Finding Love in Ivy Falls

Chapter Thirty-Seven

TESSA

Thanked The Fates

When my dad called this morning and offered to take the girls to school it was clearly subterfuge. He was making an excuse to come over so he could talk to me about Billy, who’d been gone for several weeks now.

We were only a day away from the opening of the coffee bar, and Manny and I were now in a space where all we did was nod and swap one-word answers. Even though things were so tentative between us, it was hard not to stare at how his muscles flexed under his tight white T-shirt as he finished the final touches on the bar. How when he chewed on the corner of his lip, I wanted to replace his teeth with my own lips.

Basically, things were a complete shitstorm between us, and I hated every minute of it.

Like Ivy Falls could feel the tension too, everyone moved around me with a mixture of pity and disdain. Not that I blamed them. Manny was practically the hometown hero. When he’d moved into the little house on Petunia Avenue, word quickly spread about the retired college football player who could build almost anything with his hands. People loved his sweet wife and their baby girl who had the biggest brown eyes anyone had ever seen.

After Gina passed unexpectedly, Ivy Falls rallied around him. He’d told me that he’d received over a dozen cards, flowers and enough cornbread to feed a small nation. He’d also said that he’d never felt so much love in his entire life.

I walked to the back door. Looking at the new pane of glass felt like a taunt, reminding me of how Manny had swept in and protected me and the girls on Halloween night without a second thought.

Dad came up the small path. As soon as I opened the door for him, Iris zoomed past me.

‘There’s my girl!’ Dad crowed. ‘Where’s my other sweet pea?’

‘Here!’ Rose hopped into the room with one sock on and one sock off.

He picked them both up and held them tightly to his chest. My heart twinged. Torran and I had been at odds with him for a long time, but we’d all learned over the last year to bend a little. To accept that none of us were perfect. That family meant more than holding grudges. Had Dad been the perfect father? Nope. But he was trying.

I stood and watched him snuggling the girls and reminded myself that I was giving the same kind of grace to Billy.

‘Hey, girlies, go grab your school gear. I need to have a little chat with your mama.’

They slid from his arms and hurried back to their room.

‘Brush your teeth too,’ I called. ‘And Rosie, put on your other sock and shoes!’ Once they were out of earshot, I held up my hand before he got a word out. ‘I don’t want to hear it.’

Dad’s lips thinned. ‘Hear what? I haven’t said a word yet.’

I stuck out my finger and circled it around his face. ‘You don’t have to. The way your lips are puckered and the deep crinkles around your eyes warn you’re about to dole out a lecture, and I’m all out of patience right now, considering that’s all I’ve been getting from Torran.’

He stepped farther into the kitchen and leaned against the counter where a chipped piece of tile fell to the ground. My first thought was to text Manny and ask how to repair it. I’d found myself doing that a lot lately. Reaching for my phone to tell him a funny story or send him a video with a panda bear rolling down a hill, which always made him laugh. Torran called it ‘old people’ flirting, and she wasn’t wrong. It was how we’d communicated, gotten to know each other, become fast friends, and now I’d put that all in jeopardy.

‘I only want to know how you’re doing. You’ve got a lot on your plate right now, hence me taking the girls to school.’ He paused. ‘And maybe a quick donut beforehand.’

‘Dad,’ I sighed. ‘You can’t get them all sugared up before school.’

He tapped at his chin. ‘Can’t I? I think it’s in the grandparent handbook that I can take my granddaughters for treats whenever I want.’

I quirked an eyebrow.

‘Fine, I also came by to ask about Billy. He seemed to make himself right at home over the holidays, but then he disappeared. Silvio said he agreed to give him some time off but hasn’t heard from him in a while. Are you all right?’

‘Dad,’ I sighed. ‘I’m fine. Billy’s texted a few times. He’s still in Atlanta figuring some things out. It’s just taking longer than he expected.’

He glanced over my shoulder to make sure the girls weren’t returning. ‘Are you sure that’s all this is?’

‘He said he’d be back. That he wanted more time with the girls. That’s all I know.’

I kept all the other worries I had about Billy to myself. This pattern felt all too familiar. While I’d been able to distract the girls from his absence, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could make excuses for him to Rose or Iris, or to anyone else in town.

