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“Mom has been to Ivy’s house. She hasn’t said it outright, but she views Ivy as beneath us.”
“Are you serious? Mom wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and besides, Ivy is working hard to get where she wants,” Dylan says hotly.
His defense of Ivy makes me realize what our fight had been about. I had defended my mother and pretended not to understand what Ivy was talking about. Guilt starts as a small pea, but it grows bigger by the minute. I defended my mother to Ivy, hoping that it would go away. Hell, who wants to admit that their mother behaved horribly? I’d figured if I acted blasé, Ivy would drop it.
I rake my fingers through my hair. “I fucked up.” I tell them about our fight.
“I thought I was clueless when it came to women, but you’re far worse than I am,” Jace says with a grim grin. “You make me feel better about my understanding of women.”
“Oh yeah?” My jaw tightens in irritation. “And what would you do now, Casanova?”
“Follow her to Florida,” Jace says. “Apologize. Eat humble pie. Admit what an idiot I was and ask for forgiveness.”
I’m quiet while I let his words sink in.
“I would do the same,” Dylan says quietly. “I hate to see someone treated unfairly.”
“I agree with that part. It’s the going to Florida part that seems over the top,” I say.
Dylan raises an eyebrow. “For someone you’re sleeping with, and who’s having your baby?”
I grab my drink and take a big gulp. My brothers are right. I owe Ivy an apology, and I was an idiot to pretend that my mother had done nothing wrong. This just proves to me how unsuitable I am for a real relationship. Nothing has changed. I’m a train wreck when it comes to women. It never bothered me in the past when my relationships were short, but something is different with Ivy.
***
The plane’s engines roar to life. In less than two hours, I’ll be in Florida. It took a lot of rescheduling to free up my time to enable me to be away for two days. I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I’ve missed Ivy, but it’s only because I’ve gotten used to her presence in my life. If I wanted to get her out of my system, I would. That makes me feel better about my feelings for her. I love my work, and it comes first. That hasn’t changed. When the baby comes, I’ll immerse myself in my work and baby care, of course. There’ll be no room for romance in my life.
I turn my thoughts to what Ivy’s reaction will be when she sees me. I begged her sister Molly not to let Ivy know I was coming. It had taken a lot to reassure Molly that it was for the best. I smile, remembering how much she grilled me until she was fully satisfied that my intentions were noble.
As we get closer to Florida, my hands become wet with sweat. I fucked up. The conversation with my brothers opened my eyes. I hurt the last person I want to hurt. And worse, at a time when she’s extremely vulnerable and emotional. I’m an asshole. I’d promised Ivy that I’d be her protector, especially from my parents, but I didn’t keep that promise.
Fuck. My entire neck is covered in sweat. I grab a handkerchief and mop my face and neck.
“Hot day, huh?” the older woman in the next seat says to me.
“Yes.” I’m not the chatty type, and I busy myself with my reading material when I get on a plane. Only this time, I was in such a rush to leave that I didn’t pack anything to read.
“Do you live in Florida?” she asks, and I groan inwardly.
I give her one-word answers, but she’s more interested in talking than listening. It doesn’t take much to realize that I’m being hit on. Her name is Anne, and she’s going back home after a visit with her children. She has lived in Florida for close to five years.
“If you like, I can show you a bit of Florida,” she says, holding my gaze. “I know all the fun places.”
I smile back, even if it’s the last thing I want to do. Being with Ivy has brought out a soft side I didn’t know existed. “I don’t know what my fiancée’s schedule looks like. She’s visiting her parents, and I’m joining her for a couple of days.”
It’s not exactly a lie. Anne’s face falls. I wasn’t wrong that she was hitting on me.
“Another time then,” she says and looks away.
The plane lands twenty minutes later, and I’m one of the first people to disembark. The first thing that hits me is the heat. I’m blinded by the light for a few seconds before I adjust to it. There’s a soft breeze in the air, and I find myself smiling as I walk toward the terminal.
I have no luggage apart from my backpack, and soon I’m in an Uber headed to Ivy’s parents’ home. I should probably check into my hotel first, but I’m too excited. I need to see her. I’ve missed Ivy with a deep ache that surprises me. Yeah, I guess I do have feelings for her, but what man wouldn’t? She’s beautiful, she has a heart of gold, and she’s fun to be with. If things were different or we had met under other circumstances, maybe she and I would have had a future together.
The Uber comes to a stop, and I pay the fare. I grab my bag and get out. Ivy’s parents live in a condominium, and from the scent of salt wafting up my nose, I think the ocean is not too far off.
I make my way to the building entrance manned by a uniformed concierge. He opens the door for me with a flourish and follows me to the reception desk while making small talk. He’s very polite about asking me whether I’m expected, and when I admit that I’m not, he makes a phone call and then hands me the phone.
Ivy’s father has a deep, friendly voice, and after exchanging greetings, he invites me up. I’m rarely nervous, but I listen to his voice for anger as we speak. His tone is friendly. It makes me wonder how much Ivy has told them about our baby.
