Chapter Fifteen

 

“Three apple, three peach, and six brews at table two!” Melissa called as she hurried to the window to collect more food.

“On it,” I called back, so she could keep going with the hot food. I rang out a couple, thanked them for coming, and grabbed the pie spatula.

The night had become chaos. I had no idea when I hatched a plan to hold a fundraiser for Audrey and Alan, the turnout would be this intense. I juggled the tray with the coffee and pie through standing room only people to table two where six people were crammed into a four-person booth. I set the pie and coffees on the table and grinned at the three couples from a local church. “Anything else I can get for you?” I asked them as they slid their forks into the sweet, gooey pie.

“A bigger diner?” Sam Wellington joked, and I laughed.

“You’re telling me. We’re at capacity. It’s wonderful how the community has turned out to help the Violets.”

Mrs. Wellington smiled between bites. “From what I hear, you’ve done quite a bit to help Audrey and Alan. They’re appreciative beyond words or actions for all you’ve done for them.”

I brushed the compliment off and shrugged. “I’m glad I could help and the community seems to feel the same way.” I thanked them again and waved as I weaved my way back behind the counter. I was going to have a long night of clean up, but this was worth every second of work it would involve.

When I woke Friday morning under the Christmas tree, still wrapped in Shep’s arms, I decided to do something positive in the present, so I had less time to focus on the past. I organized the benefit dinner for tonight, Wednesday, and word spread like wildfire. To make things easier I decided to offer a choice of three meals, meatloaf, pot roast, or baked chicken, along with two different kinds of pie. For a free will donation it was all you could eat, and it looked like a record breaking crowd. My till had to be emptied once already and was nearing capacity again as it was stuffed with bills. Mason and Melissa were donating their time to work tonight, so more of the earnings could go to the Violets. Some of my suppliers donated product, and Mr. Peterson, a local farmer, donated two bins of his fresh chicken for the meal. When it comes to helping someone else, everyone in Bells Pass stepped up to the plate.

I stood behind the counter scooping pie, pouring coffee, and accepting cash for the next two hours, and by nine o’clock, we were all exhausted. Melissa and I spent another hour cleaning up the front end of the diner while Mason closed down the kitchen, out of food except for enough meatloaf for a few meals. Mason asked me what I wanted to do with it, and I told him to put it in the fridge for Shep.

“I’m out of here then boss,” Mason called, pulling his apron over his head. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Thanks, Mason, for putting up and keeping up with my crazy ideas,” I said.

He and Melissa gathered around where I was finishing counting the till from tonight. “What’s the damage?” Melissa asked.

“I don’t know, I have two more bags of cash in my office to count. It’s a lot of money, though. I’ll tell you in the morning. Thanks for all your help, Melissa. You should take off too, I can handle the rest.”

Mason and Melissa glanced around at the empty booths. “I’m not comfortable leaving you here alone with all this money,” Mason said. “I thought Shep was supposed to be here.”

I tapped a stack of twenty dollar bills on the counter and paperclipped them together. “He will be. He’s changing his clothes and will be right over,” I said, showing them the text he sent. “I’ll be fine until he gets here, all the doors are locked.”

Mason settled on a stool. “I’d just as soon stay until he walks through the door.”

Melissa joined him on the empty stool to his left and leaned on the counter. “Me, too.”

I grinned and shook my head. “You guys are the best of Bells Pass, you know that?”

Mason brushed his hand at me. “I think we’re the best team in Bells Pass. Imagine anyone else attempting what we did tonight. It would have been a disaster.”

“There were moments I thought we were going to have a disaster on our hands. I’m amazed we pulled off serving a thousand people in three hours,” I said, chuckling.

Mason nodded. “You should have been cooking it.”

I bowed to him. “You are the master of the kitchen, oh great one.”

We all laughed and I got them each a piece of pie and a fork, since they were insisting on staying. I stuffed all the cash in another bag and took it to my office, smiling to myself as I walked under the mistletoe. The fact he stuck it there and left it, meant he wanted to kiss me more, which made the butterflies in my belly come out to play. The past week we’ve slept under the Christmas tree, the lights shining on our faces as we talked, held hands, kissed, and got to know each other as lovers instead of friends. We haven’t crossed any lines we can’t uncross, and I was still a virgin, because we were taking it slow. He was being incredibly patient and understanding about my fear of being more than friends.

