“And I would’ve let you. Even when I was trying so hard not to let the lines blur.”
“Too late for that.”
She lets out a shaky exhale. “With my training camp in Japan right around the corner, I have the perfect excuse to leave your care team that won’t raise eyebrows. I’ve already started handing off my other patients. This should be no different.”
There’s a faint hitch between sentences, like she’s trying to convince herself as much as me. The sobering thought of herleaving so soon slices sharp through my mind. “I hate the idea of being far away from you,” I say honestly, not bothering to hide my feelings with her.
“I know,” she murmurs and gives me a reassuring kiss. “But I need to go. If I don’t, I’ll regret it. It’s only three months anyway.”
Three months doesn’t sound long. But it stretches in my mind like an endless rink, empty and cold without her warm presence to fill it.
“So what does this mean for us?”
“We have a few days left before I leave. But this gives us time to focus on ourselves, you on your healing and me on the Circuit. When I’m back, we’ll figure the rest out.”
Her words are meant to soothe, but a strange mix of hope and fear churns through me. Hope that this thing between us is real enough to last, and the fear that time and distance might dull it.
“You know being with me won’t stay private forever. I’m not exactly a nobody, Ivy. The attention of the media and the public can get intense. People love to dig information and speculate. They’ll talk about you like they know you.”
She’s quiet for a moment, and I can almost hear her sorting through it. Then, she says firmly, “I know what your world looks like, Teddy. I’ve seen glimpses of it from the outside. And honestly? The idea of being thrown into that spotlight terrifies me a little. I’m used to being in the background, not the one being stared at. But with my racing career and being with you, it’ll all change.” She lets out a slow breath. “I also know what I want and that’s us.”
Her words slam into me with quiet force. She’s not saying it’llbe easy; she’s saying she’s willing. For me. Despite everything, my mouth curves faintly.
“Does this mean I can finally have your number?”
Ivy chuckles. “I can’t believe we haven’t exchanged digits.”
“Better late than never.” I reach for the phone on the side table and hand it to her. “Put your information in and text yourself.”
“What should I put my name down as?”
My mouth goes dry. It’s a simple question, but my brain suddenly scrambles like I’ve been thrown into overtime with no play drawn up. The words Iwantto say hover on the tip of my tongue, bold and terrifying.Fuck it, I’ll say them anyway.
“How about ‘my light’?”
She exhales a shaky gasp. The kind that slips out before she can catch it. “Oh, Theodore.”
Hearing my name in that breathy, disbelieving tone sends a shiver through me. My heart tightens, equal parts nervous and proud. I meant it. And from the sound of her voice, she knows I did.
Her nails click softly against the screen as she types. I sit still, pretending this moment is not a big deal. Inside, I’m reeling. I’ve never asked a woman for her number before. One night was usually enough, and I’d move on without looking back. But this isn’t about a night of shared pleasure or a distraction. It’s about wanting her in my life tomorrow and all the days after that.
“There. Now you can’t say I’m impossible to reach,” Ivy points out.
“Good. I don’t plan on letting you off that easily,my light.”
She lets out a soft, incredulous laugh. “You’re unbelievable.”
“And yet, you’re still here. A kiss before you go?”
She leans in and her lips find mine in a quick, fleeting touch. With a soft sigh after, she excuses herself to start her rounds. The silence she leaves behind should feel hollow, but instead it hums with possibility. For the first time in a long time, the future doesn’t scare me. It sparks something alive in me instead.
25
IVY
DECEMBER 27
OH. MY. GOD.
