Zoey nods emphatically, and Scarlett does as well. “Daddy said she was coming on our vacation too,” Scarlett says, “but that she was going to spend most of the time with Mr. Law. But we haven’t even seen her.”
I do a mental facepalm. My headache threw a wrench in everything, and it slipped my mind completely to update the girls about Carlie. Guilt slithers through me that I didn’t do something to counteract my migraine earlier so I could take care of my daughters.
You can’t juggle everything all the time, my therapist’s voice interjects with an oft-repeated phrase she uses. I learned for next time, I promise myself.
Ivy looks over at me, waiting.
I scoot back over next to Ivy, and she shifts a little to let me into the group with them. It’s cozy and nice, and I wish I could say it’s something that I’ve missed about having a traditional family. But Shelby was never like this. Shelby would have walked away and told me to handle it because the screaming was too much.
“Since I was sick yesterday, I forgot to tell you something.” I put an arm around Zoey’s tiny frame and pull her close to me. “Carlie’s plane couldn’t leave Houston yesterday because of a storm.” I widen my eyes and so do the girls. “She’ll be here tonight, and I’m sure she’ll want to see both of you as soon as possible. I bet she misses you too.”
“Was the storm bad?” Scarlett asks.
“Just too slippery for airplanes. Everything is fine now,” Iassure her. Scarlett’s life has been in upheaval for the last several months, and one of her coping mechanisms is worrying about a lot of things. Giving her all the information I can has been key in helping her, and I let this slide.
“Oh my goodness,” Ivy says with faux surprise. “Look who just called me!” She holds up her phone to reveal Carlie’s face.
Zoey bounces in her seat, a smile instantly transforming her expression. “Carlie!” she cries and then claps. Scarlett grins at the phone too.
“Hey, girls!” Carlie says brightly. “Look, I’m at the airport!” She swings her phone around to show the seats around her and the window with several planes parked nearby. “I’m going to get on a plane soon to come and see you.”
“We miss you, Carlie,” Zoey says, reaching for the phone. Ivy hands it over without missing a beat, and Zoey holds it carefully in her lap so she and Scarlett can both see.
I look over at Ivy while they tell Carlie about the skating rink and how there are no pink skates. “Brilliant,” I whisper to Ivy.
She shrugs. “Carlie texted me and Law earlier to let us know she was at the airport on standby to see if she could get an earlier flight out. I figured since she was just waiting around …?”
I grin. Zoey’s expression has changed completely. The way Ivy figured out quickly why Zoey’s emotions were on edge and her intuition in handling the situation has saved the day.
My brain goes from zero to sixty, telling me that Ivy could handle being an insta-mom.
I hit the brakes just as fast, listing out quickly all the reasons I’ve already come up with. Just because shecouldbe an insta-mom doesn’t mean she’d want to. Also, too young. Also, doesn’t want a relationship. That’s a big deal, and no matter how great Ivy is with the girls, I can’t ignore that fear. It’s substantiated and it’s protecting me. I need to be careful.
“We’re going skating, Carlie,” Scarlett says. “We have to put our skates on, right, Zo?”
“Yeah!” Zoey says excitedly. “Mine are white, not pink. But it’s okay.”
“I’ll see you girls soon.” Carlie waves at them and blows a kiss. They blow kisses back, and Scarlett hangs up the call and hands the phone to Ivy.
“Who’s ready to skate?” I ask.
Thankfully, both girls cheer.
Between me and Ivy, we have the girls laced up a few minutes later. I stand and, without really thinking, offer a hand to Ivy to help her up. She takes it, sliding her warm hand over mine and gripping it as she straightens. She drops it a second later, then quickly pulls gloves out of her pocket and puts them on.
That touch, though? It’s already sending waves of electricity up my arm.
Too complicated. Too young. Too unavailable, I chant to myself, but it doesn’t work. I liked the way her hand felt in mine. I liked the way she had my back with Zoey and didn’t overstep. I liked how she thought of my daughter’s needs first and what could help.
I like Ivy.
I like her too much.
But I can keep this situation under control. It doesn’t have to mean anything.
CHAPTER 7
IVY