He crossed his arms over his chest. ‘I don’t like any of this, Tessa. You should have sent him packing the moment he returned.’

‘How would you feel if someone took away your rights to see Tor and me? Kept you from having any kind of relationship with us?’

His tight shoulders gave a little. ‘I’m not sure you’ll believe this, but it would have gutted me.’

‘Oh, Dad, I do believe you,’ I offered quietly. ‘But this is where we’re at right now. Billy is back in our lives and the girls are happy. The past hurts, but I’m trying to move forward. We all are.’

‘And you can’t do all that and still be on speaking terms with Manny? I saw you looking more than once at the end of the table where he and Lou usually sit during Christmas dinner.’

‘It’s not like we are totally ignoring each other, but it’s complicated. He’s got things happening with Lou, and I have to think about Iris and Rose.’

He must have caught the catch in my voice. ‘People say parenting is about sacrifice. How mothers and fathers should always put their children first. That’s good in theory, but adults need companionship, love and affection, too. Just because you have children does not mean you still don’t have…’ He cleared his throat and his cheeks went pink. ‘…certain needs.’

I dropped my head in my hands. ‘I am not going to take sex advice from you.’

‘No,’ he said quickly. ‘What I’m trying to say is, uh, well, yes, you need that too, but you also need to see yourself as an individual. A woman, as well as a mother.’ He gave me a weighted smile. ‘Make me a promise that you won’t lose yourself on the way to making a good life for your girls.’

‘You sound like Mom.’

He took a thick gulp. ‘I do?’

I wrapped my arms around him. ‘Yes. She’d be proud to know you’re still fighting for us. For our family to be whole.’

He ran a hand down over my hair and then pulled away, his eyes watery. ‘She used to say that parenting never stops. That even when your little birds fly the nest, you still worry. Want what’s best for them. More and more every day, I’m finding that to be true.’

Iris raced back into the room with Rose hot on her heels.

Dad quickly swiped at his cheeks and said, ‘Your mama says we can stop at Sugar Rush for donuts before school!’

The girls cheered as I helped them slide their lunch totes into their backpacks. My dad held out his hands, and my babies each took a side.

‘Grandpa.’ Rose dipped her voice to what she thought was a low whisper. ‘Can we have hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles too?’

My dad looked over his shoulder and gave me a devious grin. ‘Of course. Anything for my sweet peas.’

I started to object, but he promptly closed the door on me.

A low bubble of laughter escaped my lips until I looked down and saw the piece of tile. A part of me knew he was right about what I needed, but I’d only think about that once I was sure Rose’s night terrors were truly gone. That Iris’ mysterious tummy aches had finally subsided. Then, and only then, would I consider what came next for me.

Penny was already in a tizzy today, her arms loaded down with books as she raced between the shelves and the front counter.

‘What are you doing?’ I asked, setting my bag and purse next to the several tower-like stacks she’d made.

‘If we’re going to make the coffee bar a success, I thought it’d be smart to make a display in the front window about all things… well, coffee.’

She picked a book off the stack she’d assembled and handed it to me. A bright blue coffee mug filled most of the cover.

‘I’ve pulled books on roasting techniques. How to make the perfect espresso or latte. There is also this.’ She handed me a tome of a book with at least 300 pages. ‘It’s a coffee-table book about coffee.’ She giggled at her own joke.

‘I think it’s a great idea,’ I said, handing the book back to her.

‘There’s also the sign outside to consider. What do you think of “ Problems? Come inside, and we’ll let you venti ”?’

I wrinkled my nose.

‘Okay, what about “ Why did the mocha call the cops? Cause it’d been mugged! ”’

That made me laugh, but I shook my head. ‘Keep working on it.’

Penny nodded and went back to her array of books. I pulled in a breath and surveyed the store. Tomorrow night the space would be filled with my closest family and friends, sipping coffee and tea. Testing the new desserts Barb and Susan had created specifically to sell here.

All of this was a risk, but I had to put the worry out of my mind because this venture had to be a success. Even with my small business loan, my bank balance was still much too low. I was willing to do anything to save this store, and if I had to sling coffee day and night, I was willing to do it.

