Decked Out with Ivy (Red Maple Falls #13)

Chapter 7

Cody’s entire body froze at Ivy’s words. She didn’t want to put him on the spot, but she was curious by nature, and that paparazzi gave a little too much insight with not a lot of context. Ivy could have easily slipped out her phone and looked it up, but she didn’t want the headlines. She wanted to truth from Cody’s mouth.

A DUI was a serious offense. She had a strict rule: if she was driving, she could have one drink, and she had to stay for at least an hour.

“I was roofied,” he said, and she staggered backward, her breath catching in her throat.. “No one believed me.”

“Roofied? But why? By who?”

“There are parts of the entertainment business that are cutthroat, cruel, manipulative. People see me as a means to an end. A big payday. Like that jack-off said, if he can get a picture of me fucking up, those pictures would be worth a lot more money. I don’t know who slipped the drugs in my drink, but I had one beer that night. A half a beer, really. I got a call from my agent that she was in the hospital. Turned out, it was nothing. A dizzy spell brought on by dehydration and low potassium. But I didn’t know that, so I got in the car and headed toward the hospital. It took me all of two seconds to realize something wasn’t right, but I was already driving. I was about to pull over when lights flashed in my rearview.”

He shook his head, glanced at the ground, then locked eyes with her. “I already had a reputation for partying. My last girlfriend liked to party even more, then fight with me in front of the cameras for the attention. I didn’t love the attention, but I liked to party. That night, I skipped the driver because I wasn’t planning to stay long—just a quick visit to see a friend. I got arrested, missed a shoot, and messed up the whole film’s schedule. The director wouldn’t listen, and I got blacklisted. Now, I’ve got a suspended license, forced into AA meetings, and the world thinks I’m in recovery when I never had a problem.”

“That’s not fair,” Ivy said.

“That’s Hollywood for you.”

“You have no idea who slipped something in your drink?”

“I have a feeling the bartenders worked with the paparazzi. Get us nice and sloshed, so when we stumbled out of the club, they’d get their money-making shot. The bartenders probably got a cut. That night I was the biggest name there. I was nothing more than a dollar sign to them.”

“How can they get away with that? Couldn’t they have tested your blood? It would have proved—”

He held his hand up. “I’m a guy. When it comes to things like this, it’s not easy to convince people. I eventually got them to test me, but at that point… GHB only stays in your bloodstream for ten hours, tops. It was at least twelve hours later, so nothing showed. It’s my word against the world.”

She took his hand in hers, looking directly into those piercing green eyes. It might have been him against the world, but not anymore. “I believe you.”

His lips parted, and a sound stuttered from his throat. “Thank you.”

She smiled big. “Now, that tree isn’t going to cut itself down.”

He squeezed her hand. “Where’s the saw?”

She placed it behind her back, eyebrow arched. “How do I know I can trust you with it?”

“By the looks of that thing, I don’t think it could hurt me if I even tried.”

“I don’t care about you.” She winked. “I’m talking about the tree.”

“Seriously?”

“One wrong cut and you can destroy the tree, and it is the perfect tree. I don’t know if I can trust an amateur with such an important task.”

“Are you going to get on the ground in the snow and do it?” he asked.

She swished her lips back and forth. “Good point.” She thrust the saw at him. “It’s all yours. Have at it.”

With a laugh, he took the saw from her, and they made their way to the perfect Frasier fir. It was just over seven feet, full, and perfectly shaped. The scent of pine permeated the air, and she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. “Don’t you just love that smell?”

“The smell of dirt and trees?”

“Christmas. Happiness. All rolled into one.”

“It smells like pine.”

She gasped a little dramatically, but it was so much more than pine! He jolted before cutting her a glare.

“You’re ridiculous.”

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Me saying it smells like pine is ridiculous? But you calling it Christmas and happiness isn’t?”

“You know, I thought we had a moment earlier, but you just can’t help yourself, can you?.”

“Guess not,” he said, unfazed.

“But seriously—don’t you ever smell something that reminds you of something else?”

He shrugged, looking unamused. “No.”

