Rolling her eyes, Shelly said, “Who cares? Brother Rip, a bona fide man of the cloth, performed the ceremony. Besides, you’re adults. And everyone knows you’re a couple in Summer Beach. Geez, don’t be so old-fashioned, Ives.”
But I am, Ivy wanted to say. It had only been two years since her husband had died, and she was just getting back on her feet financially—and emotionally. While her adult daughters seemed okay with Bennett’s new place in their lives, Ivy wanted to make sure they hadn’t been caught up in the excitement of the crazy wedding weekend that had turned out far different than planned. What had started as a guest wedding had turned into a hasty, though beautiful, ceremony for Shelly and Mitch.
“Bennett understands,” Ivy said.
Shelly arched an eyebrow. “Does he?”
“He’s patient. And this is all so new to me.” Ivy fidgeted with a frayed seam on her yellow cotton sundress. Bennett had been her surfing crush when they were teenagers, and now he was the mayor of Summer Beach. She might have dreamed of being with him as a kid, but she had never imagined her life might turn out this way.
“New is good,” Shelly said.
Ivy shifted and leaned against the edge of the table. “It’s just that sometimes I still wake up expecting to see Jeremy next to me. And I’m so relieved when I realize I’m free, even though I have a lot of responsibilities.”
“And Bennett.”
“I do love him,” Ivy said. She’d been a stay-at-home-mother in Boston when her husband had died from a sudden aneurysm. Becoming a beach-front innkeeper had been the farthest thing from her mind. So was remarrying, although she truly loved Bennett. “We agreed that our ceremony was simply to announce our intention.”
“You’re not kids,” Shelly said pointedly. “It’s okay to do whatever you want.”
“We’ll get there,” Ivy said, feeling a little foolish, but she couldn’t help how she felt. The past year had been incredible, not only because she’d fallen in love again, but also because she’d risen to the challenge of running the inn. On her own, she’d pushed herself far beyond her comfort zone. And prevailed. That felt good, but would she lose that again in marriage?
Shelly quirked her mouth to one side. “I agree with Mom. Bennett’s a hot commodity. Be careful you don’t let him slip away.”
“He’s the one who should be worried I don’t get away,” Ivy shot back, mustering more confidence than she felt.
She wished she could talk to her mother. When Carlotta and Sterling Bay had pulled into the first port they’d planned in Mexico, they’d called each of their children to tell them what a wonderful time they were having. But they decided that it took too long with poor connections. They promised to rotate calls among their children in California.
Ivy figured her parents were somewhere off the coast of Mexico or another Central American country now, soaking up the sun on the first leg of their voyage around the world—which was partly the reason Shelly had eagerly jumped at the opportunity to get married before they left. Had she and Bennett succumbed to the moment, or was this a real marriage?
Shelly laughed. “At least he can’t call you easy.”
Ivy felt her face flush. The last two years had been a rollercoaster of life changes and emotional upheaval. After all Jeremy had put her through—especially the revelations that surfaced about his mistress Paisley—after he died, why did she sometimes reach for Jeremy in pre-dawn slumber? As much as she loved Bennett, she worried that her subconscious self wasn’t entirely ready for such a shift.
She owed it to Bennett to be all in.
Yet, Ivy was enjoying her new life now. With each day, she was discovering more of who she was and what she wanted. Ivy figured it sounded silly to say that at her age. Shelly probably wouldn’t understand, and she wondered how Bennett would take that.
Ivy shrugged away from Shelly. “Give me a break, Shells. It’s been a crazy, tumultuous, stressful year.” She’d barely managed to avoid a looming tax sale, and filling the inn with guests was still a challenge in the off-season.
In fact, she wondered if what she felt for Bennett was true love or an emotional grasp? She’d been so lonely the year after Jeremy’s death. Maybe she was still protecting her heart.
On the other hand, who was Ivy Bay now? She was not the college freshman she’d been when she’d met Jeremy. She wanted her turn to flourish.
She and Bennett were still trying to decide what to do about their living situation. After their commitment ceremony, they’d spent a romantic evening in his apartment, the old chauffeur’s quarters above the garages, and he’d strummed his guitar for her just as he had once done. Her room in the main house was awfully close to the guestrooms, but she still felt out of place in his apartment.
Admittedly, she enjoyed the freedom of having her own room. But it was more than that. She wanted to be absolutely certain this time around.
Shelly folded her arms, scrutinizing Ivy. “I know what you need. A proper honeymoon. Being on the beach in Baja without any distractions was incredible. No Java Beach, no Seabreeze Inn—as much as we love all that. Mitch and I needed that alone time for the right start to our marriage.”
“I have no time for that with the summer crowd here,” Ivy said, surprised that Shelly would think she did. Summer was their biggest season, and Ivy couldn’t risk that income. It had been hard enough without Shelly, but Ivy had been happy to cover for her while she and Mitch were away. She wanted her sister to have an excellent start to the married life she’d dreamed of for so long. “We have to make our numbers for the year.”
“That’s a shame,” Shelly said. “I think you and Bennett need to bond more.”
“I think I know more about bonding with a husband than you do,” Ivy said, bristling at Shelly’s comment. As if that would be the simple solution. “Suddenly, you’re an expert?”
Shelly pressed a palm forward. “Geez, chill. I meant this marriage with Bennett will be a lot different for you. Jeremy could be a real jerk. Honestly, I don’t know how you put up with him all those years.”
“I loved him, and he was a good provider and a great father to the girls.” At least, that’s what Ivy had told herself for years. With his French accent and passion for living, Jeremy had easily swept her into his world, although he had lived a double life without her knowledge. Now, even she had to admit his serious flaws.
Shelly rolled her eyes. “Was he your best friend?”
Ivy couldn’t answer that. “I am not taking marriage advice from you when you’ve been married for what, ten minutes?”
“Two weeks. And you’re in denial.”
“I am not.”
“See? You’re even in denial about being in denial.”
Ivy shook her head.
“Seriously, you’ve got the man you’ve always really wanted right in front of you. Don’t blow this, Ives.”
“Says the one who always leapt first and regretted it later. I like to organize my life.”
“I did not jump into anything with Mitch. I’m sure of my feelings for him.” Shelly eyed her with some suspicion. “Besides, you already took the leap. Why are you back-pedaling now?”