Chapter 12
Ivy
The days that followed flew by for Ivy. She was on Cloud Nine.
No, physically crashing into someone wasn’t exactly the ideal way to make a first impression.
But even so, she felt that even though she blacked out during some parts of their interactions, overall, she handled the entire situation really well and didn’t make a complete fool of herself.
Most importantly, however: yes, she felt that maybe, just maybe, she could very possibly have a shot with Cleo.
This thought alone had carried her through the week of jibes and torment from Toni, Oliver, and most of all, Lucas and Gabby.
While Toni and Oliver made jokes, they knew there were limits given they only saw each other in a public space surrounded by customers. Lucas and Gabby, on the other hand, had free reign at movie night on Wednesday.
For once, Ivy didn’t even care.
Ivy stood at the kitchen island helping to grate cheese while Gabby dished up the makings of fajitas into various bowls. Lucas wasn’t a cook by any stretch of the imagination, so he was on drinks: mocktail mojitos all around.
“If it’s taken you three years to learn her name, does that set the standard?
” Lucas asked, “like, will it then be a three more years before you get her number? After that, another three years for each milestone? Ivy, you could be past retirement age before you move in together!” Tears streamed down Lucas’s cheeks from laughing at his own jokes.
Ivy turned to Gabby, “Go on, take your shots, I know you’ve been dying for this moment to arrive.” Ivy sat the block of cheese down and turned to face Gabby, lifting her hand and curling her fingers in a “bring it on” motion.
“Well,” Gabby began as she sat the hot pan down onto a cold ring on the cooker top, “all I’m going to say is this: if you think she’s worth the wait, then the past three years of living like a nun have been justified and I wish you all the best.”
Ivy’s jaw dropped in shock at being let off the hook so easily. “That’s it?!”
What seemed like hours, but was most likely a handful of seconds, passed before Gabby continued.
“However,” Gabby continued with a small smirk playing on her lips.
“Here we go,” Lucas chuckled.
“If it turns out that the wait has not in fact been worth it, she turns out to be a horrible human being who doesn’t like pizza, or 80s movies, or fun in general, and you either chicken out or crash and burn after two dates: I reserve the right to mock you for at least the next year, as well as set you up with the next eligible woman I deem suitable for you for a blind date, and insist you watch my favorite movie of all time at least four more times in the next six months with watermelon drinks included and no moaning. ”
The kitchen was silent.
Gabby stood, hands on hips, eyebrow raised waiting for Ivy’s response.
Ivy stood, but her jaw was on the floor, and her head was spiraling at either the possibility of taking a chance with Cleo or being set-up with a woman by Gabby. She was unsure what to think never mind actually responding to Gabby.
Lucas grinned, eyes flicking between his wife and his best friend, wondering which one will cave first.
“Well,” Ivy said softly, “good to know where you stand... I guess?!”
“Three years is a bit much you know, even for you,” Gabby added, but Ivy could see the slightest of twitches at the edge of her friend’s mouth. There. A smirk. Dammit.
Gabby and Lucas looked at each other and buckled in laughter.
“Ivy, babe, you know I’m only messing. Mostly.
” Gabby softened her gaze towards her friend.
“This woman has had your sole attention, and kept it, for three years, without even knowing it. For you to feel that strong a pull towards her means that she must be something special. The fact that she’s got your attention?
Means that she better be special enough to deserve it.
Because you deserve to have someone who treats you the very same way in return. ”
“Yeah, what she said,” Lucas echoed his wife’s sentiments in the only way he knew how—with very few words.
“Thanks guys, I really appreciate the... I want to say support, but I’m just not sure mushy feelings is our thing, you know?
” Ivy smirked at her two closest friends.
For all they wound each other up, and called each other out on their mess, Ivy knew that these people, her chosen family, would always be there for. Whether she liked it or not.
“Right, enough of this mush. Ivy’s right, that’s not us.” Lucas said with a grin. “Shall we get this movie started then?”
“Absolutely!” Gabby agreed, laughing. She started gathering up the bowls to take to the den and turned to speak to Ivy as she walked. “This one is an absolute classic. If you’ve not seen it, you’re no longer my friend. And if you don’t like it, you can’t be Lucas’s friend either.”
“Harsh, but that’s to be expected from you,” Ivy laughed and carried through a stack of three plates, with a bowl of grated cheese on top in one hand, and a bowl of guacamole in the other hand.
“So, what movie do I have no choice but to have seen and absolutely love or risk losing access to my two favorite humans and my second home?”
“The Breakfast Club,” Gabby said with an eyebrow raised in question.
“Oh, the school detention movie?” Ivy asked hopefully.
“Ye-es?” Gabby narrowed her eyes, looking for Ivy’s opinion on her face as she sat down the tray of heated tortillas and dish of fajita filling.
“Seen it,” Ivy watched Lucas come in carrying a stack of three glasses under an arm carrying a mocktail pitcher in the same hand, and a bowl of salsa in the other hand. “And it’s not as bad as Dirty Dancing,” Ivy laughed as Lucas nearly dropped the pitcher from laughing so hard.
“That’s it, Ivy, you’re on your final warning with the Dirty Dancing comments!” Gabby roared at Ivy as she picked up the beanbag Ivy typically sat on and threw it to the back of the room.
Ivy wiped the tears from her eyes and went to collect her beanbag. “Ok, ok, I’m sorry Mom, last time, I swear.”