Chapter 3
IBY
Ipulled into my parking space at my complex and killed the engine, but I couldn't bring myself to go inside yet. The encounter with Eric had left me rattled, my hands still trembling slightly on the steering wheel.
Why now? Why had he shown up tonight? Was this cosmic fate? The universe laughing at me? Karma?
"Fuck you, Eric," I muttered.
I grabbed my phone and scrolled to Elena's name, knowing being alone was not ideal right now.
Thankfully, she picked up on the second ring. "Hey, you. How'd the date go?"
"Disaster." I leaned my head back against the seat. "Any chance I can still crash girls' night? I could use some wine and friendly faces."
"Of course! We're at Mer's place. Come over whenever."
Relief flooded through me. "You're a lifesaver. Be there in twenty."
"Want to talk about it?"
"I'll tell you when I see you."
There was no way I wanted to share this fiasco without a drink in my hand. No way in hell.
The drive to Meredith's sprawling estate helped settle my nerves. By the time I pulled up to the gate and the guard let me pass, I'd almost convinced myself the whole thing with Eric was no big deal. Just an awkward run-in with an ex. Nothing worth dwelling on.
Except I couldn't stop dwelling on it.
The way he'd moved when Jordan grabbed me. The coldness in his voice when he'd told Jordan to let go. The heat in his eyes when he'd looked at me afterward.
The way he still looked as devilishly handsome as he had all those years ago, and how my body still reacted to him.
Stop it.
I parked and headed inside, following the sound of laughter to the sitting room. The scene that greeted me was the kind of cozy luxury only the Donati-Savoca circle could pull off. Soft lighting, plush furniture, and three gorgeous women sprawled across couches with glasses in hand.
Marcello was being minded back at Sofia's place by her trusted babysitter, giving her a night of freedom.
A team of nail technicians had set up shop, working on Meredith and Sofia's hands while Elena waited her turn.
"Ivy!" Elena waved me over. "Perfect timing. They just finished Sof's nails."
Sofia wiggled her freshly painted fingers, the deep burgundy catching the light. "We've got your color picked out already. Trust me, it's perfect."
One of the technicians gestured to an empty seat. "We can start whenever you're ready."
I sank into the chair with a grateful sigh. "You guys are the best."
Meredith lifted her glass of sparkling juice in a mock toast. "To emergency girls' nights and terrible dates."
"I'll drink to that." Elena handed me a generous pour of wine.
I took a long sip, savoring the crisp white. "God, I needed this."
"So." Sofia leaned forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Tell us everything. How bad was he?"
"He didn't show." I shrugged, trying to play it casual. "Turns out I either attract losers or flakes."
"What an ass." Meredith shook her head. "His loss."
"Yeah, well." I held out my hands for the technician. "My luck being what it is, the night got even better."
Elena raised an eyebrow. "Better how?"
"Please say a hunking hot man gave you his number," Meredith said hopefully.
"I'm not that lucky, god." I snorted. "Quite the opposite, in fact. I ran into not one but two exes at the bar."
Sofia's jaw dropped. "Two? In one night? After a date stood you up?"
"Damn, the universe hates you tonight, sorry," Elena said with a visible cringe.
"What are the odds?" I let out a bitter laugh. "Yep. Well, my ex, Jordan, showed up first."
"Jordan?" Elena's expression darkened. "The one who—"
"Yeah. That Jordan." I didn't want to rehash the details of that particular disaster. "He tried to chat me up, act like nothing happened. When I told him to fuck off, he grabbed my wrist."
Meredith straightened. "He what?"
"It's fine. Didn't even leave a mark." I glanced down at my wrist, which was already back to normal. "Because my other ex happened to be there and intervened."
Sofia's eyes went wide. "Wait. Another ex? Who?"
"Eric." Just saying his name made my chest tight. "Eric Hale."
Elena's expression shifted to recognition. "Eric? I remember him. You guys dated for, what, six months?"
