After attending his nephew Logan’s off-season ball game to raise funds for a children’s hospital charity, Bennett stopped by Nailed It to pick up supplies for his project at the inn.
Since Ivy was so busy today, Bennett had also promised to pick up lunch for everyone. After chatting with the owners, Jen and George, he paid for his materials and walked a few paces to Java Beach.
When Bennett pushed through the door of the coffee shop, the scent of fresh coffee and beach reggae music filled the air. Doors stood open to the patio, and every table was filled with people talking over lunch. Business looked good.
Mitch raised his hand in greeting. “Got your order ready for you.” He motioned to his employee, another young surfer with the same sun-bleached hair as Mitch. “Hey, Ace. Would you get the mayor’s order? It’s in the fridge. And add a dozen of those cookies that are cooling on the rack.”
Mitch turned back to Bennett. “I made two kinds of salad and put in several croissant sandwiches. Plus, warm chocolate chip cookies. You’ll have plenty of food.”
“You’re the best, thanks.” Bennett was relieved that Mitch was in better spirits today. “Are you ready for this reunion?”
“Yeah, I guess. For Shelly’s sake, I decided to chill and roll with it. No one can say anything to me that I haven’t heard before. And I survived that.”
Bennet bumped Mitch’s fist. “Good attitude.”
“The only thing I’m worried about is that someone might make a snide remark to Shelly. I don’t want to see her hurt. Their cousin Diana thinks pretty highly of herself. She’s a wild trip, that one.”
“You’ve met her?”
“Not exactly. But you just missed them. Carlotta brought her here for coffee and dessert. They didn’t stay long. It sounded like it wasn’t Diana’s kind of place.”
Bennett grinned. “So, what did she have to say?”
Looking sheepish, Mitch ran a hand across his frayed Grateful Dead T-shirt. “Actually, I saw them coming, so I hid in the back and sent Ace out to help them. I’ve got a couple of new shirts for the reunion, but this one wouldn’t make the best first impression, know what I mean? I want Shelly to be proud of me.”
“Can’t blame you.” Bennett glanced at the crowd in the coffee shop. Darla was in the corner with her glittery visor, talking with Louise from the Laundry Basket down the street.
Mitch nodded toward her. “Think it’s okay if I bring Darla to the reunion? She’s been hinting about it, and after all, she’s like family. I’d feel bad about her watching the party from next door and feeling left out.”
Darla had practically adopted Mitch and doted on Daisy as if she were her own grandchild. “I’m sure it will be fine. What’s one more person?”
“Cool. She’ll really like that.”
Ace brought out several bags of food and passed them across the counter to Bennett. “Here you go, man.” The young guy nodded toward the ocean. “I hear you surf.”
“A little,” Bennett said, grinning at Mitch. “Maybe I’ll see you both out there.” He bumped fists with them and left.
He stepped into his SUV and placed the food on the seat beside him. Ivy was expecting him, and he suspected that now, more than never, she needed his support. He started the car and turned toward the inn.
When Bennett entered the house, he heard music blasting from upstairs and the sounds of laughter. Climbing the stairs, he called out.
A flurry of sheets billowed into the hallway, and he jumped to one side to avoid the mound of linen.
Ivy poked her head out. “Oops, didn’t see you there.” She glanced at the bags he held. “Lunch is here,” she announced.
“Woo-hoo,” Shelly cried. “We’re starving. Only Daisy has had anything to eat—at my expense, of course.”
“That’s called being a mom,” Ivy said.
Bennett laughed. They were in good spirits. Even though keeping up a house of this size with guests coming and going could make this beach haven into a madhouse, he wouldn’t have it any other way. He had to remember how fortunate he was.
Poppy bustled from the guest room, and Shelly followed with Daisy, nestled into a stretchy cloth wrapped around her shirt.
“We’ll take those,” Poppy said, scooping the bags of food from Bennett’s hands and heading downstairs.
When Ivy came out of the room, Bennett swept his arms around her. “How’s it going here?”
“Pretty good. My old room is ready to go for Aunt Maya if she comes. We’ll have all the sheets and towels washed later today for the rest of the rooms. By tomorrow, we’ll be ready for the next wave.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “Having everyone check in and out at the same time makes for a huge job.”
Bennett brushed tendrils of hair from her flushed face. Even hot and tired, his wife was beautiful. “We’ll be back in our little nest by tonight, so you can relax in your own bed.”
Ivy smiled. “You, too. You’ve been a good sport.”
“Hey, I knew what I was getting into. This is anything but boring.”
Ivy laughed at that. “You missed the blow-up with Diana. She wanted to continue staying in our quarters. Fortunately, Mom swooped in, set her straight, and whisked her away.”
“They turned up at Java Beach.”
“Oh, my gosh. Did Mitch meet her?”
Bennett laughed and told her what had happened.
“Shelly will be relieved. She’s a little worried about introducing him to the family.”
“She shouldn’t be. Mitch is an honest, hard worker. And he’s running a successful business. Can’t argue with that.” Still, Bennett knew that Mitch’s prison record could be a juicy piece of gossip if Aunt Maya heard about it. Instead of mentioning that, he kissed her on the forehead. “Let’s eat, and I’ll make those repairs afterward.”
