Chapter 30
Ivy
“C’mon already,” Ivy threw her head back on her chair in frustration, as the spinning wheel of death rotated on her computer screen as it ran an update. And had been for the past twelve minutes. “Stupid piece of,” she cut herself off when there was a knock at her office door, “come in.”
“Hey, Boss,” Toni said as she opened the door with a smug grin on her face. She walked over and sat down on the chair at the other side of Ivy’s desk. “How’s things going with your girl?”
“She’s not my, we haven’t, I don’t know if she’s, shut up.
” Ivy bashfully made her way through that sentence, only making Toni’s grin grow wider.
“Is there a reason you came in here? Or was it just to annoy me?” Ivy tried to gather her wits, she knew she was due a grilling from Toni as she had been on leave for the past few days, and Monday was so busy that she had managed to avoid the grilling then.
Which meant she hadn’t heard about either of her dates with Cleo.
“Do you really need to ask?” Toni said with a chuckle. “Go on, spill, did she text or call you yet?”
Ivy felt her face flush instantly.
“Oh, I like the look of that blush, that means there’s gossip I’ve missed out on. So please, for the love of all that’s good in this world, will you spill already?” Toni sat forward in her chair, eager to hear all the details.
“Well,” Ivy cleared her throat. “She messaged on Friday evening, we kept that going for about two hours, and through most of Saturday too.”
Toni held her breath, she looked to be just short of vibrating while trying to hold in her excitement “And?”
“We went on our first date on Sunday afternoon,” Ivy said with a dreamy smile.
“Oh, my word, Ivy, that’s great news!” Ivy laughed as she saw Toni’s grin drop and she could practically hear the wheels turning in her head before she asked Ivy, “Wait, hang on, you said first like there’s been more than one. Has there already been more than one?” Toni’s eyes widened.
Ivy felt the flush creep up her neck as she bit her lip to delay responding to Toni. She knew that however she answered, Toni was going to burst over it. Ivy couldn’t blame her. She knew that Toni was almost as emotionally invested in Ivy’s pining over Cleo as Ivy was herself.
“We then messaged again on Monday and Tuesday evenings, then we went out again last night.” Ivy couldn’t have stopped the enormous grin from spreading across her face even if she wanted to.
And she found that she absolutely did not want to.
She’d never gushed about someone before.
She’d never felt the urge or the need to share anything in the way she wanted to shout about Cleo from the rooftops already.
And they’d only been on two dates so far.
She knew she was being ridiculous, but today, she didn’t care.
“Damn, I will say it again, this time with feeling: spill!” Toni demanded and sat back, waiting for all the gossip Ivy was willing to share.
“She’s, oh Toni, she’s amazing!” Ivy heard the sigh escape her lips followed by the chuckle that came from Toni’s side of the desk.
Ignoring, she continued, “We went for a picnic at the park on Sunday. Before we knew it, four hours had passed and not a single awkward silence along the way. As we were leaving the area we’d sat at for so long, she reached out to hold my hand, and before we left the park, she leaned in and left the softest of any kiss I’ve ever experienced on my cheek.
” Without even noticing that she’d done it, her hand had reached up and was touching the area of her cheek with her fingertips.
“Wow, Ivy, now that is some romantic movie stuff right there.” Toni said in wonder.
Ivy smiled and nodded, then continued. “Then last night, I took her to that secret book shop wine bar that I had found out about. The one that Gabby had mentioned?” Ivy watched as Toni nodded, recognizing the place she was talking about.
“She didn’t know about it, but she reads every night instead of watching TV because she works with computers all day, and I wanted to take her somewhere nice, but different.
We had the best night, and she’s by far the absolute best kisser I’ve ever.
.. yeah, it was the best night.” Ivy grinned bashfully as she wanted to keep gushing, but the memories of last night were making her giddy.
She let out a little giggle despite trying to hold it in, causing her to lift one of her hands over her eyes in embarrassment, before dropping it a moment later to see the look on Toni’s face.
“Well, well, well.” Toni folded her hands in her lap, looking like the cat who got the cream. “I take it that you would say the last three years was worth the wait then?” she raised an eyebrow at Ivy.
“And then some,” Ivy said softly. “She’s incredible, Toni.
You know I’ve never had a relationship before, or even a proper date, but this?
This just feels so, natural, so, right. I know it’s early and I’m desperately trying to keep myself under control and not let my feelings run away with themselves. ” Ivy paused.
“But...?” Toni asked, softly.
"But I really like her,” Ivy said, a distant look in her eye as she thought back to the past couple of weeks and the amount of time she’d spent messaging Cleo and being on the two dates with her.
Toni sat and watched Ivy as she spoke, Ivy could feel her eyes taking in not just the words she said, but the way she said them. “Ivy, it doesn’t matter how early it is, when things are right, they sometimes just are. It’s rare to find that. So, you better not screw it up.”
“I don’t plan to,” Ivy said.
“Just remember, don’t put too much pressure on yourself or overthink everything.
You know how you like to send yourself into a tailspin over nothing, so imagine how impossible you’d be for me to deal with over something like this,” Toni said with a smirk and a wink.
Ivy laughed, relieved by the knowledge her friend had of her way of coping.
“You’ve waited long enough for her, enjoy yourself. ”
“Thanks Toni,” Ivy said.
“Now then, when are you seeing her again?” Toni asked with a smirk, knowing Ivy needed to lighten the mood, and she was grateful her friend knew her so well.
“I’m working all weekend, but she said whatever night next week suits around my hours she’ll make it work to see me. Those were her actual words, Toni.” Ivy felt herself let out a gentle sigh again.
“Good grief, where can I get the male equivalent of her?!” Toni said with a laugh.
“I’m not sure, sorry,” Ivy trailed off. “Feels like the universe wouldn’t make just one, though.”
Toni smiled at her knowingly and didn’t push any further.
“I’m glad it’s working out for you, Ivy, and that she’s not a monster up close.
That would have been a very sad waste of the past three years if she was.
” Toni winked and stood up. “Now then, better get ready to start in,” she checked her watch, “ten minutes. My Boss is a real stickler about being on time.” She chuckled as she left the office.
Ivy rolled her eyes at the reference. Then she found herself smiling at the thought of the past week with Cleo again.
Toni was right; Ivy had been so relieved that Cleo had turned out to not just be as lovely as she’d hoped over the past three years, but she was way beyond anything Ivy could have ever imagined.