’t offered up anything personal.
Also…he wasn’t wrong. But that didn’t mean she wanted to hear it or think about it.
“You need to get dressed,” she said lightly, stepping away.
“You need a glass of wine.”
She thought of her mother. “I need the whole damn bottle.”
Ivy poured herself a glass of red and grabbed a beer for Kip. She laid out a charcuterie board and topped up the water in the vase of red roses, then put on some background music. She’d just taken a sip of wine when there was a knock at the door.
Here we go, she thought. Ivy set down her glass and checked herself in the mirror. She’d pulled her hair back into a high pony and wore minimal makeup. Her clothes were casual, a simple black turtleneck and worn jeans, and on her feet were her favorite pair of fuzzy leopard print slippers. She pushed up her large, tortoise shell glasses and gave her shoulders a roll.
“You look like you’re preparing for war.”
“That would be an apt description.” Ivy took a breath, then pasted a smile on her face before she reached for the door handle. She yanked it open, and her mother swept into the bungalow like she was walking onto a stage. She dramatically swept off her gloves and then stomped snow from her boots.
“Why is your door locked, I could have let myself in instead of freezing on your doorstep for at least a full minute.”
“Hello, Mother,” Ivy said, her plastic, practiced smile in place.
Diedre Wilkens shrugged out of her winter coat and handed it to Ivy. After slipping off her boots, she grabbed a small bag and put on a pair of slippers, then straightened, her eyes like lasers as they ran over Ivy.
Always done to the nines, her mother’s trim frame was dressed in classic clothes—navy slacks and a cream sweater. Her hair, still the same shade of dark auburn as Ivy’s, was pulled into a bun, and her makeup looked as if she’d just spent an hour in a glam room. She was attractive, a beauty, if you overlooked the perpetual frown, the judgment that colored her eyes a shade darker than they should be, and the ramrod way she held her body. Seriously. The woman had more than a stick shoved up her?—
“Ivy, I get the no makeup thing, but a woman should at least wear gloss on her lips. A light shade of pink would suffice.”
“I think it’s good to let the skin breathe.”
“You’re in your thirties now, my dear, and it gets harder to keep things fresh.”
“Hi, Diedre.” Kip walked over, effectively cutting off Ivy’s biting retort. “I’m glad you came over.”
“Well, thank you. And likewise. I’m glad you’re back,” she said lightly, with a smile. It was the Kip Lafferty effect. He was hard to resist. The smile faded when she turned to her daughter. “I wasn’t sure if I’d see you again considering Ivy’s latest stunt.”
“It’s part of her charm, don’t you think?”
“Is that what we’re calling it?”
Kip slipped his arm around Ivy’s shoulder. “She sure likes to keep things interesting.”
Ivy gave him an elbow and stepped out of his embrace. “Wine, mother?”
“I’d love a nice glass of chardonnay.”
“I’ve only got Pinot Noir or Chianti.”
“One should always have at least a good Chardonnay in the house. Not everyone loves the reds.”
“Water then?” she replied cheekily.
“The Chianti will do.”
Ivy grabbed a wine glass from the cupboard and made a face. Once it was poured, she handed it to her mother and nodded toward the island. “I’ve got some food if you’re hungry.”
“It’s dinnertime, Ivy. Of course, I’m hungry.”
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and slid onto the stool farthest from her mother. She grabbed a napkin and piled it up with meats and cheese, and a few crackers while her mother made little mini hors d’oeuvres before she settled down. Once she had her seat, she wasted no time getting to the heart of the matter.
“Now, what are we going to do about the Mike Paul situation?”
Ivy nearly choked on a cracker. She cleared her throat and shook her head. “Mom, it’s for charity. It means nothing.”
“Well, the ladies in my pickleball club?—”
“You play pickleball?” Ivy interrupted.
“Yes, I play pickleball.”
“I can’t picture you playing pickleball. Don’t you sweat?”
“No. I have a mini fan attached to my hat.” Diedre’s made a sound. “Of course, I sweat. That’s the point. Don’t change the subject.”
Busted.
“I don’t want to talk about Mike Paul and the auction.”
