Holly and Ivy by Fern Michaels (41)

Ivy’s guests clustered around the tree, and when everyone was in place, she said, “Holly, would you do the honors?” She gave her the extension to plug into the outlet.

“Sure!”

She leaned down and pushed the plug into the outlet. The twelve-foot Fraser fir lit up with hundreds of tiny golden lights. There were “oohs” and “ahs”; then Ivy stood back and viewed their handiwork.

“This is the prettiest tree I have ever seen,” Holly said. “Don’t you think so, Dad?”

“It is definitely a cool tree,” he agreed, and pulled his daughter close to his side.

“Dad,” Holly said, suddenly a bit shy when he’d used her favorite word.

“It is a cool tree, for sure,” Ivy chimed in, and catching Daniel’s gaze on her, she almost jumped out of her skin when he winked at her. She returned a half smile, then focused on her other guests, with whom she had not had much time to mingle.

“I have heard so much about you the past few days, I feel as if I already know you, Ivy. It was so kind of you to invite us over. I do owe you for convincing Daniel to allow Holly to sing in our little musical,” Carol Bishop said.

“I have been wanting to meet you ever since I heard you were instrumental in working with Holly. She has the most amazing voice I have ever heard, and especially for one so young.”

“Maybe we can get her to sing a few Christmas carols tonight. Maxine will be so disappointed that she and her friend Paul could not make it tonight. He was dying to hear Holly sing.”

“Oh, well, I think that’s up to Holly, but I’ll ask her. Excuse me, I’ll go find her,” Ivy said, then went in search of Holly.

Holly was in the kitchen, sitting in a chair and eating a red velvet cupcake.

“Are they as good as they look?” Ivy asked, and reached for one herself.

“Better,” Holly replied.

“Miss Carol wanted me to ask you if you minded singing a few Christmas carols, to liven up the party a bit.”

“If it’s okay with Dad,” she said, and licked cream cheese frosting from her fingers.

“If what’s okay with your dad?” Daniel said. “Am I missing something?”

“Ivy wanted to know if it’s okay if I sang a few carols.”

“Do you want to?” he asked.

“I always want to sing, Dad, you know that. Let me go wash my hands first.”

* * *

Holly left the kitchen, and this was the first time that Ivy and Daniel had been alone all evening.

“Nice party,” Daniel said.

“Thanks. I think it’s turning out to be a good time for everyone,” Ivy said, feeling awkward being alone with Daniel.

“Yep.”

“Yep?” Ivy shot back.

He grinned, and once again, her heart flip-flopped.

“It’s a good tree-trimming party. First one I have been to.”

“Me too,” Ivy said. “So I hear you have been taking Holly to practice at Miss Carol’s.”

“I have,” Daniel said. “Carol is an amazing teacher, and Holly adores her. And she adores you, too.”

“Really?” Ivy said, though she was not surprised at all, because she was totally in love with the little girl whose appearance at her door that night had brought about all these changes in her life.

“Really. And her dad does, too,” Daniel added.

Ivy’s pulse increased.

“Does what?” Ivy could not help it. She wanted to hear him say the words. Whatever they were.

Daniel shook his head. “You’re embarrassing me, you know that? And I’m not one who embarrasses easily.”

Ivy raised her brow, ready for a challenge. “I see. Are you too embarrassed to tell me what . . . I do not know, whatever! Or what?” Ivy sounded like Holly, and she laughed.

“If you really must know, I told you Holly adores you. And it seems I do, too,” Daniel said, and he did not seem the least bit embarrassed by his words. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Yes, it is,” she said, being completely honest. Is this what rushing into a relationship meant? Though they were not even close to having a relationship at this point, but it could happen. If it does, she would be living in the moment, moving along with her life.

“So, are you telling me that you adore me, too?” Daniel asked.

A shudder passed through her. Moving forward with living in the moment, she replied, “I’m not sure if I would use the word adore, but maybe something along those lines would capture it.”

“Then it’s settled. We want to get to know each other, and we’re not talking like BFFs or pizza pals, right?”

Ivy burst out laughing. “Yes, something like that.” Ivy glanced at the clock on the stove. “I’m going to check on Holly. I’ll be right back.” Ivy did not bother waiting for a reply, but knew he was right behind her as she made her way upstairs. Possibly the downstairs bathroom was occupied, and Holly was searching upstairs for another bathroom.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she stopped. Daniel was so close to her, she could smell his fresh manly scent. Spicy and woodsy. Sexy, too. Before she knew what was happening, he turned her so that she faced him; then he placed his hands on either side of her face, brushing a gentle kiss across her forehead; then his lips touched her own.

It was the most sensuous, yet somehow chaste, kiss she had ever had, and it was not even what she would have considered a real kiss.

“To being more than friends,” Daniel said before putting a bit of distance between them.

Ivy’s emotions were all over the place. Thinking she should feel a sense of betrayal to John’s memory, she was surprised when she didn’t. It had been such a long time since Ivy had felt desired, and she had desired in return. Gathering herself as best as she could, she took a deep, shaky breath, and said, “I’ll check the master bath.”

“I’ll look downstairs,” Daniel said, knowing that the moment had passed. For now.

* * *

Ivy went into her room and peered around, but there was no sign of Holly. The door to the bath was open; yet she tapped on the door, just in case she had forgotten to close it. No answer, so she went inside. No sign of Holly.

Figuring she was downstairs, Ivy turned and headed back in that direction. As she passed James’s room, which she had kept locked for all those years, she saw Holly standing by the window, singing softly. Though Ivy could not understand the words, just hearing that voice sent shivers up and down her spine. She stepped into the room, and Holly must have sensed her presence because she stopped singing.

“I’m sorry, I just needed a few minutes alone to practice. I hope I’m not in trouble for coming in here. It didn’t look like you were using the room.”

“It’s fine, let’s sit down.” The room was cast in shadows, and the only light came from the master bedroom across the hall. She motioned for Holly to sit on James’s bed.

Together, as they sat in the quiet room, Ivy placed an arm around Holly and began to speak. “This bedroom belonged to my son a long time ago. I had twins, Elizabeth and James, the lights of my life. They were three when they died in the same crash as your mother. I miss them every day, and I’ll never stop loving them.” Tears rolled down Ivy’s face. “But the night you knocked on my door made me realize that life was for the living, and you seemed so lost, that for the first time since the accident, I did not think about all I had lost when I lay in bed that night. I thought about you, instead.” Ivy wiped the tears from her face.

“I’m not sure what to say, but you like me, right?” Holly asked.

“Oh, sweetie, I love you! You have given me my life back. I just needed you to know this. I was not sure if you knew about my family, but I wanted you to hear it from me. When I saw you in James’s room, I felt I had to tell you. I hope I have not scared you off or ruined your evening.”

Holly turned and hugged her so hard, it almost took Ivy’s breath away. “I love you, too, Ivy. I’m glad you had kids, and if you want, you can tell me about them. I always wanted a brother or sister.”

Ivy smiled and hugged her back. “We will talk, but you have a bunch of people downstairs who want to hear you sing. Are you up to it?”

Holly jumped off the bed. “More than you’ll ever know.”

* * *

Downstairs, Ivy’s guests were in the den, laughing and enjoying the festivities, as simple as those festivities were.

“I found a young lady who has offered to entertain us with a few Christmas carols. I do not have a piano, or any instruments, but I think she’s okay without them. Holly?” Ivy said, and stood beside her.

Holly stood in front of the Christmas tree, lights twinkling like thousands of halos, and began to sing.

When she finished, the applause was plentiful, and tears flowed freely.

She was a musical prodigy beyond anything any of them had ever heard.