"Seven." The correction came automatically. "And then he texted me that he had to leave for work and ghosted me. No phone call, no explanation. Just... gone."
"Ouch." Sofia winced. "That's cold."
"So what happened?" Meredith asked. "When he saw Jordan grabbing you?"
I closed my eyes, replaying the scene. "He told Jordan to leave me alone essentially. Jordan tried to punch him. Eric put him on the floor. Fast."
"Damn." Sofia grinned. "A knight in shining armor. How sweet."
I scoffed. "Sweet? He abandoned me four years ago. Over text. No warning, no conversation, just 'I have to go away for work' and then radio silence. Blocked my number and everything. Vanished from social media. That was all the explanation I got."
I wasn't about to go into the details of how I'd thought we were on the brink of moving in together because he was at my place most nights after he finished his construction job.
The technician working on my nails paused, clearly listening despite trying to look professional. I didn't care. Let her hear about what a mess my love life was.
Elena tilted her head. "I remember him though. He seemed nice whenever I met him. Different from your other boyfriends."
"Different how?" Meredith asked. She'd heard enough of my tragic past thanks to a few other girls' nights.
"I don't know. Calmer. More... present, I guess? Like he actually listened when you talked instead of just waiting for his turn to speak. I thought he was nice, actually cared."
That stung because it was true. Eric had been different.
Attentive. Thoughtful. Caring. Loving. I fought my instincts to sabotage the relationship so much because it was unfamiliar, wanting to believe I could actually have something good.
It had been perfect; he had been perfect. Right up until he wasn't.
"Well, he left." I took another sip of wine. "So whatever nice qualities he had, they didn't matter much in the end."
Meredith studied me with those sharp green eyes. "But he defended you tonight. And you said he didn't even know it was you at first?"
"He said he didn't."
"Then maybe he has some good traits still." Meredith's voice was gentle. "I'm not saying you should forgive him. Just... maybe he's not all bad?"
Elena shook her head. "Leaving someone in the lurch like that is a no-no though. Doesn't matter how nice he seemed before."
"Exactly." I nodded. "Which is why I told him to go to hell and left."
Sofia laughed. "Good for you."
"Yeah, well." I stared at my half-finished manicure. "Clearly I'm just destined to be alone. Can't pick a decent guy to save my life."
"That's not true." Elena squeezed my shoulder. "You've just had some bad luck."
"Bad luck is an understatement." But I smiled despite myself. "Okay, so how do we fix this? I need a good man. Where do I find one?"
"Dating apps?" Sofia suggested. "Though those are hit or miss."
"I've tried. It's mostly miss. Tonight's flake was from the cesspool of online dating."
Meredith tapped her chin. "What about through friends? We could set you up with someone."
"Do you know anyone who isn't already married or in the life?" I gestured vaguely at the opulent room. "Because I'm not exactly mafia girlfriend material. I'm a wild card, let's be real."
"You'd be surprised." Sofia grinned. "You're tough, and sure, maybe a wild card, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work."
"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I think I'll pass on dating mobsters."
Elena laughed. "Fair enough. What about your coworkers? Anyone interesting at the club?"
"Most of them are either taken or not my type." I sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I should just get a cat."
"Don't give up yet." Meredith's voice was warm. "The right person is out there. Sometimes they just show up when you least expect it."
I wanted to believe her. Really, I did. But sitting here surrounded by three women who'd all found their happy endings, it was hard not to feel like the universe had other plans for me.
Then again, their happy endings were part of the criminal underworld. Maybe I just had to accept that was all I'd wind up with too, especially in this life.
Still, I couldn't shake the image of Eric standing in that bar. The way he'd moved. The controlled violence in his grip when he'd taken Jordan down. The flash of something almost like regret in his eyes when I'd walked away.
Stop thinking about him.
