faux worldliness. You know how men are.”
Shelly stopped. She whirled around and stalked toward the table.
“Here we go,” Ivy muttered, bracing herself emotionally.
Darla’s raspy voice croaked out again. “I’ll see to it that Mitch comes to his senses soon enough because—”
Shelly jabbed her hands on her hips and glared at the women. “Because of what?”
An uncomfortable hush spread across the room, and all heads swiveled toward Shelly.
Ivy raced around the bamboo screen and grabbed Shelly’s arm. “They’re not worth your time.”
Turning to Darla, Ivy spat out, “You should be ashamed of yourself. I heard everything you said.” She glared at the older women hunched over the table. “All of you.”
Suddenly petulant, Darla folded her arms and leaned back against her chair. “Don’t look at me. I’m not the one taking bets on if the weddings will take place.” She jerked a thumb across the room. “That would be old Charlie back there.”
“Hey, leave me out of it,” Charlie shouted across the room.
Mitch appeared from the kitchen wearing a tie-dyed Grateful Dead T-shirt. His spiky bleached hair looked like he’d simply shaken it after surfing. “What’s going on out here?”
Ivy shook her finger at Darla and her friends before answering Mitch. “It seems people in this town have divided into teams for and against us. And they’re betting on us. Maybe you should be more careful about who you serve here.”
She tugged Shelly’s arm. “Let’s go.”
Shelly jerked away. “I will not. And I don’t care what these old biddies are saying about me. I came to see Mitch.” She whirled around and hurried to him.
Mitch slid a protective arm around Shelly and raised a finger to the room. “I don’t know what’s going on, but if any of you have a problem with Shelly or me, you can leave right now.”
Darla jerked to her feet. “I won’t stand to be treated this way.” She brushed against Ivy’s shoulder on her way out, and it was all Ivy could do to control herself.
The other women averted their gazes like naughty schoolchildren, ashamed at being caught gossiping.
Ivy scanned the tables. Nan’s husband Arthur was sitting with Charlie. She’d have a serious talk with him later.
“I hope you’re better than this,” Ivy said, fixing her gaze on Darla’s friends and Charlie before sweeping across other familiar faces. “What have we ever done to any of you—except invite you into our home and provide lodging for your friends and families?”
A few people at other tables mumbled apologies and sheepishly turned back to their friends and conversations.
Since Mitch had swept Shelly into the kitchen, Ivy followed them.
As Shelly explained to Mitch what had happened, her face grew crimson with anger.
Mitch listened, his eyes narrowed. “They’re just a bunch of small-town busybodies. Try not to let it bother you.”
“Well, it does,” Shelly cried. “That kind of talk can affect our reputation and our business.” She drew her hands into fists. “Let me finish with them. They’ll never show their cranky faces around here again.”
“Hey, hey, I’ve got this,” Mitch said, though he was clearly upset, too. “I’ll talk to Darla and set her straight. I love you, babe. I’ve got your back.” He took Shelly into his arms and rocked her on her feet.
Reluctantly, Shelly rested her head on his shoulder.
Ivy placed her hand on her sister’s back. “Forget what they said. It’s not important. I’ll meet you at Nailed It.”
She no longer needed that pick-me-up coffee; she was wide-awake now.
Still seething, Ivy ducked out the rear door and headed toward the hardware store. She thought they had been accepted in Summer Beach, but maybe they’d always be outsiders here. However, that wouldn’t stop her or Shelly from marrying the men they loved.
She slowed her step. But what about Bennett and Mitch? Would what people said make them question their commitments? Maybe this was behind Mitch’s hesitation.
8
“Vegetable kabobs are ready,” Bennett called out. He stood beside the wide barbecue grill on the terrace and readied the fresh fish he’d brought home from Mitch.
Looking up, he saw Ivy walking toward him, and a warm feeling suffused his chest. Even in a simple sundress, she looked beautiful. Bennett knew he was a lucky man. It was hard to believe that his life had changed so much in just a year.
With the ocean in the background and jazz on the outdoor speakers he’d rigged up at the inn, he couldn’t think of any place he’d rather be. Not even his old house up on the ridgetop. Even though he’d had