Holton had company, and she wasn’t in the mood for people. Ivy sighed.
“Ivy! Have a glass of bubbly!” Holton pressed a stemmed glass into her hand.
She gulped it almost without thinking. “What’s the occasion?”
“Someone’s gotten himself a lead!” Jerome, Holton’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, said.
He opened the door for her. “You look wet in a bad way. Did you go swimming with your clothes on?”
“Long story,” Ivy said.
Sipping the glass of champagne, she squeezed past a bundle of people by the door.
“Congrats Holton!”
“Isn’t it fantastic?” Holton smiled, kissing her on the cheek.
“Hi Emery,” Ivy said. She suddenly felt shy. It was the first time she had seen Emery since being fired. But Emery slung an arm around her.
“Isn’t it amazing? I’m so proud of my brother. And horribly jealous. He leaves tomorrow morning to go film on location for six months.”
“Holton, that’s great!” Ivy said.
“Yeah, sorry to leave you in the lurch, but Amanda and Flo have agreed to take over my lease.” Holton gestured to the two she had passed on her way in.
“Oh. That’s nice.” Placing the empty glass of champagne on the coffee table, she smiled at the guests and escaped to her room.
Behind the closed door, she hugged a pillow to her chest. Losing her job and the roof over her head in one day was too much.
Not wanting to shower with houseguests, she threw on a sweatshirt and yoga pants. She got in bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin.
A soft knock sounded on her door.
“Ivy, it’s me. Can I come in?”
“Sure, Emery.”
“Hey, I know this isn’t great news for you.” Emery sat on the end of the bed.
“I’m happy for Holton. He’s a great guy and a talented actor. It’s nice that someone saw that,” Ivy said into the blankets.
“Yeah, but he should have waited instead of giving up the apartment to his friends. Ivy, you need to go home.”
She shook her head. “Emery, I don’t have a home. Gabe kicked me out.”
Admitting what happened between her and Gabe had been hard, but Emery had been kind and a good friend to her.
“You bought that condo with your hard-earned money. Right now,youhave nowhere to go. Gabe has family here and friends. He can find somewhere else to go if he doesn’t want you home.”
Ivy stared at Emery. “You’re not mad at me?”
Emery shrugged. “I was afraid to take your side at work, and I should have stood up for you. It was on your personal account, and I’ve seen co-workers post worse. I’m mad about how Gabe has treated you.”
“I saw him the other night at an event. He thawed towards me a bit.” Ivy touched her bandaged cheek.
“Maybe he’s cooled down enough to come to his senses. But as of Friday, you don’t have a home. You look like you need a shower, and this party will go all night long. Want me to drive you?”
“No, I want my car if he doesn’t let me in,” Ivy said. “I wonder if he changed the locks.”
