Finding Love in Ivy Falls

Chapter Nine

TESSA

Everyone Needs A Little Vitamin D

With the girls dragging after a long day and eating way too many fried apple hand pies that Rosie declared ‘delicious’, we made our way toward the farm’s exit. Only steps from the parking lot sat a large white shed that housed an antique mart. We started to walk past it when I came to an abrupt halt, turned into the building and made a beeline for a stall at the far back.

The girls and Manny tried to keep up as I raced past booths filled with handmade quilts and not-so-antique vases. My focus stayed on my target: a massive turn-of-the-century mahogany buffet with a black and white marble server.

‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’ Manny said when I stopped a few feet from the stall.

‘The answer is yes if your idea is to refurbish that piece and turn it into part of the design for the coffee bar.’

‘It’s perfect, and now that you’ve got the loan, you can start thinking about how to put it all together,’ he said, appraising the rare and beautiful piece.

A man with a thick beard and matching snowy-white hair moved out of the stall to greet us. The girls stared and I had to agree that he did look a little bit like Santa Claus.

‘She’s a beauty, isn’t she?’ He shoved his hands into his worn jeans and walked closer. ‘Belonged to my great-grandmother. It’s been sitting in storage for years. Thought it was time to bring it out. Sell it to the right buyer.’

‘Do you know the year it was made?’ I asked.

‘If I had to guess, I’d say late eighteen hundreds.’

‘May I get a closer look?’

‘Sure, go ahead.’

I took my time running my hand over the white marble server with thin gray veins. ‘It’s in good condition. What’s your asking price?’

The man scanned our little crew like he was trying to figure out a number. ‘Is it going in y’all’s house?’

‘Uh,’ I mumbled at his assumption. ‘We’re all friends.’

The man’s brows went up.

‘The piece, it would be perfect for my business.’

He rubbed at the whiskers on his chin. ‘What kind of business?’

Before I could utter a word, Rose said, ‘My mama sells books. The store used to belong to my granny. She died.’

The man’s eyes went sad. ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

‘My business is…’ I bit away the words ‘in trouble’ and said, ‘…about to add a coffee bar. This piece would be part of the design.’ I cocked my head to Manny. ‘Part of his design.’

The man’s face lit up. ‘Oh, you’re a carpenter? So am I!’

‘I’m mostly a builder. My partner and I restore old homes.’

I loved the proud tone in Manny’s voice. How he was such a good foil for Torran. When my sister first introduced us, he stood in the doorway of their first project, and I swore I almost swallowed my tongue. His muscled body filled the entire frame. The ratty old baseball cap he loved was turned backward, allowing only a small bit of black hair to poke out.

At first I thought he might be a good fit for Tor, but over time, his patient voice, the way he gently jabbed back at her quick wit, told me they were good friends. It wasn’t until Billy was gone that Manny appeared at the park one day with Lou while I was there with the girls. I was pretty sure Torran had put him up to it. When I asked about the timing, he ignored me, insisting in that gentle, soothing voice I’d come to adore, that it was important to get outside. That everyone needed a little vitamin D.

As the girls played with Lou that day, it was like they’d woken from a long, deep sleep. They laughed, smiled, cheered as they chased Lou around the equipment and down the slides.

It’d been months since I’d smiled, had a bit of warmth fill my body again. That warmth only grew as I spent more time with Manny. It felt good to settle into that feeling. To know there was a chance that, despite all the chaos in my life, he might be mine if I was brave enough to take that first step.

There was clearly a wild kind of chemistry between us, but every time I considered crossing that line, I thought about our friendship. What we could lose if things between us didn’t work out romantically. The idea of him not being a constant in my life always had me hesitating, waiting another day.

The owner of the buffet pressed a hand over his mouth as he sized up Manny. ‘I thought you looked familiar. You’re that guy on the Hearth and Home show. The quiet one to the lady who does all the talking about her love of saving old homes.’

‘That’s our Auntie Torran,’ Iris said quietly. ‘She’s really smart and good with her hands.’

The man gave Iris a sweet smile. ‘Bet you’re just as smart?’

Iris blushed and turned into my side.

‘Would the piece be on TV? I think my great gran would have loved that.’

‘No, but if you sell it to me, it’ll be handled with loving care,’ I reassured him.

The man’s gaze moved over us, and I held my breath in anticipation. ‘Let me show you more details about the piece, and we can talk numbers.’

Manny turned to me. ‘Tess, I can handle this. In the bed of my truck are some moving blankets. Why don’t you and the girls go grab them?’

It would have been easy to let Manny step in. Fall into old habits. When we had plumbing issues at my house, I let Manny or Torran take over. If my car needed repairs, my dad always knew what to do. But I needed to make changes. Take charge of my own life.

‘Sir, can you excuse us for a minute?’ I said.

‘Sure. Take your time.’

I pulled Manny a few steps away while the man made small talk with the girls.

‘I’m not sure how much I can spend. There’s a budget, and I haven’t figured out all the details yet.’

He gave me a warm smile. ‘I’ll negotiate a good deal.’

‘But…’ I started, my voice trembling. Buying the piece made all of this real, and it scared the crap out of me. The store was mine. The coffee bar would be mine too. It was my job to negotiate this deal – not his.

‘Trust me. You won’t pay a penny over what it’s worth.’

‘I appreciate your help, but it’s my store. I need to handle this.’

He searched my gaze and then stepped back. ‘Of course. It’s all you, Tess.’

My heart swelled as I looked into his eyes. He never pushed. Undermined me. There was a calm tenor and acceptance in his tone. Like he understood that I had to do this on my own.

‘I’ll head back to the truck with the girls. Grab those blankets so we can move it safely.’ His eyes went fiery as he stepped in close. ‘But just so you know, I’m a good negotiator too.’

His smile went deliciously wicked for a second, and then it vanished as he called for the girls to follow him back to the parking lot.