Page 344 of Screwged for Christmas

Gran slipped slid from her stool and pulled her in for a hug. “Not at all, my Ivy. You just needed a nudge to look deeper. That’s what old ladies like me are for.”

“Thank God you’re here to kick me in the ass.” Ivy wished her mom could be there and said as much. “Mom would look at us all blubbery with tears and force us to go get our hair and nails done.”

“Your dad married well,” she said, smiling. “She loves you and would tell you the same things I’m saying.”

“I know. I think that’s why she was the ruling power behind getting my ass up here this Christmas.”

Gran swayed as though she agreed somewhat but not entirely. “That might have been a combination of joint efforts.”

“Oh I was ganged up on by my own family? I see how it is.” Gran tightened her hold once more before moving to refill their cups.

“Gran, what about Aspen. After Lewis left last night I couldn’t find him and he’s not taking my calls.”

“He’s not gone, but I wouldn’t waste any time finding him either. Explain what happened. Even if you have to camp out at the fire station.”

She looked out over the lake through the window she’d first spotted Aspen through only a few days before. “Funny how things can change so fast. I didn’t realize how much I miss Dixen and the man I love. Being here has brought me so much happiness. I was scared to death of that happiness and what it meant. Looking back, it meant facing how big of a mistake I made leaving in the first place.” She turned her gaze back to her grandmother. “That it was wrong to feel so much peace here even with all the stress of the work because it didn’t follow my plan.”

“I can see how much passion you have for this place.”

Gran pulled out a doodle from a stack of papers Ivy had left on the side on the kitchen counter. She recognized the black lines and scribbles of ideas immediately. She’d drawn them as she talked with Mr. Langley on the phone last. It was an idea on how to expand the B&B for summer guests with water activities. It included a long dock to extend out over the water, a bigger sunroom downstairs on the east end of the house and garden areas for guests to try their hands at planting and other activities on the other.

“I forgot I drew that.”

“Well, I’m glad I found it. You have such a talent. I especially love the second-floor sunning deck. If you do it just right a little one-on-one time with the sun and no tanning lines could happen.”

“Skinny dipping at night too,” Ivy added, laughing as the tension melted away.

They clinked their coffee mugs and gave a salute. “Maybe we could add it to the list of couples summer activities. I have so many ideas. The B&B is just in my blood, I guess.”

“Phew.” Her Gran let out an over-the-top sigh. “About time I heard those words. I didn’t know how long I could hold out. I was beginning to worry. Now that they’re out there let’s do this.” Gran plunked her mug on the counter with a thud and grabbed her hand. “I’ve come to a decision,” she stated matter-of-factly.

“Oh. What’s that?”

“Come with me and I’ll show you.”

Their pairs of reindeer slippers jingled in harmony as Gran led them to the fireplace where the Christmas tree sparkled with lights.

“Look under the third package from the right.”

Ivy shook her head. “Not this again. You know it took me over ten minutes to find the key when you pulled that trick with the poinsettias.”

Gran only smiled so Ivy kneeled by the pile of Christmas gifts the guests had left under the tree for Christmas morning. Picking a point where to start she lifted and scooted until a thinly wrapped package slid out from under a heavier package.

“That one,” Gran said excitedly.

Ivy sat and held the present wrapped in bright red paper with tiny antlers splattered across the paper in a zigzag pattern topped with a gold, shimmery bow. A single slip of white silver-rimmed paper denoted it was meant for her.

“What is this, Gran?”

She waved a hand at her, “Well, open it, silly.”

Gran clapped her hands beneath her chin, her smile beaming bright as the sun coming in from the large windows opposite the room.

Ivy flipped the present, found the seam and ripped. Wrapped in the beautiful paper was a manila envelope with bold lettering on the front that spelled out her full name.

Okay so no clue there either but deep in her gut, the one she hardly listened to, was currently screaming the answer before she could pull the stack of papers fully from the envelope.

“Ivy Sunday Winters,” her gran started as she looked into the other woman’s aging, sweet face. “This B&B needs YOU and my present to you is the gift of a wonderful future together that I pray will give you and Aspen as many happy memories as it has me.”

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