“It’s fine, Ivy. I’m better off without her.”
“Damn right you are, Jake. But I’m so sorry.” She bit her bottom lip and looked up at me with some trepidation. “And since then?”
I tucked a long curl behind her ear. “No one serious.” Part of me wanted to addyetto that sentence, but I figured that was pushing it. Maybe?
Maggie and Sully swayed by, Maggie’s eyes closed with her head resting on Sully’s chest, their lower bodies separated by her basketball belly. Apparently she’d gotten a second wind for at least a few songs.
Looking back to Ivy, I pulled her flush against me again. If we were doing this, I figured we might as well get it all out.
“You’ve told me before that you and Addie’s dad never married. Do you want to share more?”
Ivy pulled back again to meet my eyes. Hers were dancing. “So we’re the type of friends that kiss on kitchen counters, hold hands in public, and now talk about lost loves.”
My heart sank at the term lost love, which was ridiculous. I mean, she had Addie. Of course there was a serious relationship in her past.
Steph and Drew slid up next to us, doing a spin and swaying to our side. Drew raised his eyebrows at me, then looked to Ivy. “Bookstore, why does Jake here have the lost-puppy-dog face? Did you finally share that you were more interested in the better of the Spencer siblings?”
Steph smacked his head. “Sorry, you two. Can’t take this one anywhere.” She led them away. I owed her one.
I moved us as we danced toward the tank-area part of the dance space. It was less populated by nosy family members. Looking down at Ivy, I ran my finger along her jaw, tilting her chin up to meet my eyes. “Yes, Ivy. I’d like to be that type of friends, and more.” I fought the urge to devour her with my mouth, settling for a kiss to her forehead before pulling her tight to sway to the music once again.
Ivy’s head rested on my chest in silence for a beat before she cleared her throat. “Okay, in that case, I’ve had one serious relationship. Addie’s dad, Noah.”
I steeled myself, praying I would be strong enough not to be eaten up my jealousy after whatever it was that Ivy was going to share. He wasn’t here now. I was clinging to that.
Ivy squeezed my torso with her arms like she knew I was struggling, which said a lot. Then she continued. “Noah and I dated at the end of college and for about a year after. I don’t know if I ever saw us together for good, but he was a good guy. He is idealistic, lots of service trips during college. He and I came from the same area growing up. Our families are similar—lots of means, not a lot of love. I had my nana, but Noah didn’t have anything like that. His coping mechanism was to pour love into the world instead. I knew he was headed to Africa after college to help bring water to rural villages as soon as he saved up enough money—”
“I thought you said his family had money?”
Ivy laughed, but it was without humor. “Our parents don’t believe in that kind of work. There isn’t enough status in it.”
I looked to my mom and dad who were now doing some weird group huddle dance with Steph and Drew. It seems even at my age, I found more and more reasons to appreciate my childhood.
I squeezed Ivy to tell her to continue.
“So, when I found out I was pregnant, I let him know. It was right before he left, and we had, for all purposes, broken up. Noah and I were friends, but more than that wasn’t in the cards. He offered to give me money for Addie, for her care, but as I told your sister the other day, how could I take his money when I knew what good he was trying to do with it?”
I looked to Steph. “My sister?”
I felt Ivy look up at me. “Yeah, she asked me about my support system the other day. I’m guessing she didn’t share with you?”
I shook my head, grateful Ivy had that with Steph, but wishing I’d had some intel.
“Hmm,” she murmured. “Anyway, I told Noah we’d be fine, and we have been, though times were tight. He comes back to the states a few times every year and sees Addie when he can. He’s her dad, but he and I are friends.”
I looked down at Ivy to find her watching me. “Are you telling me I don’t need to be jealous?”
She licked her lips, which made me want to groan. “Are you saying you would be jealous?”
I pulled her closer so she could feel my arousal. Her eyes widened.
“I’m saying I’m feeling a whole lot about you, Ivy. And I don’t know what to do about that.”
A flush worked its way up her chest to her neck. She rose on her toes to whisper in my ear. “I’m thinking we both just shared that there is nothing standing in the way of me helping you with thatcondition, Jake.”
I dipped my mouth down, pressing a kiss to her neck, and then pulled back to whisper in her ear. “You’re killing me, Ivy. Can I toss you over my shoulder and head to your place right now?”
“Your family…,” she whispered.