When I pushed through the swinging doors, Shep was standing by the door talking to Mason, and Melissa was pulling on her coat. She hugged me for a moment and then grasped my shoulders. “I’m heading home to rest. You should, too. Tonight was crazy and we have to start over in the morning.”

I nodded, exhaustion setting in. “I’m going to shut everything down, grab the cash, and have Shep walk me home,” I promised.

I waved as they left and watched until they were safely in their cars and headed out of the parking lot. When I turned Shep was right behind me and I fell into his arms, my legs weak from exhaustion. He rubbed my eyebrow, sticky with wayward peach pie, and kissed my lips lightly.

“I’m sorry I didn’t make it tonight. I wanted to be here, but one of my guys didn’t show and I had to work his shift.”

I glanced up at him from where my head lay on his chest. “It was so busy, I probably would have put you to work. I’ve never seen anything like it, Shep. The whole community turned out.”

He smiled tenderly and kissed me again. “They turned out because you had the idea and did the work to make it happen. I’m proud of you for always helping others, Ivy. No one can say you aren’t keeping with the tradition of the Nightingale Diner.”

I patted his chest and stood up straight. “I have big shoes to fill and I want to have good news to report to Lucille tomorrow. Mason saved us some meatloaf and potatoes. Let’s take it home and eat. I don’t want to stay here too long with all this cash on hand. I’m going to take it home and put it in the safe until morning when I can go to the bank.”

He nodded his agreement. “Let me get the food and I’ll pull the truck up to the front door. It seems silly, but I don’t want to walk between here and the house. You never know who might decide they need some cash for themselves. I already thought ahead and brought the truck.”

“I noticed it when I sent Melissa and Mason home. I wondered why you drove over here. I’m not going to argue, though. I may not make it if I try to walk the hundred yards to the house,” I admitted.

“You go get the money and I’ll get the truck,” he instructed, grabbing the front of my uniform, “but first, kiss me, Ivy Lancombe, I need to taste you.”

I put my arms around his neck and brought my lips to his, drinking in the scent of his aftershave and fresh, clean soap. His left hand rested on my butt while his right hand held my cheek, his head angling for a deeper connection than we currently had. “I love you beyond words,” he murmured against my lips when the kiss broke for us to take a breath.

My heart swelled with an indescribable feeling. I put my hand to my chest. “I feel like my chest is going to break apart and everything will pour out if I tell you how I’m feeling,” I whispered, my lips still on his.

He kissed me gently, his lips tugging on mine for a moment. “Or maybe, you’ll finally be free of the chains tying you to the past,” he whispered.

To avoid saying the words, I turned my head and kissed him again, my arms still around his neck and his chest heaving with desire as the kiss picked up steam and rolled over the both of us, our pulses racing the longer the kiss went on. He was hard against my leg and I ran my hand over the front of his pants, reveling in the way he sucked in air and moaned at the same time, as though it was all too much for him to handle.

“Is this what love feels like?” I asked him, holding his eyes where his truth always shined.

“This is what a forever love feels like,” he answered, his hands holding my face and his lips kissing down my neck to my collarbone.

“Mmmmm, I like the way forever feels,” I moaned, his tongue tracing a line from my collarbone to the hollow of my neck.

A loud crash and then pounding hit our ears and we jumped apart, our hearts racing.

“Dammit, call the cops!” Shep yelled as he ran to the back door and threw it open.

I ran after him screaming for him to stop, but he was already running across the open lot, chasing a shadow in black and screaming for him to stop. I grabbed my phone and called 911, explaining to the operator the situation. In minutes, a cop car with two officers swung into the parking lot. They jogged over, their hands on their utility belts as they assessed the scene.

“Same guy?” Officer Roberts asked.

“I think so. Same MO anyway. Shep took off after him through the woods.”

“I wish he hadn’t done that,” the second officer said. His nametag read Officer Lake and I shook his hand for a moment.

“I do, too. We were finishing up closing when we heard a loud crash and then the banging started again.” I motioned at the dumpster, the lid askew. “My guess is he decided to mess with the garbage cans just to make a mess. Who is this guy?” I asked, my eyes focused on the dark woods near the house.

“We’re still working on that,” Officer Roberts promised.

A figure broke the tree line bent over at the waist and stood for a moment, hunched over. The officers had their hands on their holsters, but I held up my hand. “It’s Shep.”