“Liar.” She poked his stomach, and he caught her hand. Her gasp lodged in her throat as she glanced up at him. His eyes bore into hers—a beautiful green full of intensity that made her mouth water. Heat radiated through her glove, seeping into her skin. She swallowed, and he slowly released his grip. Her hand fell to her side, the heat still a scorching reminder of his touch.

“Hot dogs,” he said.

His touch had rewired her brain, and she wasn’t firing on all cylinders. “Huh?”

“A smell that makes me think of something else.” He scratched the back of his head. “My father was in and out of my life. Not exactly a role model. He left me hanging more times than I can count. But on my eighth birthday, he showed up with tickets to see the Dodgers. I was so excited. He got us hot dogs.” Cody paused, his eyes distant. “He died two years later of a drug overdose.”

As he spoke, her gaze softened, and for a moment, she didn’t see the man before her. She saw the young boy he once was, standing small and fragile, the raw pain of losing a father he never really got the chance to know still echoing in his eyes. She swallowed, the heaviness of his story settling deep in her chest.. “I’m sorry.”

“I told you, he was a shit dad, but in my ten years, that was the one day he got right. So yeah. Hot dogs.”

Warm appreciation filled her, spreading through her as she understood his vulnerability. The weight that one moment in time carried. She took his hand, squeezing it gently, wanting him to feel the gratitude she felt in his honesty, the comfort he clung to in that memory. “Thanks for sharing that with me. It means a lot.”

“I’ve told you more in a twenty-minute span than I have told most people who have known me for years.”

“Why do you think that is?” she asked.

“I have no idea. But what I do know is I’m going to cut that tree down for you.”

She clapped and bounced as excitement for one of her favorite traditions slammed into her. “Then we can bring it to my house and decorate it.”

“You’re not going to make me string popcorn, are you?”

“Oh no. I have a fear it’ll invite little critters into the house.”

He tilted his head. “You wouldn’t welcome them in with open arms and knit them little sweaters?”

She snorted. “That would be cute. But no, I prefer nature to stay outside.”

“Okay, so what do you put on your tree?” he asked as he kneeled to the ground, evaluating the tree.

“Poppy—that’s my sister—and I buy ornaments every time we go somewhere. She travels a lot for work, so she’s contributed a lot more, but it’s like a roadmap of our travels and experiences. And I’ve also knitted some ornaments.”

A smile cracked at the edge of his mouth. “Like little sweaters or…”

“You’ll see.”

He lay on his side and positioned the saw against the trunk of the tree. “Right here?”

She bent and eyed the line. “Perfect. Leaves enough trunk in case we need to trim later. As my dad says, you can always cut away more, but you can’t put it back once it’s gone.”

“Smart man.”

“He is. I’ve learned a lot from him.”

“Like what?” Cody asked.

“You actually care?”

He peered from under the tree. “Considering how much I told you, I think it’s time I learned something about your life. Besides, with how dull this saw is, I have a feeling we’re going to be here for a while.”

A laugh slipped from her lips then she tapped her finger against her chin. “Let’s see. He taught me how to ride a bike. He taught me how to change a tire.”

“You can change a tire?”

“I can. Can’t you?”

“I taught myself when I was eighteen. Had no choice.”

She wanted to ask more about his childhood, but he’d already shared so much, and the man was laying in snow under a tree, cutting it down for her, so she’d give him a break. This time.

“What else?” he asked and sounded genuinely interested.

“He taught me how to set a campfire using nothing more than two sticks and some dried leaves.”

“Does that really work?”

“It does! Takes forever, but if we ever get lost in the woods and are going to freeze to death, I got us.”

“You might have to put that skill to use. At this rate, we might freeze to death out here.”

“Speak for yourself. She shoved her mittened hands into her big pockets and swayed back and forth. “I’m nice and toasty. You need to invest in a better coat.”

“Let me guess. Your store has down coats, too?”

“You know it, and remember—"

“Employee discount.” He poked his head from under the tree. “I guess I’ll be making another trip to the store.”

“I’ll pull a few things for you. So you don’t waste too much time there. I know you have obligations on set.”

“I would say that’s kind of you, but I imagine you’ll be pulling the most expensive things you have.”