“Well, I do. How could you do that? Bid on him when you’re wearing another man’s ring?”
“It’s not a date.” Ivy looked at Kip. “He’s not worried about it, so why should you?”
“It’s all anyone is talking about. Well, that and the fact that Melinda Danby drank too much champagne and passed out in the photo booth with her skirt up around her neck. That girl is a train wreck.” Diedre popped a grape into her mouth. “I mean, Mike Paul. Really.”
Diedre Wilkens had never liked Mike Paul. Or Cal Bridgestone, for that matter. She had a general disdain for any male who crossed her path and didn’t try very hard to hide it.
“He’s always been trouble.” Diedre grabbed her wine glass and looked over the top of it at Ivy. “At least the Bridgestone boy made a name for himself.”
“Mike Paul is a veterinarian. I think he’s doing okay.” Ivy’s fingers tightened on the stem of her glass.
“And his sister? Did you hear Cobi had a baby on her own? I heard that Mike Paul was in the delivery room with her. Can you imagine?”
An image of Mike Paul holding his sister’s hand while she gave birth flashed before Ivy’s eyes. It was sweet. And thoughtful. And so, Mike Paul. He’d never been one for convention.
“Cobi is a grown woman, Mom. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.”
“Children are meant to grow up with two parents. Not be raised alone by a woman who probably eats tofu and listens to rap music. She doesn’t even attend church.”
“I like tofu,” Kip said, sitting back in his chair. “The rap thing I can take or leave.”
The women ignored him.
“So that’s how you measure what a good family is? Whether there are two parents and if they go to church?” Ivy asked. Her mother was insane.
“It’s a good start. A foundation is important.”
“And how did that work out for you, mother?” The barb hit low, but Ivy didn’t care.
“Watch yourself, Ivy Lynn.” Diedre slowly reached for her wine glass and took a sip before setting it back on the counter. “I’m glad that your fiancé doesn’t seem to mind you spending that kind of money on someone like Mike Paul Darlington. I don’t understand it. The man is a confirmed bachelor, and from what I’ve heard, he’s confirmed himself all over this county and the next.”
She wasn’t wrong.
And Ivy hated it when her mother was right.
“As I said before, it’s all for charity and I didn’t want—” Ivy stopped herself in time, but it was too late. Diedre sensed blood and leaned forward.
“Didn’t want what?” Diedre’s left eyebrow rose dramatically.
Anger flushed her skin a shade of red that was not attractive on someone with her coloring. She looked to Kip for help, and thankfully, he understood the assignment.
“It’s all good, Diedre. I told Ivy to spend as much money as she could at the auction. Anything to raise funds for the new children’s center.”
“So, you paid that ridiculous amount of money for Ivy to spend time with the one man in Big Bend any sane woman would avoid.”
“I did.”
“You young folks sure have a funny way of looking at things.” Her mother played with her wineglass, running fingers over the top in a circular motion, then, after a few moments, turned to Kip. “When will your family arrive for the wedding? We should probably start organizing things. Christmas will be here before you know it, and then we’ll only have days.”
Shit. That was a subject she and Kip hadn’t discussed. When they’d announced their engagement at Cal and Millie Sue’s place over Thanksgiving, she’d pulled New Year’s Eve out of a hat, and the date had stuck.
There was no wedding. No engagement. None of that was real.
But Kip didn’t miss a beat. “I think we talked about them coming a few days before New Year’s Eve, but I won’t know more until closer to the date.” He was smooth, and for that, she was grateful.
Guilt flashed through Ivy, and she avoided her mother’s gaze and instead focused on prying a piece of brie from the wooden board in front of her.
“I’d like to host a dinner party. I think we should all meet.”
“That sounds nice,” Kip replied, shifting a bit in his seat.
Dinner? Shit, how in hell were they going to get out of that?
“And will your brother be coming? I hear he’s a newlywed as well.”
Something flashed across Kip’s face—a small break of disposition. His brother Duke was a sore spot. Ivy watched him closely as he smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know if he and Keely can fit a trip into their schedule.”
Diedre was too quiet. Too predatory. The look on her mother’s face made Ivy nervous. She was about to step in, but was too late.
