Free All of Me by Heatherly Bell Page B

legend in Starlight Hill, having raised some of the best-looking girls in town and earned lonely attractive widower status about ten years ago when he lost his blessed wife. But Ivey hadn’t really considered Giancarlo’s to be the heart of the rumor mill. And also, it was mostly a place for lovers.
    “There’s a method to my madness. There’s a chamber of commerce dinner here tonight. And Giancarlo’s daughter Sophia is home from college. She likes to talk. A lot.”
    “You’ve given this a lot of thought. Perfect.” Leave it to Jeff to find the most expedient way. He had more brains in his little finger than she had in her whole head.
    There was a reason he’d been class valedictorian, and she—hadn’t been, not even close.
    Jeff led the way, opening doors and making her feel like they were on a real date. She should tell him to stop doing that, but it might be rude. Not to mention that she was rather enjoying it. It reminded her that she hadn’t been on a real date with a real man since—she couldn’t remember.
    Giancarlo greeted them. “Dr. Jeff. Ivey. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
    Ivey sized him up—blue or pink ribbon? Hard to tell. “It’s not a date,” she blurted out.
    “Right,” Jeff added. “Just dinner. I have reservations for two.”
    “Follow me,” the gentle Italian said as he walked them to a table near the back.
    “Could we have something near the front?” Ivey asked.
    Giancarlo then led them to a table in the center of the room. “Would this satisfy?”
    “Yes,” Jeff said, holding the chair out for Ivey.
    “Sorry, Giancarlo. But we need to be seen,” Ivey said as she took the menu.
    “Ah.” Giancarlo leaned in, then whispered. “By whom?”
    “By everyone, of course.”
    Giancarlo simply smiled and nodded, then walked away. He was the kind of man who never questioned anyone’s quirks, and for that she was grateful.
    “Blue or pink ribbon?” Ivey asked Jeff, pointing behind her menu towards Giancarlo.
    “Neither,” Jeff answered. “He seemed to stay out of it, somehow.”
    “Bless him. So how are we going to do this?”
    “Let’s look happy.” Jeff smiled, and he did look content. Didn’t even look like he faked it.
    Giancarlo brought them a bottle of white wine on the house, and after the ritual of sniffing and swirling had been accomplished, Ivey reminded Giancarlo that she didn’t drink.
    Still, when a couple she recognized walked past them, Ivey held up her glass in a mock toast with Jeff, who followed her lead. She smiled, Jeff smiled. The couple gave them an odd look and kept walking.
    “Is this working?” Ivey asked uncertainly. For the first time since they’d walked in the restaurant, she took a nice long look at Jeff.
    He looked relaxed. The furrow in his brow eased, and he had on his lazy smile. She hadn’t seen that one in a long time, and it so happened to be her favorite.
    Maybe she’d done this. He was happy, free from obligations other than to his career. A doctor now the way he’d always dreamed and planned.
    “Be patient,” he said with that grin.
    Yeah well, she’d never been good with patience but always better at easing burdens, starting with Mama. Continuing with Jeff and their little bump in the road. Nothing had stopped his forward trajectory, thanks to her. Someday she’d tell him. But today would not be that day.
    “Did you date anyone in LA after Joe?” Jeff asked.
    Well. At least he got the fake name right for once. “Um, not really. I became a serial dater. No one special. And you?”
    “Same. Although my sister keeps trying to fix me up. For the past year that I’ve been back, she hasn’t really given it a rest.”
    Ivey squirmed. Yeah, she wouldn’t be surprised. Ali had always been protective of her little brother, which meant that she probably owned a case full of blue ribbons.
    “And I’m guessing that since I got back into town she’s really stepped it up.”
    “Maybe.” Jeff’s finger trailed the