27. Ivy Jade
Ivy Jade
The long-awaited pumpkin carving activity was finally here, and nobody was more excited than Tallulah herself. She shrieked as she went around hugging everyone, showing them where the pumpkin barrels were. I loved that she was such a spritely goth. The cheerleader in her hadn’t fully left.
Her team of coordinators had been putting up each event every day, and today’s festivities were just as spectacular as the last. They put out the same table they had for the wine tasting, except this time it was decorated with brass carving tools and skulls.
Everything was handmade, stretched along the massive table, decorated with bright orange flowers and crystalline pitchers of spiked apple cider.
I spotted Ro near Gustav. The two of them seemed to be having a good time.
However, not as good a time as he and I had just a few short hours ago.
Romeo literally blew my mind. I woke up with a melted brain this morning.
So fresh, relaxed, and like I had conquered the whole world.
My entire body felt so damn good. The only thing that didn’t feel so great was the guilt that overcame me.
High Jynx and Romeo in the same night? Technically, I had them on different nights.
I’d prefer to think of it that way. Both men were incredible, but the kitchen sex with Romeo was different.
Yes, it was top tier, but it was also… more meaningful.
It was surreal to admit, and it stayed with me throughout the morning and to this very moment.
My entrance warmed just thinking about how incredible his tongue was as he licked me.
Romeo finally looked my way as I walked toward him, and he flashed me a spectacular smile. My heart couldn’t take how sexy, hot, and confident he was.
“There she is!” my brother said as I approached them.
I pursed my lips, looking at Romeo before I answered Gustav. “I’m right here. You and Tal having a great time?” I said with my hand on my hip.
Gustav looked between Romeo and me, and when I looked at Romeo, his eyes were glued to mine.
“Ivy Jade,” Romeo said with this air of sincerity, but also like he’d been just as happy about what we did as I was. “It’s good to see you… again.”
It was quiet for a few seconds, and between those seconds of gazing into one another, nobody else existed until my brother opened his big dumb mouth.
“Is this like a thing now?” Gustav pointed between us, ignoring what I said earlier.
I shook my head. “No, no, of course not. I can tolerate him now. That’s all.” I smiled at Ro. “Are you ready to carve a pumpkin, best man?” I bit the corner of my lip.
Romeo chuckled, threading his fingers through his hair.
“Okay, I’m outta here; you two are weird!” Gustav yelled as he left and met up with Tallulah at the table.
“Don’t mind him,” I said. “He’s just being Gustav.”
“I remember your dynamic very well,” he said.
“And I remember our dynamic…” I winked at him. I loved this new version of ourselves, this barrier broken down between us. After all those years of crushing on him, then hating him, I never thought we would be here together, wishing he’d take me once again.
Romeo always looked good; he didn’t even have to try.
His thick waves were slicked back, and he wore black jeans and a black denim pullover with a black shirt peeking out underneath.
I drew closer to him, trying not to be obvious, discreetly hooking my pinky with his.
I didn’t want wandering eyes shooting our way, but I also wanted to savor this moment, to feel like we were a couple.
“You look sensational in this dress,” Ro said, leaning in. “And you smell fantastic.”
“I was just thinking how great you look.” I batted my eyes at him.
He looked down at his checkered black and white Vans. “This? You like my outfit?”
“It’s growing on me, dork,” I said, teasing. “But surprisingly, yes. It’s actually really cute.”
“Ivy Jade, calling my outfit cute? You must be sleep-deprived.”
“A small price to pay for something better than dreams.” I leaned in and whispered right in his ear, “And though I think it's cute, I'd much rather see you without any of it.”
“Don’t tempt me, Ivy Jade…” he said, his tone blending from a taunt to something more seductive. “You keep joking like that, and we’re going to have a bigger mess than these pumpkins.”
“A mess? Hmmm. I’m starting to learn that I don’t mind a little bit of filth…”
“I fucking knew it…” He held a tight-lipped smile, our pinkies squeezing together like two little crabs on a beach.
Oh my god, were we cute together? I’d read ‘Unmasking My Bright Knight’ plenty of times, and all the signs of romance were around us. Kissing. Passion. Coded language and lingering glances. Maybe this was it! I didn’t need a Roman Knight. What I needed all along was a Romeo Scott.
I felt like some lovestruck idiot, following by his side as we looked through the various barrels with pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colors.
We finally decided on a very traditional fat pumpkin with a big round face to carve.
This time around, instead of sitting opposite the bride and groom, we decided to sit together at the table.
“I like what I’m seeing!” Tallulah said, laughing and leaning over to look at us. I checked over my shoulder and saw her and my brother egging us on, all excited.
“Shut up, Tal!” I scolded her.
“Hey, hey, don’t tell my bride to shut up…” Gustav butted sarcastically. “Only I can.” We all laughed, but Tal gave him a quick side-eye. My brother would never, Tallulah would have his balls before he could utter those two words together.
The two of them went back to carving.
Romeo squeezed my thigh, leaning in to whisper. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you,” he growled. “How sweet you sounded, how you felt coming on my cock.”
I blushed hard.
“Ah, no, no, no, mija!” Mami appeared out of nowhere, springing up behind me before I could even stab my pumpkin. She had the most bewildered look, her smile firm and unwavering. “I’ve been looking all over for you all. Where have you been?”
