“Freaking out?” My heart leapt in my throat.
Esme hit me. “I told you. He’s gonna lose his mind when he realizes he hurt you. He didn’t mean to. I’ve watched him around you.”
“You all didn’t see the expression on his face though.” It reminded me of the night three years ago, when he’d dismissed me and never looked back. I understood it wasn’t fair to compare the two moments, but how could I not?
“Wait. Oh, interesting. Oli thinks he has a plan to get you back.”
“Oliver? Our Oli? A plan to get back Ivy?” Vee arched a brow. “That’s interesting. He doesn’t strike me as that type. He’s too… goody-two shoes, too boring.”
“He’s just your opposite, Vee. He’s not boring.” Lo frowned. “Oh my god, Dean texting is the worst. How do you deal with this, Mack?”
“I’d say the same about Luca, Lolo.” Mack grinned and took another bite of the cinnamon rolls they’d brought over. “Okay,Oliver is suggesting Callum pretends to be needy and begs for help. You could be his nurse.”
“That’s a terrible plan,” Vee scoffed. “Super unromantic.”
“But it would work, right? Ivy. If Callum asked you to help him, you would, wouldn’t you?”
I nodded before my brain could catch up. I wanted to be with him, making sure he was taking care of himself, like he had done for me so many times. “I’d do anything he asked.”
“So not a terrible plan then,” Lo said, eying Vee. “Interesting you’re so opposed to Oliver.”
“I’m not opposed. He’s just boring.”
“Uh, you danced with him on a bar this summer at Callum’s summer house. You know, the one he namedPettyPalacesince his mom won it in the divorce.”
“That doesn’t sound boring,” Esme said, grinning. “Anyway, I vote we talk about Vee and Oli next Tuesday night.”
“I like you. Yes.” Mack pointed her coffee at Esme. “For now, we need to help Ivy. What do you need?”
“I don’t know. I guess… he pushed me away, so I want him to reach out first.”
“I’d agree, but he’s gonna be done playing the rest of the season. Just had surgery. He might need you more, and look, I’m sorry. I know he fucked up and was an ass, but if you two are for real and in for the long haul, there are times you’re gonna take the L.” Mack winced when I stared at her. “I’m on your side, but I love Callum. He’s a puppy and loves with his whole heart. I’d bet everything that he had a reason to push you away.”
“You said Henry was with him or near you, when he told you to get out?” Esme asked, her brows pinching together.
I nodded.
“IVY LEE EMERSON!” Esme jumped up. “He was protectingyou.Don’t you see? You mentioned to me and Callum a hundredtimes that he can’t mess up your internship or job opportunity. You told him you’d never forgive him if he ruined this for you.”
“Oh shit.” Mack clapped. “Yes, I told you. This makes sense. Henry is your boss, right?”
I nodded as the cobwebs faded. Holy shit.He was protecting me.Relief, guilt, and desperation all combined into a horrible adrenaline-fueled frenzy. I had enough energy to sprint to the hospital this second. “Oh god.” I bolted up. “Henry was there as well as Mr. Allpress, the guy I have the interview with tomorrow.”
Lo’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “He did that to protect you. He didn’t want Henry or that Allpress guy to think you were involved with him.”
“Because I asked him to.” I closed my eyes, my gut churning with regret. “Oh my god, I left him alone this whole time because I thought he wanted to end this.”
“He was doing what you asked, and it was probably insanely hard for him.” Esme grabbed my hand. “You have to go to him.”
She was right. All those times he said he loved me, he meant it. I felt the words every time he said them, and for him to think I didn’t believe him now? When I asked him to hide our relationship at work?
The selflessness of him to do this, when he was at a low point, was beyond me. His sacrificing his own wants for me was… I couldn’t put into words how much that meant for me. It meant everything.
“I have to see him.” My voice shook. “Right now. I need to talk to him.”
Where the hell was my phone? Where was my lip balm? Did I have money? Who could drive?
“I’ll take you. I gotta get Luca anyway.” Lo jingled her keys. “Girls, this has been a massive success. I knew our boy wasn’t a fool. He loves Ivy way too much to be an idiot.”