He walked toward us, clearly struggling across the lot. My heart stopped and I pointed at Officer Roberts. “Help him sit! I’ll grab his inhaler,” I said, running into my office for the spare one I always keep with me. By the time I got back out to the parking lot the two officers had Shep on the ground, holding him upright.

Shep was gasping and I shook the inhaler, handing it to him. He sucked in with what little breath he had, but it wasn’t working. He couldn’t get enough of it in to open his blocked airways. Officer Roberts reached for his radio. “I’m calling a bus,” he said, but I held up my hand and fumbled at Shep’s waistband until I found the pen. I yanked the top off, pulled the pin safety out, and sank the pen into his thigh. Within ten seconds he gasped, his chest moving again as he rested on the snowy blacktop. I held his inhaler and puffed it so he could get the medication in his lungs before the epi stopped working. Within a minute his color was back and he could speak.

He rubbed his chest. “Thanks, I owe you one,” he joked. He always says he owes me one when I have to use the epi on him.

“Try again. It’s more like you owe me twenty, and what the hell were you thinking chasing after the guy?” I asked, my tone more scared than angry. I was sitting on the concrete, his back resting against my chest.

“I think I should still call for a bus,” Officer Roberts said, watching Shep nervously.

Shep shook his head. “I’ll be fine now. I’ll go home and use my medications. It’s all the hospital would do anyway.”

I glanced up at Jake. “He’s right. I’ll stay with him tonight and make sure he’s fine. If he’s not, I’ll take him to the ER.”

Jake dropped his hand from his radio and reluctantly agreed. “Why did you chase him, Shepard? It was a dangerous and dumb thing to do.”

Shep nodded sheepishly. “I know. I wasn’t thinking. I was ticked off the guy was targeting Ivy and I took off after him without a thought. I lost him somewhere in the dark woods. He was wearing all black, including black work boots and a black ski mask. He smelled funny. I can’t describe it, but it was an odd combination of smells. He was shorter than me, which is why he could move through the woods easier, probably five eleven. Damn, he’s fast.”

Officer Lake was writing down everything Shep said. He flipped the notebook closed and addressed us both. “We’re going to stay until you get home safely. Get what you need from the place and we’ll walk you to the house. Shep can you walk?”

Shep nodded and stood, his legs steady under him. I stood too and hugged him from behind not caring the officers were standing right there. “I’m so mad at you right now,” I whispered, “you promised me forever. Stop doing stupid crap,” I scolded.

I pushed past him to the open back door, the two officers attempting to hide their smiles by looking anywhere but at us. As I collected the money and stuffed it all in a backpack, I wondered what I would do without him. In that moment, when I couldn’t move from the sheer terror of seeing him struggle to breathe, I was afraid I might someday find out.

 

 

SHEP

 

I turned the machine off and flipped the mask off my face, laying it on top of the machine to clean later. Other than a slightly elevated heart rate, I’ve been fine since Ivy used the Epi-Pen to stop the attack. It was dumb to chase after the guy, but I didn’t think, I reacted. I’m tired of this guy trying to destroy Ivy’s livelihood and ruin the reputation of a place the community loves.

She stopped in the door, dressed in sleep pants and a long shirt, her hair damp from the shower. Her breasts were free under the shirt and teased me when she moved, making my eyes close. I had to force myself to swallow just to keep from picking her up and making love to her all night long.

“How are you feeling?” she asked without entering the room.

I inhaled deeply and held it for a moment before letting it back out. “Like new. Thanks for saving me a trip to the ER back there,” I said sheepishly. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

She pushed off the doorjamb and sauntered into the room, climbing up on the bed. She pulled her feet up and hugged her knees. “You freaked me out. I thought for sure I was going to lose you and I didn’t like the feeling.”

I rubbed her back through the thin fabric of her shirt. When my hand didn’t encounter a thick strap across her back my mind wandered to the image of her breasts crushed to my chest, and her body writhing under mine.

I moaned, but covered it with a cough to make it less obvious. “Did you finish counting the cash?” I asked.

She turned, sitting Indian style on the bed, her face beautiful in the soft light from the nightstand lamp. “You aren’t going to believe this. We raised seven thousand five hundred and thirty-six dollars!” she exclaimed. “If you count the meals picked up to go we served twelve hundred people.” She made booming motions from the sides of her head. “Mind blown.”

