Chapter Twelve
Nurses named Ivy and chemistry lessons. These are a few of my favorite things.
Beau
The truck rumbles and vibrates, still needing a few more minutes to warm up. Thanks for coming along.
Of course, Ivy says, buckling her seat belt over her heavy blue winter coat. When she tugs her mittens back on, she s still smiling that mysterious smile.
All right. What gives? You re up to something.
Her smile widens as she hits me with a wide-eyed innocent look I don t believe for a second. I m just happy to be spreading a little Christmas cheer.
It s Crystal, isn t it?
Her jaw drops a little.
I knew it. Except I don t know it. What does Ivy want with Crystal? And then it smacks me like a snowball to the face. You think you can set us up, don t you? I tap her chin so that her gaping mouth closes. Don t even think about it.
She s perfect for you.
I can t help but laugh as I put the truck into reverse, making sure to avoid Ivy s car still parked on the side of the street. You don t even know her.
She called while you were in the hospital. She sounded really sweet.
She is sweet, I say, waving to Mrs. Reynolds who s peering out her front window again.
And friendly.
She s that too.
I m betting she s pretty?
I turn up the radio so Burl Ives can serenade us on our way to the first shop. I m betting Lucy is, too, but we both know how far that little matchmaking attempt went.
Which I still don t understand. Ivy frowns, folding her arms across her chest. Were you in a bad mood or something when you talked to Lucy?
I let the truck roll to a stop while a slow-moving white Toyota Prius creeps toward the intersection from the right.
I was in a perfectly fine mood, I say, scratching the short whiskers growing along my jaw which might turn into a bushy beard by the time the Prius makes it through this intersection.
Thing is, Lucy and I didn t have any chemistry. And neither do Crystal and I.
Ivy bats a mitten-covered hand in the air. Chemistry, shmemistry. I ll get you and the neighbor girl together, just wait and see.
When the Toyota finally makes it past us, I ease my foot down on the gas pedal. Plows have gone through, but there may still be some slick spots. You re staying until next week then? Through New Year s?
If you guys don t get tired of me before then. Truth is, I don t really have anywhere else to go. Especially with Hamish.
Yeah, don t really see a chance of getting tired of Ivy before then. Even so... What about your family? You really don t see them at all over Christmas?
Not anymore. Everyone s always busy working. My brother and I used to spend Christmases together with my grandma when she was alive, but that was years ago.
I take it your parents aren t together?
They divorced back when I was in middle school. My dad s always been married to football and my mom s always been married to the hospital. She s a neurosurgeon out in Oregon.
I let out a low whistle. Impressive. Where s your dad coach?
He just took a job at Florida State this past year.
And your brother?
Still playing hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins, I think. I haven t done a good job of keeping tabs on him lately.
Does it bother you to never spend Christmas with your family?
All the time. Which is why I m determined to never get into a situation like that when it comes to my own family.
Ah. That s right. The plan. Marry Mr. Boring.
I believe he goes by the name Mr. Stability.
Sure. Just remind me again why you have to wait until after you re thirty to marry him?
I want to store a little more cash under the mattress as they say.
Who is they and why aren t they using a bank like normal people?
She cracks a smile, lifting her chin toward the windshield. Downtown s really hopping, isn t it?
For this town, it is. More people are out than I would ve expected as we make our way past the giant Christmas tree in the middle of the intersection at Main and First. Guess ten inches isn t enough to prevent people from getting their shopping done three days before Christmas.
I glance at the list of stores Dad wrote down on a Post-it. Most are on the same stretch of Main Street, so this shouldn t take long. Once we re done collecting the donations, we ll take everything back to the church, put together the baskets, and hopefully get them all delivered before evening.
So when do you start your next travel assignment? I ask Ivy as I look for a place to park. A man dressed as Santa rings a bell for the Salvation Army and points at the open parking space in front of his red bucket. Nice.
Good question, Ivy says with a little sigh. I should probably figure that out.
You don t sound very enthused.
Kind of getting burned-out on the whole travel thing to be honest.
So why are you still doing it?
Because that s the plan and I just need to stick it out a few more years, she says, unlatching her seat belt as soon as I park.
I reach for her arm before she can hop out of the truck. What if you stumble across something great in the meantime?
I ll hold out.
But what if now s the right time? What if the right man is staring you back in the face this very second? What if he s gone by the time you re further down the road?
Then I ll find another man.
Just like that?
I m not picky.
I snort and let go of her arm, so I can unlatch my own seat belt. Sure. You re not picky.
Only about his profession. We climb out and meet each other on the sidewalk in front of the truck. I m not picky at all when it comes to just about anything else.
I dig into my pocket so I can drop a few bucks into the bell ringer s bucket, then grab Ivy s hand to lead her the direction of the first store we need to pop into. You re telling me you re okay marrying a guy who s boring and ugly?
Who says he ll be boring and ugly? And even if he s not GQ material, so what? Looks aren t everything. I just want a man who promises to be there at the end of the day. Someone who chooses family over anything else. What s so picky about that?
I still think you re forgetting one tiny little thing.
What s that?
I tug her against me, then spin so she s backed against the brick wall of the flower shop we need to go into for some candle donations. I lean into her with both hands propped above her shoulders. Her eyes widen when I dip my face closer.
You re forgetting... My nose brushes against hers as I lower my voice to a whisper and begin fanning her jaw line with my own soft breaths until I ve got my lips pressed against her ear. The power of chemistry.
Without another word, I straighten and enter the shop.