“As it looks like you’re in the middle of an important dinner,” Ivy said, “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.”
It was all I could do not to run after her and explain myself. Even I had to admit it looked bad. On a date with the woman who had cheated on me? Anyone would assume I was either weak or stupid, neither of which was how I wanted Ivy to think of me. I wanted her to want me.
Unfortunately, there were another two hours of dinner to go. Camilla pouted and drank as course after course was brought out. She didn’t touch hers, and I picked at mine, wishing, as the seconds slowly dragged by, that it was Ivy with me. When the final dessert was set down in front of us, I asked the waiter if he could just box up the cake, the leftovers, and the untouched dishes.
“Are we going back to your place?” Camilla breathed against my neck.
“Which place?” I asked tersely. “The one you’re currently squatting in?”
“I live there. It’s mine! You bought it for me!” she protested, her nails sinking into my skin.
“No, I bought it for us.”
“You have to get back together with me,” Camilla said, starting to sob. “We’re in love. We’re meant to be together.”
The waiter came back with the bill. He was too professional to even twitch an eyebrow, but I knew he was silently disapproving. I threw down my credit card then turned to Camilla.
“We will never get back together.”
“You’re going to be all alone!” Camilla howled at me as the waiter returned with a brown paper sack full of food and the half bottle of wine Camilla hadn’t guzzled.
“I’d rather be alone than with someone who does not respect me.”
“I love you.”
“You don’t,” I said. “I should have listened to my sister. She was right about you all along.”
I felt oddly calm as I left the restaurant. I felt free. I’d survived the dinner. Sutherland should sell me the property now, and Camilla and her antics were now no longer something I had to contend with. Things were looking up.
Then I remembered Ivy’s face when she saw me with Camilla. I checked the time. Would she still be awake?
Her light was on when the town car pulled up in front of her co-op building. Mrs. Russo was on the sidewalk, chatting with three other older women. They whistled and catcalled when I walked up to the door.
“I told you he’s handsome, didn’t I, Ida?” Mrs. Russo declared, nudging her friend.
“Dip him in chocolate and I’d eat him right up!” Ida extended her hand to me. She had a surprisingly strong grip.
“I’m in the sex toy business,” she informed me. “We have sex chocolate that has a lower melting point, and you can literally dip your dick in it.” She pulled a jar from her purse. “Give it a try.”
I desperately tried to keep a straight face. “I don’t have anyone to use that with,” I said, trying to politely refuse.
Ida placed it in the bag of food.
“Ivy will like it,” Mrs. Russo assured me. “She loves chocolate. Tell her this is the dark chocolate; she’ll lick it off your cock all day.”
“I—”
“Here, I’ll let you in,” Mrs. Russo said. “Me and the girls are trying to decide which strip club to go to.”
I walked up to Ivy’s apartment in a daze and knocked on the door. Fergus meowed inside.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t find any ATMs that give one-dollar bills,” she said as she unlocked the door.
I raised an eyebrow when it opened. “You going to a strip club?” I teased.
“Why would I need to when you keep showing up here unannounced to harass me and take off your clothes?” she countered.
“I only undressed that one time,” I said.
