in the streets and an extrovert in the sheets.”
“That’s far more information than I ever needed to know about your best friend.”
“Speak for yourself. That’s nothing.”
I laughed and got up to put my empty bowl in the trashcan. It was only a few feet away, and when I got back, Ivy grinned and held out hers. Fighting a smile, I took it and threw it out for her, then joined her back on the bench.
“Have you enjoyed your birthday?” She peered over at me, pushing hair from her eyes.
I reached out and tucked it behind her ear, letting my fingertips linger on her soft skin. “It was fun. Thank you for this evening.”
“Does that mean I can throw you a party next year?”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“I didn’t hear a no in there.”
“Ivy.”
She grinned. “What? You didn’t say no. I was merely pointing that out.”
“Fine. No. No, you cannot throw me a party next year.”
“Okay, the baby will.”
“Babies can’t throw parties, Ivy.”
“Try me.”
I shook my head at her. At least she’d given me a years’ warning—I would have to be inexplicably out of the country this time next year. Probably with the baby, since they wouldn’t be able to pull off such a feat without her help.
“I’m not kidding,” she continued. “You’ll be thirty. I’m going to make you sick with how I’ll decorate the bar. Streamers everywhere, balloons on all the tables, party hats for everyone, massive balloon arches at the doorway—”
“Ivy, be quiet.”
“No, I can see it now.” She waved her hands in front of her in a ta-da motion. “Fairy cakes with your face on them, cookies in the shape of a K, confetti absolutely everywhere—”
I tugged her into me and clapped my hand over her mouth. “Stop it. You’re caring me.”
She laughed into my palm. “A four-tier birthday cake!”
“Shhh.”
“With sparklers,” she said, muffled by my hand.
“No.”
“And thirty candles for you to make a wish on.”
“I wish you’d be quiet.”
She collapsed into peals of laughter, falling right into me. I fell back onto the grass, and the movement dislodged my hand from her mouth so that her laughter rang out through the small clearing we were sitting in. She collapsed on top on me, pressing her face into my chest as her entire body shook with laughter.
I let my arm settle around her body and peered down at her. She was so fucking beautiful anyway, but when she laughed, it was a whole other story. Her eyes lit up like magic, and the flush of her cheeks was too adorable, but it was the smile that came with the laugh that punched me in the gut and made my heart squeeze.
She had the kind of smile you couldn’t help but smile back at. It was infectious, and the more I saw it, the more I wanted to see it.
The more I wanted to be the reason for it.
I wanted to be the reason Ivy smiled.
Every single day.
She tilted her head back and looked up at me. “What?”
“I was just thinking that there’s nowhere I’d rather be right now than right here with you.”
Something flashed in her gaze. “Really?”
“Really.” I brushed her hair out of her eyes and let my hand rest against the side of her face.
Hesitantly, she said, “That night. At Vincent’s party. When you were talking about us going out.”
“Mm.”
“Were you being serious?”
“Do you need me to answer that question? Really?”
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “Can I tell you something?”
“Always.”
“I’m really glad I brushed you off.” She rolled onto her stomach and looked at me earnestly. “Like, really glad I thought it was all a big joke.”
My eyebrows raised. “That’s a weird thing to tell a guy you’re cuddling on the grass.”
Her lips twitched. “Well, if I’d said yes, none of this would be happening, would it?”
“What do you mean?”
“If I’d agreed to go out with you on a date, that’s where the night would have ended. You wouldn’t have kept pursuing me, we never would have slept together—”
“Which would have been a shame because that was fucking great sex.”
“—And I wouldn’t be pregnant. Which means we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“I guess that makes sense.” I traced little circles on her back with my finger. “Although I’m an optimist and I like to think we would have made it here eventually.”
“You really think that?”
“Why wouldn’t I? We’re having a baby and I’m trying to date you for real, Ivy. It would say a lot about me if, when faced with an alternative