Finding Love in Ivy Falls

Chapter Three

TESSA

A True Superhero

Manny, Torran and Beck kept the girls busy with the beanbag toss game, while I went to check on the bookstore. Once I was in the door, I pulled in a shaky breath. With a crowd filling the square, I expected to find at least a dozen customers browsing the aisles, a few kids darting around the shelves with their parents fast on their heels, but only a few patrons sat in the overstuffed chairs. And even worse, not a single person was in line at the register.

Penny, the store manager, kept busy dusting the shelves. Her long blonde ponytail swung behind her as she moved from display to display. When she noticed me, she let out a loud snort.

‘Elsa, huh?’ she said, scanning me from head to toe. ‘The wig is something too.’

‘The girls’ choice, of course.’

Her bright blue eyes lit up. ‘Can I take a picture? It would be perfect for the store’s social media accounts.’

She went for her phone in her back pocket, and I said, ‘Don’t you dare.’

‘Okay, okay,’ she laughed. ‘Where are Rose and Iris? I was hoping to see them all dressed up.’

‘They’re out in the square with Manny and my sister.’

‘What’s his costume? He looked all kinds of hot in that Luke Skywalker outfit last year.’

Penny harbored a small crush on Manny that she was not very subtle about. When he came into the store, it was amusing to watch the two of them as he looked like a giant next to her almost uncanny resemblance to a tiny Alice in Wonderland.

When I looked away, pretending to straighten a display, she clucked her tongue.

‘Oh, wow. With how red your cheeks are, this has to be good.’ She ran to the window in front of the store and pressed her face to the glass.

I followed and quickly dragged her away. ‘Fine, if you must know, he’s dressed as Superman.’

‘No, he is not !’ There was that snort again. She tried to move back to the window, but I stepped into her path, needing to redirect her enthusiasm.

‘How are sales today?’

Now she was the one who looked away.

‘Penny,’ I pressed.

Her freckled cheeks paled. ‘Not great.’

‘Even with all the work we did on that big window display? I thought all those cute Halloween picture books would bring people in.’

She gave a sad shake of her head. ‘There’s still time. We don’t close for two more hours.’

She forced her voice to be hopeful, but I understood how the next few hours would go. If the store was this dead during the height of the festival, once the sun fell, traffic would slow to a crawl.

‘You should go back outside and have fun with your girls.’

‘All right,’ I said reluctantly. ‘There’s extra fives and ones in the safe if you need more change.’ I gave another cursory glance around the store. ‘Not sure you’ll need it though.’

‘Go have one of Susan’s ghost donuts. Maybe two. Things are under control here.’

‘Thanks.’

I walked out the door and headed in the direction of where the games were set up near the fountain. A walnut-sized lump filled my throat as a group of teenagers sped past me. In front of the stores, people took photos of the decorations. Swapped gossip with their friends. The warm feeling in the square made me think of my mother. How much she’d loved Ivy Falls. I felt sick every time I considered how she’d entrusted her beloved bookstore to me and that I was failing her.

When I finally found my family, Manny was holding a thick beach towel and drying off Lou, who’d gone back to the apple-bobbing booth. According to him, she’d fully immersed herself in the barrel this time, intent on grabbing a shiny red apple.

For the rest of the afternoon, we kept the girls busy with more games and crafts, trying with no luck to steer them away from Miss Cheri, who ran the town theater, and Mrs Vanderpool, both of whom kept slipping them extra candy.

As soon as the sun faded into a night sky, the festival wound down. Torran and Beck said their goodbyes, along with Dad and Isabel. All three girls pulled us toward the neighborhoods to begin trick-or-treating.

The deeper we waded into the center of Ivy Falls, the more historic the houses became. The street before mine had more than one home that was built in the late nineteenth century. Some of them were in good shape. Others looked like if a good storm hit the town, they’d collapse into a pile of wood and bricks.

