Page 27 of Play the Last Card
Ivy:I reckon I might be able to pencil you in.
Scott:Free around one tomorrow? Send me your address, I’ll pick you up.
I let out another squeal and kick my heels up. I’m doing that a lot lately and really, I don't want to stop.
***
Scott’s black car pulls up two minutes to one and I am not ready.
“Shit,” I curse under my breath, throwing my Converse sneakers at the front door and heading for the kitchen. My perfume is stashed in mywork bag—still sitting on the stool where I dropped it last night. God, I really need to clean this thing out. I find the small bottle, spraying lightly on my wrists and dabbing my neck. I also spray behind me and step back into the light mist of scent. A habit I picked up from Nan. She used to joke that it was how she got Pops to follow her everywhere. I was so young I don’t remember if I believed her or not but now it’s a habit that makes me think of her every day.
I drop the bottle of scent back into my work bag and head to the door.
The doorbell rings. I stare at the closed door knowing Scott’s the one on the other side and force myself to take a deep breath.
One … two …stop smiling so wide Ivy, god… three.
“Hey.” I smile up at him in his signature cap and black t-shirt. I hope it’s a good, natural looking smile. I hope my nerves aren’t plastered all over my face.
His lips twitch up. His eyes gaze down my body before they meet mine again. I’m not sure how impressive I am in denim shorts and a white t-shirt but I feel like melting under his gaze.
Then he grins. “Hi, ready?”
“Yep. Just need to pull my shoes on. Come in.”
He hesitates in the doorway before stepping inside. “This is quite the place,” he says, glancing down the hallway behind me.
“My grandparents bought it in the sixties I think. Family home, renovated a couple of times over. Pops was bored after retiring.”
He simply nods and I pull on my shoes.
“Am I dressed okay for wherever we’re going?” I ask holding out my hands and turning on the spot. The action gets me a quiet chuckle. Deep and rumbling and soul soothing.
“Yes. Come on, I’ve booked so we don’t want to be late.”
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” I ask him. My curiosity is eating at me.
“Nope. You’ll see when we get there.”
“Is it far?”
“Not really.”
I close the door behind us, triple checking it’s locked before throwing my keys into the bag across my body. The black Mercedes SUV doesn’t necessarily stand out amongst some of the other cars in the street but it certainly makes my red Toyota pale in comparison.
“Nice car.” I smirk a little as I follow him toward the street.
“Job perk. I prefer my truck but I left it in California.”
“Why?”
He studies me for a second, hand reaching for the door as he goes to open it for me. I climb into the passenger seat as he answers. “Wasn’t planning on staying in Boston long term.”
I sense the same shut down I get whenever work comes up in conversation so I switch subjects as he rounds the car and slides in beside me. I let him pepper me with questions about my first week back at school. I’m mid story—recalling exactly when I’d discovered which kindergarteners weren’t exactly toilet ready for the school year—when Scott pulls the car into a large parking lot.
“Mini golf?” I squeal excitedly. I jump down from the passenger seat as soon as Scott pulls the door open for me. The brightly lit sign shines even in the sunshine. Scott comes up behind me, his chest just brushing against my back. I stop myself from leaning back into him. Probably too soon.
“Do you not like mini golf?”