Page 50 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls (Ivy Falls #3)

FORD

Roots

One year later…

After a long day at the clinic, I needed two things: a sweet tea and a kiss from my girlfriend.

I hustled down the brick-paved sidewalks, passing the Dairy Dip and the hardware store. Every few feet someone called out, ‘Hey, doc,’ and I waved in their direction.

When I’d first come to Ivy Falls that kind of greeting startled me, but over the last year I’d learned to enjoy it, bask in the feeling of being one of the town’s own.

Voices rang out around the corner and, when I stepped toward them, I found Tessa and Penny on the sidewalk bickering about the P&P’s sign again.

They’d finally won the town’s contest at the Fourth of July picnic. Ever since they’d gotten that shiny plaque, they’d been battling over the sign every month. I tried to race inside the bookstore without them seeing me, but they called out my name, stopping me in my tracks.

Tessa propped her hands on her hips, her brownish-red ponytail swinging behind her.

‘Don’t you like Come Inside and Espresso Yourself better than Coffee and Romance Books. Either Way You Get Something Steamy ?’

Their penetrating stares told me it was a losing question.

‘They’re both clever,’ I offered before dashing inside.

People were too damn serious about the sign contest, and I wasn’t getting in the middle of that epic showdown.

My gaze bounced over the P&P’s upholstered chairs, couches and small tables. I moved past the children’s section and the coffee bar, finally spotting Piper hunched over her laptop with her headphones on. Her head bobbed along to whatever music she was listening to as she took notes.

Like the first time I came into the bookstore, the sight of her stunned me.

Her dark hair was styled in a long braid.

An old concert T-shirt hung off one shoulder.

Every time I looked at her, that same old feeling of a rollercoaster drop washed over me.

I still couldn’t believe I got to go to sleep kissing her and wake up with her body wrapped in my arms.

She must have felt me staring because she looked up. Her bright smile always made my throat go dry, forced my heart to pick up speed. She crooked a finger in my direction and I obeyed. I pulled out the chair next to her and gave her a peck on the cheek.

‘What are you working on?’ I asked, taking a long gulp of the tea she had waiting for me.

She slid off her headphones and flipped the book over to show me the title: The Many Facets of Successful Theater Direction.

‘Stimulating read,’ I teased, and she playfully elbowed me.

‘It is! I’m learning a lot, and it will definitely help with the kids’ show next year.’

She’d had another successful run at the theater this past summer, this time directing a shortened version of The Little Mermaid .

She’d tried to convince Dex to be Prince Eric, but he took the role of Sebastian instead.

The kid had the entire theater in stitches after delivering a few lines.

You wouldn’t think he’d be able to dance in a crab costume either, but Dex pulled it off.

He’d become a regular for dinner at the little bungalow we rented near the elementary school, and somehow I’d been lassoed into coaching his rec basketball team.

A decision his mother had been thanking me about for months.

The kids were great, and I found myself having fun with a bunch of stinky, and often foul-mouthed, fourteen-year-olds.

I slid my hand into hers. ‘Ready to go? Torran will rip our heads off if we’re late for their anniversary celebration.’

‘That girl needs to take a chill pill. I thought after Sabrina was born she’d mellow out. It’s a good thing I love her and adore being an auntie or she’d be in a constant headlock.’

I took another pull on my drink while she packed up her laptop. When I told her about the battle royale happening near the sign outside, we tiptoed out through the office’s back door.

As we hustled down the sidewalk, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen and smiled. Another text from Gray showing how proud he was of the ‘Head Pro’ marker in front of his new parking spot.

I turned the screen to Piper. ‘Oh lord, the last thing that man needs is another ego stroke.’

‘Tell me about it.’ I replied with the middle finger and laughing emoji.

‘How did your mom’s visit with him go?’

‘She said it was good. That she likes the new house he bought. Get this, she actually called it “cozy”. Not sure I’ve ever heard my mother use that word. Gray said he put her to work with decorating, and he’d never seen her so happy.’

‘I’m glad she went to visit. The last time we had lunch, she mentioned she missed him.’

With my being gone in Senegal last year, and Gray moving away, my mother quickly learned how lonely her life could become. She’d had several lunch dates with Piper and had eased up on the hints about grandkids. My dad, well, he was still being an asshole.

We turned the corner and I tucked Piper closer into my side.

That coffee and vanilla scent of hers slid over me and I wondered if we snuck behind a tree, had a little impromptu make-out session, if it’d be spread around by nine o’clock.

Knowing this town, it’d probably be closer to eight.

I let out a little groan and had to settle for a kiss on her head.

‘Didn’t you have an appointment with Mrs V today?’ she asked.

‘Yes. She’s back to form. As soon as I reported that her labs and most recent echocardiogram looked good, she was giving me grief about the scuff on my shoes. How I needed a haircut. That woman never takes a breath.’

‘She pesters because she loves.’

‘Yeah, well, then she’s loving on me a bit too much,’ I joked.

‘Not possible,’ she said, sliding her fingers between mine.

Huckleberry Lane came into view and she leaned her head onto my shoulder.

Beck waved to us from the wraparound porch.

Torran stood next to him with their little girl tucked in her arms. Their fence was back up around the property and a scattering of new saplings covered both the front and back yards.

More than once Torran mentioned how much she missed the old magnolia.

How she’d dreamed of hanging an old tire swing from one of its massive branches like the one Piper and Beck had as kids.

Beck insisted their daughter was nowhere near ready for a swing, but when she was old enough, one of the trees would be steady enough, have deep enough roots, to handle one.

Roots. The word always struck me. Made me think of Ivy Falls and how the families here continued to grow. Planted the seeds of their life into this tiny community.

When I’d first arrived, I didn’t know I was searching for a place to settle. A spot to put down my own roots. It wasn’t until I found Piper, and then had to leave her, that I realized all I’d ever wanted was a real place to call home. She’d given that to me.

She squeezed my hand and laid a soft kiss against my cheek. Murmured how glad she was that we were all finally together.

‘Me too, Bird,’ I whispered against the cuff of her ear. ‘Me too.’