4. Ivy
Chapter 4
Ivy
I step out of the garden hedges and onto the lawn. String lights glow above the mingling crowd, and I follow them to the group standing on the patio. As I cross the yard, I find my father with one of his firm’s partners and two new associates I have yet to meet. I put on my polite smile and come to stop at the edge of their gathering. Before I fully join them, I notice Wes and Tripp are only a step away and it loosens something in my chest.
“Ivy, there you are dear,” Dad beams at me. He’s ever the proud father, unaware of the man across from him looking me up and down. “My daughter here runs her own business in the Brick District. The Open Book.”
I smile at my father as the leering associate introduces himself. “I’m Reid, and your picture at the office doesn’t do you justice.”
The line is flattering enough for my father’s benefit. Yet, his attention continues to rake slowly over my body in a demeaning way. He does not even manage the briefest eye contact during the exchange. Not even as the next man is introducing himself. I try my best to give him my attention instead of Reid, who is busy undressing me with his eyes.
“You don’t have a drink, sweetheart. Why don’t we go get you one?” Reid cuts in, stepping closer to me.
Men like him are the reason I try to avoid meeting the interns or new associates that come through. Fresh to the field, more than one has had a young, brazen air to them.
I always wonder if they think I’m oblivious to the way they objectify me with the comments and looks. But, maybe it’s more accurate that they simply don’t care if I notice. Sometimes, I think they even enjoy my demure reactions.
My primary way of handling it is to never let them get me away from the group. I’m about to move a step closer to my father when I feel the presence of two men flanking me. Wes and Tripp. My dad might be oblivious, deep in conversation with his partner about my bookstore, but these two certainly are not.
Their closeness settles some of the unease. “I’m okay, thank you though. Such a kind offer,” I reply with a faux, thickly honeyed tone.
“Ivy, would you come help me with something?” I hear Wren’s voice approaching. We’ve had the proper introductions, so I can take the out she’s giving me. “I’m so sorry to steal her away boys,” she offers to the gaggle of lawyers.
“Thanks,” I murmur as we walk over to the food tables.
“Of course, I promised I wouldn’t leave you. I just hate that you have to deal with that.”
“Me too.” I nod, straightening the rows of party favors laid out beside the desserts.
“These are fun,” she notes, picking up one of the keychain favors. She flips it over and examines the fox my mom had etched into them to personalize the gifts for the event. “Every little detail… just perfect,” she says with admiration.
“You know my mother. They are bottle openers too.” I pick up one of my own as a furious Poppy charges across the lawn towards us.
“Stevie and Beckett just left me alone with him ,” she seethes. “Come on, I need another drink.”
Now that she mentions it, I actually could use that drink too. I steal a glance back at the group of men I’d just abandoned and notice how Tripp has positioned himself to block me from Reid’s line of sight. It’s a coincidence I reason, taking in his broad shoulders and commanding stance. A total coincidence. But my heart flutters all the same.
“Did anyone else notice how Dad’s new associate was practically drooling over Ivy?” Wes grits out as he, Tripp, and I walk down the driveway.
“He was not,” I sigh. Of course, Wes is right. But I don’t feel like going back over it.
“He was.”
I turn to Tripp, surprised by the coldness in his tone. In the moonlight, shadows cast harsh lines across his sandy beige skin, adding to his stormy demeanor.
“The guy was just trying to kiss up to Dad through me. You know what they say, flattery will get you everywhere,” I point out, waving my half-eaten box of chocolates at Tripp. “Just don’t blame him that his attempts at flattery aren’t as good as yours.”
“I don’t get those to?—”
“Don’t get what?” Wes asks, noticing that he’s missed something.
“Nothing,” I reply quickly. It was foolish of me to mention the chocolates, maybe I had too much champagne.
“How much champagne did you have tonight?” It’s like my brother is reading my mind.
“Enough to get through a night of everyone worshiping you,” I tease. But not enough to numb the way my stomach swoops at Tripp’s closeness, I silently add.
“I’ll drive you home,” Tripp offers. His voice is low, a hint of scratchiness to it. There’s no coldness remaining from a moment ago. Quite the opposite, his words are like a tendril of warmth around me in the autumn night’s chill.
“Good idea, thanks,” Wes answers for me, ushering me along with a gentle shove before turning to head back to his carriage house.
“See ya,” Tripp offers to him, taking a step nearer to me so our arms gently brush as we walk. Continuing past my Lexus, I try to recall if I’ve ever been alone with him like this. I come up empty, save for a few minutes around my parents’ home now and again. My body thrills traitorously as he opens the passenger door of his Land Rover for me. I try to avoid looking directly at him as I climb inside. It’s just a ride home. A favor for my brother.
Tripp
It’s difficult to focus on the road with Ivy overwhelming my senses. Her presence is sweet temptation, heightened in the close confines of my Defender. She smells of jasmine and vanilla, the same perfume Ruth sent Wes and I to pick up for her Christmas present a few years ago. I send up a silent prayer that it settles into the leather seats and remains long after she’s gone.
When we come to a red light, I steal a glance in her direction. Her hands are perfectly folded over that short little skirt, and she’s looking back at me with those bewitching copper eyes and a soft smile on her lush lips. I turn down the radio, needing to say something after being caught staring. But only silence hangs in the air between us.
“Thank you for driving me home. I know it’s out of your way,” she offers.
“I’m happy to,” I reply, tearing my gaze away from her lips as the light turns green. “I hope tonight wasn’t too bad for you.”
“It wasn’t. The chocolates helped.” I can hear the smile in her voice. And in that moment, I vow to stock up on those boxes and always keep them handy for her. “It’s really just having to make small talk with all the guys from Dad’s work that gets to me.”
I can feel the scowl cross my face at the mention of the man shamelessly objectifying her tonight. “You shouldn’t have to deal with that.”
“My dad truly doesn’t hear them or notice.”
“Then tell him.” My voice comes out more clipped than I intended and when I look over again, her eyes have gone wide. “I’m sorry, I just hate that they think they can do that to you. And that comment he made after…”
“After?” She twists in her seat to face me.
Shit. I rub my hand up the back of my neck and think back to the moment I had walked by the bar and heard Reid running his mouth about Ivy. He had told his friend that he would bet a thousand dollars he’ll nail the hot daughter before the other guy wins his first case. I’d reacted without thinking.
“Yeah, I walked by him after and heard him make a comment to his buddy—” I swallow and the next words come out tense. “—a comment that I didn’t like. But you don’t need to worry about him.”
“Why?” her voice comes out as a whisper.
Because I had grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away from the party. I had pinned him against the side of the house and warned him that if he ever came near her, spoke to her, or spoke about her again, I’d hunt him down. I had also informed Reid that on this occasion, I’d make an exception and forget that it’s my job to uphold the law. Then I had told him to leave the party immediately.
I blink away the memory, heat rolling inside my chest as we reach her brownstone. I park at the curb in front of her door and turn to face her as well. Settling on the right words that will be honest while ultimately vague, I reply, “I reminded him that it’s not okay to speak to or about women like he did.”
She stares at me in surprise, her lips parted. And I’m helpless to do anything but stare back at her.
“But—”
“Just don’t worry about it. Okay?”
She nods, regaining her poised composure. “Thank you for… everything,” she says quietly. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight. Sleep well.”
I stay parked on her street until she’s inside and I see her lights come on. And then I stay for another minute longer, waiting for the heat to subside.