Page 108 of Training the Heart

She looks happy. Tired, but happy. I can’t say I’m surprised at the reason she wanted this meeting today—to tell me she isn’t coming back to work full-time—and I can’t say I’m really sad about this news either. A small part of the dread I’ve been feeling every day as I glance at the calendar above my desk has dissipated immensely in the last thirty minutes. This makes things easier. Maybe now it won’t be so hard to convince Ivy to stay on my ranch as the official head trainer.

“So, Ivy is working out fantastic?” Sam asks as she pulls a blanket up over twin number one.

I nod. “She’s doing a great job here.”

“Do you think there’s a chance she’ll stay on?” Sam asks.

“I’m not sure,” I say truthfully, hanging up the rope I was wrapping around my arm on a hook outside the barn.

“Can I say, Wade? On a personal note, you seem … relaxed and less grunty than usual. Whatever you’re up to these days, keep it up. It looks good on you.” She smiles at me, and I just sort of do a weird laughing scoffing thing in response.

As if speaking about her manifests her out of thin air, Ivy’s truck comes into view down the long driveway of the ranch. Sam looks at me. “Speak of the cute little devil.”

Ivy eyes us cautiously as she parks in front of the barn and moves her sunglasses from her face to her head. Seeing her outfit reminds me of this morning, her body glistening with my cum as I told her I loved her. Maybe I’m just depraved, but just the thought alone makes my dick twitch in my jeans. Now that I’ve told her how I feel about her, I might never stop.

“Long time no see,” Ivy says to Sam with a big smile and a hug. The last time she saw her was during the two-week overlap when Sam showed Ivy the ropes here before she went on maternity leave.

“Motherhood.” Sam shrugs.

“So, got your return date set?” Ivy asks, her glance bouncing between Sam and me.

“Actually, Sam’s just given me her notice as our head trainer. She’s going to step back from her role here to stay home with the twins, and she’ll come back in six months maybe and do some part-time training for us on weekends, maybe with the younger classes,” I say, my eyes locking with Ivy’s. Her mouth falls open slightly as Sam laughs and says, “Hope you don’t have another job lined up. This big guy might need you around here for a while.”

“I—that’s great for you, to stay home with them a little longer.” Ivy’s eyes flit to the restless little ones in their stroller.

“I was just saying to Wade, I can’t get back this time, I wantto soak up every second,” Sam says, brushing a little tuft of dark curls off one of the twins’ forehead.

“I bet,” Ivy says, taking her bottom lip between her teeth.

I decide this is a good thing for Ivy; she says she’ll have trouble having kids, but maybe seeing the way Sam is with her adopted babies is a good thing. I watch as Ivy’s face turns up in the sweetest smile for one of the twins, and hope she realizes she can still have this experience even if it looks a little different for her. The way it looked different for Sam.

“Nap time is over I suppose,” Sam says, bending down to check to see if the babies are wet. “Shoot, I have almost an hour’s drive back; do you mind if I feed them and change them first?”

“Of course,” I say, gesturing to the big house. “Our house is yours. Mama Jo will be thrilled to see the babies.”

Sam looks up from the stroller to meet Ivy’s gaze. “Do you want to give me a hand?” she asks.

“I’d love to—if you need me, I’m all yours.” Ivy smiles, then looks at me.

“Go ahead,” I tell her. “I’m pretty well wrapped up down here today, just waiting on Angel’s daily report.” I eye her carefully, but nothing about her says she isn’t okay. In fact, she looks genuinely excited to help Sam with the babies.

“Devin works from home. I normally have his help, so doing this alone is new to me,” Sam gushes.

Ivy nods, and Sam unclips a car seat from the stroller and hands it to Ivy. “You can have Amelia, she’s the calmest. I’ll handle Hurricane Annie.”

Ivy laughs and looks down at the little cooing bundle.

“Are you gonna go easy on me, Amelia, if I help your mama feed you?” she asks, running a finger down Amelia’s soft, chubby little cheek. A feeling of need washes over me as I watch her, a need to give her this one day, to do anything to make her happy.

Ivy turns to head up the steps to the big house. Amelia coos at her happily from her seat, and I don’t miss the way Ivy’s face lights up when Sam turns back to her and says, “You’re a natural.”

Two hours later, Sam is gone and Ivy and I have Dusty and Rowan ready to head to Florida with Angel. Ivy’s been quiet all afternoon since her visit with Sam. I try to give her a little space and chalk it up to her worrying about her mother. She’s talked to her twice so she knows she’s there and settled in, but of course she’ll worry about how she’s doing. I also can’t help wondering if being with Sam affected her today too; it’s been an overwhelming day for her, to say the least.

When we get back to my cabin, I’m talking to her about random things—Florida, what movie we’re going to watch tonight, what kind of dressing she wants for her salad—but she’s distracted, and something else I’ve never witnessed.

Quiet.

“Ivy …” I say after I ask her a direct question about the paperwork for Angel’s derby nomination.

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