“That’s a fantastic idea, Margaret. At least I think so. What about it, Dad?” Ivy asked.
“Actually, it’s something I have had in the back of my mind for a few years. It’s a good idea, and it would certainly bring more young couples to Pine City. I think this future wife of mine is onto something, but tonight let’s just enjoy the moment. We can talk shop after the holidays. That okay with you, girls?”
Ivy had never seen her father this happy. He looked ten years younger, and she was so very pleased that he’d asked Margaret to marry him. While she had had nothing but negative thoughts where Mark was concerned, she knew it was time to put those to rest as well. On behalf of the airline, Ivy had formally requested that the investigation into the crash be closed.
“It’s fine with me,” Ivy said, then jumped when she heard a loud rap on the door.
She hurried to the door, and again her heart rate increased when she saw Daniel and Holly standing outside along with Kayla and Roxie. She opened the door. “Come in and get out of the cold,” she said. Ivy had butterflies in her stomach, and it was all she could come up with.
She closed the door behind them and proceeded to lead them into the kitchen. “Dad and Margaret are in here,” she said. “Follow me.”
In the kitchen, after everyone went through the usual niceties, Ivy sneaked a look at Daniel. He was wearing dark jeans and a forest-green pullover, with a chambray shirt underneath. Black boots added an inch or so to his height.
Holly, on the other hand, was dressed to the nines. She wore a burgundy maxi dress, her gold hair twisted in some kind of braid that Ivy had no name for, and was wearing the headband that Ivy had given her. “You look awesome, Holly, and I love the braid,” Ivy told her. “What’s it called?”
“It’s a fishtail braid. Dad actually helped, can you believe that? I can do yours sometime, if you want,” Holly said. “It’s what’s trending now. You know, like what’s cool.”
They all laughed, the doorbell rang, and Ivy announced, “Let the party begin.”
Chapter 41
Ivy’s guests clustered around the tree, and when everyone was in place, she said, “Holly, would you do the honors?” She gave her the extension to plug into the outlet.
“Sure!”
She leaned down and pushed the plug into the outlet. The twelve-foot Fraser fir lit up with hundreds of tiny golden lights. There were “oohs” and “ahs”; then Ivy stood back and viewed their handiwork.
“This is the prettiest tree I have ever seen,” Holly said. “Don’t you think so, Dad?”
“It is definitely a cool tree,” he agreed, and pulled his daughter close to his side.
“Dad,” Holly said, suddenly a bit shy when he’d used her favorite word.
“It is a cool tree, for sure,” Ivy chimed in, and catching Daniel’s gaze on her, she almost jumped out of her skin when he winked at her. She returned a half smile, then focused on her other guests, with whom she had not had much time to mingle.
“I have heard so much about you the past few days, I feel as if I already know you, Ivy. It was so kind of you to invite us over. I do owe you for convincing Daniel to allow Holly to sing in our little musical,” Carol Bishop said.
“I have been wanting to meet you ever since I heard you were instrumental in working with Holly. She has the most amazing voice I have ever heard, and especially for one so young.”
“Maybe we can get her to sing a few Christmas carols tonight. Maxine will be so disappointed that she and her friend Paul could not make it tonight. He was dying to hear Holly sing.”
“Oh, well, I think that’s up to Holly, but I’ll ask her. Excuse me, I’ll go find her,” Ivy said, then went in search of Holly.
Holly was in the kitchen, sitting in a chair and eating a red velvet cupcake.
“Are they as good as they look?” Ivy asked, and reached for one herself.
“Better,” Holly replied.
“Miss Carol wanted me to ask you if you minded singing a few Christmas carols, to liven up the party a bit.”
“If it’s okay with Dad,” she said, and licked cream cheese frosting from her fingers.
“If what’s okay with your dad?” Daniel said. “Am I missing something?”
“Ivy wanted to know if it’s okay if I sang a few carols.”
“Do you want to?” he asked.
“I always want to sing, Dad, you know that. Let me go wash my hands first.”
* * *
Holly left the kitchen, and this was the first time that Ivy and Daniel had been alone all evening.
“Nice party,” Daniel said.
“Thanks. I think it’s turning out to be a good time for everyone,” Ivy said, feeling awkward being alone with Daniel.
“Yep.”
“Yep?” Ivy shot back.
He grinned, and once again, her heart flip-flopped.
“It’s a good tree-trimming party. First one I have been to.”
“Me too,” Ivy said. “So I hear you have been taking Holly to practice at Miss Carol’s.”
“I have,” Daniel said. “Carol is an amazing teacher, and Holly adores her. And she adores you, too.”
“Really?” Ivy said, though she was not surprised at all, because she was totally in love with the little girl whose appearance at her door that night had brought about all these changes in her life.
“Really. And her dad does, too,” Daniel added.
Ivy’s pulse increased.
“Does what?” Ivy could not help it. She wanted to hear him say the words. Whatever they were.
