Page 65 of Lonely Heart

“I thinkit’s safe to say that things have changed.”

Things had certainly changed.

But where I didn’t feel an ounce of regret about it, and Ivy had claimed she felt as much, there was something lingering in her tone that had me bracing. That, and the fact she had looked up from her plate, her breakfast barely touched, when I’d gotten through half of mine.

“They have.”

“I know we talked about this briefly last night during dinner, but I don’t think we anticipated all that happened afterward.”

No.

No, I could easily admit that I hadn’t expected what had occurred when I brought Ivy home from dinner.

The best night of my life—bar none.

“No. I can confidently say I didn’t wake up yesterday morning expecting any of what happened after dinner,” I admitted. “Though I won’t lie and say I hadn’t hoped for the kiss.”

She smiled at me and looked away, her eyes focusing on the scrambled eggs she was pushing around the plate. It was rareto see Ivy being bashful—she had such a bold personality—so anytime I witnessed her being shy, it always held me captive.

As much as I wanted to sit in all the good vibes I’d been feeling ever since I danced with her at the party two nights ago, it was difficult to remain there when I could see how much Ivy seemed to be struggling. Since she was sitting right beside me, I placed my hand on her thigh and offered a reassuring squeeze. “You’re worried.”

Her eyes met mine. “A little.”

I had a feeling I already knew why, but I thought it was best to be sure. “What’s bothering you?”

“Everything is going to be different between us now.”

They would.

Now, I’d be able to hug her and kiss her. I could take her out for lunch or bring her dinner. We could go on dates and do fun things together. She could talk to me about anything that was weighing on her mind, or I could go to her after a long day of hard work. Ivy and I could be there for each other in ways we hadn’t been before, and I thought that was the best thing of all.

“And this is a bad thing?”

She shook her head. “No. No, I think what’s happening here is great.” She waved her hand between the two of us. “I’m merely concerned about what the plan is.”

“What plan?”

She picked up a piece of toast, took a bite, and chewed slowly, her eyes staring off and contemplating. “We decided we were just going to see where things went between us before we told anyone else about it. I think it became clear that we’re moving forward in a serious way. And I get that it’s the very definition of early, but what happened between us is a big deal to me.”

I moved my hand back and forth along her thigh, wondering if she thought I viewed this as some inconsequential passing fling or a one-night stand. That really wasn’t my style to beginwith, but if it had been, I’d never have gone there with her. “It means just as much to me, Ivy.”

“I know. I believe that. I’m just wondering where we go from here.”

“Forward.” Her brow furrowed with confusion, so I went on. “I want to be with you, Princess. I want us to be exclusive?—”

“It’s not like I had anyone banging down my door,” she murmured.

I chuckled. “That still blows my mind. And while I hate that you had a lonely heart, I’m not mad about nobody else pursuing you. It gave me the chance to see what I was missing and take the steps to do something about it. I want to believe you’re happy about where we are, too.”

She didn’t hesitate to confirm I’d assumed correctly. “I am. I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

“That’s all that matters to me,” I told her. “I want you to be happy. I want to be happy with you.”

“Do you think that’s possible?”

That question, and the grim tone of her voice, caught me by surprise. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

She swallowed a bite of her eggs, eggs I believed had to be bordering on cold at this point. “I don’t know exactly what was said between you and Cooper, but there’s something about that interaction you had with my brother that leads you to believe he wouldn’t be happy for us. I guess I don’t see how we can be happy together, or how we’ll have a chance to see if this can work, if we need to start this relationship off by fighting with others just to have it.”