Page 32 of The Summer of Christmas

“We wanted to celebrate your first day of filming on your movie!” Linda told Ivy happily. Ivy also knew that her mother would use any excuse to throw a party. She could still remember the Groundhog Day party her mother threw for her back in fourth grade.

“Mom, I love it, but you know we have an eight a.m. call tomorrow. I’m working,” Ivy said.

“Well, I guess I should go home then!” said a familiar voice. Ivy turned to see Drew. He’d never looked so good to her. She was thrilled to see him. She ran over and hugged him.

“Other plans, huh? So this is what you were actually doing. Coming to my house! You jerk!” Ivy joked.

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“I do love a surprise,” she said.

“He’s the producer of the movie,” Mitch told Jim, the next-door neighbor.

“Oh, the guy with the money,” Jim said.

“I wish I had the money!” Drew said, and everyone laughed. “I am just the one who found the people with the money to make this movie.” Ivy looked lovingly at him. He really was great in these party situations. “What’s a guy gotta do to get a drink around here?”

“We’ll get it for you. Come with me, Ivy,” Linda said and winked at Drew. Ivy followed her mother into the kitchen and the swinging doors closed behind them. “So, what’s going on with the producer? He is hot!” Linda said as she started to make a mistletoe martini.

“Mom!”

“Just sayin’ you could do a lot worse,” she said.

And I have, his name was Nick,Ivy thought. “Well, if you must know, we are kind of seeing each other,” she revealed.

“I knew it! I told your father that I thought something was going on between you two when Drew was over here for the location scout.”

“Oh no. Was it obvious?”

“Yes. I mean, maybe not. I’m just observant. I noticed that he couldn’t take his eyes off you. And that’s always a sign,” Linda said.

“That’s actually kind of nice to know, it’s just that…”

“Look, Ivy, it’s okay to move on from Nick.”

“Mom, I am definitely over Nick. But for now, Drew and I are trying to keep our relationship kinda under wraps—especially from the crew.” Linda looked at Ivy, surprised. “So please don’t say anything to the production designer.”

“I have no idea who you’re talking about,” Linda said, playing along.

“You know—Wyck—the guy who is staple-gunning everything in your living room.”

“Oh, honey, I know who you’re talking about. I was just trying to show you how I’m going to keep your relationship with Drew a secret,” her mom explained. “Speaking of Drew, you’d better get this mistletoe martini out to him before he dies from thirst.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Maybe you could accidentally give him that drink under the mistletoe.”

“Mom!”

Ivy returned to the living room and found Drew surrounded by the neighbors, charming everyone with his great stories about Hollywood. She handed Drew his drink, and he sipped.

“Wow! This is fantastic. I love Christmas in July,” he exclaimed.

“Ivy, you missed some great stories. Drew was telling us about the time he went to Sundance and ended up on the chairlift with Kristen Stewart,” Mitch said enthusiastically.

Ivy just smiled because she’d heard this story at least four times before.

“Did you meet Robert Redford?” asked Sue, their neighbor from down the street.