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“Who said I was seeing anyone?” Ivy asks. She spins around with a guilty expression and escapes into the kitchen before Dottie can ask any more questions. Dottie shakes her head and follows her, the loose colorful blouse she’s wearing billowing out behind her as she moves.
She has this hippie vibe to her and some people might call her eccentric, but she’s always been true to herself. It’s something I admire about her. After growing up around someone who was always pretending, it’s a nice change of pace to be around someone real. She’s the kind of person who does whatever she wants and gives absolutely no fucks to what anyone else thinks of her. I need that in my life. Lord knows, with my mother, I could have turned out way worse than I did and Dottie always reminded me what normal was.
The dining room table is already set as I walk past it to the kitchen where Ivy passes me, carrying a plate of food, and Dottie lines three glasses up on the counter and fills them with water. She peeks up from her task and makes a disapproving noise.
“Don’t just stand there gawkin’, girl. Grab those napkins and sit down.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Grabbing the napkins off the counter, I go back into the dining room and sit down just as my phone buzzes. As discreetly as possible, I pull it out and read the message under the table.
Chance:
Tell me something.
Me:
What?
“No phones at the table, Carly,” Ivy says with a shit-eating grin on her face that reminds me of when we were kids and her favorite thing was tattling on me. I sigh as I roll my eyes and stuff my phone back in my pocket.
“You’re such a pain in the ass,” I shoot back but she keeps grinning at me until I look away, a smile teasing my lips.
“Jesus, you’re grown ass women and y’all fight like you’re kids sometimes.”
Ivy sticks her bottom lip out as she crosses her arms over her chest. “She started it.”
Dottie makes a noise of exasperation and we both burst into laughter. “Will y’all just sit down and eat some damn food? I’m starving.”
Still giggling, we sit down and Ivy nudges Dottie as she passes the mashed potatoes to her. “I can’t believe you fall for that every time, Dot.”
“Please, girl. I still have nightmares about the two of you in your teenage years,” she teases and Ivy rolls her eyes.
“Oh, we weren’t that bad.”
Dottie quirks an eyebrow and pins Ivy down with a stare. “My eardrums would suggest otherwise. Sometimes, I swear I can still hear you two screeching at each other.”
“Oh, whatever,” Ivy grumbles before sticking her tongue out at Dottie as she scoops green beans onto her plate. I peek over at Dottie and hold back a giggle at the grin teasing her lips as she passes me the chicken. We’re quiet as we get our food and once all our plates are full, Dottie turns to Ivy and smiles.
“So, you’re seeing someone?”
“Um…” Ivy hums, trying to think of a lie but it’s already too late.
“Who is he?”
My phone buzzes and I sneak it out of my pocket while Dottie's gaze is locked on Ivy.
Chance:
What is it that’s holding you back?
I look across the table where Ivy is pushing her food around on her plate and trying her best to dodge Dottie’s questions before blowing out a breath. There is no way in hell I’m ready to tell him about why I am the way I am. The truth is Ibarely know him, no matter how good it feels to talk to him and flirt with him.
Me:
Holding me back from what?
“Good gracious, girl. Just tell me,” Dottie exclaims and Ivy sighs, peeking up from her plate. She knows her time has run out and she has no other option than to spill her guts.