Manny and Torran’s restoration work was a real gift to this town. I’d hoped the attention from their show would turn into more tourism and sales for the downtown shops like mine, but so far none of the businesses had seen a real change. When I asked Torran about it one night at dinner, she told me that Lauren, the show’s producer, said it often took a while for a new program to find its audience. So far the numbers were trending up for Meet Me in Ivy Falls , but a second season would be where the town would really see a change. Sadly, I wasn’t sure my store could hold on that long.

Dried fall leaves crunched beneath our feet as we tried to keep up with the girls. A few of the more festive neighbors had set up haunted houses in their garages, but my girls weren’t quite old enough for that type of fright yet. When we were kids, Torran dragged me into one. I had nightmares for weeks after. Rose was already having issues at night, and I didn’t need to add to that problem.

‘Girls, don’t run, you might fall,’ I called.

‘They’re okay, Tess,’ Manny said.

‘I know they’re fine, but it’s hard not to be a helicopter parent when you’re doing it alone.’

‘A fact I know all too well,’ he sighed.

I blew a wayward white hair away from my face. Maybe the Elsa wig was a little much. ‘Sorry, if anyone understands my challenges, it’s you.’

I hated the tremble in my voice. This was supposed to be a time for our kids to run free. Laugh. Play.

‘Hey,’ he said gently. ‘What’s going on?’

‘I want the girls to enjoy today. The last thing they need is memories of their mother being sad and defeated, but it’s hard to put on a brave face when you feel like your world is crumbling around you.’

‘Any word from the bastard? I mean Billy.’

‘No,’ I huffed. ‘And please don’t call him that. Although it’s accurate, I can’t bear to have the girls hear it. They deserve to believe their father is a good man.’

‘Tess, you can’t hide the truth from them. They’re both smart like you. Eventually, they’ll understand what their father did was wrong. That his choices, especially taking off just before your mom passed, were selfish and cruel.’

‘They’re little girls,’ I choked out. ‘They deserve to believe, even if it’s only for a short time, that their father is not a complete waste of space. That he decided a box-dye redhead with big boobs, a tight skirt and a cheap silver nose stud was more important than his own family. My job is to protect them from pain, and no matter how long I have to juggle the reality of our lives, I’ll do it to keep them happy.’

Iris and Rose hopped down the steps at the next house. The gleam in their eyes was all that mattered. My soon-to-be ex-husband may have disappeared in the middle of the night, leaving only a note saying he was sorry he couldn’t be a better man, but my children didn’t need to know that cold, hard truth. They needed comfort, security, safety, and no matter how hard I had to work, I’d give it to them.

We continued to follow the girls down the street, and Manny let out a slow breath. ‘Can I ask you one more thing?’

‘Even if I said no, would it stop you?’

‘Probably not,’ he said with a teasing edge to his voice.

‘Go ahead.’

‘Has he at least sent you money to support the girls?’

‘How about those Titans? Aren’t they undefeated this season?’ I mumbled, hoping he’d drop this topic.

‘Tess, I’m not talking football with you.’ His voice went firm. ‘Billy should be helping, or you have to go to court without him. Tell a judge you need help. If you can’t track him down, make him pay, he needs to go to jail.’

Jail. It was the last thing I wanted for my ex. When we first met in high school, he was such a sweet guy. Thoughtful. Attentive. At least when we were alone. Once we were around a crowd of people, he became a jerk. Like he thought he needed to perform in order to keep his friends.

When I got pregnant at nineteen with Iris, I thought he’d settle down after we got married, and he did for a while, becoming a good father to Iris and then Rose. He played dolls with them. Strummed his guitar to soothe them to sleep at night. But as time went by, and I took on more hours at the bookstore, something changed. He became angry. Distant. The note showed up on the kitchen counter just weeks before Rose’s fourth birthday, and we hadn’t seen him since.

‘Please, can we not do this,’ I said, suddenly very weary. ‘For one night, I don’t want the ghost of my idiot ex to ruin everything.’

Manny lifted his hands in surrender. ‘You’re right.’

‘Thank you,’ I said over the growing knot in my throat.

‘Are you still thinking about changing the hours at the bookstore?’ he asked, regret lingering in his tone.

‘Nice change of subject. Real smooth.’

