I married a guy with the same name as St. Nicholas.”
“And Joy was born on Christmas Eve.” Nick took the sleeping baby from Ivy’s arms. Joy stirred briefly, then settled into her father’s embrace.
“Why not Eve, then?”
“Too obvious. We were going for something more subtle.” Holly swiveled her head to watch Nick as he strode up the lawn toward the house. “Send Devin down,” she called after him. “And tell her to bring the stuff for the s’mores. It’s on the counter next to the stove.”
“Sure thing.” He disappeared into the increasing darkness.
“Too bad Noelle couldn’t stay for dessert.” Ivy stared across the grass to the dock jutting out over Leffert’s Pond. A rowboat bobbed at the end, partially obscuring the moon’s reflection in the calm, glasslike water. For the second time in as many minutes, she felt a twinge of envy toward her sister. Great guy. Great kid. Great house.
“I know,” Holly agreed. “She had to get back to the city for an early rehearsal tomorrow.”
“Mom finally get Dad out the door?”
“Yeah. I’m surprised he held out as long as he did. We offered to postpone the christening, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Stubborn Swede.” Holly gave a halfhearted shrug and tipped her head skyward.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Cade should be here any minute.”
Ivy barely stopped herself from bolting upright. She hadn’t seen Cade since he’d walked out of her studio two weeks ago. She continued to gaze out at the lake, her face an impassive mask. She hoped. “I thought you said he was on call.”
“Only until seven o’clock. That’s why he missed the ceremony. But he promised to stop by when he got off.”
Ivy closed her eyes against the image of Cade “getting off.” In the shower, head thrown back, one arm braced against the tile as he stroked himself to completion. In her bed, over her, under her, in her, until they both collapsed, exhausted but satisfied.
Damn. She thought she had it bad before. Seeing him nearly naked had sent her off the high dive into an ocean of lust.
“Are you okay? You look flushed.”
“I’m fine.” Ivy put a hand to her face. Red-hot. “A little too close to the fire, I guess.” She fanned herself. Like that was going to douse the inferno raging inside her.
“Rumor has it you got to see him in his birthday suit.” Holly leaned forward. “Is he as scrumptious as I think he is?”
“First off, he was not ‘in his birthday suit.’” Ivy put air quotes around the last four words. “He was wearing a thong.”
“That much, huh?” Holly snickered.
Ivy ignored her and played with the zipper on her hoodie. “Second, it was all business.”
“Some business.”
“And third, you’re married to People’s sexiest man alive. What do you care how Cade or any other guy looks naked?”
“Married. Not dead. I can still appreciate a fine male form.” Holly leaned in farther, resting her elbows on her knees. “So come on. Spill. How fine is he?”
Ivy let out a slow, resigned sigh. She hadn’t won an argument with her big sister in years, and it didn’t look like today would be any different. “Let’s just say December’s going to be a whole heck of a lot hotter next year.”
“December? That’s like a year and a half from now. Can’t you give me a sneak peek?”
“Nope. Photographers’ code of ethics.”
“There’s a photographers’ code of ethics?”
“Well, there should be.” Ivy tucked her knees to her chest.
“Fine. Be that way.” Holly settled back into her chair. “I suppose I can’t complain. I mean, you’re taking care of Dad. And the nursery. You know I’d stay and help, but...”
“It’s okay. You’ve got enough going on with the baby and your new show in rehearsals. It’s my turn to pitch in. Besides—” Ivy scanned the newly reconstructed dock, impeccably landscaped yard and sprawling house “—you’re letting me stay here. That’s not exactly a hardship. Especially when the alternative was staying with Mom and Dad.”
“They driving you nuts?”
Ivy could hear the smile in her sister’s voice. She smiled back. “Not yet. But close.”
“I just wish it hadn’t taken a heart attack to bring you home.” Holly reached out to cover Ivy’s hand on the faded wooden armrest. “I missed you.”
“Ditto.” A lump of guilt clogged Ivy’s throat. She’d fled Stockton, so desperate to reinvent herself she’d run from anything that reminded her of the girl she’d been. But in doing so she’d alienated herself from her family, too.
A mistake she needed to rectify. And maybe helping out her parents was a good start.
“This where the party’s at?” Devin’s voice drifted down from the house.
Ivy turned and saw her ambling toward them, a tray balanced on one hand. Gabe walked beside her and a third, shadowy figure lagged a few paces behind them.
“Look what the cat dragged in.” Gabe gestured at the silhouette, whose features became more distinct with each step.
“Got room for one more?” Cade held up two six-packs of chocolate stout. “I brought suds.”
* * *
CADE TOOK A pull on his bottle of stout and leaned back in the weathered wooden chair, one of eight surrounding the fire pit. Holly had gone up to the house to see if her husband needed help with the baby, and Devin had followed a few minutes later, pleading exhaustion.
Leaving the Three Amigos to relive their glory days.
Sort of.
“That is so not what happened.” Ivy fixed her brother with a defiant stare.
“Is too,” Gabe countered. “I distinctly remember you falling into the pool in the middle of the boys’ swim team practice.”
“You’re delusional.” She shook her head, making her reddish brown curls, free from the bun she’d worn the last time he’d seen her, sway and shimmer in the firelight.
Cade stared into the flames, fighting the squeezing sensation in his gut. This—this feeling—was why he’d almost thrown Holly’s invitation into the circular file. But whatever issues he had with his mother, she’d raised him better than that. The Nelsons were like family to him, even more than his egg and sperm donors. They’d given him what his parents couldn’t—affection. Warmth. A sense of belonging.
And you didn’t skip out on family, no matter how hard it was for him to be near
