Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ivy
“Holy crap,” I breathe as I lean back into the booth, my eyes tracking Wyatt as he threads his way through the crowd toward the bar.
I still can’t believe he wants me to handle the sale of his Phoenix apartment.
The commission from that alone will be more than I made all of last year, never mind what I’ll earn from whatever he ends up buying in Hope Creek.
But honestly, the money’s just a bonus. What really lights me up is helping someone find the place they’ll call home. That moment when everything clicks and they just know. It’s why I love what I do. The fact that I get to help Wyatt find his forever home means more to me than I can explain.
Still, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. But I’m ready. Nervous or not, I’m going to smash this, and I’m going to find him something amazing back here too.
When Wyatt returns, I spot the champagne flutes in his hands and raise a brow. “What’s all this?”
“We’re celebrating,” he says with a grin. “Figured a little bubbly was in order. Paisley’s bringing the bottle over now.”
I laugh. “You know, I could definitely get used to this. That’s twice now you’ve shown up with champagne.”
He chuckles. “Something tells me there’ll be more at the charity dinner.”
I grin. “Looking forward to it. Actually, I wanted to ask... how dressy is this place we’re going to?”
Wyatt pulls a face. “It’s back at the Fairmont, so yeah, it’s dressy. Sorry.”
I wave him off. “Don’t be. I figured as much. I’ll just raid Ash’s closet,” I say with a laugh, knowing I already wore the only formal outfit I own to the charity auction.
“Hey, about the weekend,” Wyatt says, sounding a little unsure. “If you’re free, I was thinking we could head to Phoenix on the Friday. You could get everything you need for the listing, and that way we can do something for your birthday on the Saturday.”
My eyes widen, and I groan. “My birthday? Ash has a big mouth.”
He chuckles. “Actually, it was my mom who told me. But why didn’t you mention it?”
I shrug, avoiding his gaze. “It’s not a big deal. Just another day.”
“Ivy, look at me.”
I sigh and meet his eyes.
“It is a big deal. You’re giving up your birthday weekend to help me out. The least I can do is make sure it feels special.”
“You really don’t have to,” I say.
“I want to,” he replies firmly. “Let me do this?”
I blow out a breath and nod. “Okay, if you insist.”
He grins. “I do. So, the Friday works?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m free.”
“Perfect.”
“Champagne delivery!” Paisley announces, appearing at our table with a bottle in one hand and an ice bucket in the other.
“Thanks, Paisley,” Wyatt says, taking the bottle.
She sets the bucket beside us and grins. “What are we celebrating?”
“Ivy’s going to help me buy a place in Hope Creek and sell my apartment in Phoenix,” Wyatt says. “Seemed like a good enough reason.”
“Absolutely,” she agrees. “Congrats, Ivy.”
I smile. “Thanks, Paisley. Technically, we should wait until I actually sell the place, but I’m not turning down champagne.”
Paisley laughs. “Let me know if you want another bottle,” she says with a wink before disappearing into the crowd.
I watch as Wyatt peels back the foil and loosens the cage, his thumb steady over the cork.
Tilting the bottle, he slowly twists it until the cork pops off with a loud bang, flying across the room.
I laugh, and a few heads turn. He quickly pours the bubbling champagne into our flutes and hands me one.
“To new beginnings,” Wyatt says as he sits beside me and taps his glass against mine.
I smile. “To new beginnings,” I echo, still amazed he’s trusting me with this opportunity.
I can’t wait to tell my parents. They were the ones who encouraged me to start my own business and helped support me financially.
If things go well with Wyatt, I’ll be able to pay them back much sooner than I ever thought possible.
We spend the next hour deep in conversation about properties. When Wyatt mentions his budget for a place in Hope Creek, I nearly choke on my champagne.
He quickly takes the glass from my hand and pats my back. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I manage hoarsely. “Just went down the wrong way.”
“Want some water?”
I shake my head, finally catching my breath. “I’m good.”
He hands me back my glass with a small smile. “I’ve got a few ideas for the Saturday we’re in Phoenix. Not sure what kind of stuff you’re into, though, so if you'd prefer something else…”
He trails off, and I swear he sounds a little nervous. “I’m easy. What were you thinking?”