His lips twitched as he rubbed a hand behind his neck. It was hard to be annoyed with him. Since Billy left, he’d become our rock. Like he had a sixth sense, Manny would show up with Lou and a gallon of Caramel Ribbon ice cream when we’d had a rough day. When a hinge broke on a cabinet, or the garbage disposal leaked, it only took a single text before he showed up at my door with his toolbox.

When you trusted someone with your every breath, and they crushed your soul, how were you supposed to recover? Sure, you could move through the motions of life, but that didn’t mean you were truly living. From the moment I’d read Billy’s note, I’d felt trapped inside a bubble of despair. Unsure if I’d ever be able to force my way out of that existence.

‘I’m still talking over more options for the store with my dad,’ I said. ‘We’re trying to figure out ways to bring in new revenue but haven’t come up with any good options.’

It was hard not to let my shoulders sink. The bookstore had been my mother’s dream. At first, it had turned a regular profit, but in the last two years, foot traffic had stalled. We’d tried special programs like reward cards that would earn you a free book after ten punches. Added another story hour. Narrowed our hours on Sundays. But with their busy lives, people found it easier to order online now. At one time, the store had been the real hub of the square. Where everyone in town would come to relax, hold their book group meetings, but without my mom as the anchor, interest began to fade, and I didn’t know how to turn it around. She’d been the warmth you needed on a cold winter’s morning. The smile that turned an otherwise horrid afternoon into one you could manage. When she was gone, my family not only felt her loss, but the entire town did too.

‘Don’t worry,’ Manny said, interrupting my thoughts. ‘You’re one of the smartest women I know. If anyone can figure this out, it’s you.’

‘I’d rather talk about anything else right now.’

‘No, let’s not avoid this.’

We walked down the sidewalk, and every few feet, a woman gave him the same look the young woman in the square did. Like they wanted to tear off his costume. See what was underneath. It made my skin itch in a way I didn’t like. Those stares saw the man on TV who walked around in perfectly worn cargo pants. A baseball cap turned backwards when he was focused on a carpentry project like a new dining table or a refinished staircase. They had no clue he could sing on key to most of his favorite country songs. That his deep gray eyes always softened whenever he watched his daughter at play.

‘What other ways can you bring in money?’ His urgent voice brought me back to the conversation.

I ignored his question and countered with my own. ‘Are we going to talk about it ?’

‘I thought we were talking about it .’

‘No, I mean the looks you’re getting from women as they pass. And that selfie request in the square was a little wild. Has that been happening more often?’

He turned away, hiding how his face flamed. Meet Me in Ivy Falls had turned him into the internet heartthrob known as ‘Manny the Zaddy’, and Torran and I teased him about it relentlessly.

‘Quit changing the subject and tell me what you and your dad discussed.’

He flashed me a look of intensity that made the hairs on my arms stand on end. We were just friends, but when he stared at me like he’d slay a dragon to protect me, it was hard not to go weak-kneed. I pushed the thought, and wobbly feeling, out of my head. The two of us were buddies. Jokingly, I’d even started calling us SPPs. Single parent pals. That was all we could ever be.

‘We haven’t settled on anything yet,’ I said, giving in. ‘There’s more research to do.’

He seemed satisfied with my answer, but it wasn’t completely honest. Dad had laid out a few options for the store. Pull inventory back even more. Cut our hours again. Let go of a few staff members. Even closing the store altogether. That idea alone made the two mini candy bars in my stomach want to revolt.

Books had always been my thing. The tether that still connected me to my mother. The thought of doing anything else was so foreign I couldn’t wrap my brain around it.

‘Have you considered adding things that could complement the store? Candles or stationery? Even high-end paper for résumés and letters?’

I couldn’t help the snort that left my mouth. ‘Do people even write letters anymore?’

‘I do. Well, I did. When Gina was alive, I made it a point to write her love letters.’

I was convinced Manny was the last romantic man on the planet. Billy thought if he did one load of laundry or emptied the dishwasher, he should be given some kind of medal. Or a blow job.

As we trailed behind the girls, Manny kept pushing back his cape. His chiseled jaw set like he was still mulling over ideas.

