She handed it to Lauren just as the shop door jingled and Seth walked in.
Love welled up inside Lauren, the way it always did at the sight of the handsome rancher. A soft smile curled her lips. It was still hard to believe he was hers.
He crossed the room quickly and planted a lingering kiss on her lips. “Ready to go? I’d like to get home.”
Her heart fluttered at the seductive expression in his eyes. She knew exactly what he had planned once Ivy was in bed. It was the same thing she had in mind. Married life had turned out even better than she’d imagined, both in and out of the bedroom. Seth had been right. Love and sexual intimacy were a potent combination.
“Open the packet before you leave,” Anna urged.
Seth cocked an eyebrow. “Packet?”
“She’ll explain later,” Anna said.
“This is so exciting.” Stacie leaned forward, resting her arms on the table.
Lauren glanced at their expectant gazes. It appeared she had no choice. She unfastened the top of the envelope and pulled out the sheet, telling herself it didn’t matter what the survey results showed. Seth was the love of her life. No piece of paper was going to convince her otherwise.
Still, she held her breath as she searched the form, recognizing his number...right next to hers. She lifted her eyes. “We’re a perfect match.”
One corner of his mouth turned up in a smile. “You can say that again.”
A wave of love washed over her, nearly drowning her in its wake.
“Daddy, Daddy.” Ivy came running out of the back room with Molly in her arms. The doll had been Lauren’s wedding present to her new daughter. Ivy glanced around the room at all the women staring at Lauren with big smiles on their faces. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Anna assured the child. “Lauren’s survey confirmed she and your daddy were meant to be best friends.”
Ivy turned to Lauren, confusion blanketing her face. “I thought you and me were bestest friends.”
Seth turned to his daughter and winked. “That’s the great thing about friends. You can never have too many.”
The child thought for a moment, then nodded. “Just like presents. You can never have too many presents.”
Anna laughed and waved her hand. “I’ll second that.”
“Let me see her, Ivy.” Stacie held out her hands. “I don’t think Miss Molly and I have been introduced.”
As the child proudly showed off her gift, Seth turned to Lauren and spoke in a low voice. “You didn’t have to give the doll to her. It was your gift.”
“I wanted her to have it.” Lauren wrapped her arms around his neck, her heart overflowing with love. She put her lips to his ear. “Besides, I have you. And, cowboy, you’re the bestest Christmas present ever.”
From Cindy Kirk
I’m so happy you got to enjoy For the Love of Ivy. After publishing over sixty-five books I’ve discovered something about myself. I love books with children, especially little girls. Probably because I have one of my own. I love to reread my own stories and when I read through this one, I smiled at the end, thinking of the wonderful life Lauren would have in Sweet River.
If you love heartwarming holiday romance (as far as I’m concerned a Christmas book is wonderful any time of year, It Started with Joy is a book I know you’ll LOVE. Trust me, it’s one of those stories that will keep you reading WAY too late at night.
Dive into this uplifting story, It Started With Joy, now (or continue reading for a sneak peek).
Sneak Peek of It Started with Joy
One of Derek Rossi’s earliest memories was throwing a Wiffle ball to his dad. Since that day he’d pitched in more baseball games in his thirty-two years than he could count. Surprisingly, he’d never been hit. Until today.
He didn’t even see the ball which dropped him to his knees. One minute he was talking with the coordinator of the Pitching and Catching Workshop, watching the boys and girls leave the Jackson Hole Indoor Sports Facility. The next, his head was pounding like a son of a gun. Derek blinked, trying to clear his suddenly blurred vision.
As if by magic a blond-haired blue-eyed angel appeared and knelt before him, her brows furrowed in concern. She smelled like vanilla and the bright lights in the gym gave her an ethereal glow. It didn’t seem right to be on his knees before such a creature. He tried to stand, but she grabbed his arm and held on tight.
“Sit down.” The warmth of her touch jolted him back to reality and told him this was no apparition. “I need to make sure you’re okay before you start moving around.”
The beating of the bass drum in his head nearly drowned out her words. Derek struggled to focus. “Are you a doctor?”
“Emergency room nurse.” She held up her left hand. “How many fingers am I holding up?”
He squinted and the hand came into focus. “Two.”
Her gaze met his and for a second he found himself floating, drowning in the azure depths… Until he became conscious of the noise—and the people—moving closer, encircling him, suffocating him.
The woman must have sensed his sudden distress because her voice rang out above the conversational din. “Everyone, back up.”
“Come on, folks, move along,” a man’s voice echoed. “He’ll be fine.”
The crowd dispersed and Derek’s panic subsided. Chatter turned to a distant hum. Ron Evans, one of the event’s coordinators, stepped in Derek’s field of vision. But the older man’s focus was on the nurse. “Should we call an ambulance?”
“No ambulance,” Derek answered for her. The last thing he needed was more publicity. Besides, he felt okay. Or he would if his head would quit pounding.
“I don’t believe an ambulance is necessary, Ron. But an ice pack and Tylenol would be helpful.” The nurse’s lips lifted in a rueful smile. “I’m afraid I locked up the first-aid kit a
