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“Yes, love?”
“You may have to send me some frizz control spray. Extra-strong.”
She chuckles. “I got you. Break a leg, babe.”
I end the call, praying that I can somehow pull off a Christmas miracle, even though I feel like Scrooge himself.
4
MADDOX
After helpingScott drop off all the equipment, we head over to the Wild Shrimp for happy hour and an early dinner. There’s already a crowd, which is highly unusual. Maybe Levi was onto something with that circus comment…
“Wow. This is really…Florida. And Christmas,” Scott says, glancing around the dim restaurant.
I can see where he’s coming from, given all the teak wood, the fishing net strung up behind the bar decorated with blinking string lights, the large stuffed marlin donning a Santa hat hanging proudly on the wall.
“I can’t believe it. We hardly even need a set budget. This is awesome, man.” Scott slaps me on the back as we head over to the few remaining open seats at the bar.
“Glad Candy Cane Key’s living up to expectations,” I say, sinking down onto the barstool. I hand Scott a sticky plastic menu and wave at the waitress. She smiles and heads over to take our order: two draft beers, a peel-and-eat shrimp for me, and the blackened grouper special for Scott.
“So, Scott. What do you know about Ivy?” I fiddle with the paper napkin on the bar, avoiding eye contact with my friend.
“Bro, I already warned you not to go there. She’s nothing but trouble, swear.”
“I’m okay with a little trouble, especially if it’s as hot as Ivy; she’s hotter than July in the Keys.”
“She may look good, but she’s drama with a capital ‘D.’ Her husband left her, if that tells you anything.”
“Wow—judgey.” I slurp the white foam from the top of my beer.
“Just saying…there’s always a reason. Know what I mean?”
“Maybe the reason wasn’t her. Maybe it was him,” I say, leveling my gaze at Scott. “There’s two sides to every story, you know.”
“Fine.” Scott raises his palms up in the air. “Find out the hard way. And—there she is. The Ice Queen herself.”
Scott peers over my shoulder toward the door, and sure enough, Ivy’s curvy silhouette is framed in golden sunlight, like an angel straight out of a Renaissance painting. I’m surprised a choir doesn’t break out in song; there’s only Bob Marley singing something about love.
More than a few heads swivel to take her in, and I puff out my chest and square my shoulders. Throwing my hand up in the air, I wave her over.
“Dude! What are you doing?” Scott hisses at me, ducking his head. “I don’t want to eat dinner with her.”
“C’mon, man. Give her a chance.”
Ivy glides over to us and my heart hammers hard, a loud whoosh of blood rushing in my ears. She flips her dark hair over her shoulder and the entire lower half of my body tenses up.
“Hey. It’s Maddox, right?” Her voice is sweet, melodic, and now I have a hard-on.
“Yep, you got it. Wanna join us?” I wave at the last empty bar seat.
“Um…” She bites down on her lip, her eyes flitting over at Scott. “I’m grabbing a to-go order. I have to study my lines.”
“Oh.” I try to hide my disappointment; Scott doesn’t even attempt to disguise his relief.
“Thanks for the offer, though. I appreciate it.” She locks eyes with me and my heart flip-flops in my chest. She’s so damn beautiful, I’m knocked totally off-kilter.
“Order for Ivy.” The waitress pushes a plastic to-go bag across the counter, and Ivy signs the check.
