Staring in the mirror, she took her own breath away.
A loud bang on the door interrupted her self-admiration.
“Let me see it,” Hope demanded.
When Ivy unlocked the door, Hope yanked it open and a proud grin broke across her face. “I won’t even say I told you so. You look stunning. We’ll pin your hair up to show off your neck and get you shoes that have a low vamp, so we can give your legs extra length. We’ll throw in my Prada clutch and favorite Cartier necklace as a finishing touch, and Sean won’t even know what hit him.”
Ivy blinked. “I don’t even know what a vamp is, but I think you’ve proved your point. You know what you’re doing.”
“Darn right I do.” Hope smiled smugly before saying to the store clerk who was now hovering behind her. “We’ll take it.”
* * *
Ivy and Hope celebrated their shopping victory by stopping at a restaurant close to the boutique for dinner. Ivy ordered a glass of wine, because she’d earned it after what Hope put her through. When Hope ordered sparkling water, Ivy raised her eyebrows hopefully. “Anything I need to know?”
Hope smiled shyly. “No.” She looked down at her hands that were folding and refolding the cloth napkin. “Well, maybe. It’s too soon to tell, but…”
“But…?”
“Something feels different this time. My boobs are sore.” She cupped said boobs in her hands and gave them a little squeeze. “Like tingly sore. I googled it, and apparently that’s one of the early signs. But I have another few days yet before it’s worth peeing on the stick to confirm.”
Ivy watched her friend struggle to hide her smile, so she gave free rein to her own, hoping it would catch. “Hope, this is exciting news! So let’s be excited!”
“I know, but…” Hope’s smile wavered. “The disappointment of being wrong has been so hard. I hate going through it each month.”
Empathy swamped Ivy’s heart, and she reached across the table for her friend’s hand. “All the more reason to channel your namesake and have a little hope.” She squeezed Hope’s hand. “If you’re wrong, then we’ll deal with that, together. But in the meantime, give yourself permission to be excited and hopeful.”
Hope wiped away a tear that had escaped her lovely brown eyes. “You’ve changed,” she said, her eyes glittering. “It’s a good thing.”
Ivy shook her head, releasing Hope’s hand and settling back against her seat as their server arrived with their meals. A veggie burger and fries for Ivy, a chicken salad for Hope.
After the server left, Hope said, “I mean it, Ivy. You seem…lighter.”
Ivy shrugged, even though she’d been thinking about similar things lately. In the last few weeks, she’d learned so much about herself. Things she didn’t realize she’d needed to learn. Like even though she was terrified to let anyone in, she wanted to. And she was starting to feel safer with herself, more accepting of the feelings and emotions that she’d spent years, even before the attack, trying to tamp down. The inadequacy and loneliness, the hurt and betrayal. She’d discovered that the more she allowed herself to understand the things that burned her heart and mind, the more she could release them.
In doing so, she felt like a weight had been taken off of her shoulders. She knew who she had to thank for it, too. A tall, dark, muscular, big-hearted man who had the patience of a saint and the fingers of a god. Well, fingers and…
“I do feel more relaxed these days,” she conceded, picking up her burger.
“The sexual glow looks good on you,” Hope stated, then took a bite of her salad.
Ivy almost choked on her food.
“I guess,” Hope said, as she munched on her salad, “the whole friends-with-benefits thing is doing what you wanted it to do.”
“And then some.” She cleared her throat. “Letting go with Sean these last few weeks has been like a…rebirth. I never knew sex could feel like that.”
“Like a full body experience?” Hope asked.
Ivy nodded, because that was exactly what it was like. When Sean was touching her, kissing her, filling her, she noticed it everywhere.
He’d helped her rediscover so much of herself. Her life, sanity, soul. And she didn’t know how she’d ever repay him, but she knew she wanted to, so badly. She wanted to give him the second chance he’d given her.
Which is why she’d done something a couple of days ago that she hoped would show Sean how much she cared about him, while also giving him a chance to heal a part of himself. She might have overstepped a wee bit, but when the opportunity had presented itself she had taken it and now, for better or worse, the deed was done.
She shoved her fries around on her plate before taking a sip of her wine. Hope might be able to advise her wisely.
“So, I did something with the very best intentions, but I might have meddled the teensiest little bit.”