“There’s a butterfly conservatory in Scottsdale. Thousands of butterflies flying freely. I’ve never been, but I’ve heard good things.”
My eyes light up. “That sounds amazing.”
“Yeah?” he asks, grinning.
I nod eagerly. “Can we go?”
“Absolutely.”
“There’s one more place I’d love to see,” I add, sipping my drink. “But I don’t know if it’s possible.”
“Where?” he asks.
“The Cardinals stadium.”
He raises an eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t like football?”
I shrug. “Everything you said last weekend made me want to know more. You clearly love it, and I guess I want to see why.”
A slow smile spreads across his face. “The stadium? That I can definitely do. We’ll hit the butterfly place first, then head over. I can’t wait to show you around.”
“Do you think we can go on the field?” I ask.
He chuckles. “I’ll see what I can do.”
We spend the rest of the night talking about the charity dinner, and Wyatt fills me in on what to expect. From the sound of it, there’ll be cameras everywhere, and the thought makes my stomach twist with nerves.
To distract myself, I ask about the charity, realizing I should probably know more in case someone asks. He explains it supports getting disadvantaged kids into sports, and knowing he’s involved with a children’s charity makes the whole thing feel worth it, nerves and all.
“You ready to head out?” Wyatt asks once we’ve both finished our drinks and the champagne bottle’s empty.
“Yeah,” I say, standing with him. “Are you calling an Uber?”
“I’ll walk you home first and grab one from there,” he replies, resting his hand lightly on the small of my back as we weave through Eden.
“You don’t have to do that, Wy,” I say, glancing over at him. “You could just get your car from here.”
He shakes his head. “No way I’m letting you walk home alone. It’s late.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assure him.
“I know you will. But I’d feel better seeing you home.”
I smile. “Okay. Thanks.”
The air’s still warm when we step outside, and I’m silently grateful as I didn’t bring a jacket.
“Are you coming to Eden on Saturday? I ask him. “I think Ash is trying to get everyone together.”
“Sure. Count me in,” he says with a smile.
We fall into an easy conversation during the short walk to my place, and when we arrive, I invite Wyatt in while he waits for his car.
I love my house. It’s small, but it suits me perfectly.
It’s been a true labor of love since I bought it a year and a half ago.
It was pretty rundown at first. I couldn’t afford anything move-in ready, but I’ve worked hard to fix it up.
It might not be a Phoenix penthouse, but it’s everything I need.
“This place is awesome, Ivy,” Wyatt says, taking it all in. “I really like the open-plan layout.”
“Thanks,” I reply, smiling. “It was a total wreck when I bought it, nothing like this. I tore all the walls down. I always dreamed of having an open space, so my dad and I just grabbed a sledgehammer and went for it.”
He chuckles. “That actually sounds like a blast.”
I flash him a grin. “It was. If you ever need walls knocked down in your new place, I’m your girl,” I tease with a wink. “Just say the word.”
He smiles, his voice softer now. “I might just take you up on that,” he says, his eyes locked on mine.
The air between us changes, charged with something I can’t explain. For a moment, I swear I see heat in Wyatt’s eyes, his gaze locked on mine, but that can’t be right. Maybe the champagne’s just gone to my head.
His phone rings, cutting through the tension and snapping us both back to reality.
“That’ll be the Uber,” he says, finally looking away.
He steps closer and presses a light kiss to my cheek. “I had a great time tonight, Ivy.”
“Me too,” I say. Even if we mostly talked about real estate, it was fun.
“I’ll see you on Saturday then?”
I nod. “Saturday.”
“Night, Ivy.”
“Night, Wyatt.”
I follow him to the door, watching as he jogs down the porch steps and waves before climbing into the car. Once the door shuts behind me, I lean against it, my heart racing.
What just happened?
I shake my head, brushing it off. It was probably nothing, just too much champagne and a little harmless chemistry. That has to be it. This opportunity is too big to screw up. I need to stay focused on the job and nothing else.