Page 33 of The Summer of Christmas

“Yeah, I worked with him on a movie,” Drew said.

“Was he nice?”

“Actually, he was.”

“I bet he was cute, too!”

“I’ve got a question for you…” Everyone turned to look at Ivy’s sister, Carol, as she asked, “How come so many assholes go into the film business?”

Drew looked at Carol, completely caught off guard. “Ha-ha,” was all that the usually loquacious man could muster.

“Don’t mind her. That’s my sister, Carol. She’s getting her master’s in psych. Probably just asking that question for a paper she’s writing.” Ivy grinned.

Now it was Carol’s turn to sayha-haand walk away.

“Your sister’s tough,” Drew said to Ivy.

“Bacon-wrapped date?” Linda asked him.

“Oh, no thanks, Linda.”

“What about some baked Brie? It’s delicious with this cranberry topping.”

“Oh, thank you, but no,” Drew said.

“We also have some mini turkey sandwiches.”

“Drew’s a vegan, Mom.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I guess that’s why you haven’t eaten anything.”

“No worries. I’m all good. We have a great caterer on the set. I’m trying not to gain any weight.” Drew pinched his stomach, but there was absolutely no fat there. “And without my Peloton, it’s not going to be easy.” Drew actually looked worried, which Ivy thought was ridiculous. He didn’t have a fat cell in his entire body.

Kathy and Lauren, her childhood friends, had been hovering behind Ivy, hoping to talk with her. She turned and hugged them hello. “I guess you’re a celebrity now,” Lauren joked. But it had a ring of truth, as everyone at the party was waiting to talk with Ivy.

“Ha-ha. No. I’m just the writer.” Ivy smiled.

“This is all so cool. You have a movie!” Kathy gushed. “And LA—what’s that like? Living there? I bet it’s amazing.”

“It is. I see celebrities every week,” Ivy said jokingly. But Kathy and Lauren took her seriously.

“Really? That’s so cool!” Kathy said, wide-eyed.

“It’s just like any other place except sometimes I run into Jennifer Garner at the CVS when shopping for nail polish.”

“Wow. That’s so cool,” Kathy said again. Ivy realized that “cool” must still be Kathy’s word of choice. She’d been using it since they were in sixth grade. They’d been best friends all through middle and high school. Ivy had moved across the country to go to college while Kathy stayed home for college.

Lauren and Kathy looked at each other for an awkward moment. Lauren blurted out, “We were really sorry to hear about you and Nick.”

“It’s okay. That was five years ago.”

“We just never thought you guys would break up. We figured you were going all the way to the altar,” Lauren said.

“Well, it didn’t work out that way,” Ivy said a little sadly.

“Have you seen him yet?” Kathy wondered.

“Yes. At the winery. And I also saw his Poison Ivy wine bottle.”