Page 90 of Mistletoe & Magic
“Let’s go.”
The drive out to the farm is quiet, but my stomach feels like it’s full of butterflies. My palms are damp against my jeans, and I keep staring out the window like the trees might offerme advice.
“You okay?” Willa asks softly.
“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” I admit.
“That’s how you know it’s real,” she says, her tone light but warm. “Buckle up, babe. It’s time.”
As we turn up the long drive to the farm, I see the glow first.
“Oh my God,” I whisper. The whole place is lit up. Twinkle lights wrap the fence posts and line the driveway, and little wooden signs are propped along the road every few feet.
The first one says,We miss you, Ivy.
The next one says,Ivy, we have a surprise for you.
And then,Ivy, we love you.
The handwriting is Junie’s careful, slightly wobbly letters, painted in bright colors with little hearts and flowers doodled around them.
My hand flies to my mouth. “He had her paint signs?” My voice cracks.
Willa’s eyes are suspiciously shiny as she pulls to a stop. “Yeah,” she says softly. “He did.”
When we pull up, I see him.
Remy is standing on the porch, hands shoved in his pockets, his shoulders tense like he has been standing there for hours waiting for me.
The Jeep’s headlights flash over him and then die when Willa cuts the engine.
“Go,” she says gently. “He’s waiting for you.”
My legs feel shaky as I climb out, but somehow, I make it to the porch. He doesn’t move toward me, just watches me with those deep, stormy eyes that make my stomach flip.
“Ivy,” he says quietly. “I’m sorry.”
The words hang in the air between us, heavier than they should be.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he adds, his voice rough.
I nod, my throat tight. “I’ve missed you, too.”
I take a step closer, then another, until I am standing right in front of him.
“You really hurt me, Remy.”
He swallows hard. “I know.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say, the words tumbling out. “I swear I would never let anything intentionally happen to her.”
“I know,” he says again, his voice steady now. “I was scared. That’s not an excuse. I hurt you, and I hate that I did that. I want you, Ivy. We want you. Our family feels complete with you here. I don’t want you to ever leave us.”
My chest aches so badly I press a hand against it.
“I need to figure out what I’m doing with my life,” I whisper.
He nods. “Can you figure it out here? With us? We’ll encourage you to chase all of your dreams, and we will support you every step of the way.”