“Wasn’t she your high school sweetheart?” Diedre asked.
“Jesus, Mom, I thought you were above reading gossip magazines.” Shit, did the woman believe everything she read?
Her mother frowned. “I saw it online, is all. Why would they say something like that if it wasn’t true?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because most of the stuff printed online is conjecture to get people like you to click on their links?”
“It’s true.” Kip got to his feet, and shocked, Ivy watched him in silence. He’d never said a word. “I should start packing.” He flashed a smile and took one step toward the hall leading to the bedroom.
“You’re leaving?” Diedre frowned. “But you just got back.”
“I’m flying to Japan tomorrow.”
“Japan?”
Kip dropped a kiss on Ivy’s forehead and winked before he turned to her mother. “I’ve got a series of commercials to film. But don’t you worry one bit. I’ll be back in time to make this woman mine.”
“I’ll be counting the days,” Ivy replied, the sugar coating her words so thick she was surprised she didn’t choke.
“You’re not going with him?” Diedre got to her feet now; eyes narrowed speculatively as she looked from Kip to Ivy and back again.
“No, mother. I’m not. Why would I want to fly to Japan and sit around twiddling my thumbs while Kip is busy filming? The flight alone is enough to scare most people. It’s like, twenty hours or something ridiculous.”
Diedre looked dumbfounded. “What’s more important than spending time with your fiancé?”
“Well,” Ivy cleared her throat. “I have the uh, plans to work on. The wedding ones. And um,” her mind whirled in a thousand directions, looking for the right excuses. “The dress.” Triumphant, she gave a small shrug. “I need to have another fitting.”
“You’ve already had one?” Her mother frowned. “Bitty Martin didn’t say a word, and I just saw her at pickleball.”
“I also have to buy shoes and a purse and, uh…”
“You have your date with the vet tomorrow morning.” Kip grinned, knowing he was adding fuel to the fire.
The look on Diedre Wilkens’s face was enough to sour fresh milk, and God help her, Ivy loved every second of it. Finally, some good to come out of the stupid auction.
“I guess there’s nothing else then.” Mouth pursed, Diedre gave Ivy a withering look. “I’ll take my coat.”
Ivy happily slid from her stool and grabbed her mother’s coat. She handed it over and waited as the woman shrugged into it. Diedre buttoned up and slipped into her boots. She paused her hand on the doorknob.
“Have you heard from your father?”
And just like that, the happy bubble inside Ivy popped. Daniel Wilkens was another hurt that wouldn’t go away. “No,” she admitted, wishing the pain would disappear. It never did. He’d left a long time ago and was currently living in California, enjoying a life that included a new wife and a kid she’d met once, five years earlier. He’d been her favorite person at one time until he decided his happiness didn’t include Ivy.
A heartbeat passed. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.”
Her mother left like the storm she was, and when the door was shut behind her, Ivy let out a long breath.
“I feel like I just went ten rounds with Iron Mike.” She turned to Kip, who stood a few feet away. “I’m sorry for that. She’s just…she’s so hard.”
“She’s been disappointed in life, and she’s not wearing it well.”
“I don’t want to end up like her,” she whispered. “Alone and bitter, judging everyone who is happy. Trying to find fault in their happiness.”
“You won’t.” Kip kissed the top of her head. “Your happiness is right in front of you.”
She opened her mouth, a hot denial on her lips, but Kip wouldn’t let her get anything out.
“You’re the kind of woman who only gives her heart away once. You might find someone else, but it will never be like this. Like what you feel for this guy. You need to make the man who holds your heart accountable, or at least give him the chance to make things right.”
“It’s not that easy.”
Kip took a step back. “But it is.” He held her gaze for a moment. “As long as you let it be.”
God, there were so many things Kip didn’t know. And if she were to be honest with herself, not everything was on Mike Paul. She had her own issues. He disappeared down the hall, and she glanced over to the food and wine left on the island. With a sigh, she decided not to think about anything other than cleanup. She needed a good night’s sleep because tomorrow, she had to be on her toes.
The man who held her heart was coming for her.
And Ivy Wilkens needed to be ready.