For the Love of Ivy - Cindy Kirk Page 0,46

the promise he’d made, it didn’t matter if he fell in love. It didn’t matter if the woman loved Ivy as much as he did. It didn’t matter if they could build a warm and rich life for themselves and Ivy.

All that mattered was that he’d looked into Jan’s eyes and made a vow. He couldn’t see how he could live with himself if he broke that promise.

Chapter Fifteen

It had been quite a week.

Lauren beat the egg mixture with a whisk and poured the liquid into a skillet. She’d made great strides in analyzing her dissertation research, Ivy had started walking short distances on her rocker cast, and they’d added the adorable border collie to their household.

Every time Lauren thought about it as “their” household, she reined herself in and gave herself a stern lecture. This was Seth’s household. She was merely a friend lending a hand.

The only trouble was it had started to feel like her home. She’d spent almost every waking moment of the past couple weeks with Seth and Ivy. While Seth relaxed and continued to recover from smoke inhalation, they’d eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner together.

Every evening before Ivy went to bed, Lauren and Seth took turns reading to her in front of a crackling fire with Bailey at their feet.

After Ivy and Bailey went to bed, they stayed up and talked about everything from changes in the global economy to the upcoming basketball tournament at Sweet River High School.

Lauren remembered her father once remarking that if he had to spend more than five consecutive days in her mother’s company, he’d go crazy. She’d accepted the statement and not given it much thought. Now it made her sad. She couldn’t imagine ever feeling that way about Seth.

“Stop it,” she told herself.

“Stop what?”

She whirled around.

Seth leaned against the door jamb, looking incredibly sexy in a blue plaid shirt and jeans. Today would be his first full day working the ranch. He coughed only rarely now and she hadn’t heard him wheeze in days.

In honor of his recovery, Lauren had decided to fix him a big breakfast.

“Stop thinking that my scrambled eggs are ever going to be as fluffy as yours,” Lauren said, improvising.

She picked up a spatula and turned her attention back to the skillet, not wanting him to see the longing in her eyes. Lauren had stayed true to her silent vow to let him make the next move, but every time he touched her hand or came close to her for any reason it took everything she had not to wrap her arms around him.

“It’s all in the wrist action.”

She froze in place as he stood behind her and reached around so they both held the spatula. His face was next to hers, and if she turned ever so slightly, her lips would meet his. If she turned around completely, she’d be in his arms.

“Just like this.” He flipped over the eggs, then stepped back.

Was it only her imagination or was his breathing suddenly as ragged as hers? She’d like to think so, but since the night they’d almost lost control, he’d been a perfect gentleman.

“Have a seat at the table.” Lauren shoved aside her frustration and forced a pleasant smile. “Food is ready.”

“I’ll get the orange juice and coffee.” Seth headed for the refrigerator, and Lauren could breathe again.

She shifted her attention to Ivy, who sat at the table engrossed in the latest Junie B. Jones book. Ivy had gotten up extra early and had practically inhaled her cereal so she could return to reading.

“More juice, Ivy?” Lauren asked.

“No, thank you,” Ivy said, not looking up from the page.

Over bacon and eggs, they talked easily, as they did most mornings. She knew Seth well enough now to tell that something was bothering him. She sipped her second cup of coffee and waited for him to tell her what was on his mind.

“I heard you’re back analyzing compatibility surveys.” He brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. His tone was casual, making his death grip on the cup even more puzzling. “I thought you had all the data you needed.”

Lauren sat back in her chair. “Kim Sizemore hadn’t been matched the first time around. She called the other day and asked if she could try again.”

“What about Adam? I heard he was throwing his hat into the dating pool.”

“News travels fast.” The Internet had nothing on the town’s gossip mill. “Who told you?”

“I ran into Loretta Barbee yesterday when Gwen and I