Page 19 of Jam and Jingle Bells
She clapped excitedly, her feet patting the floor as she danced in her chair. “Yes! Loretta showed me the ring last night. I can’t believe everyone is getting married! We should talk about Mel and Mason. I had a few ideas I wanted to run past you, do you have time?”
“I have all the time in the world,” I promised. She grabbed a tablet to make notes and I held up my finger. “Well, I have until five and then I have to go home and get ready for my date.”
Her brow went up to her hairline. “Your date? I don’t think you’ve ever gone on a date since we’ve been friends.”
“Nope,” I agreed. “It’s been years and I’m petrified, but I’m doing it. Maybe it’s not even a date, I really don’t know.”
Her other brow went up to her hairline and it freaked me out that she could raise them independently of each other. “Ellis?” I nodded and bit my lip. “Oh, it’s definitely a date then.”
I snickered and shook my head. “And you know this how, Oh Great Wise One?”
She tapped her notepad with enthusiasm. “Because I’m not blind. I was there last night when he held onto you like a lifeline for the whole ceremony. I was the one he asked when he couldn’t find you after the park had emptied out. I sent him your way. Did he catch up with you?”
I nodded slowly, my lower lip caught between my teeth to the point I was sure it was bleeding. “He found me in the gazebo staring at the tree.”
“And?” she asked, giving me theout with itmotion.
“And? Maybe there is noand.”
This time her right brow went down to her nose. “Please. I know there’s an and.”
I sighed and leaned over my thighs, my hands clasped in front of me. “And, we talked, and then he kissed me.”
She squealed, slapping a hand over her lips at the last second when Mason barged in with my food, a look of fear on his face.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, searching around the room for a problem.
I snickered and rolled my eyes. “Nothing’s the matter. Ivy’s just being Ivy.” One look at the woman in front of me and I knew there was a problem. “Mason, get the food out of here. Now.”
He darted from the room and I closed the door to block the smells again as she took a couple of deep breaths.
“Sorry, honey,” I said, rubbing her back as she kept herself from losing what I suspected was the very little bit of breakfast she’d eaten. “I forgot I ordered food.”
Once she was better, she leaned back in her chair, shaking her head. “You kissed him.”
“He kissed me, actually,” I corrected her. “It was just a simple kiss of thankfulness. That’s all.”
She rolled her eyes into the back of her head. “Oh yeah, just as sure as I’m not pregnant that was a simple kiss of thankfulness.”
I held up my hand in confusion. “But you are pregnant.” Her eyebrow lowered again and I sighed, laughing at myself. “Okay, so maybe it was a little bit more than that.”
“Maybe there will be a little bit more of that tonight then.”
“God, I sure as hell hope so,” I whispered.
The woman in front of me was at a loss for words, and that never happened. I had to chuckle to myself because if there was one thing I knew about Bells Pass, it was this — when the time was right, and the stars were aligned, love was certain to blossom at Christmastime.
Chapter Five
I smoothed the gold tunic down over my hips and fastened a belt around my waist. My body displayed my African heritage for all to see. I was usually frustrated trying to find clothes that made my waist, hips, and butt work in symmetry, but tonight, I wasn’t frustrated. This tunic always made me feel pretty, and hopefully, I wasn’t too dressed up for whatever this was tonight. Was it a date? Was it dinner with a friend? Was it a thank you for a job well done? Am I overthinking it? Yeah, probably that. I’m probably overthinking it.
I ran the brush through my hair, which was the only part of my Irish heritage anyone could see. More like my Irish heritage by way of the UK, but whatever the case, he hadn’t stuck around. Growing up, it was just Mom and me against the world, but now, she was going to marry Stan, and I was thrilled to finally have a father. Someone I looked up to and loved. Someone who was excited to have me as part of their family, too. I was gaining a step-brother, and once he married my friend, she’d officially be my sister-in-law and Holly would be my niece. It was almost too good to be true. Honestly, there was still a little part of me that wanted to know the name of the man who had contributed to my existence. I wanted to know who he was and why he didn’t stay. I could never convince my mother that I deserved to have that piece of information, though.
I set the brush down and blew out a breath, shaking off the negative and allowing the positive to fill me. I tossed around pulling my hair back into a clip, but the sun and moon aligned today, and it finally had volume and body as it rested against my face and shoulders. I’d leave it down and hope he’d want to run his fingers through it later.
The clock told me it was almost seven. “Deep breath, Addie.” I inhaled and exhaled to calm my nerves. “Think of it as dinner with a friend.” I twirled my head around in a slow circle to stretch out my neck and release the tension. I checked the ensemble again and made sure my ample breasts were tucked safely and securely in their moorings. There were times when you wanted to be voluptuous and wild, but tonight was not one of those nights. Tonight, I wanted his attention on all of me and not just my boobs.
Well, okay, I wouldn’t mind his attention on my boobs, but I’d prefer it was in private and not on display for the entire town to see. There was a knock on the salon door, so I chased away those thoughts while I hurried to the front to unlock it.
