Their Small-Town Love

“Nice to see you again, Ivy,” Charlotte said, falling in line.

“You, too. And congratulations! Both of you. I mean, all of you!”

The family moved away with smiles and little waves. Ryan intended to say a quick goodbye and take his leave as well, but then Rose began to push up from the table, muttering that she should visit the ladies’ room before dinner. Daniel stood to help her to her feet, and then trailed along behind her protectively, leaving Ryan alone with Ivy. Not only did it seem rude to walk away at that point, he found that he did not want to. Ivy had always intrigued him, and that appeared not to have changed. He glanced at his wristwatch and saw that he had about a quarter-hour before he must report to the head table, so he sat down again.

“You don’t have to keep me company,” Ivy said with a gentle smile.

“Nonsense,” he told her. “We have lots to catch up on. So what have you been doing with yourself? Why haven’t I seen you in all these years?”

Ivy’s smile wilted around the edges and shadows darkened her warm brown eyes. “I’ve been on the move pretty much the whole time. That’s how it is in my business. You go from one radio market to another, hoping to catch on in enough places to build a national following so you can squeeze a few more dollars out of the next contract.”

To Ryan, that seemed a singularly unappealing way to live. He couldn’t imagine pulling up roots every few months. “Where are you working now?”

“If all goes as planned, Oklahoma City.”

“Ah, so that’s what finally brings you our way.”

She shrugged delicately. “It just all sort of worked out.”

“Must be difficult to make friends and build relationships, moving around so much,” he surmised. “I assume you’re not married since I notice that you’re unescorted and not wearing a ring.” He reached for her left hand and turned it over atop the table as if to prove his point.

“I’m not married,” she confirmed before looking pointedly at his own hand. “Neither, apparently, are you.”

He laughed. “Never married. Never even been close.”

“And here you’ve stayed all this time?”

“And here I’ve stayed all this time. Maybe that’s the problem. There aren’t many single women here in Eden.”

“Oh, but there are many ways to meet people, surely. I mean, stranger things have happened.”

“You’re telling me! Just look at Holt and Charlotte.”

“So why not you?” Ivy asked, her eyes locking with his.

“To tell you the truth, I think I’m just too busy. I don’t have time to date, let alone fall in love and get married.” He spread his hands, and smiled. “So what’s your excuse?”

Ivy looked down, saying, “I drove a nail in that coffin a long time ago.”

The forced lightness of her tone hinted at sadness, and Ryan suddenly felt ill at ease. Shifting in his seat, he strove to bring back a casual, chatty air. “Career girl, huh?”

“Something like that.”

“I understand devotion to one’s career, believe me,” he said, sounding a little too hearty even to his own ears yet somehow unable to stop himself. “Education is my calling, and let me tell you, it’s more than a full-time job. Much as I love it, though, it gets in the way of normal life. Take your dad, for instance,” he blundered on. “I’m ashamed to say I haven’t seen him or even thought of him in a long time. Until I saw you here tonight, I didn’t realize how long it’s been.”

“Really?” she asked, looking slightly stricken. “You haven’t seen him at all?”

Ryan wanted to bite his tongue. Now she sounded worried.

“No, I’m sorry, not in…well, months, at least.”

“Not even at church?”

“Not even at church,” he confirmed.

“I’m assuming you still attend First Church,” she said anxiously.

“Yes, I do, but—” He gulped. Where was a hole when he needed one? And why didn’t she already know this? “Olie doesn’t.”

“He doesn’t?”

“According to Holt, he goes with Rose and Daniel and their boys to our new sister church, Magnolia Christian.”

Ivy seemed to ponder that. Gazing off into the distance, she murmured, “I see. Yes, I suppose that makes sense.” She glanced back at Ryan, straightened, put on a smile again and said brightly, “I’m sure his grandsons decided that for him. Rose says he dotes on her two boys.”

Disturbed, Ryan studied that smile and found that it did not quite reach her eyes. The Ivy that he glimpsed there in those cinnamon brown depths seemed once more sad, a little lost, uncertain. He had the urge to take her hand again, but didn’t.

“I guess you’ll all be attending Easter services at the Magnolia church together,” he ventured cautiously.

Her chin lifted as if she would nod, but then she looked away again. After a moment, she haltingly told him, “I can’t quite see myself attending Easter services anywhere but at First Church.”

Ryan nodded, pleased and troubled at the same time. “That’s good to hear. We’d love to have your family join us.”

He caught the sharp edge of agony in her eyes and wondered what he’d said before her gaze skittered around the room. Suddenly, he understood that if Ivy attended First Church tomorrow, she would do so alone. Before he even knew what he intended, he heard himself saying, “N-naturally, Rose’s family will want to be at their home church, so maybe you’d like to go with us. I mean, you’re at the motel already, and—”

She stopped his flow of ill-considered words by grasping his sleeve lightly with her fingertips. “That’s very sweet of you, Ryan, but not necessary.”

The touch of her fingers cemented his resolve to keep her from attending Easter services alone.

“No, really. Since the weather’s nice, we’ll probably all just walk over from the motel together. Won’t have to fight for a parking space that way. Why don’t you come with me, er, with us?”

“Does First Church still do a sunrise Easter service in the park?” she asked.

Ryan nodded. “Granddad can’t quite manage it anymore. Too much walking and standing.”

“But they still do it?”

“Absolutely.”

She sat back with a look of anticipation on her face. “Well, then, that’s where I’ll be.”

“Maybe you wouldn’t mind a little company,” he suggested, surprising himself.

Ivy sat forward again, looking as surprised as he felt. After a moment, her warm, brown eyes began to glow. “Really?”

“It’s a beautiful service, and I’d like to go. No reason we can’t walk over together.”

“That sounds lovely, Ryan.”