Daniel shook his head. “You’re embarrassing me, you know that? And I’m not one who embarrasses easily.”
Ivy raised her brow, ready for a challenge. “I see. Are you too embarrassed to tell me what . . . I do not know, whatever! Or what?” Ivy sounded like Holly, and she laughed.
“If you really must know, I told you Holly adores you. And it seems I do, too,” Daniel said, and he did not seem the least bit embarrassed by his words. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Yes, it is,” she said, being completely honest. Is this what rushing into a relationship meant? Though they were not even close to having a relationship at this point, but it could happen. If it does, she would be living in the moment, moving along with her life.
“So, are you telling me that you adore me, too?” Daniel asked.
A shudder passed through her. Moving forward with living in the moment, she replied, “I’m not sure if I would use the word adore, but maybe something along those lines would capture it.”
“Then it’s settled. We want to get to know each other, and we’re not talking like BFFs or pizza pals, right?”
Ivy burst out laughing. “Yes, something like that.” Ivy glanced at the clock on the stove. “I’m going to check on Holly. I’ll be right back.” Ivy did not bother waiting for a reply, but knew he was right behind her as she made her way upstairs. Possibly the downstairs bathroom was occupied, and Holly was searching upstairs for another bathroom.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she stopped. Daniel was so close to her, she could smell his fresh manly scent. Spicy and woodsy. Sexy, too. Before she knew what was happening, he turned her so that she faced him; then he placed his hands on either side of her face, brushing a gentle kiss across her forehead; then his lips touched her own.
It was the most sensuous, yet somehow chaste, kiss she had ever had, and it was not even what she would have considered a real kiss.
“To being more than friends,” Daniel said before putting a bit of distance between them.
Ivy’s emotions were all over the place. Thinking she should feel a sense of betrayal to John’s memory, she was surprised when she didn’t. It had been such a long time since Ivy had felt desired, and she had desired in return. Gathering herself as best as she could, she took a deep, shaky breath, and said, “I’ll check the master bath.”
“I’ll look downstairs,” Daniel said, knowing that the moment had passed. For now.
* * *
Ivy went into her room and peered around, but there was no sign of Holly. The door to the bath was open; yet she tapped on the door, just in case she had forgotten to close it. No answer, so she went inside. No sign of Holly.
Figuring she was downstairs, Ivy turned and headed back in that direction. As she passed James’s room, which she had kept locked for all those years, she saw Holly standing by the window, singing softly. Though Ivy could not understand the words, just hearing that voice sent shivers up and down her spine. She stepped into the room, and Holly must have sensed her presence because she stopped singing.
“I’m sorry, I just needed a few minutes alone to practice. I hope I’m not in trouble for coming in here. It didn’t look like you were using the room.”
“It’s fine, let’s sit down.” The room was cast in shadows, and the only light came from the master bedroom across the hall. She motioned for Holly to sit on James’s bed.
Together, as they sat in the quiet room, Ivy placed an arm around Holly and began to speak. “This bedroom belonged to my son a long time ago. I had twins, Elizabeth and James, the lights of my life. They were three when they died in the same crash as your mother. I miss them every day, and I’ll never stop loving them.” Tears rolled down Ivy’s face. “But the night you knocked on my door made me realize that life was for the living, and you seemed so lost, that for the first time since the accident, I did not think about all I had lost when I lay in bed that night. I thought about you, instead.” Ivy wiped the tears from her face.
“I’m not sure what to say, but you like me, right?” Holly asked.
“Oh, sweetie, I love you! You have given me my life back. I just needed you to know this. I was not sure if you knew about my family, but I wanted you to hear it from me. When I saw you in James’s room, I felt I had to tell you. I hope I have not scared you off or ruined your evening.”
Holly turned and hugged her so hard, it almost took Ivy’s breath away. “I love you, too, Ivy. I’m glad you had kids, and if you want, you can tell me about them. I always wanted a brother or sister.”
Ivy smiled and hugged her back. “We will talk, but you have a bunch of people downstairs who want to hear you sing. Are you up to it?”
Holly jumped off the bed. “More than you’ll ever know.”
* * *
Downstairs, Ivy’s guests were in the den, laughing and enjoying the festivities, as simple as those festivities were.
“I found a young lady who has offered to entertain us with a few Christmas carols. I do not have a piano, or any instruments, but I think she’s okay without them. Holly?” Ivy said, and stood beside her.
Holly stood in front of the Christmas tree, lights twinkling like thousands of halos, and began to sing.
“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth,
Long lay the world, in sin and error pining . . . ”
When she finished, the applause was plentiful, and tears flowed freely.
She was a musical prodigy beyond anything any of them had ever heard.
Epilogue
The annual Christmas musical was sold out, and the residents of Pine City who were unable to get a seat would be rewarded with a taped replay tomorrow afternoon in the high-school gymnasium.