While a few customers moved around the space, I made my way to the back corner. The bar Manny had built to match the buffet was beyond exquisite. His eye for detail, the intricate woodwork, the elegantly shaped spirals that mirrored the original antique took my breath away. Even the special piece of white marble he’d ordered blended seamlessly with the original gray vein.

My memories raced back to that day at the apple orchard. How he’d seen my vision right away and never second-guessed me. Our entire relationship, he’d given me nothing but comfort, kindness and love. I pressed a hand to my mouth to hold back the sob building in my throat.

‘When I came in at eight thirty to start unpacking boxes, he was doing a final polish on the counter,’ Penny offered quietly. ‘He looked at his watch a lot, like he was expected to be somewhere at a certain time.’

Or watching the clock so he could avoid me.

‘Have you tried working with it?’ I tipped my chin to the massive silver espresso machine sitting on the marble server.

‘No, but don’t worry. Manny said he already talked to Piper. She’s planning to stop by later today to give us a tutorial on running the espresso machine and the industrial coffee makers.’

The relieved sigh I let out made Penny shake her head.

‘I don’t have the right to comment on your personal life, but I’m pretty sure that man would walk naked through a burning building, holding a full gas can, just to ensure your life was beautiful.’

A tear slid down my cheek, and she handed me a tissue. ‘Sorry. Must be allergies.’

She patted my shoulder. ‘Sure it is, boss.’

After giving me a sad smile, she went back to her display. I composed myself before heading to my office. Once I reached the doorway, I stopped dead. My chair was pushed to the far wall. Papers littered the floor. The top drawer in the desk was open, and one of the file cabinets was ajar.

‘Penny,’ I called out. She came and met me near the door. ‘Was my office like this when you came in?’

‘Yes. I thought things were moved around a bit because we’ve been getting so many deliveries.’ She must have seen my cheeks lose color. ‘Is there a problem?’

I moved farther into the room, glancing to the far wall where we kept the safe. Nothing looked out of place.

‘I guess I didn’t realize how messy it was because we’ve been so busy getting ready for the party.’

The alarm on Penny’s phone went off. ‘Forty-five minutes until opening. Do you want me to handle the tills?’

‘I’ll take care of it.’ I waved her away. ‘Go back to whatever you’ve got brewing out there.’ She laughed at my coffee pun and went back into the store.

My hands moved over the stacks of paper on the desk. I bent down and picked up delivery receipts and pieces of scratch paper where I’d written my to-do lists. Underneath the desk sat the envelope with the divorce papers. When Billy returned, that was the first thing we were going to settle.

Using my shoulder, I shoved the file drawer shut and assessed the room again. My heartbeat slowed. The office may have looked like a tornado had hit it, but nothing was missing. All the earlier issues, the break-in, the rock, were now making me paranoid about simply a messy space.

I had to get it together.

For the next ten minutes, I worked on getting the office in order. I was filling the last of the trash bags when Penny’s voice saying ‘hello’ floated through the store. Torran filled the threshold a second later. The look on her face warned something was terribly wrong.

‘I’ve spent the last twelve hours trying to calm down, but I’m not having much luck,’ she fumed.

‘Uh-oh. So is your number like a two?’

She pursed her lips, her face going a shade close to crimson.

‘Ohhhkay,’ I said. ‘What’s got you so mad?’

The creases around her mouth hardened. ‘You.’

‘Me? Why?’

‘Because Manny is totally off-kilter. Yesterday, he blew up our meeting with Hearth and Home. Told them he was no longer going to be part of the show.’

I blanched. It was clear he was uncomfortable with all the media attention, and how it was affecting Lou, but I never thought he’d totally walk away.

I wasn’t ashamed to admit that, over the last month, I’d watched all the show’s episodes on repeat. Needing to see his face. Hear that low grumble I loved. He was so good at being Torran’s foil, working the room easily, explaining in simple terms how certain repairs could be done. He was the calm to her storm, and the fans loved it.

‘I know he’s been worried about the publicity. How he’s been trying to protect Lou.’

