“Easy, kitten.” Noah came up to my side. “Claws in—Margot was just looking out for her family.”
I spun toward him. “You were not the bad guy here, Noah, and shouldn’t have been treated as such.”
He gave me a look of such gratitude that my knees threatened to buckle from the weight of it. “Jules,” he murmured.
“She’s right,” Ivy said, coming to my side. “And I wish I had spoken up more in defense of you, Noah.”
He looked in surprise from Ivy to me, a crinkle forming between his brows. “Margot was really fine.”
“I was cold,” Margot said, giving him a haughty look now like no one should dare question her. “And I’m sorry for it. You’re a great dad, and it wasn’t my business why you weren’t around as much when Addie was a babe. You were there when you could be.”
“Not enough,” Noah said as he watched Addie with a look of sadness.
She was playing with her cousins, laughter abounding. Addie grabbed Chief, and the three girls took off out the back door with the pup to race around the fenced-in yard.
“Ugh!” Ivy growled out the word, drawing attention back to our circle. “Noah Michael Lawson, I’m going to whip your ass if we must have this conversation again. Youarea great dad. You are now, you were then, and you need to get the hell over yourself about the fact that you were in Africa, trying to make a better world for kids who have so much less than your daughter. Do you know what kind of role model you are to her? Do you understand that you are the reason she wants to volunteer at the animal shelter because she learned from you that when yousee a need, you can fill it with your own hard work and not just platitudes like most of us do?” Ivy was breathing heavily, her hands on her hips. “Do I seriously need to remind you of all thisagain?” She threw her hands up in the air like she couldn’t even believe she was having to say that.
Silence filled the kitchen. I glanced around and saw that every adult was focused on our group. Noah was looking at his feet, not meeting Ivy’s gaze as he processed her words. I didn’t know Ivy super well, but from what I knew of her, this was totally out of character. She was typically relaxed. I’d classify her somewhere in the world of hippies or boho chic, but definitely chill. Right then she was anything but.
“Ivy cussed,” Steph said at my side.
“Twice,” Kate said from just beyond Steph.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one noticing the out-of-character behavior.
Noah looked up, focusing on Ivy. “I appreciate the kind words, but?—”
“This ‘but’ is going to piss me off, isn’t it?” Ivy looked fierce.
Noah was undeterred. “But you have said it yourself, you and Addie struggled to make ends meet when she was first born. That’s why you’re so cautious with money even now.”
Ivy looked to the ceiling and visibly counted to ten. Looking back at Noah, she took a step toward him and gave him a lighthearted slap on the temple. “Noah Lawson, you might drive me crazy today. Yes, we struggled, but if you remember, you wanted to help us financially at the time and what did I do?”
“Ow,” he replied, rubbing his head, but I could see the lightness in his eyes. He was pushing her buttons, and the fact that he was teasing her gave me some relief. “You said no.”
Ivy threw both hands out again.“Exactly! Maybe if we’re questioning anyone’s parenting choices here, we should look at mine because I might have been a smidge stubborn.”
“Might?” Jake piped up from over by his dad.
“That’s enough from the peanut gallery,” Ivy shot back.
“Love you, babe,” Jake said with a wink in her direction.
Ivy rolled her eyes, then looked at Noah. “I’m not going to hijack this entire brunch, but Noah, you and I are going to have to revisit this if you’re still carrying around guilt. And I’ll leave you with this final comment, then I need a donut.” She gestured at the giant windows overlooking the backyard and pointed at Addie, who was spinning in circles while Chief barked. “That little girl knows exactly how loved she is—she’s never questioned it. She has so many people who adore her just as she is, and you and I both know that’s not the case for everyone. She has always known you loved her—always has, always will.”
Noah was clearly struggling to accept what Ivy was saying, but she held up a hand. “Noah, we know what it’s like to grow up without the love of our parents. Addie has never felt that, even when you weren’t with us. So, my dear friend, you need to get past this.” She looked to all of us, then grabbed a donut out of the box. “Now I need to nurse Ms. Lorelai. I’ll be back.” With that, she exited the kitchen, followed by Jake, who had the baby in a sling.
“Well, Bookstore does tend to say it like it is.” Drew shrugged.
I looked to Kate in confusion. She leaned over. “Drew calls Ivy Bookstore. It’s their thing.”
Margot stepped up to Noah and reached a hand up to pat his face, her multitude of bangle bracelets sliding down her arm. “Noah dear, I hope you listened to Ivy, though how anyone would have missed that, I’m not certain. What I should have seen immediately instead of rushing to judgment is that you are a positively excellent father. Addie is blessed to have you.”
“Thanks,” Noah said in a low voice. “And this got a little crazy today. I never thought you treated me badly.”
“She could have been kinder,” Drew said in a serious tone but with a shit-eating grin.
“Hush, you,” Margot said, giving his stomach a backhanded slap, her bracelets clinking.
