He shook his head. “How about this? We just enjoy these next ten days, because if we spend the whole time talking about how it won’t work at the end of our time together, we’re just going to ruin it. And I want this right now, Ivy. It feels good to be happy. I just want to enjoy it.”
I nodded. “I do too. And then you’ll go on the road and I’ll find myself a husband with unusually small hands who talks in third person because the only boy I love is out seeing the world.”
He pushed to his feet. “Don’t talk about your future husband, Ive. I can’t go there.”
I laughed. “I guess that means you won’t be attending my wedding?”
We may as well make light of it. I was going to look at the next ten days as a gift. But then we’d both go back to our regular lives. I couldn’t help but hold on to the smallest hope that he would change his mind. That I would be enough. I was once. Maybe it could happen again.
“I’m not kidding. Don’t talk about that.”
I smiled and moved to my feet and wrapped my arms around his middle. “I never thought I’d get to hug you again, Ty. Let’s just have a great ten days, okay?”
He tipped my chin up to look at him. “Deal. Dinner tonight. I’ll pick you up as soon as you get off work.”
“So needy,” I teased.
“Only when it comes to you.”
He leaned down and kissed me again, and I melted into him.
I got to work and finalized a bunch of the orders for Talia’s wedding. My mother stopped by with coffee, which was a surprise. It’s not that she never did it, but she usually called first. “Hey, sweetie. I figured you were swamped with the wedding and could use a caffeine boost.”
I moved to my feet and hugged her, but it wasn’t my usual hug. My mother and I had always been so close, but right now I was fuming at her for what she’d said about Ty all those years ago.
She studied me as I moved back around my desk and sat down. She dropped to sit in the chair across from me and set the coffee in front of me. “So, have you seen Ty since throwing the milkshake at him?”
“I have. We actually spent most of yesterday together.”
Her eyes widened. “Really? We don’t hate Ty anymore?”
“We don’t.”
“Well, that’s good, because I always liked him so much. So did Daddy. We hated to see what his family went through.”
“Yeah. It was a tough time for him. After speaking to him yesterday, I learned that it was worse than we all knew. They went through a lot, Mama,” I said before taking a sip of my coffee.
“I can only imagine.”
“He told me something that I think you should know.”
“What? Is he married? Does he have kids? I know he’s a big country star now. But you never hear anything about his personal life in the media.”
“Nope. But he told me about the days leading up to him leaving Willow Springs. How he and Talia were feeling so low. Their financial situation had drastically changed, their mother was an absolute mess, and they went to the Rusty Pelican with people staring and pointing at them.” I shook my head with disgust and set my cup down in front of me, as my mother watched me with complete confusion. “Mae sat them in the back room to keep them away from the gossipy chatter. And apparently you and Savannah Edington had lunch in the back room that day. You didn’t see them in the booth because they hid themselves because they were so ashamed of all that was being said about them.”
“Oh, my word, that’s terrible. I don’t remember that day specifically?”
“He does, Mama. Apparently, Savannah asked you how you felt about him going to school with me. About us staying together. And you said you hoped he wouldn’t go to school with me, and that you thought I should go away and spread my wings. Because you suddenly didn’t think Ty was good enough for me. You didn’t want me tied to his family’s drama. His world was falling apart. He couldn’t afford to go to school anymore. And you know what the worst part was, Mama?” An enormous lump formed in my throat as I thought about how he must have felt that day.
Tears streamed down her face, and she shook her head. “What?”
“He believed you. Because he loved you and he knew you only wanted the best for me. So he paid the price for his father’s crimes. And you encouraged him to do that.”
A sob escaped her throat. I could see the guilt and the sadness in her tear-filled gaze. “I don’t remember the conversation exactly, but yes, I do remember jumping on the bandwagon at first. I was just hearing all the bad things that were being said. I wasn’t thinking clearly, Ivy. I’ve always loved Ty. I don’t know what to say.”
“I think I’d start with, I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she reached in her purse for a tissue to wipe away the tears.
“Not to me, Mama. I think Ty needs to hear it.” He may not be staying forever, but he’d get the apology that he deserved if it was the last thing I did.
“I will. Where is he staying?” she asked.
I gave her his information and she moved around my desk. “Can you forgive me for my foolishness?”
I pushed to stand. “Of course. I can’t stay mad at you forever. I know you didn’t mean it, but I sure think it would make him feel good to hear it.”
I wasn’t pleased with her, but she was human, and she’d made a mistake. And she wasn’t here denying it or justifying it. She was owning it.
We said our goodbyes and I got back to work.
Kathleen knocked on my door and walked in with an enormous bouquet of flowers. Pink peonies and white hydrangeas.
Ty.
“I had to run Johnny off this time, because you were meeting with your mama. He wasn’t pleased about it.” She chuckled. “I can’t believe Ty sent you another arrangement. He must be real happy you’re planning the wedding for Talia.” She winked as she set the beautiful blooms on my desk beside the other arrangement that had arrived a few days earlier.
“I guess so. Thank you,” I said, waiting for her to leave before I read the card.
When I pulled it out of the gorgeous blooms, I noticed it was in Ty’s handwriting. He’d gone down and filled it out himself this morning.
I claim you as mine for the next ten days. Thank you for forgiving me and reminding me what it feels like to be happy again. I will love you forever, Ivy.
Xo Ty
My heart nearly leaped from my chest. I sent a 911 message to the girls that we needed a FaceTime call pronto.