“What do you mean?” I said, waving the small carving knife around. “I’ve been right here. Sitting with Ro.”
“Hi, Mrs. Castellanos.” Ro smiled with a short wave.
Mami didn’t even look at him.
“I’m not talking about now. I meant last night!
You weren’t in your room,” she said, lowering her voice.
She may have smiled pretty, but the way she suddenly wrapped her hand around my arm let me know she meant business.
Before I could even answer her, she gave a frantic glance, scanning my body like a robot sent to kill me.
“What on earth are you wearing!?” Her mouth dropped open.
I looked down at my outfit.
“It’s my halter dress,” I said, adjusting the black lace down to my knees. Mami gave me a double take.
“Where is your pretty dress?” she asked quickly.
“This IS my pretty dress!”
“But it’s not the pink Givenchy?”
“So? That’s upstairs!” I clenched the knife in my hand, annoyed.
“Lower your voice…”
“Is everything okay?” Ro intervened, calmly placing his hand over Mami’s. She was still squeezing my arm.
“Oh, yes. Everything’s fine. I’m so sorry to interrupt you, Romeo,” she said sweetly, her eyes creased into little crescent moons.
I could tell I embarrassed her. Mami’s fake pleasantry was as terrifying as the beheaded skulls on the table.
“I just need to steal Ivy Jade for a moment… Come on, mija, put the knife down.”
“No,” I snipped, looking at her like a lunatic. “I’m carving pumpkins.”
“Not with Romeo. I’m sorry,” she snipped back.
“Yes, with Romeo. Why are you being so rude?” I barked.
“Ivy Jade, we have company!” she faltered for a moment, her eyes darting up to the other side of the large outdoor patio. “Dios mio!” She signed the cross over her chest. “He’s here!”
Without warning, she pulled me up from my chair.
“Ow!” I squeaked; my arm pinched in her grip. “What the heck is happening?”
“It’s Antonio…” Mami took a deep breath. “He just flew in from New York. He’s standing there with your father!”
“Antonio?!” I gasped, dropping the knife.
It clambered loudly on the table.
Tallulah looked over, her eyes wide in disbelief. “Antonio ‘the doctor’?”
“Brain surgeon,” Mami and I corrected in unison.
“Oh shit…” Ro whispered loud enough for me to hear.
Hypnotized, I stared at an isolated table towards the end of the marbled patio, next to where I saw Papi laughing with a cocktail in his hand.
There were no Halloween decorations in sight—no skulls, orange roses, or pitchers of spiked apple cider—just pink flowers and tiny pumpkins next to a tall man in a navy suit.
“Is that really him?” I asked. It felt like my feet had left the ground.
“Shush. He’s looking over here,” Mami said, squeezing me harder. “Wave. Wave your hand and smile, mija.”
I smiled, or at least I think I did. I spent the past eleven years of my life preparing to meet this man, practicing my introductions and mannerisms to suit his every need. And now, I waved mechanically, as if I were learning to do it for the first time in my life.
Antonio turned around slowly.
He was beautiful.
Actually, ridiculously beautiful.
He looked like the model from the Dolce however, I felt the need to challenge her. I needed to hear her say the words.
“He’s not like us, mi amor.” She cupped my cheek, her thumbs caressing my jaw.
“Gustav says he makes really good money,” I said, trying to justify a man who couldn’t be mine.
“Where? Where do you see this money on him? He looks like he dresses in jeans. He’s not the same caliber as us. We need to maintain our family reputation.” Anytime Mami was angry, her accent flared up even stronger.
“I don’t understand why this has to be so complicated. Why do we have to punish Gustav for marrying Tallulah? Why can’t we just be able to like who we like?”
Mami pulled me further away from any prying ears. Most everyone had already sat down, distracted by their pumpkin decorating.
“This is what Papi wants for you, mi amor… I don’t know what to tell you.
And as far as Gustav? His life will always be different than yours.
He didn’t spend all his time shopping at the mall or drinking margaritas by the pool as you did.
When he chose Tallulah, we cut him off, and he agreed.
Can you do the same? Can you make your own money as he does and be happy?
If that’s your choice, so be it… Otherwise, you can marry Antonio, and live the life of luxury you're used to with his and our support. "
Could I really survive without Antonio? Could I live a life outside of money and luxury, for something entirely my own?
I didn’t know the answer, but my heart said no.
I couldn’t. Mami was right; I spent most of my life sitting by the pool, shopping, being the subject of her little marriage experiment. I wasn’t myself. I didn’t even know who I really was anymore. I was just the prepackaged wife created for someone else to enjoy.
But that wasn’t what High Jynx made me feel. Or Ro! I felt like with them, I was making a choice for myself, and that was something that I had never really had before.
“I need you to behave while we’re here—no more questions. Enough is enough,” Mami said as we made our way to the lonely table.
I didn’t even argue. What was the point? My fate was sealed by my parents because they knew I was too scared to leave all the comforts they provided behind. And now, the man I had waited years to meet was standing before me, smiling sweetly with intrigue.
“Ivy Jade, this is Antonio, and Antonio, this is my precious Ivy Jade,” Mami said.
I bowed. I was always told to bow.
“Nice to meet you, Ivy Jade.” Antonio reached out to shake my hand, cupping it in his own. His grip was as strong and warm as his voice, his smile perfect. “I’ve been dying to meet you. I’m here at last.”