“Let’s go,” Ivy says around a mouthful, taking Lilah’s hand and leading the way to the Ferris wheel.
Lincoln and I follow behind, quickly being joined by our other two siblings who had a very intense, very rowdy game of ring toss—which is not surprising. They’ve always been super competitive. The four of us trail after my girls, watching them swing their joined hands for a moment, before Lincoln breaks the silence.
“Did you guys see Ivy talking to Katie?”
A chorus ofWhat?andWhen?surrounds me, and I roll my eyes and groan before I shut them up.
“Just a minute ago,” I say. “It was, for the lack of a better term, entertaining.” I try to fight the smirk pulling at my lips, but it wins out.
“Please tell me she went full crazy Ivy on her,” Sophie says, laughing.
Oh, yes she did.
Several more questions ring out, so I give them all the details, repeating each completely unhinged thing Ivy said as best I could, while trying to keep a straight face. Actually retelling it, and having to repeat Ivy’s words just makes me realize how insane she was. I fucking loved it. Lincoln recounts their interaction in the cotton candy line, and the events leading up to the confrontation with Katie.
“Yep, sounds about right,” Sophie says.
“Holy fuck that’s good,” Maverick says while laughing and shaking his head. “I love her.”
God help me, I think I do too.
Knew it.
I roll my eyes at Sarah's snarky voice in my head.
Lincoln murmurs so only I can hear, elbowing me in my side. “You should’ve seen how worked up she was watching Katie talk to you. She was actually growling. She was like a little pissed off kitten.” I smile at that. “Why aren’t you telling Liliah?” he asks quietly.
I bob my head back and forth, taking a second to find the right words.
“If I tell her…” I start, running a hand through my hair. “That’s me making her a promise. A promise that this person I’m inviting into our lives is permanent. I can’t let Lilah lose someone else.”
I can’t let myself lose someone else.
“That’s what you want? You want her permanently? You’re that sure?” he questions, raising his eyebrows.
A million times yes. I spent so long fighting it, weeks of trying to keep my distance. But now that I’ve given in to it, I know there’s no going back.
“Yeah,” I admit. “But what’s the marker? What’s the defining moment that will allow me to tell Lilah without the overwhelming guilt that I might be doing something horribly wrong. I want Ivy. God, I want her so fucking bad. But does she want me, hellLilahthat bad to be sure she’ll stay?”
Those words hang between us for several seconds. I don’t think Lincoln will respond, until he speaks up again. “Maybe at some point you just have to decide if she’s worth the risk. Is she worth the try?” he says, giving me a sidelong glance.
Yes.
I don’t even have to think about it. If the only thing it comes down to, is whether or not Ivy is worth something, the answer will always be yes. She’s worth everything.
Sheiseverything.
I just hope she feels a fraction of that for me.
I don’t get a chance to answer because we make it to the Ferris wheel. The bright red and blue lights blink in the night sky like a motion sickness beacon. I hate Ferris wheels.
We’re met with my parents waiting for us, and ushering us toward the available carts. We line up at the base of the wheel, waiting to be herded. Lilah chooses the uncles, so Linc, Mav, and her pile into one cart, and Ivy and I wave back to her as her grinning face stares down at us. My mom and dad step into a cart next, leaving me, Ivy, Sophie, and Beau at the bottom.
Sophie looks between her options, then lunges for Ivy’s hand—but I’m quicker. Lifting Ivy around the waist with one arm, I step into the cart that just arrived, and deposit her right next to me. I pull the bar down, and wink at my sister who looks like she might actually be capable of murder.
“Mine,” I call out, as we start to rise.
Sophie fists her hands down by her side, eyes narrowed into slits as she watches Ivy and I ascend. Beau looks incredibly uncomfortable, and is looking anywhere but at our interaction.