Ivy gazed up at him. “Tonight, let’s enjoy a quiet night if we can. Once the rest of the family begins arriving, it’s going to be wild around here.”
“How about I fire up the barbecue on the beach later? I’ll throw something on, and everyone can gather around the firepit.”
“That sounds perfect,” she said. “We have burgers in the fridge.”
As they made their way downstairs to put out the food for lunch on the patio tables, Bennett thought about how much he looked forward to meeting the best of the Bays and Reinas. Difficult people didn’t bother him—he had to work with all sorts of personalities at City Hall. But he was concerned for Ivy and Shelly. They were working hard to entertain a large crowd of people. He hoped that Diana was the only sour apple in the barrel.
Still, he sensed that sparks would fly before the end of the event. But wasn’t that half the fun of a reunion?
After they’d all finished eating, Bennett remained with Ivy on the terraced patio. Poppy left to make a phone call, and Shelly had gone to rest. Suddenly, he remembered the sketch in the back of his vehicle.
“I meant to tell you that we inadvertently picked up a sketch of you and carted it off to Paige’s. I’ve got it in the SUV.”
“So that’s where it went,” Ivy said. “But I’ve never seen that before. I found it downstairs.” She told him how she’d discovered it. “It’s certainly not of me, though. I would guess that it’s something Amelia stashed away. Still, the resemblance is kind of uncanny.”
Bennett rubbed his chin. “Amelia Erickson sure was creative in her hiding places. And that sketch looks a lot like you.” He touched Ivy’s face, gently lifting her chin to the light. “Especially the upper part of your face around the eyes. Wait here; I’ll get it from the garage.”
“I’ll come with you.”
When Bennett reached the garage, he opened the back of his SUV and brought the sketch into the sunlight. “We can get a good look at it here.” He stepped back. “That’s an amazing likeness. Can you tell anything from it?”
Ivy leaned in. “Judging from the fullness in her face, the woman was young—likely a teenager. Her eyes hold such joy.” She held up a hand. “No, more than that. Love. As if it were the happiest day of her life.”
“You must have a doppelganger from history. Any idea who it might be?”
“None at all.” Ivy shivered and rubbed her arms. “Likely, it’s a coincidence.”
Bennett put his arm around Ivy and drew her to him. “Amelia left a lot of mysteries in her wake.” But this one was the strangest yet, he thought. The resemblance was uncanny. Except for the old-fashioned hairstyle, it might have been Ivy.
“Let’s put it in the parlor and see if anyone notices it,” Ivy suggested with nonchalance.
“Tell me where you want it.”
Bennett picked up the sketch. He could tell Ivy was uneasy about this, and he knew she wouldn’t stop until she had answers. Maybe her mother would have some insights.
“I’ll bring an easel from my art studio.”
“Show me which one you want. I can carry both.”
One thing Bennett had learned about Ivy since they’d been married was that she didn’t ask for help very often unless it was a task she couldn’t physically manage. Her first husband had traveled a lot, so she must have had to manage everything herself. That was endearing to him, but he’d quickly learned to offer his help.
Only when it was necessary, though. That had required of period of adjustment on his part. Admittedly, he was still working on it.
“Are you sure? I can get it.”
Bennett grinned. “Just tell me which one.” When she started to protest, he added, “I’m not one to let my wife do the heavy lifting, even if I do find her independence wildly attractive. A man still likes to be the man.”
“And what a man.” Ivy broke into a smile—that dazzling, genuine, somewhat self-conscious smile that got to him every time. She walked ahead of him.
He strolled behind her, the sketch tucked under one arm, admiring her graceful gait. His heart still pounded at the sight of her.
“That one,” she said, nodding at an easel in the corner.
Bennett gave her a little kiss before he picked it up. “Let’s go, Mrs. Mayor.”
Laughing, Ivy guided him toward the parlor. “Right there, so it can be seen from the foyer. That way, no one can miss it.”
Bennett started to offer possible solutions, but instead, he restrained his instinct. As a man—and the mayor—his nature was to rush in and solve problems. However, he’d learned that some situations he viewed as problems resolved themselves given patience and time—and other people’s ingenuity, which often exceeded his own.
He wasn’t the central character in this theater of life. Other people had challenges they needed to work through, and solving everyone else’s dilemmas didn’t necessarily serve them. Still, giving a hand or offering words of encouragement were important, whether among friends, family, or the community.
Ivy would figure this out. He was learning to trust her process, although that was still easier to say than practice.
Bennett set up the easel and positioned the drawing with its wooden backing. Admiring it, he stepped back and put her arm around her. “I know you’ll find some answers to this.”
Ivy rested her head against his chest. “I hope so. I wish I could figure out how to appeal to Aunt Maya, too.”
He kissed her forehead. “I’m sure you will, sweetheart.”
“Thanks for saying that.” As Ivy gazed up at him, a slight smile curved her lips.
Once again, she melted his heart.