‘What if I offered my services for free?’ he said, almost too low for me to hear.

‘To do what? Work the cash register?’ The image of him trying to fit his bulky body behind the counter made me laugh.

‘No. What if I built more seating? More spots for people to stay and read?’

‘That’s not the issue. It’s them actually buying books.’

He tipped his chin down, chewing on his beautifully full lips.

Besides being a great contractor, Manny was also an amazing craftsman. What he’d done with the staircase in the house on Huckleberry Lane was truly a work of art. My mind spun with several ideas, and a jarring thought hit me.

‘Could you build a coffee bar in the store?’

He arched a thick brow. ‘Coffee bar?’

‘Yes. It would encourage more people to come in. Hang out. Buy drinks and books.’

The idea spooled out in my mind like a fish taking off once hooked. It would mean more work. Getting a food service license. Finding a spot in the small store to put it. But it would entice people inside to spend money, which was not currently happening. Only problem was where was I going to get the funds for that kind of project? Maybe I’d spoken too soon.

‘It’s a good idea, Tess.’ He placed his hands on my hips suddenly, steering me around a big puddle on the sidewalk. I tried not to react, but he smiled as he watched my arms dot with goosebumps. Once we were past the water, his hands lingered for a torturous moment before he pulled away.

‘I don’t know.’ My voice trembled. ‘Maybe I should come up with other options.’

‘Hey,’ he said in a warm voice that made my toes curl. ‘It’s just a thought, not a commitment.’

I shook away the tingling in my fingers and toes that always happened when he pinned me in place with his steely gray gaze.

The sound of a witch’s cackle coming from a nearby speaker dragged me back to reality.

‘Slow down. Don’t get too far ahead,’ I called to the girls again as they started to round the corner.

Manny nudged me with his elbow. ‘Don’t overthink the store, okay? It’ll all work out.’

When I first met him, I didn’t like his gruff tone as he worked side by side with my sister. But then I ran into him at the park one day with his daughter – a coincidence that felt more like a setup from Torran. It was hard to ignore how he followed Lou down the slides. His muscled body barely fitting along the plastic edges. The way he gently pushed her on the swings, encouraged her across the swinging bridge, melted my heart. He may have been built like a tank, but there was a sweet abandon to how he chased Lou through the grass. Circled her into a hug once he caught her. After that day, our single-parent status brought us together. We arranged play dates. Started relying on each other for free babysitting when one of us needed a break.

Manny and I had a good thing going. Adding anything physical would ruin it. And what would happen to our kids? Lou was like an older sister to the girls, and they, in turn, adored her. Besides, the idea of dating again sent another nauseous rumble through me.

‘Lou and I were thinking about going apple-picking over at Breyer’s farm next Sunday. You and the girls want to come along? They have those fried apple hand pies you love so much.’

‘Are you trying to distract me from all my problems with promises of one of my all-time favorite foods?’

‘Maaaybe,’ he drew out, giving me a devious grin that made my mind race with very non-platonic thoughts.

‘We’re in,’ I said a little too quickly as the girls raced to the next house. A few days before, Manny told them pillowcases held much more candy than their small buckets. Now they struggled to carry their loot as they moved to ring the next doorbell.

‘When I was a kid, we’d run home, dump out our full bags, and hit the neighborhood for another round. We had candy all the way until Christmas most years.’ His smile quickly brightened my mood.

‘Only one round this year. Rose is already dragging.’ I tipped my chin in the direction of my tiny blonde child, who dragged the weight of her bright purple pillowcase along the grass.

Three more houses and the girls agreed it was time to head home. Manny picked up a sleepy Rose and tossed her up onto his shoulder, looking like a true superhero. We walked in silence for a few breaths before he said, ‘I can picture that brain of yours churning, thinking about all the reasons the coffee bar isn’t a good idea, but I think you should discuss it with your dad. I bet he’d even help you get a small loan.’

His words fueled my racing brain. Great. Even more debt.

‘What if I come by tomorrow morning? Walk the space and see if we can figure out a plan.’

A plan. It was a start, but the biggest challenge was getting my dad on board, which was never an easy task.