Page 20 of A Very Merry Matchup
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 abushy 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.
