Page 12 of Yours To Hold
“So what do you do?” Willow asks.
“I like taking pictures.”
“Of people?”
“People. Mountains. Anything really.”
“That’s cool. Maybe you could take a picture of Daisy.”
Ivy pets Daisy’s head, which is now resting on her lap. Even my damn dog is smitten with her. “We’ll have to do that.”
I haven’t even hired her yet, and they’re acting like this is a done deal. I need to slow this train down before it gets out of control.
“Willow, go out back and play, will ya?”
“Okay, Daddy.” She hops up and runs out the back. “See you tomorrow, Ivy!”
“You know, you shouldn’t lead her on like that.”
“How am I leading her on?” Ivy stands up, brushing off the backs of her legs.
“Telling her you’ll take pictures of Daisy. I don’t want her getting her hopes up.”
“Do you have a problem with me?” Ivy crosses her arms, turning those big blue eyes on me.
Fuck. Why am I so taken with this woman?
“Why do you think I have a problem with you?”
She waves her hand in front of me. “Because everything about you says you do.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I drop my crossed arms.
“Look, do you need my help or not?”
I scrub a hand down my face. “I do, and I don’t want to leave Willow with just anyone. It’s harder with her mom gone and not having any help.”
“Then let me help you. Mason, you’ve known me my entire life.”
“So you know that little girl is my whole world.”
“I know that. So you can trust me with her. She will be well taken care of.” A smile plays on her lips. I like it. Maybe a little too much. “Besides, there’s no shortage of Winchesters in this town if I ever needed anything.”
I blow out the breath I’ve been holding, trying to release the tension in my shoulders.
Ivy is the answer to all my problems. Willow likes her. Daisy likes her. Hell, I even like her. Probably too much for my sanity.
But something’s gotta give. Otherwise I’m going to crack under all the pressure I’m putting on myself.
“I’ll need help after school for a few hours. Dinner. Maybe some bedtimes. Then once school lets out, every day during the week. And spring break is this week, so she’s off school. Maybe the occasional Saturday if Peter needs me at the bar.”
Ivy gives me a once-over. It unsettles me how she’s watching me. It shouldn’t, considering I was just doing the same thing to her. “Gemma told you I’m leaving at the end of August, right?”
“She did. Once we start canning, everything should slow down, and I can be there for Willow after school.”
“Canning?” Ivy screws up a brow. “What are you guys canning?”
“The Clara.”
