Page 25 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls (Ivy Falls #3)

She followed me to the booth at the far end of the square where they were selling water bottles, sweet tea and lemonade. When we got close to the front of the line, Piper noticed Greta sitting at a table with Silvio.

It struck me again how sweet the two of them were.

Janice at the office told me they’d both been widowed a long time, lived their own quiet lives, until Greta started harassing Silvio about climbing ladders and lifting too heavy boxes at the hardware store.

Their bickering turned into coffee dates and then real dates.

As I watched them chat, all I could think was I was glad she had him. That he was encouraging her to take the medicine. Having him steady by her side would make getting used to her new normal a lot easier.

‘Do you mind?’ Piper tipped her chin to their table. ‘I want to check in with Old Mrs V.’

‘Not a problem. What do you want?’

‘Lemonade, please.’ She flashed me a bright smile that made me take a thick gulp. Did she have any idea what that did to my heart?

She moved in the direction of the table and I couldn’t help but watch her go.

‘You’re holding up the line eyeballing my little sister like that.’

Beck stepped up to my side. His expression was a complicated mix of caution and suspicion.

‘Oh, sorry,’ I said, trying not to act like a busted teenager.

‘Saw you two dancing. You look good together.’

‘It’s all her. I was only following her lead.’

‘That’s bullshit. I saw you spinning her around. You know what you’re doing.’

‘Cotillion,’ I mumbled.

‘What?’

‘Forced cotillion classes will do that to a guy.’

‘Oh, yeah. You’re from Harpeth Manor, right?’

‘Yep.’

He nodded like he was sizing me up. ‘I’m always leery of anyone who wants to be near Piper.

But you…’ He sighed. ‘You already know the situation.’ The fear in his eyes said more than he thought.

‘She’s asked me a million times not to meddle in her life.

Said she’s in a good place. I believe her.

’ His gaze moved to where Piper laughed at whatever Silvio was saying.

‘How long are you helping out at the clinic?’

‘Until October.’

‘Are you headed back to Nashville or Harpeth Manor when you’re done?’

‘No, I’m going to Senegal to do humanitarian work.’

He scrubbed at his jaw. ‘Does Pipe know that?’

‘We’ve discussed it.’

‘She’s been through a lot of shit. Deserves someone who can be a friend. A partner. Someone…’ His dark eyes narrowed. ‘Who’s going to stick around.’

His meaning was brutally clear. That someone was not me.

‘We’re friends. Neighbors. That’s all.’

The lie stung but I wasn’t about to tell him I’d had more than one hot dream featuring his sister.

‘Yeah, Diego told me you live in the other apartment above the law office.’ His shoulders loosened. ‘That explains the bandage over her head that was too perfectly placed. She said something about a falling shower rod?’

‘It was a small issue. Not a big deal.’

‘I’m glad it’s you there,’ he mumbled. ‘Was a bit worried about who might take that apartment. Since my fiancée’s TV show took off, we’ve had a lot of out-of-towners move in. I didn’t want her living next to a stranger.’

I almost said she was in good hands, that I’d look out for her, keep her safe, but suspicion still lingered in his eyes.

The line inched forward and I tried to be subtle as I kept an eye on Piper. By the way Silvio and Greta kept laughing, it was clear neither of them were ready to tell anyone about what was happening with her health.

A tall, bald guy in the booth shouted ‘Next!’ in my direction.

‘I’ll let you get to your order,’ Beck said. ‘Welcome to Ivy Falls, doc. Let us know if you need anything.’

The band returned a few minutes later with another fast song.

A woman with reddish-brown hair and several young girls in purple dresses spun in circles on the dance floor.

I set the lemonade down next to Piper as she let out a loud whistle, cheering them on.

They turned in her direction and the three girls raced toward her.

She gave each of them a firm hug while the woman quickly scanned me, eventually turning her interest to Piper.

‘Are you going to make introductions?’

‘Tessa, I’d bet twenty bucks you already know who this is. And if you don’t, I’d say the Ivy Falls gossip train is losing its steam.’

One of the girls who looked to be around thirteen said, ‘He’s the new doc. Everyone knows that.’

‘Thank you, Lou, for proving my point.’ Piper winked at her and the girl lit up.

‘Hey.’ The woman shot out her hand toward me. ‘I’m Tessa and these are my girls, Iris and Rose.’ The two girls gave me smiles that had more than a few teeth missing. ‘And this cutie,’ she pointed to the teen girl, ‘is my boyfriend Manny’s daughter, Lou.’

She gave my hand a firm shake. ‘Barb and Susan at Sugar Rush told me you’ve been to Africa. Have you seen lions or elephants?’

That got the other little girls’ attention.

‘I’ve been on a few game reserves. Seen both lions and giraffes.’ I lowered my voice. ‘Zebras and hyenas too!’

‘Oh, that’s cool,’ Lou said like she was trying not to be impressed.

A big guy with dark hair ambled in our direction. ‘What kind of trouble are you all causing over here?’ He reached out and clenched my hand. ‘Hey, doc, I’m Manny.’

It still shook me a little that everyone in town knew who I was.

‘Pop, he’s seen zebras! Like the kind in the wild not at the zoo,’ Lou said, that chill facade slipping.

He ran a loving hand over her hair. ‘Louisa loves all kinds of animals.’

‘I’m gonna be a veterinarian. Take care of all kinds of animals big and small like that Dr Oakley on Nat Geo.’

Piper smiled at Lou like she’d be the first one cheering at her graduation.

The last chord of a song rang through the air and the lead singer announced it was the final song of the night.

‘Girls, shall we?’ Manny bowed to each one and swung his arm in the direction of the dance floor. Tessa and the girls followed and they joined hands in a circle and swayed back and forth.

I’d never pictured myself with a family but they sure made it look tempting.

Silvio led Greta out to the floor. Most of the town joined them including Maisey and her husband, and Beck and Torran, who continued to shoot curious looks toward our table.

‘What do you say, Bird? Want to dance one more time?’

She took my hand as the band played a slow ballad I recognized.

‘No one else should sing “Wild Horses” except for the Rolling Stones.’

She scoffed. ‘The cover by the UK band The Sundays is much better.’

‘Are we about to have our first disagreement?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Just hold me tighter, doc.’

As we moved slowly to the music, the cumulative stares of Ivy Falls were daunting. Instead of being loose in my arms this time, Piper’s body was wound tighter than a tourniquet.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I know I said to ignore them, but that.’ She tipped her chin to the crowd. ‘Is getting annoying.’

‘They’ll tire of us soon enough. It’s not a big deal.’

‘Really? So when you first went to the Sugar Rush, Susan didn’t tell you to stay away from me? That I deserved a little peace?’

‘How did you know that?’

‘It’s the same speech she gives any guy that comes into the café and stares at me a little too long.’

‘I take it that happens a lot?’ I said, even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer.

Lazily she tapped at her chin. ‘What’s a lot?’

She loved every minute of making me squirm.

‘Barb and Susan aren’t a worry now. They like me, and I get free donuts and coffee whenever I want,’ I said smugly.

‘Uh-oh, watch out. With that kind of treatment, you’ll never want to leave Ivy Falls.’

She’d meant it as a joke, but a little part of me wondered what it’d be like to stay. To see if she’d let me be a part of her life.

It made me pull her in closer. Hold on to her for as long as she’d let me.