Page 22 of Second Chance Christmas

“If it is, look at it as added help.”

That man. His sunny outlook on everything grated on her nerves. “How do you do that?” Not because she didn’t like the laid-back approach, but because the technique seemed totally lost on her. Her mind just didn’t work that way.

“What?” He shrugged with a rueful grin.

“Find the silver lining and everything. Yeah, It’s annoying,” she huffed, blowing long strands of hair from her forehead.

He laughed. “Just a natural knack, I guess. I could take you to town. You can hide out at the station for a while. Especially with all those cupcakes. I can give you a grand tour and then we can try Kade’s first attempt at kitchen duty.”

She cringed. “Uhhhh…”

“Yeah, I know. He couldn’t cook growing up either, but your dessert will make up for it.”

She wanted to. “He’s a product of a master chef. It doesn’t seem logical that he can't cook.”

“I wish someone would tell him that.”

Painfully aware she’d grown used to spending time with him again so quickly, she went against her feelings and retreated. Nothing sounded better than an afternoon catching up and to see where he worked. “I should check on Gran. Besides I’m sure she has lists of things for us to do. But you take the cupcakes to the guys. I bet they’ll love them.”

“No problem,” he said with an indulgent grin. Reaching over, Aspen slid her hand into his and that same tingling struck a nerve shooting up her arm with a bead on her heart. She watched in awe as he pressed his lips to the back of her hand. “It’s nice to have you home, Ivy Sunday.”

Home. She hadn’t thought of Dixen as home in a long time. Which made her smile fondly. She spent every summer helping in the B&B as a teenager and every Christmas helping her grandparents prepare for holiday visitors.

This should be in the bag for her, but every time she looked at her planner filled with task after task, a weird tightening crushed her chest. “I’ll see you soon. Thanks for everything today, Aspen.”

She rubbed the place he’d kissed as Aspen pulled away. If Ivy dared to believe…nah. She figured Fate didn’t exist. Then again, maybe it did and it couldn’t get past the Ivy Effect.

Snow started to fall again and the cold ushered her to move inside. Ivy climbed the front stairs to the spacious wraparound porch. White wicker love seats with rich green cushions dotted the entire space with the occasional side table to break up the spaces between.

Gray clouds from the snowstorm dimmed the daylight making it appear mid-afternoon already. Deep shadows played through the front windows as Ivy peered inside. Despite what she told Aspen, if she hurried there was enough time to make a run to town and still get some work in on the placeandpick up some clothes until hers arrived. Maybe Gran would want to come with her.

She dragged her feet up the rest of the stairs and fished in her pockets for the key.

Nothing. Darn! In her rush out the door, she’d forgotten to grab a set her Gran kept on hand. She cupped her hands on the sides of her face and peered through the front window before she reached out to press the doorbell.

Nothing. “What the heck? No power? Again?”

She walked around the porch to the side kitchen door and stopped in her tracks as she rounded the corner.

“Gran?”

Suitcases piled around her feet as she reached forward to tape a note to the door.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, sweetheart. You startled me. But good, I couldn’t get this note to stay put anyway.” Gran turned toward her, all smiles. “I’m going out of town for a while.”

Just like that? Tiny red lights flashed in her mind like warning bells. Now the cab made sense. “What? How? Why?” Ivy rushed forward and took her by the shoulders. “You can’t leave me here alone, Gran. It’s Christmas and this is your B&B.”

“Sweetheart, this is your home and you’re grown. You could run this place with your eyes closed. Plus, you’re not alone. All the guests will be here soon. And there’s Aspen. All the details are in the note.” Gran slipped the white piece of paper into Ivy’s hand before she bent and retrieved her bags.

Ivy snatched the letter and cruised through the words, only a few standing out.

Boyfriend, Vegas and love.

Love? When did love come into the picture?

“Where are you going?” She knew the answer but she needed something to say rather than stand there with her mouth open catching snowflakes. Ivy tried to grab as many answers as she could, but her gran was already down the porch at a brisk pace and halfway across to the cab before she could catch up.

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