‘It’s that, yeah, but his head is also too stirred up with other things, like you, to make good decisions.’

‘Are you kidding me? That’s like saying I can control what you do. Or what Dad does. The last time I looked, Manny was a grown man who could make his own damn decisions.’ Heat filled my chest and I pulled in a slow breath. ‘Manny has not been happy with things with the show for a while. He hates that he can’t walk around the square without someone filming his every move or taking a picture of him, or God forbid, Lou. Did you know she’s being bullied at school because of the show? That kids are showing her posts about Manny that are all kinds of inappropriate?’

The color fled her cheeks. ‘I knew she got suspended. That a girl in her class was being mean, and Lou fought back. Manny never told me the full story, and I let it go because he’s got so much going on.’

‘It’s been hard on her. Hard on him,’ I said, sinking down into the chair behind my desk. ‘So before you blame me for this, why don’t you go and talk to your partner?’

She quickly deflated. ‘I’m sorry. There’s no reason for me to take any of this out on you. I’m worried and admittedly a little scared. I’ve never seen Manny blow up like that before. He was furious, Tessa.’

I dragged a hand along my messy braid and dropped my head. ‘I miss him, Tor.’

She walked behind the desk and knelt beside my chair. ‘Give it time. You’ll work things out. Billy will build his own life, and the girls will be okay.’

I swiped a tear from my cheek. ‘I’m not sure about Billy. After Christmas dinner, he asked if we could reconcile.’

Her lips thinned. ‘And what did you say?’

‘No, of course. I didn’t have to hesitate. Even give it a minute’s thought.’

‘Because…’ she said, leading me.

‘Because he’s an asshole, who left me for another woman. Who then tried to claim that we’d both made mistakes.’

‘And is there another reason?’ she pressed.

‘You are just like Mom. Always trying to wheedle the truth out of me.’

She gave me the same steady stare.

‘All right, it’s also because I’ve already given my heart to someone else.’

She bit the corner of her lip, trying to hide a smile.

‘I never expected…’ I broke off, not able to find the words.

‘To fall in love with Manny?’ she finished.

‘After Billy left, I couldn’t see beyond the next day. All I could do was push forward, trying to keep myself and the girls in one piece. But then Manny came to the park that day. I loved how sweet he was with Lou. How he didn’t hesitate to jump in and play with Iris and Rose. Chasing them in a game of freeze tag or shoving his hulking body down a twisty slide. For so long, I relegated him to the friend zone. When I finally allowed myself to feel something for him, my ex shows up.’ I closed my eyes, willing back more tears. ‘I’ve been so scrambled with trying to save this store, torn between what’s right for the girls, that I pushed him away. But in that moment, with Billy begging for a second chance, I knew the only thing that made sense for my life was a future with Manny.’

She pulled me into a hug, and for the millionth time in my life, I thanked the fates, or whatever you wanted to call the forces of the universe, that they’d given me a sister.

‘Manny isn’t going anywhere, Tessa.’

‘He was angry about what happened with Lou after the Dairy Dip. And then Christmas came and went, and neither of us reached out,’ I said on a weary breath. ‘Do you think he can forgive me for making such a mess of things?’

‘You’ll have to talk it out, but I know deep down all he wants is a chance to build a future with you.’

‘Okay,’ I said with a determined huff. ‘I’ll do everything I can to make it work with him.’

Torran gave a nod, but there was lingering hesitation in her eyes.

‘What aren’t you saying?’

‘It’s not anything about you. This conversation just reminds me of a talk Manny and I had about Beck.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah, Beck’s still acting distracted. He keeps telling me it’s work. The stress of trying to bring in a new account.’

‘That makes sense, but how does that relate to advice from Manny?’

‘He said Beck and I should have open and honest communication. That our minds can invent all sorts of dire scenarios, but the only true way to have a relationship is to talk things through, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.’

Now it was my turn to grimace. ‘Sounds like good advice.’

‘Work it out with him, Tess. You’ll feel better.’

She gave me another hug, and for the first time in months, I felt like things were finally shifting in a positive direction. That while one path was ending, a new and brighter road was straight ahead if I could just find the courage to take that first step.