“Ivy! It’s so nice to see you. Would you like to join us for a moment?”
Ivy swallowed. Ella’s warm eyes held no judgement.
She bit her lip. “Hi, Ella. Okay, I would love to join you.”
Grabbing her stuff, she followed the red-haired woman over to the small table in the corner.
“Josie, do you remember Ivy?”
“Yes! You gave me great advice about my logo.”
“I did?” Ivy’s voice came out high-pitched.
“Yes, right after I dropped food off at Ella and Zee’s?”
Ivy frowned. Her life had been divided into two halves, before the post and after the post.
“At the labour day party almost two years ago. Ella and Zee ran out of alcohol, and Jordan knocked on their neighbour’s door, asking for a drink in exchange for a song?”
“Yes,” Ella smiled. “I had never seen so many people in the neighbourhood out.”
“He brought people together,” Ivy said. She missed the always upbeat, always there man. Jordan had a way of making people feel more relaxed in their own skin. The Bandit Brothers weren’t the same without him.
“Sorry to bring it up,” Josie said.
“No, it’s good to remember. And it’s nice seeing you again.” Ivy smiled.
“I should go. I have a dinner order to finish. Ella, I’ll see you next week at the soup kitchen.” Josie grabbed her crutch, stood up from her chair and waved.
“Now I remember. I told her to use a different font and drop the white bread basket from her logo because she did more. I think I told her just to use her name.”
“You did. Josie’s catering business is booming. Your suggestions gave her a lift. Ivy, how are you?”
Ivy took a sip of her drink, searching Ella’s face. She still saw no sign of judgement. But she didn’t know how much everyone knew. When the other members that went to Club Bandit stopped talking to her, she assumed everyone knew the details. And though not all of them were on social media, many were, so how could they not see the post she made?
“I’m okay. The roommate I was staying with got a new gig. I needed somewhere to go. So last night, I went home to the condo I shared with Gabe.”
“Did that go as you hoped?”
Ivy shook her head, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes. God, she was tired of shedding tears over this. “In part. But not really. Anyway, what are you working on here, Ella?” Ivy peered over Ella’s laptop screen.
Ella gave her a gentle smile and turned her laptop so she could see the front page of her website. Ella made and sold fetish wear and corsets and donated the proceeds to a foundation she and Zee had.
“I want to increase online sales directly through the website. I’m not having a great amount of luck with it.”
“May I?” Ivy reached for the laptop as Ella nodded.
“I think you need warmer colours, for starters. Also, there is nothing here about all proceeds being donated to the foundation.”
“I thought that would detract people,” Ella said.
“Nope. People like causes. You need to give people an option to buy directly from your social media, too,” Ivy said.
“Good idea. I didn’t think of that,” Ella said.
“It gives people something to scroll to when they click your posts.” Ivy passed the laptop back to Ella.
“I’ll mull over your suggestions, thanks.”