Ivy sat in the front row, with Daniel on her left and Kayla and Roxie to her right, along with their parents, whom she had been introduced to the night before at the big event at Maxine’s. She had held a small gathering of the performers at her house and introduced them to her friend Paul, who must have been someone very important. Ivy knew that Holly had some special connection with the older woman, but if Holly wanted her to know, she was sure she would tell her when the time was right.
Her father and Margaret sat at the end of the first row. Ivy kept searching the room until she saw who she was hoping would be there as a couple, Sarah and Jay. She gave a slight wave, and Sarah waved back, her smile as wide as the stage in front of them.
For the next hour and a half, they listened to local talent sing and play instruments. Some danced, and a group of children from Pine City’s second-grade class wore red-and-white-striped pajamas as they performed a song about Mommy kissing Santa. The audience clapped and whistled, but when Carol took center stage to introduce tonight’s star performer, a hush fell over the audience. You could hear a pin drop, it was so quiet.
“Some of you here tonight know our next performer, and those who do not are going to wish they did. For the past several weeks, I have had the utmost pleasure to work with this young lady, who is a gifted singer. On behalf of the residents of The Upside, it is my great pleasure to introduce Miss Holly Greenwood.”
Carol walked off the stage to polite applause, the lights in the auditorium grew dim, and once again, silence fell over the audience. The buildup to this event had been the talk of Pine City for weeks, and now the residents were in for the biggest treat of the night, for many, perhaps, the biggest treat of their lives to date.
Slowly the curtain rose. Lights shaped like hundreds of twinkling stars sparkled against the deep blue backdrop. In the center of the stage was another, smaller stage, which slowly rose above the main stage.
In its center stood Holly, dressed in a long silver dress with hundreds of shiny sequins that sparkled like an angel. Her hair hung in loose waves, and she wore a shiny red barrette in her hair.
A small orchestra behind her began to play. Holly held her head down, then looked out into the audience and began to sing.
Her voice was that of someone much older, practiced, gifted, and assured. She started off with “Silent Night,” hitting high notes, and each word sounded as though it were being caressed as it came from her heart. The lights on the stage brightened with the next song, and tears fell down Holly’s face as she sang “The Little Drummer Boy,” followed with “The First Noel.” Her performance of “Angels We Have Heard on High” received a standing ovation.
“I would like to dedicate this next song to my friend Ivy Fine and my dad, Daniel Greenwood, who I love with all my heart.”
For the next several minutes, Holly sang “O Holy Night,” as this was her favorite song.
Ivy and Daniel held hands tightly, and tears continued to flow as Holly sang to them, to the audience, and to anyone fortunate enough to witness a star in the making.
When she finished, she received a ten-minute standing ovation, which was unheard of, according to the whispers throughout the audience.
When the rest of the performers returned to the stage, they, too, were given a standing ovation.
“I need to see her,” said the man who was Maxine’s guest. He dragged Maxine along with him.
Before the man could go backstage, Daniel reached for Ivy’s hand and followed him in search of his daughter.
When Daniel spied Holly, he walked through the crowd, and they parted as he made his way to his daughter. “That is the most touching music I have ever heard. You sound like an angel.” He hugged her, and she smiled.
“Thanks, Dad, it’s all I have ever wanted to do. I just feel it here”—she motioned to her heart—“when I sing.”
“And I’ll never stop you again, Holly. I love you so much, kiddo, and I’m beyond proud of you tonight. You had the audience hypnotized.”
“I have never heard such a voice, well, maybe once, but it was many, many years ago, and it was not nearly as perfect as this young lady’s.” Maxine’s friend barged through the crowd and found his way to Holly.
“When you’re a little older, young lady, I’m going to make you a star. Here is my card. Maxine tells me you practice with Carol. Keep practicing, and when you’re a few years older, you come and see me, okay?” He whirled about and departed as fast as he had entered. The man spoke so fast, they could barely understand what he was saying.
“Who was that?” Daniel asked Maxine, who had not been able to keep up with her friend.
“That’s th
e most famous producer on Broadway, the one and only Paul Larson,” Maxine said as she raced past them.
“Do you know him, Dad?” Holly asked.
“He was the man who was going to make your mother a star. I think we have a few more years to practice, but when the timing is right, and you’re a bit older, and if you still want to sing, we will go to New York and look up Mr. Larson.”
Holly screamed with delight, and by this time, all those who knew her were backstage offering her their congratulations. Roxie and Kayla hugged her and kissed her, and as though this were just another cool thing, they wandered off to mingle with their friends.
“How about you and me making a bit of music of our own?” Daniel said, pulling Ivy into his arms.
“I’m game if you are,” Ivy said.
Slowly as if he had all the time in the world, not caring that dozens of people were watching, his lips touched hers, sending shock waves through both of them.
When they looked into one another’s eyes, a round of applause cheered them on. Daniel’s mouth swooped down to crush Ivy’s lips against his own.
This was most assuredly going to be a very very very merry Christmas.
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