A Family After All. Kathy Altman

apologize for bringing up Evan last night. I know he’s a sore subject, and then we ended up having to explain to Parker who he was, and...well, I hope I didn’t sound like I was trivializing what happened.”

      Ivy shook her head. “You were right. He’s a big part of the reason I’ll never be anything more than casual with a guy. It’s not worth the heartache of finding out your boyfriend’s a scheming asshat who only wants you because you can help boost his bottom line.”

      “You know most guys are not like that.”

      “No. I don’t.”

      “Well.” Allison shrugged, and her expression turned teasingly superior. “One day you will. So I’ll see you around what? Seven?”

      Ivy hoped like hell she’d have her chores done by then. “Tuna sandwiches okay?”

      Allison considered. “Got pickles?”

      “Bread and butter, baby.”

      “Then you’re on.”

      Ivy watched Allison’s car until it disappeared around a bend in the driveway. Once it did, she let her body sag and closed her eyes.

      She’d have to do a better job hiding her feelings. It wasn’t fair to Allison, Joe or anyone else. Ivy was the one with the problem. Her friends shouldn’t have to walk on eggshells around her because of it.

      The equipment shed on the other side of the free-stall barn suddenly belched out a loud growling sound. Dell, checking out the tractor. Time to get back to work. Slowly, she turned back to the Bobcat and couldn’t help wondering how she’d manage to get it all done. Once she finished pushing manure, she had to check on her injured cow, conduct an inventory, call in an order and make an appointment with the nutritionist, who regularly adjusted the mix she fed her stock. Then the feeding and milking would begin all over again. And somewhere in there, she had to find time to buy groceries.

      As much as she loved the farm, she couldn’t help wondering, every now and then, if she should have just sold it eight years earlier, after the cruise ship her parents were traveling on sank off the coast of Santorini. Seemed Ivy was still trying to prove she was capable of more than her mom and dad had ever given her credit for.

      And still trying to make up for the mistakes she’d made.

      She dragged in a breath and hesitated. More noisy rumbling, this time coming from behind her. Ivy turned and blinked. That was a school bus lumbering up the driveway.

      Oh, God.

      Apparently she had a tour today.

      Her heart thudded dully, and it suddenly hurt to breathe. Two days without Wade and already she was falling apart. She’d thought she could manage. Why couldn’t she manage?

      She had to manage.

      She rolled her shoulders up and back, shifted a grimace into a smile, and headed for the bus full of laughing, chattering children.

      * * *

      THE NEXT DAY, Ivy hit her sleep-deprived stride. With a carefully crafted regimen of coffee, chocolate and the occasional ten-minute catnap, she figured she could handle being two men down, at least until she collected some serious prospects for Wade’s job. So far her only applicant was the manager of a fast-food restaurant in Erie, who’d worn dress shoes and a silk tie to the interview. He’d had all kinds of nifty ideas for upgrading her recordkeeping, but the instant he set foot in the dairy barn, the dry heaves had started. He hadn’t realized the position would be so hands-on, he’d explained.

      “Feet-in,” she figured he’d meant. But what did he expect from a building full of digesting Jerseys?

      She was hunched over her laptop in her office, updating her animal healthcare records and trying not to visualize Seth with Olivia Duncan, when the doorbell rang. Woot! Dinner had arrived. No way could she face another tuna sandwich, no matter how much fun she and Allison had had the night before.

      Ivy hurried to the door, her socks pulling her into a slide the last few feet. She tugged Liz Early inside and gave her a one-armed hug, careful not to bump the bag of goodies her friend carried.

      “Oh, my God, that smells divine.” She led Liz into the kitchen and patted the table. While Liz set the plastic bag down and struggled to untie the handles, Ivy produced a pair of scissors and snipped the knot right off. One by one she pulled out the warm containers, so excited by the freedom of not having to drag something together for dinner that she gave Liz another hug.

      “You’re a sweetie for delivering,” she said. “Especially on a Saturday. I owe you one. Dell does, too. I made him two grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch today and I thought he was going to break into tears.”

      No response. Ivy looked up to find Liz staring, hand over her mouth.

      “Jeez, Ivy,” Liz breathed. “What happened to your eye?”

      Ivy winced. “I’ve been avoiding the mirror. How’s it look?”

      “Painful. Did you put anything on it?”

      “A bag of frozen Brussels sprouts.”

      Liz’s expression graduated from dismayed to horrified. “Brussels sprouts? You don’t actually eat those, do you?”

      “A couple of years ago, when June Catlett was on her underappreciated-foods kick, I promised her I’d give them a try, but I’ve never been able to work up the courage.”

      “I remember that. She came into Snoozy’s hoping we’d add cardoons to the menu.”

      “What the heck are cardoons?”

      “They’re like artichokes, only you eat the stalks. Snoozy never had any on hand, but there they were, on the menu. Luckily, no one ever ordered them.” She leaned in for a closer look at Ivy’s eye. “How’d you do it?”

      “I tripped in the milking shed. Ended up with a face full of wall.”

      Liz hissed in a sympathetic breath. “You’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”

      “Oh, I have plans for this eye. If Dell calls in sick tomorrow because he can’t face another grilled cheese, I’ll moan and groan and lay it on thick. I’ll describe in vivid detail the purples and greens. If that doesn’t work, I’ll tell him we’re having Snoozy’s chili for lunch. He’ll be here before I hang up the phone. Thanks again for the special delivery.”

      Liz offered a smile that didn’t carry her usual glow. Ivy wanted to kick herself. Even with one good eye, she should have noticed it sooner.

      “Snoozy recruited someone to cover for me while I’m gone, so it’s no problem,” Liz said. “He was thrilled to get your order. He pretty much emptied the pot. I haven’t seen him grin so big since Mitzi came home.”

      “How’s that working out, by the way? Having her enclosure right there in the bar?” Ivy fished her checkbook out of her purse.

      “Freaked me out at first. But I’m used to it now. It’s not like she moves around much, and as long as I don’t have to watch her eat, I’m good. Besides, ever since Snoozy put that sign out front advertising his python petting zoo, business has definitely picked up. More customers means more tips, so I’m stoked.”

      Uh-huh. Ivy kept one eye on Liz as she ripped the check free. “You don’t look stoked.”

      Liz accepted the check and flushed. “That’s quite a tip.”

      “You did me quite a favor. Saved me a lot of time and heartache.” She tapped the nearest carton. “It’s the heartburn that’s really going to cost. But it’ll be so worth it.”

      Liz tucked the check into her jacket pocket. “Do you have a few minutes? I was hoping we could talk. I know you’re busy...”

      “Never too busy for you.” Ivy gave herself a mental pat on the back for sounding as if she meant it. She pushed