The lie rolled off her tongue, but I didn’t buy it any more than she meant it. So I let it go, recognizing a brick wall when I saw one.

“Think you’ll manage the counter without me?”

She shot a look back at me, her small nose down and her eyes narrowed. “Beyond all the odds, we’ve somehow managed all this time without you. I’m sure we’ll survive.” She turned, striding away. “Tell Judy we said hi,” she said just before disappearing around the corner.

“Ohhhhkay,” I muttered, grabbing a box for the vases.

Tess had always been prickly, but this was a new level of disdain. Never had my very presence seemed to offend someone so deeply. The knowledge rankled me. Really, it was the lack of knowledge that got under my skin. I didn’t know what I’d done—or not done—and I had the distinct feeling that asking her would only end with me getting snapped at and evaded.

So I’d just have to convince her she was wrong about me. I was charming as fuck, so all I had to do was figure out how. I wondered if donuts would do any good. Everybody liked donuts. I could always try to kiss it out of her, but I had a feeling I’d end up with pruning shears between my ribs.

“Luke Bennet. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

The sound of Ivy’s voice put a smile back on my face. I’d expected to find her giggling, as she was, and I’d expected her to launch herself into my arms, like she did. What I didn’t expect when I looked down was to find her visibly pregnant.

I caught her with ease, hugging her for a second before setting her down to get a good look at her. The same bright eyes I remembered, the same red hair. Though unlike Tess’s, which was lush and russet, Ivy’s was copper and curly and wild as she was.

“Well, would ya look at that?” I said, nodding to her belly.

She flushed, laughing as she rolled her eyes. “Six months in, an eternity to go. We all knew I’d end up knocked up, didn’t we?”

“Who’s the lucky guy?”

“Dean Wilson.” She beamed up at me, resting a hand on the curve of her stomach.

“The delivery guy?”

“He runs the company now. Very established,” she said with a wink. “I can’t believe you’re back! God, it’s good to see you.”

“At least one of you thinks so,” I said, glancing in the direction Tess had gone.

But Ivy waved a hand. “Oh, don’t worry about her. She’s just grumpy this morning.”

“She was grumpy yesterday too.”

“Well, you humped her in the cooler.”

“In fairness, I thought she was you.”

Ivy laughed. “Well, sadly, I am off the market and in the family way. Tess, however, is not.”

“Right. She seems super available,” I deadpanned.

Some mischief flickered behind her eyes. “Oh, don’t let her fool you.”

My brows gathered in confusion, but when I opened my mouth to speak, she cut me off.