Decked Out with Ivy (Red Maple Falls #13)

Chapter 19

Ivy sat at the kitchen table in her childhood home, knitting a new pair of mittens. The pair she’d been wearing were the same as the ones Cody bought, and she didn’t want anything that reminded her of him. She inhaled, taking in the scent of sugar cookies. Mom and Aunt Claire had been baking all day, and Ivy offered to be a taste tester.

Normally she’d help crack eggs, dump flour, and cut out shapes, but she wasn’t feeling very Christmassy. She really wanted to curl into a ball on her couch, eat a pound of chocolate, and cry into her blanket, but she refused to shed another tear. It was her favorite time of year, and she wasn’t going to let Cody take that away from her. Not after he took her heart and stomped on it.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year spilled out of the speakers, and Ivy couldn’t help but think, was it? It sure as hell didn’t feel like it anymore. She almost gasped at where her mind was. Nothing could ever dim her Christmas spirit. Not until Mr. Three Hundred Dollar Jeans walked into her shop.

“Honey,” Mom said. “Don’t you think maybe you overreacted?”

Ivy scoffed. “No, I don’t. The movie. The whole story. He was opening up to me. It was meant for me and me alone. Sharing it with the world cheapened the moment. Cheapened everything about it.”

“Are you sure it was him who leaked it?” Aunt Claire asked.

There were no paparazzi that night, proof by the lack of images that accompanied the articles. The only way the tabloids would have known was if he’d told them.

“According to him, the only other person who knew was Felix, who he tried blaming, by the way. Can you imagine? Sweet, innocent Felix?” She laughed at the absurdity. That boy would never sell anyone out.

Her mind drifted to that movie theater. The way Cody had taken her hand and kissed her forehead. How they’d shared popcorn and candy as they’d cuddled together in front of the big screen. She couldn’t believe that in less than twenty-four hours, everything would change.

“I think you should hear him out,” Mom said.

“Why? So he can lie some more?”

Mom’s head tilted. Her eyes taking on that disappointed glaze. She hadn’t seen that look since she and Poppy spilled nail polish on the carpet. “Did you look at him when he spoke? Look to see if you could see his heart?”

Ivy thought back to the conversation. It was all a blur. But maybe she didn’t. She was hurt and afraid he’d turn on that actor charm.

“That’s a no,” Aunt Claire said.

“What’s a no?” Rome came into the kitchen, immediately taking a cookie off the cooling rack and popping the entire thing into his mouth.

Aunt Claire swatted him with a dish towel. “Those are not for you.”

“Then you shouldn’t keep them where I can reach them,” he said. “So, what are we talking about?” He plopped down at the table across from her, arms crossed on the table, waiting like a kid expecting dessert. He was such a gossiper.

“Cliff notes version,” Aunt Claire said. “Ivy and Cody broke up.”

“Whhhhaaaattt?” he said, appearing shocked. “Did not see that coming. What happened? Want me to kick his ass?”

“Kick whose ass?” Trey came into the kitchen now, also going straight for the cooling rack. He grabbed a cookie, and Aunt Claire tried to snatch it from him, but he was too quick, shoving it into his mouth.

“If you keep eating these, then you better help us make more. We need to get another dozen batches done for the cookie exchange.”

“Sure thing,” Trey said, sitting next to Rome at the table. “So, who do I have to hurt?”

“Ivy and Cody broke up,” Rome said.

“Didn’t see that coming,” Trey said, and Rome’s mouth opened as he pointed to his brother.

“That’s what I said.”

“Why not?” Ivy asked, genuinely curious.

“The way he looked at you,” Rome said, and Trey nodded in agreement. “We’ve seen that look before. Usually within months, the poor bastard is engaged.”

Shock slammed into Ivy, but she shook it off. “He’s an actor.”

“Can’t fake what’s in your heart,” Trey said.

“Fine, even if he was in love with me, that doesn’t change the fact that he used me to get positive headlines to save his career.”

“But didn’t you agree to it?” Rome asked as he pushed from his chair and slowly made his way toward the cooling racks. She had confessed to her mom and aunt about the fake relationship, and apparently the news had made the rounds with the family.

“Well, yes, but…”

“But?” Trey asked as Rome snatched two cookies. Aunt Claire swatted him with a towel, but he popped it in his mouth and tossed Trey the other. Trey snatched it out of the air and shoved it in his mouth.

“They’re thirty-two and thirty-five going on thirteen,” Aunt Claire mumbled to Mom.

“Still waiting,” Trey said around the cookie.

“This was different. I thought we shared something special.”

“You did, though,” Rome said with a shrug. “I read the article. Slow day at work. It didn’t say much. Just that he shared a tradition with you. No one knows why it’s special to him. No one knows why he showed you. Only you know that.”

“Since when did you get so insightful?” she asked.

“I have no fucking idea.”

“Rome James Parker, watch your mouth!” Aunt Claire said, her hands landing firmly on her hips.

Rome raised both eyebrows. “Sorry, it slipped.”

“If any of it was real, he wouldn’t have let me walk away.”

“You went to him on set,” Mom said. “Knowing that he was filming the final scene, and that they were relying on the sunlight. He’s already been known as being difficult on set. Don’t you think he thought about that?”

“I don’t know. I’m with Ives on this one,” Rome said, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair. “He could have come after her. Dick move.”

Aunt Claire sighed. “You are not helping.”

“Sorry, but I’m Team Ivy.”

“What’d I miss?” Cynthia asked as she walked into the kitchen, placing her purse on the chair and immediately picking up a piping bag.

“Ivy and Cody broke up,” Rome said, looking way too invested in this entire thing.

“Oh no, what happened?” Cynthia asked, and for the umpteenth time, Ivy retold the entire story.

She might not have Cody, but she had family, and some days that was enough. Though, each time she told the story, she was starting to wonder if maybe Mom was right. Maybe she did overreact.