Ivy hadn’t yet told her daughters that she’d decided to remain in Summer Beach. The girls had their own lives now, especially Sunny. She’d hardly heard from her in weeks. Of her two daughters, Misty was the solid one who always had a plan. Sunny took more after her father with her mercurial personality.
Shelly spotted her and ambled toward the Jeep. She had dirt smudged on her cheek, and she looked happier than Ivy had seen her in years.
Ivy pocketed her phone and stepped out. “How’s it going?”
Shelly swept wisps of hair from her forehead with the back of her garden-gloved hand, leaving another streak of dirt across her skin. “These grounds are fascinating. Overgrown and untended, but I can see that it was once a fine garden. Wait until you see what I’m planning. Did you get the business license?”
“Tough morning.”
Shelly peered at her. “You okay? You look upset.”
“Jeremy’s quite the gossip topic around town.” Ivy blinked back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. “Seems he was seen around town with another woman.”
Shelly drew up her brow in compassion. “I’m really sorry to hear that.” She opened her arms to Ivy.
“Me, too.” Ivy let her sister envelop her. There was little else to say.
After a few moments, Shelly pulled back and said, “Lemonade would taste good right now. Luckily for us, there’s a Meyer lemon tree around back that’s laden with fruit. Found an old herb garden, too. Mint, oregano, and sage are still growing wild. The rosemary has morphed into a giant shrub. Come, I’ll show you.” Shelly took her by the hand.
Ivy followed her sister. While they picked lemons, she told her more about what had happened at City Hall with the zoning issue and Bennett.
Shelly gaped at her. “Bennett’s the mayor?”
“Just my luck,” Ivy said, tugging at a large yellow lemon.
They lugged the fruit into the kitchen and washed it in the oversized sink. Ivy squeezed juice from the lemons with a vengeance the poor lemons didn’t deserve. Still, the juice was sweet.
Shelly reached into the refrigerator’s freezer section. “We even have ice.” She brought out a dulled silver ice tray with a lever on top.
Ivy stared at the relic from the past. “I haven’t seen one of those in forever.”
Shelly used the edge of her shirt to lift the lever, but it barely budged. “It’s really stuck. Wonder how people got the ice out?”
“Try running the bottom under hot water. I think I saw Grams do that when we were kids.”
Shelly followed her direction. “Ah, voilà. Ice cubes.” She turned the cracked cubes into a stainless pan she’d rinsed out. “I feel like a pioneer woman here.”
Ivy managed a smile. “You’ve lived too long in the city.”
A few minutes later, Ivy sat nursing mint-infused lemonade on an old stool at the counter, grateful for the cool drink. She pressed the cold glass to her still fevered cheeks.
Shelly eased onto another rickety stool. “So if we can’t run it as an inn, what do we do now?”
“I had an idea and called Misty. Here’s what she sent me.” Ivy showed Shelly the website. “People rent out rooms in their homes through this site, iBnB. It says to check your area to see if local laws allow the renting out of rooms. I wonder if this is different from operating a business.”
“Let’s find out. Call the city.”
“I didn’t leave them with a great impression of me.” Ivy slid the phone across the counter. “You call.”
Shelly found the telephone number and called. After explaining what she needed to know, a grin spread across her face. “You’re absolutely certain?” She flashed a thumbs up sign. “That’s wonderful, thank you, Nan.” She ended the call. “We’re good to go for iBnB.”
Ivy gave Shelly a high five. “What about hosting events like weddings?”
Shelly sipped her lemonade. “I’m sure we can figure out something.”
Tapping her temple, Ivy said, “People could also pay us for our wedding planning services.”
“Our what?”
“I’m sure we could manage,” Ivy said.
Shelly grinned. “My floral arrangements will blow them away.”
“See? That’s fantastic,” Ivy said, falling into Shelly’s arms. “We’re back in business.” She was so relieved that she did a little dance, twirling around the kitchen.
“Dance party!” Shelly tapped her music app on her phone and joined in. Soon they were singing to Adele and Sara Bareilles songs and swinging each other around the kitchen as they had when they were kids.
“Anyone home?” The back door edged open.
Ivy spun across the kitchen and stopped just short of Bennett Dylan, the last man in the world she wanted to see. “Don’t you knock?” she asked, pressing her hand to her chest to catch her breath.
“Saw a Jeep out front, but no one answered the door. Now I see why.” Bennett grinned at her. “Glad you’re not upset anymore.”
Ivy folded her arms and glared at him. “I’m still angry at you. What do you want?”
Reaching into his sports jacket, he pulled out a ring of old keys. “These go with the house.” He laid them on the counter, along with a yellowed tube and a folder. “As well as architect’s blueprints and other documents pertaining to the house that Claire had in her files.”
Shelly picked up the keys. “Sure appreciate that. And it’s nice to meet the mayor.”
Ivy didn’t respond. An infuriating smile was still plastered on Bennett’s face, just as when they were teenagers. He thought he’d trashed her plan to run an inn, but she was just beginning.
“Guess I’ll see you two around town.” He shut the door beyond him.
Rolling her eyes, Ivy turned back to Shelly. “I could live a life of happiness without ever seeing that man again.”
“Don’t let him get to you,” Shelly said. “Besides, he’s kind of hot.”
“Now I
