Chapter 47 Alexander
Alexander
I’ve been back with Ivy for three days now. I’ve been staying at a bed and breakfast, but the bed was too short for me, so the first piece of furniture—after the sofa—that I want to buy, is a bed.
“Lie down and see what you think,” I tell Ivy, as we stand in the middle of a sea of mattresses, looking at one that claims to be perfect for most sleep types.
“It doesn’t matter what I think.”
“It will.”
She raises her eyebrows at me. “That’s presumptuous.”
“We’ll be married before too long.”
“Will we now?”
I lean down and whisper into her ear. “When I know what I want, I’m not afraid to go for it. And my sole focus right now is securing a lifetime with you.”
Ivy shivers, and I place a kiss on her temple, then place my hand on the small of her back, urging her toward the bed.
From that point forward, our shopping experience is a blur because I can’t get thoughts of rings, weddings, and everything with Ivy, out of my mind.
I don’t know anything about the mattress I buy, apart from the fact that Ivy likes it.
And it’s the same with the bed frame. It could have unicorns on it, and I wouldn’t know. Mentally, I’m at a jewelry shop.
I need to refocus. She deserves my full attention.
I thread my fingers through Ivy’s and kiss her cheek when we step out of the store, heading to the car and then on to dinner.
“Tell me more about your screenplay,” she requests as she fastens her seatbelt.
“It’s about this woman named Ivy—”
She shoves my shoulder. “No, it’s not.”
I chuckle. “No. I haven’t yet named the female lead. I’ve just been calling her Jane.”
“And you don’t want to use your grandparents’ names?”
“No. I want to honor them, but not use their actual story or their names.” I turn out of the car park toward the restaurant.
“I love that. Will I get to read it when you’re finished?”
“I was hoping you would. It’s a little nerve-wracking doing something new like this. Obviously, I’m very familiar with screenplays, but I don’t yet know if writing one will be outside of my skill set.”
“I’m betting you’ll do well with it,” Ivy says with a confident smile.
“I’m not sure that confidence is warranted, but thank you, darling.”
She shrugs and leans over the console, lying her head on my shoulder.
“Have you ever been here?” I ask. I wanted to surprise her, but it’s hard to know where she has and has not been in the area surrounding her town.
“I haven’t. Actually, I don’t remember ever seeing it. It looks kinda new to me.”
I smile as our server approaches and hands us menus. He’s an older man, and his wrinkled face turns surprised when he sees me.
“Alexander Henry. Well, I’ll be.”
I look down and see he is wearing a nametag. “Walter. Well, I’ll be.”
He claps me on the shoulder and chuckles. “What can I get you two to drink?” He removes his hand and pulls his pen from his shirt pocket.
“I’ll have a sweet tea,” I answer. “Ivy?”
“Make that two. With lemon.” She smiles up at Walter, who meticulously writes down our drink order before turning to go. “Going for the full southern experience with the tea?”
“I hear y’all make fantastic sweet tea,” I say with my, and I’m not bragging, nearly perfect Southern accent.
Ivy’s jaw drops. “Why have you never done that for me before?”
“Have you not seen Time Under the Willow? I played a man from Georgia.”
“Oh.” She pauses to think. “I guess you did. I’d forgotten.”
I laugh and take Ivy’s hand across the table.
She smiles and the love in her eyes is almost overwhelming.
She looks down at her menu. “They have fish and chips!”
“That’s why we’re here. I hunted all western North Carolina for fish and chips, and this was the closest place. I know you had gotten tired of eating it, so you could certainly get something else, but I thought maybe enough time had passed.”
“I think I’m ready. The problem is, now that I’ve had the real thing, I’m worried this will be a disappointment.”
“We can get you something else if it is.”
Walter comes back with our teas and takes our order. I get a burger I think she’ll like, just in case.
Ivy sips her tea. “Mmmm. I need to see what kind of tea bags they use or how they do it because this is amazing. I’ve been thinking the tea at Bowl could improve.”
“I’ll ask,” I say, and a look of gratitude well beyond me asking about the tea covers her face. “What’s going on?”
“It’s just ...” Ivy sighs. “When I decided I wanted to try to date, I wanted to find someone to be my partner. In life, of course, but also to help me with restaurant things when needed. I was feeling overwhelmed with the fire and remodel, but running a restaurant is hard. I’m up for the challenge, but it would be nice to not always be doing everything myself. ” Her eyes swim with tears.
I reach across the table and take her face in my hands. “Ivy, I’m here for you always. Whatever you need. However I can help.”
She turns her head and kisses my palm. “I love you, Alex.”
“Darling …” I lean across the table and kiss the love of my life. “You are the unexpected gift I didn’t realize I needed, and love isn’t a big enough word for how I feel about you.”
Walter returns with our food and wordlessly sits it in front of us.
Ivy looks down at her plate. “It doesn’t look the same.”
“It may taste just as good.”
“It may.”
I lean over the table and kiss her briefly. “Say the word and I’ll take you back to England. Whenever you want.”
“Oh yeah? She smiles. “Is this offer valid indefinitely?”
“Forever,” I say.
And then she says words that are as unexpected as they are elating. “Let’s get married.”
“What? Are you … serious?”
“Why wait? It would be quick, but I don’t have any doubts. Not anymore.”
I look into her beautiful green eyes for a moment, searching for any sense of doubt. There is none. “It will be my incredible honor to be your husband, Ivy.”
“Good. That’s settled,” she says, eyes sparkling, then in her English accent adds, “I’m looking forward to forever, darling.”