Page 91 of Fierce-Ivan
“She is a lovely woman. She’s very funny and has no problem picking on her daughter the way we do on Ivan. They are very close and you can see it.”
“That’s great.”
“It is. Family oriented like you wanted. But we are talking about someone who has always lived with her mother. Even in different apartments, they are still together. You don’t honestly think she is going to pick up and leave or move in with Ivan in a few months, do you?”
“Maybe I didn’t think this one through as much,” Jolene said, scrunching up her face.
“Please,” Gavin said. “You think everything through. You’re just bent that you can’t get a read on this. They are together but not all lovey-dovey like the others have been. They aren’t moving fast like you want and you can’t get them to do it either.”
Her husband was right, but she didn’t want to admit that. “I’ll get my way,” she said. “I always do.”
“And you never let us forget it,” Shay said, laughing. “If there is something to report you’ll know.”
“Something tells me there is more and you aren’t telling me. Have they said they love each other yet?”
“Do you think Ivan is going to tell me those details?” Shay asked.
“Probably not. I don’t know why you don’t ask him those things. Be direct. I am with my kids.”
“And that is why they play games with you,” Ethan said.
“You know,” she said to Ethan, “you used to be my favorite.”
Ethan laughed and winked at her. She really did get lucky in life with her family. Not just her husband and kids but her siblings did too.
“I’ll be your favorite again if I help you with my son.”
“You know something, don’t you?” she asked, pointing her finger.
“Nope. Nothing more than I like yanking your chain with everyone else.”
She crossed her arms. “You guys should be thanking me all.”
“Zip it, Jolene,” Gavin said with a grin. “Not sure what your rush is on this one, but it’s getting there.”
“You’re right. I think I’m trying to get something before Diane and Carolyn. They said Walker and Stella are really close and hope for an engagement soon. They are working on Flynn and Julia too.”
“It’s a competition?” Shay asked. “That’s horrible.”
“It’s fun,” Jolene said. “But maybe I should start to think about Faith. I’m going to need a head start on her.”
“Good luck there,” Shay said. “Are you ready, Ethan? I’m beat.”
Ethan stood up. “I’ve been ready for an hour, but Jolene told us we had to stay and we listened. See, I’m still your favorite because I could have left and my wife would have gone with me over waiting for you.”
Jolene knew that and went to kiss him on the cheek. “Fine. You’re my favorite.”
She knew how to suck up too because she was pretty sure her sister and brother-in-law were keeping something from her.
28
Something Different
“Look at you,” Ivan said when Kendra walked out of his bathroom. “Wow.”
She did a spin for him. He’d seen her in a skirt for the little librarian surprise she’d had for him, but this was different.
“Do you like it?”