20. Work Wife
WORK WIFE
Ivy
Tessa looked phenomenal, as usual. She apparently didn’t bring what she thought of as dancing clothes, so she ran into a local shop and snagged a dress that would’ve looked like a trash bag on me but looked runway ready on her.
It was short on her tall frame. Silver and shimmery with thick straps and a low, boxy neckline. She paired it with a pair of silver pumps and then pulled her hair half up. She could’ve been dancing at The Raven or a high-end club in New York and she would’ve fit right in.
“Okay, so who are we meeting?” She was applying another layer of red lipstick and checking her eyeliner before we got out of the car.
I just stared at her, envy running through my blood she couldn’t pick up on.
My babydoll pink dress felt inferior next to her, and it made me want to go home.
Which was ridiculous when I thought about it, but this was the effect my sister had on me.
I was a twelve-year-old wishing to be her best friend all over again.
“Um, Aspen and Ember. Their fiancés. Theo will be here, I’m sure. Todd is stopping by, and maybe Oliver, if he doesn’t have his son tonight.”
“So your two best friends and the entire male Carragan population? Oh, and your shitty boyfriend. Got it.”
“He isn’t shitty,” I mumbled as I applied another layer of ChapStick. Todd had been bitching about the amount of makeup I’d been wearing lately, so I was attempting to tone it down. Picking my battles felt like a solid move.
We climbed out of my car and started towards the front door when she started speaking again.
“Are you on a makeup strike or something?”
I spun around and stared at her. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Just that I know you know how to do your makeup really damn well, and you’re wearing ChapStick and you curled your hair. That’s it. Just isn’t what I’m used to.” She shrugged as if this wasn’t a conversation to be had anywhere else. Her gaze flicked towards the door. “Are we going in, or…?”
“No. We aren’t. Listen, I love you, but these are my friends, and this is my place.
Please don’t embarrass me in there, Tessa.
Please.” I found I wasn’t above begging at this point in my life, but I bit back all the pent-up things I wanted to say, deciding this wasn’t the place to air out how inferior she unintentionally made me feel.
“I’m not going to embarrass you, Ivy. I just worry about you.
I know you’re faking it, and if your friends know you at all, they know you too.
I don’t want to see you sink into this weird place mentally because of a piece of shit that treats you like crap.
You deserve better, but we can talk about that later, or not at all.
You’re an adult. Now, I vote we go back to the car, and you let me at least put on a little color to your damn face.
That shade of pink with hardly any sun and no makeup has you looking washed out as fuck, and I’m sure there’s a hot cowboy you could be finding instead of the fuck-ass you’re dating now. ”
I forced myself not to let my jaw drop and instead nodded slowly.
Especially when I glanced up and saw the first and only cowboy that came to mind.
Smiling softly, I gave him a small wave, to which he returned with a dip of his chin and that half smile he did that I found myself loving more and more every time he did it.
His eyes turned forward just as Tessa glanced over her shoulder at him. “Oh, now that is a cowboy you should save a horse for. And look at that, there’s your best friend. I’m sure she can help, too. Aspen!” she hollered just as Oliver walked into the bar.
Aspen smiled and walked over. “Oh my gosh, you must be Ivy’s sister! I’ve been so excited to meet you!”
Her eyes turned to me as she reached out and grabbed my hand. I may or may not have had a mini breakdown after Tessa showed up two nights ago and forced my best friend to promise not to abandon me for my much cooler big sister.
“Why are we outside?” she asked.
“We need to fix her. Back to the car,” Tessa explained, a hand on both our shoulders as she navigated us back to my little green bug.
Ten minutes later and a small amount of arguing had us finally inside the bar, drinks in hand, and my big sister was right. I did feel better now. A light blush dusted my cheeks, my eyes were lined in dark brown, mascara had been applied, and there was a small bit of eyeshadow along my lids.
It sounded stupid, but it felt like her yelling at me in the parking lot began shattering whatever wall I’d built between us over the years, and it seemed like she’d felt it, too.
“Go get us a spot with the guys,” I told Aspen. “I’m going to grab us drinks with Tessa.”
Aspen nodded and went over with Wyatt and Rowan, who were staking us out a table.
Ember was almost here, and I was ready to enjoy the night.
I’d done a lunch shift at The Roadhouse this afternoon and a skate lesson this morning with a group of five-year-olds.
I was now officially free the rest of the weekend.
“What do you want?” I asked Tessa as we stood at the bar, waiting for Damien to finish with the women next to us.
She shrugged. “No idea. I normally only drink wine. What’s good?”
I bit back my chuckle. “So fancy, my sister is. We’ll let Damien pick for you.”
A squeal came from the other side of us, and a woman I’d seen around grabbed Tessa’s arm. “Tessa Tinsley! You’re home!”
My sister turned and smiled at her, pulling her in for a hug. “Becca! I didn’t know you were home!”
They pulled away and fell into easy conversation. Hearing her name, I remembered the brunette from the many sleepovers Tessa used to have that I was strictly barred from. Becca was a common name in our home.
