Jake:Addie is a charmer. Sully’s parents are more in love than they already were. Finishing up here, and I’ll have her at your house by eight. Is that cool?
Jake:She now is making cookies with Anna, Sully’s mom. She had a dance party to Van Morrison with Sully’s dad. They might try to keep her, just a warning.
I laughed. I’d enjoyed getting to know Anna and Lee since moving to town. Anna was a big reader and loved romance books as much as I did. She’d joined the romance book club that Emma and I ran as a joint effort from the public library and the bookstore. Sully and Emma’s dad, Lee, read a lot of biographies. They were excellent customers and fast becoming friends.
Me:They can have her if I can move in too. A win-win for everyone. They get a ready-made grandkid that they don’t have to wait eight more weeks for, and I get someone to cook for me.
Me:And yes, eight is good. We’re just finishing up at yoga and heading to the brewery for a bite to eat.
I thought about what Emma and Maggie had said about Jake and me. I thought about the fact that he’d picked my kid up six hours ago and was hanging out with her just to help me out and because he said he enjoyed her. Jake had already logged more hours in Addie’s presence than her dad had on a regular basis, not that I faulted him. I knew where we both stood. Even so…
Me:In case I forget to tell you later, thanks for spending time with Addie today. I appreciate it.
Jake:…
I quickly began to second-guess my decision to be genuine in a text. What was I thinking?
Jake:No problem, babe. You have a cool kid. See you at eight.
I rolled my eyes a bit atbabebut had to admit the rest was nice.
Me:Thanks, Just Jake.
I looked up to see Emma and Maggie watching me. “Shoot, I’m sorry. I’m holding you guys up. We can go.”
“Want to share with the class who the text exchange was with?” Emma asked, looking a bit smug.
I quickly moved to deflect. “It’s nothing. Jake was just telling me when they’d be back, but I have time for dinner.”
Emma looked at Maggie. “What do you think?” she asked her.
“Oh, it’s for certain. The lady protests too much,” Maggie replied. She linked her arm through mine and started moving us toward the door. “But we can discuss this later. I’m starving. You can’t keep a pregnant lady from food for this long. It’s criminal.”
I laughed and let her lead me out the door. I’d needed this night more than I knew. And I was getting it, thanks to Jake Spencer. I shook my head. Who would have thought?
It was just a short walk to the Homestead; a few blocks and we were there. Even though it was November and we’d had a freak winter storm just a few days ago, tonight was mild. Illinois. The weather seemed unable to pick a season and stick with it.
We made our way through the doors of the brewery and headed to grab one of the four-tops near the bar. Maggie grabbed a stool as Emma and I bellied up, waiting for Daryl to come to our end. I soaked in the feeling of being out with these two ladies, what felt like some important friendships I could count on. My nana would have been thrilled. I smiled, thinking about her.
“I can grab drinks,” Emma said, interrupting my thoughts. “Seltzer water for Maggie. What do you want, Ivy?”
I scanned the taps, my attention coming back to the present. “I’ll take the stout. It’s named something that has to do with an owl.”
“Barn Owl Stout,” said a gorgeous bearded guy at the bar as he turned to face us. “You have good taste.” He gave us a grin that was super familiar, but I couldn’t place him.
Emma seemed to consider him for a moment, then broke out in a wide grin. “Drew?”
The guy looked at Emma for a beat, then smiled back at her. “Sully’s sister, right? How’ve you been?” They moved toward each other and shared a hug.
Emma pulled back, laughing, then looked over from Maggie to me, I assumed to introduce us. But then her smile widened, and she looked back at Drew. “I think I have someone you’re going to be happy to meet,” she said as she turned him to face me.
Giving her a puzzled look, I simply decided to introduce myself. This was weird. “Hey, my name is Ivy.”
Drew took my hand and his gorgeous smile widened. Wow, that was nice. “Oh, Ivy. Bookstore Ivy, right?” He looked to Emma, who nodded. “I’m so glad you’re here. I think I should share my last name. I’m Drew, Drew Spencer.”
I felt myself quickly take a breath. “Jake’s brother?”
“One and the same, darling,” he said with a bit of a laugh.
