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“Yep.”
“Okay, so what prize do I get if I guess correctly?”
She sighs and presses her palm to her forehead. “God, you’re such a golden boy. You don’t need a prize—just guess for the fun of it.”
I give her a disapproving look, and she caves.
“Fine. If you guess it right, you get to sleep on the bed tonight.”
I blink. “Wait, seriously?”
She shrugs, casual as ever. “Don’t get too excited. It’s just the bed.”
My lips twitch. “Am I sleeping in it… with you, or…?”
She rolls her eyes so hard I’m amazed they don’t get stuck. “You wish.”
Well, that’s no fun. I grin. “You’re from New York.”
Her jaw drops. “No way. You cheated. No bed for you.”
I lean back, smug. “Didn’t have to.”
Her expression shifts. “Okay, how?”
I study her. “Your edge. The sarcasm. The trauma hiding under ten layers of coffee and pride. Plus… I saw the tag on your suitcase.”
She laughs. “Damn. You’re dangerous.”
I tilt my head. “And what about your family?”
She nods, the smile dimming slightly. “Yeah. Split. Messy.” She sighs. “My parents got divorced when my big brother and I were young. I love them, but I can’t have them in the same room unless I’m prepared for a full-blown war. We do holidays in shifts.”
I wince. “It happens.”
“It does.” She looks down, absently picking at the edge of the blanket. “But aside from that, we’re one big happy family. I mean, they love us and have always shown that, just not each other. I guess that’s why it’s been hard for me to find a decent guy, and my brother Jeremy bounces from one chick to the next. It’s a miracle he’s still disease-free. You’d think having one leg would slow the guy down,” she says, laughing.
Another beat of silence. Not awkward. Just honest.
“What about your love life? I don’t see a ring and no one’s called to check on you. I know if my girl were in Hawaii alone, I’d make sure she was safe. Heck, my girl wouldn’t be in Hawaii alone, so I take that back,” I say as I watch her full lips curve into a smile.
Damn, I could kiss the fuck out of those lips.
She looks up at me. “Maybe. But I’m still hopeful that at least one guy out there isn’t a complete asshole and I can finally be in a real relationship,”
I can’t help but smirk at her comment. “Well, I hate to break it to you, but finding a guy who’s not a complete asshole is like searching for a unicorn in a sea of donkeys.”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Wow, you’re a real romantic, aren’t you?”
“Hey, just speaking from experience,” I retort playfully.
Ivy rolls her eyes, but there’s a glint of amusement in them. “Well, if all else fails, maybe I’ll just join a convent. At least then I’ll have some peace and quiet.”
We share a chuckle at the absurd image of Ivy in a convent surrounded by nuns.
“But who knows,” she continues thoughtfully. “Maybe one day, we’ll both stumble upon someone who’s not only tolerable but actually… nice.”
I nod in agreement. “Sure, stranger things have happened. But hey, don’t worry tornado, you’re what, forty-five? There’s still plenty of time to find love.”