“I actually moved back. I got a job over at Gene’s construction company as their front woman.
I do all the advertising, filing, phones, contracting.
That sort of thing. It isn’t as glamorous as you, and I’m the only woman, but it’s easy money and good hours.
Plus, it has me home with my sister and her new baby. ”
A lump started forming in my throat as I looked at the woman with my sister. She was beautiful, and I knew Todd’s boss’s name was Gene. He was the owner of the company, and suddenly pieces started fitting together.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you. Oh, Becca, you remember my sister, Ivy,” Tessa said, turning back to the side and waving over at me.
“Little Ivy?! Well, you look exactly the same, height and all,” she said with a giggle.
I gave them both a flat-lipped and forced smile. “That’s me.”
“Hey, Ivy.” Damien’s voice cut through their instant chatter, and I turned to smile at him. “You look like you could use a strong savior.”
“Ugh, please,” I muttered under my breath. “Something strong, Damien. And my sister will have something…I don’t know. Something a wine drinker would drink in a country bar.”
“A wine cooler?” He snickered with a wink.
“Perfect.”
He handed me my drink and a random wine cooler that was apparently peach flavored for Tessa. I slid it over in front of her and handed Damien my card, just as an arm slunk over my shoulders.
“Hey babe,” Todd whispered as he kissed my cheek. He already smelled of liquor, and I tried to just be happy he’d come to me at all.
“Hey. How long have you been here?” I turned to smile up at him.
He shrugged. “Not long. Played a round of pool around the corner and headed over when I got your text. No point in showing up before you. Not like I’d come here otherwise.”
I smiled—a somewhat real one this time. “Want to go say hi and dance for a bit?”
He shrugged again. “Sure.”
Tessa chose that moment to finally turn and look at us.
“Oh, is this the famous Todd? All these years and I still have yet to have actually met you.” Todd’s eyes hit my sister and then slid to Becca.
“This is Becca. We’ve been friends for years, but I’m sure you all know each other.
Small town. We should get a table and talk.
I’ve been waiting literally years to meet you, bro. ”
She took a sip of her drink, fighting a grimace I’m sure, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Todd, who was giving Becca a strange look.
“Oh, that’s fine. I’ve got a table and some friends already,” Becca explained. “I’ll let y’all chat, and Tessa, you should come say hi. I’m sure some of the old crew would love to see you.”
Tessa looked at her friend before her gaze swung back over to Todd and me.
“Oh, I’m more than sure I’ll be over soon.”
“Good, good.” Becca grabbed her drink and slid back across the bar, and the silence that ensued was deafening.
“So, work wife?” I asked quietly.
Todd’s arm stiffened around me before he spoke. “No idea what you’re talking about, Ivy. I’m going to play pool. It’s a bit crowded here tonight.”
He pulled his arm away and downed the rest of whatever was in his glass before setting it on the bar and turning for the door.
I could feel Tessa’s eyes digging holes into my forehead, but I just stared down at my drink. “I have no desire to talk about it. You met him. Let’s go find my friends and dance, shall we?”
“Ivy,” she whispered, her hand coming over and resting on my thigh.
“I’m here for you. Always. You aren’t alone, and if you ever want to get out of this town, you have a place to go.
Away from that jerk. And something tells me there are places within this town you could also escape to.
Don’t let assholes like that make you feel stuck. ”
Nodding, I chugged the rest of the drink and waved Damien down for another. Once more, I could feel her disapproving gaze.
“I’m having one more, relax. I learned my lesson a few months ago, and my boss made his best friend promise to never serve me more than three again.
He thinks I don’t know, but I know all sorts of shit about that man.
He isn’t as mysterious as he thinks.” The last bit ended up being more of a mumble under my breath, but it didn’t matter.
I wasn’t letting Todd ruin my evening. That was a tomorrow problem, not a tonight problem.
“Do you want me to see what I can find out? I’ll go interrogate her right now. Friend or not.”
I shook my head. “Nope. I’ll deal with it when I’m ready. Right now, I’m processing. That’s allowed, right?”
“Of course it is.” A slow smile creeped over her face as she looked back over her shoulder towards where all the Carragans had taken up space. “I have one idea on how you could process.”
“Ugh, stop it! He’s my boss!”
Her eyes widened, a look of mock shock taking over her face. I bet she used that look a lot in court. “I didn’t say what I was thinking at all. You brought up the good-looking cowboy, but if you don’t want him, maybe I’ll give him a whirl.”
She started sliding off her chair and straightening her dress before I cracked and clutched her arm. “Stop it. Shut up. Let’s go dance.”
Tessa let out a breathy laugh before she nodded. “Relax, Ivy. I would never do that to you. Let’s go pick out a few songs and have some fun.”
I let out a breath. “Fine, but no stupid music. Your taste is appalling and will have us kicked out of this bar in no time.”
She rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t dream of playing hip hop in a country bar. Relax.”