Page 26 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls (Ivy Falls #3)

PIPER

Training Wheels

After saying a way too long goodbye to my brother and Torran, I let Ford take my hand and lead me back across the square. Even with the sun long set, the summer heat still clung to my skin. Perspiration rolled down between the center of my bra and soaked the thin fabric of my shirt.

When we reached my apartment door, I hesitated. A big part of me wanted him to come inside. See what kind of a kisser he was. Yet that knot that always sat low in my chest weighed heavier tonight. I wasn’t quite sure if I was ready for any of this.

‘Uh, do you want to come inside?’

Sensing my awkward pause, he said, ‘Let me show you something first.’

He led me to an opaque glass door at the end of the hall and pushed it open revealing a circular wrought-iron staircase.

I followed him up the steps and out to the roof.

The view spilled out all the way to the city line.

I’d never seen Ivy Falls from this vantage point.

It was such a sweet collection of eclectic storefronts with the fountain at the center of it all, gurgling out its regular tune.

Overhead the sky was black velvet with a handful of stars tossed up against it like silvery glitter.

‘Diego did not show me this feature of the building,’ I said.

‘I’m not sure it’s a feature. When I first came up here there were old fast-food wrappers, a few broken folding chairs, like no one had used the space in years.’

I walked to the edge of the roof and pulled in a full breath. The air was cooler up here, and it helped that a light breeze moved through the night. Lights in the gazebo and over the stage went out. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen Ivy Falls this quiet.

‘Does the town hold events like this a lot?’ he asked.

‘Yes. We have a fall festival. A Christmas tree lighting. Egg roll in the spring on the lawn in front of town hall. You just missed the big Fourth of July parade and fireworks.’

Mentioning the holiday always made acid rise in my throat. Two years later and the memory of that night still hurt like a wasp’s sting.

‘It’s nice that people want to participate. Spend time together.’

‘They don’t do that in Harpeth Manor?’

‘Only if it revolves around golf or society gatherings like the debutante ball.’

‘Debutante? Girls still do that?’

‘It’s gone from a formal society thing to more of a scholarship event, but they still make escorts wear a tux with tails.’

‘I bet you looked good in white tie.’

He grimaced. ‘It is really not my best look.’

‘Scrubs then?’

‘Not even that. Those things can be scratchy if they haven’t been properly washed.’

I set my elbows on the roof wall. The glow of the few lights on in the businesses gave the square a golden hue. Ivy Falls was nice during the day but at night it felt magical.

‘What was it like growing up here?’ he asked.

‘I’m not going to lie. It was sort of idyllic. As kids we could roam free. Ride our bikes everywhere. My favorite childhood memories are of hanging out at the P&P. My mom loved the shop and adored Mrs Wright.’

‘Tessa and Torran’s mom?’

‘Yes, she owned it first. Sadly, she passed away a few years back. Left it to Tessa. It was one of the first places we checked out after we moved here. My mom took me to the picture books. Mrs Wright introduced Beck to Torran that day. He swears it was love at first sight.’

‘Now they’re getting married. That’s like a fairy tale.’

‘They’ve been through a lot.’ I flipped my hair back, rubbed at my wrist. The knowledge that they almost didn’t get their happy ending because of me was always a stab to the heart. ‘How are you liking Ivy Falls?’ I said, desperate to change the subject.

He didn’t respond and I turned to find him giving me a pained kind of stare.

‘Was that a bad question to ask?’

‘It’s not that.’ He scrubbed at his hair. Pushed his glasses up his nose. ‘Shit, I don’t know what to do.’

I stepped in his direction, pulled forward by the ache in his voice. ‘Do about what?’ I asked softly.

‘I came to Ivy Falls to kill time until I go back to Senegal. Not in a million years did I think I’d meet someone like you.’ He ran his hand over the back of his neck. ‘It’s kinda freaking me out.’

‘Good freaking out or bad?’ I inched closer and he sucked in a thready breath.

‘Good,’ he hissed as my hand slid into his.

It was like time stopped. Holding us in a place where the only people who existed in the world were the two of us. I tried not to let my body shake. Give away how much this moment was messing with my heart and my head.

I’d sworn that my only focus over these last two years was to get sober. To create a stable life for myself. Dating, intimacy, were never part of the plan, but as I stood in front of Ford while he gave me a look that spoke of quiet kisses and more slow dances, I questioned what I wanted.

Only hours earlier I’d told Maisey I wasn’t ready for this, but Ford made it too damn easy. He was sweet, kind and had an instinct for when it was the right time to speak. The right time to be quiet and listen.

He stared at me with gentle eyes and all I could think was that he could be my test case.

The bike with training wheels I needed to experiment with before I was ready to get back on the road to dating again.

It was almost too perfect. We could be together for the rest of the summer and when Doc Sheridan returned, he’d leave. No worries. No regrets.

Face. Forgive. Forward .

This was forward and if I wanted it I had to let him know.

‘Tell me what’s spinning through that beautiful brain because your silence is killing me.’ He dragged a hand over his mouth like he was keeping himself from saying any more.

I let my fingers walk down his collar and my hand stopped over his heart. Another shaky breath escaped his lips.

‘What if we made a deal?’ I said, stepping in between his legs. The heat of him pressed against my skirt making my blood freaking sizzle.

‘What kind of deal?’

‘While you’re in Ivy Falls, we go to dinner. Maybe the drive-in. Have a little fun in the dark. Nothing serious. No commitment. When it’s time for you to leave, we part as friends.’

‘Are you sure?’ he said with a stutter.

I curled my fingers into his expertly starched shirt. ‘Yes, Ford.’

‘Okay, but I need a little clarification about the fun-in-the-dark thing,’ he said roughly.

‘Do you?’ I stood on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on the hollow of his neck, dragging my tongue over the top of his collarbone and chasing that with a line of kisses up to the corner of his ear. ‘Am I making things clearer?’

‘Repeat your question from earlier.’

I liked how his voice went gritty. ‘Ford, do you want to go to my apartment?’

He gave me that boyish smile that set my skin on fire.

‘Yes, please.’