I forced myself to focus on the conversation, which had shifted to some adorable thing Marcello had done that morning. But my mind kept drifting back to Eric.
Four years. Four years since he'd sent that text and disappeared from my life. Four years of trying to move on, of telling myself he wasn't worth the heartbreak.
And now he was back in Ironstone.
"It's a shame Anna didn't want to come," Meredith said with a sigh.
"She had her own hot date, remember?" Elena said with an eye wiggle. "She said it's going well, he's nice."
"Good for her." Sof tipped her glass. "Seizing life in both hands."
I didn't want to say anything snarky about how she was succeeding more than me in the dating department. She deserved it more than anyone else I knew. But it still hurt a little.
"Where are the men tonight anyway?" I asked, needing to change the subject in my own head. "I figured they'd be hovering around here somewhere."
Meredith and Sofia exchanged a look.
"Big meeting tomorrow," Sofia explained. "Potential ally for the Donati and Savoca families. They're doing all their background checking and prep work tonight."
"Sounds intense."
"It is." Meredith settled back into the couch, one hand absently resting on her barely visible baby bump. "Leo's been on edge about it for a few days. Whoever this group is, they're powerful enough to make him nervous."
"Which is saying something," Elena added. "Leo doesn't rattle easily."
Sofia nodded. "Grayson's going to go over everything with me when I see him tomorrow. Make sure I'm up to speed before the actual sit-down."
"Do you go to these things?" I asked.
"Sometimes. Depends on whether it directly involves Savoca interests." Sofia examined her nails, satisfied with the color. "This one does, so I'll probably make an appearance."
The idea of Sofia walking into a room full of dangerous men and holding her own didn't surprise me. She had that same steel core that the men of the family possessed. The kind of strength that came from surviving in a world most people only saw in movies.
Elena and I had found ourselves drawn into it albeit through no fault of our own. But it hadn't turned out to be a bad thing. If anything, we were more comfortable because of it, and Anna had gone into remission, which was more than we could have ever hoped for.
"Sounds terrifying," I said honestly.
Meredith smiled. "It can be. But you get used to it."
"I don't think I would."
"You're stronger than you think, Ivy." Elena's voice was firm. "Look at everything you've survived. Jordan, your parents, all the shit you've dealt with. You're still here. Still fighting."
I blinked back the sudden sting in my eyes.
"Thanks."
The technician finished my nails carefully, the gorgeous deep plum that Sofia had picked suited me perfectly. I admired them while the conversation flowed around me, grateful for the distraction these women provided.
But even as I laughed at Sofia's stories and contributed to Meredith's baby name brainstorming, part of my mind stayed stuck on Eric.
On the way he'd looked at me.
On the question he'd asked. Did you move on?
I hadn't answered. Couldn't answer. Because the truth was complicated and messy and I didn't want to think too much about it.
Because the truth was that no, I hadn't really moved on. I'd dated, sure. Tried to find something that felt even half as good as what Eric and I had shared. But nothing stuck. Nothing lasted.
And maybe that was my fault. Maybe I was still holding onto something that had never been as real as I'd thought.
Or maybe Eric Hale had ruined me for anyone else, and I'd spent four years trying to pretend otherwise.
"Ivy?" Elena's voice pulled me back. "You okay?"
I realized I'd been staring at my wine glass, lost in thought.
"Yeah. Sorry. Just tired."
She didn't look convinced, but she let it go.
Meredith was quick to jump in. "Stay over tonight. We've got plenty of guest rooms. Elena and Sof are staying, you stay too."
"I might take you up on that." The idea of going home to my empty apartment held zero appeal.
"Please do." Meredith smiled. "We're planning to do face masks and watch terrible reality TV. Very low key."
"That sounds perfect."
And it did. Exactly what I needed after the disaster of tonight.
So why couldn't I stop thinking about Eric's eyes? About the way his voice had dropped when he'd asked if we could talk?
About the part of me that had wanted to say yes?