“It’s not like it’ll be as much as a pair of Tom Ford jeans.”

“Touche.” He quieted as the saw slicing through the wood echoed through the late morning. A pile of sawdust collected atop the fluffy snow, and Ivy squatted to check the progress. He was more than halfway through.

“You’re doing better than I expected.”

“You had no faith in me, did you?”

“None whatsoever.”

“Thanks for the bout of confidence.”

“You showed up in fancy shoes and a peacoat. I didn’t think you’d have it in you.”

“Someone didn’t tell me we’d be cutting down trees!” His voice rose with frustration, and she laughed. “Yeah, I know. My Hollywood clothes have no use here in Red Maple Falls.”

With a few more back and forths of the saw, the tree cracked and fell over. Ivy clapped. “You did it!”

Cody rolled on his back, his navy peacoat completely covered in sawdust. Ivy smacked a mitten over her mouth, then reached down to help him. Cody took hold, and she yanked him to his feet. He towered over her five-foot-six frame, yet she managed to pluck a few pine needles from his light brown tousled hair.

“Thanks.”

She brushed his lapels, trying to rid the expensive coat of the sawdust that had accumulated. “I have a lint roller at my place. We can try that.”

“Sounds good.” His gaze lingered on her lips, and she thought about lifting on her toes and kissing him, but there were no cameras around, and that seemed to be the only time a kiss was welcome. She was a PR stunt. Nothing more.

“How about some hot chocolate?” she asked, stepping back.

“I’d love some.”

She walked toward the front of the tree and pushed her hand through the branches to the trunk. “I’ll take the top. You get the bottom.”

Cody didn’t hesitate, jogging to the trunk and taking hold. They trudged toward the wood building and placed the tree by the netting machine for Hal to get it ready to go. She led the way around the building toward the hot chocolate stand.

“Ivy!” Karen Montgomery said. She was good friends with her mom.

“Mrs. Montgomery, I didn’t know you were working here. My mom didn’t say anything to me.”

“Retirement has been boring, and Hal had said he could use some help, so I thought why the heck not? Now I get to watch all the littles visit the reindeer and hand out hot chocolate. I feel like I should be paying Hal for helping me pass the time.”

“I’m sure you’ve been a big help for him.”

“You want a hot chocolate?”

“Two, please,” Ivy said, and Cody smiled at Karen.

Karen dropped the cup in her hand and fumbled to pick it up, knocking over the straws. “Oh my gosh. I’m so clumsy. I just wasn’t expecting to look up and see Cody Chance staring at me.” She held her hand out to him. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m a big fan.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

“Ma’am.” She giggled. Full on giggled. “I guess I am old enough to be your mother. Oh, that’s depressing. Anyway. I hope you’re enjoying our small town.”

‘So far, yes. I’m looking forward to Ivy here to show me around some more.”

Karen’s eyes snapped to hers, and she bit her lip, though Ivy could see the smile fighting through. “You have the perfect tour guide, especially if you want that whole Christmas vibe. We call Ivy, Little Miss Christmas around here.”

“She’s doing a fine job so far, even got me in the snow to cut down her tree.”

Karen handed Ivy a cup, then handed Cody one. “Isn’t that something?” Ivy knew the look in her eye. She was about to be on a four-way call with her mom, her aunt, and Susan Wells. Lord help her when those texts started coming through the family chat.

“You two have fun now, you hear,” Karen said, and Ivy snaked her arm into Cody’s and hurried him away.

“She seems nice,” Cody said.

“She’s very nice, but she’s also one of my mom’s and my aunt's closest friends, and I can bet every penny to my name she’s on the phone right now, telling them everything.”

“You want to put on a show?” Cody asked, and Ivy slid her arm out of his just to smack his chest. “Absolutely not!”

He laughed, and the sound was as joyful as it was infectious.

“The only show we’re putting on is for the cameras. Let’s go see the reindeer, then get that tree to my house.”

“Whatever you say, Little Miss Christmas.”

She rolled her eyes as she made her way to the barn, but secretly she loved that he used the nickname she’d been blessed with when she was a kid.