Chapter 23 Freddie
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Freddie
Standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with my mug of coffee, pretending I’m not looking at the clock every thirty seconds is not how I planned my early morning.
Waiting for the knock.
One that finally comes.
I drop the mug back onto the counter with a little too much force. My pulse skips.
Ever since dinner with her and her friend, I haven’t been able to wait for this moment. To see Ivy again, with the ice thawed a little.
I open the door, and there she is.
"Hey," Ivy says, voice a little hoarse like she’s still waking up. She’s got a couple bags in her hands, her usual worn jeans and hoodie combo. Somehow, even that looks like it could be on a runway. “I hope I’m not too early.”
I force myself to pull my eyes away from her and nod. "Nah, you’re good."
I step aside to let her in, and she walks past me, a quick flash of movement, but it makes the air feel heavier, more real. Penny’s already on her heels, calling out her name like she’s just met a rockstar.
“You want coffee?” I ask, sliding my hands into my pockets to keep myself from doing something dumb, like reaching out to touch her arm. "I’m about to brew another pot."
“Ah, that sounds amazing.”
I pour the coffee, hand it over to her when she walks into the kitchen, and I feel the pulse of energy between us as she takes the mug from my hand. Her fingers brush mine for the briefest moment, and I feel it all the way down my spine.
“Thanks,” she says, but her gaze lingers on me just a little longer than it should.
“How was the rest of your night?” I ask, leaning against the counter, suddenly not in a hurry to get anywhere. “Did you and Olivia have fun?”
She sips her coffee, eyes flicking over to me before she answers. “Yeah. She’s gone now, back to work, and I already miss her. But it was so much fun.”
I nod, watching the way she curls her fingers around the mug. She’s here. She’s right in front of me. And yet… something’s off.
She’s here, but she’s not here.
I try not to overanalyze it. Maybe she’s just tired. Maybe she’s sad about Olivia leaving. Maybe it’s nothing.
I nudge her shoulder lightly with mine. “So what happened after me and Penny saw you? A wild night?”
She gives me a half smile, the kind that’s supposed to be polite but feels more like a door closing. “No, we kept it pretty chill. A couple of drinks at The Hollow, that’s all.”
Right.
I wait for her to make a joke. Or tease me. Or even roll her eyes. But nothing.
I try again anyway. “Shame. If I was with you, things would have gotten crazy.”
This time, she lets out a soft laugh, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll keep that in mind next time.”
Next time.
But there’s no warmth behind it.
I look at her again, really look. She’s not making eye contact. She’s doing that thing where she stares at the mug like it's going to give her the answers. Her shoulders are tight. She’s here out of routine, not choice.
What the hell is going on?
I watch her, trying to decode the silence between us. Ivy’s isn’t the type to fake a mood… she’s either all in or all out. And right now, it’s like she’s sitting on the edge of something sharp, trying not to bleed.
I want to say something. Anything. But the words are tangled somewhere in my throat. So I lean back against the counter, sip my coffee, and pretend I’m not watching her fall away from me.
Penny explodes into the room like a confetti cannon, arms full of toys and wearing two mismatched socks and a tutu over her pajamas. Her hair’s a bird’s nest, and her energy’s nuclear.
“Ivy! Look! I packed your suitcase!” she announces proudly, holding up a sparkly pink backpack that’s half unzipped and trailing crayons. “We’re going to the moon!”
Ivy chuckles, caught off guard, and I swear the sound heals something cracked in my chest. “The moon, huh? Do I need a space suit or just snacks?”
“Both!” Penny says like it’s obvious. “I brought cheese sticks and my sparkle helmet!”
“Then I guess I’m ready for lift off,” Ivy says, letting herself be tugged toward the couch.
Penny keeps talking at warp speed, something about alien dogs and gravity shoes, but Ivy’s eyes flick to me as she moves, and for a second, she looks more like herself again.
That soft focus. That tired amusement. That warmth I’ve missed like hell.
When Penny’s distracted digging through her coloring book pile, I catch Ivy alone again in the hallway. Her face is softer now, but she’s still got that faraway look in her eyes, like she’s in a room I can’t get into.
“I was actually gonna ask if you could watch Penny this weekend,” I say, scratching the back of my neck. “Me and the guys are heading to that tattoo convention in Portland.”
“Oh,” she says, brows lifting like she’s already calculating the logistics. “Yeah, I mean, sure, if you need…”
“Actually…” I interrupt, surprising even myself, “why don’t you just come with us?”
She blinks. “What?”
“You and Penny. Come along. Make a weekend of it.”
She stares at me like I’ve just asked her to go skydiving.
“It’s nothing fancy,” I say quickly. “We’ve got a couple rooms. I’ll pay you as usual to stay with Penny, but we can have some fun too…”
Ivy opens her mouth to respond…
“Wait, what?!” Penny screeches from the living room, already running full speed toward us like she’s been eavesdropping through the walls. “I wanna go to the conveccion.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You even know what that is?”
“Yes.” Penny pouts. “I will see a dragon there. Maybe robots too.”
Ivy looks at her, then at me, clearly thrown.
And then she just… laughs. A real, kind of stunned laugh that makes Penny beam and my heart do a little stupid thing.
“Alright,” she says finally, hands up in surrender. “Let’s go look at robots and dragons.”
Penny lets out a whoop and runs off yelling something about building a “packing fort.” Ivy watches her disappear down the hall, shaking her head with that tired, crooked smile that used to be just for me.
I don’t want to ruin the moment by lingering too long. I check the time and sigh. “Alright, I gotta head to the shop.”
I grab my keys off the counter, draining the last of my coffee. Ivy steps aside to let me pass, brushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
“I’ll text you the hotel info,” I say. “We leave Friday morning, early. Like, sunrise early.”
“I’ll be ready,” she says, already reaching for her phone like she’s setting a reminder.
My own phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out, thumb sliding across the screen as I head for the door.
One new text.
Unknown Number: Looking forward to seeing you at the con!
I frown at it, stopping mid step.
What the hell?
Is this a marketing text from the con?
“Everything okay?” Ivy asks behind me, noticing I’ve gone still.
“Yeah,” I say automatically, locking the phone and tucking it back into my pocket. “Probably some spam thing.”
She gives me a look like she doesn’t totally buy it, but she doesn’t push. And honestly, I don’t want to give it oxygen. It’s probably nothing.
Just a weird blip in an otherwise weird week.
I reach for the door and pause. “Thanks for saying yes, by the way. I think Penny would’ve staged a protest if you didn’t.”
“She’s persuasive,” Ivy says, and for a moment her eyes soften again, really soften. “And honestly? I think I could use the change of scenery too.”
I nod. “It’ll be good.”
She smiles, small but real.
And I leave with that in my pocket, trying not to think about the message burning in my phone like it’s waiting for me to catch up to something I can’t see.