I grinned, leaning back on the pillow, my arm resting on my knee. “There was a massive amount of people on the roads tonight when I was working. I know for a fact a good number of people came in from Colton where Alan worked. You weren’t drawing from only Bells Pass.”

She held up her finger. “Ahhh, I guess that would explain it. I’m still shocked by the outpouring of support for them. Hopefully this money will get them through until his settlement arrives, so Audrey doesn’t have to work. It would be hard on her when she has to take care of Alan, too.”

“It’s just the two of them, and you’re sending meals over there nonstop. I’m sure this money will last them a good long time for living expenses and maybe even help relieve some of their mounting medical bills. I heard from the brother of one of the other foremen Alan will be getting a big payout from the company and full disability. They’ll be fine once it comes through.”

She rested back on her forearm, her head nodding. “Good. There’s nothing worse than getting hurt on the job and not being taken care of. I’m happy they’ll do right by him. Tomorrow I’m going to take the money to the bank and have them cut me a bank check. I’ll drop it off and then go see Lucille.”

I snuggled down into the pillow and slipped my hand into hers. “How is Lucille doing? Have you seen her since last Sunday?”

She grinned, rolling her head to look at me. “I saw her Monday. She was sitting up in a recliner in the main room, watching bingo. She’s working with physical therapy now to strengthen her left hand so she can feed herself and get rid of the tube. She’s also working with occupational therapy to learn to speak and swallow again.”

“She always was a hard worker and refused to give up,” I said, shaking my head.

She rested her hand on my chest. “Don’t misunderstand. She will never leave the nursing home or be independent again, but if she improves enough they will move her to the regular nursing home where she can participate in meals, activities, and outings. She’s determined, but I also know the stroke caused a lot of issues with her body. It will be a long road back and I’m prepared she may go downhill again.”

I kissed her hand and brushed some hair off her forehead. “You always were positive with a side of common sense.”

She shrugged. “You know how I grew up. There’s no sense in sugarcoating anything in life. It only disappoints you when things go sideways.”

“Things don’t always go sideways, sweetheart. Sometimes life throws you a straight up homerun. All you have to do is hit it.”

“You’re talking about you and me,” she said softly.

Her hand was still on my chest and I laid my free hand over it. “My lungs are clear, Ivy,” I said, changing the subject. “You don’t have to keep checking.”

“I’m not checking your lungs. I’m counting your heartrate. It’s still a little high,” she answered honestly.

“I’m sure it is. I’m lying here next to a beautiful woman who I’m in love with. She’s touching me, and I’m forcing my mind not to think about touching her the way I want to.”

She blushed deeply, her gaze straying away from mine. “I’m trying, Shep. I know how I feel, but I’m still fighting the fear in my chest that you’ll leave, or realize you were wrong and you don’t love me.”

I smiled and rubbed my thumb across her cheek, relaxing her as we lay in my bed. “How do you feel, beautiful?”

She closed her eyes and swallowed. “Afraid of you dying on me,” she whispered. “Every time we have to use the Epi-Pen my heart clenches for days.”

I slid down the bed until our noses could touch. “I’m not dying on you. My airway is open and perfectly fine, thanks to you. You’re always there when I need you and I want to be the one here when you need me. Why do you think I went after the guy tonight? I wanted to be your hero. I failed, but I tried.”

“You didn’t fail. One of the officers chased after the guy last time too, and couldn’t catch him. He’s fast and clearly knows his way through the woods. For the record, you’re always here for me.”

I rubbed her arm. “Okay, do you want to go sleep by the tree?”

She closed her eyes. “Not a chance. I can’t move another inch. Can I sleep here tonight?”

I lowered my lips to hers and kissed them. “You don’t even have to ask, beautiful.”

I flipped my legs under the covers and helped her get under her side. “When I bought this bed, I prayed one day you might sleep in it with me,” I whispered, rubbing her shoulder. “And here we are. Prayer answered.”

Her eyes opened and she stared up at me. “I’m kinda thinking you didn’t mean this kind of sleeping.”

I cupped her cheek and kissed her again. “Baby steps, Ivy.”

She sighed, kissing me back, her hands wrapped in my hair and her body splayed across mine. “I want to find happiness and forever love with you, Shep,” she whispered against my lips. “I know I love you because my heart hurts when we aren’t together.”

“I will earn your trust, Ivy. I promise you here tonight I’ll be the man you need me to be.” I kissed her, her admission swelling my heart and cementing the plans I put into motion today.