Page 49 of The Riley Effect

When I pull myself back upright, I’m happy to see that he went with the casual movie outfit, too. He makes the white t-shirt, black jeans, and backward Yankee cap look far better than should be legally possible.

“Do guys know how sexy we think a backward baseball hat is?”

He lets out a low chuckle, “I didn’t. Does that mean you think I am sexy?”

I reach over the center console and nudge his shoulder. “I think you know how sexy you are. Who am I to disagree with the masses.”

Jalen lets out a low laugh, I haven’t heard him use it with anyone else.

I take Jalen’s hand that’s resting between us and lace our fingers, taking a moment to appreciate how natural this feels and how nerve-wracking that is.

We sit in silence as Jalen drives us to the pizza shop on the other side of town. I can’t believe how comfortable I am in this silence. There is no impulse to talk, just to fill it. I squeeze his hand, a quiet expression of my comfort in this moment.

We walk into the restaurant hand in hand. Once we are seated and I down half of the tequila soda I ordered, I decide to rip off the bandaid, needing to get this conversation over with.

“So, I know I said I’d be okay with us seeing other people.” He looks up from the menu. Eyebrows raised. Eyes latched to mine. “I don’t want that anymore.”

He nods, without adding anything.

“If that’s what you want,” I add nervously. “You were just so great with my nephew. I talked to my sister, and she told me I needed to overcome my fears. People have been taken from me my whole life, my parents and my brother-in-law. I just don’t want to be hurt again. After you called last night, my sister reminded me that life is meant to be shared, and I really enjoy our time together.”

Jalen reaches across the red and white clothed table and places his hands over mine to settle my fingers that are toyingwith my napkin. His blue eyes show an understanding I wish replaced the pity I was shown growing up.

“You’ll always be able to trust me, Ivy.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Jalen throws forty dollars on the table–far more than our drinks cost– grabs my hand, and pulls me out the door. If my legs were any shorter, he’d be dragging me out of the restaurant.

“Where are we going?” I giggle as I try to keep up with his long strides.

“I am taking you home.”

26

Jalen

I gently nudge Ivy into my car before briskly walking to the driver’s side. I thank my lucky stars that I am easily able to take the left-hand turn to get back to the house.

“Jalen, slow down!” Ivy grabs my forearm and shakes me out of whatever lust-fueled haze I’m in. “Nothing will happen if we don’t make it home in one piece,” she tells me through a strained giggle.

I relax knowing I don’t have to savor every moment we have together like it could be our last anymore.

“I’m sorry, Angel. I’ve just hoped you’d change your mind and trust me enough to give us a real shot.”

“Jay, are you sure it’s not just because you want to have sex?” I look over, and Ivy’s playfully wiggling her eyebrows.

“I mean, that’s just a perk of this whole relationship thing, right.”

“I’m already regretting this.” She playfully pats my hand and leaves it resting on top of mine. I flip my hand over and she starts tracing aimless designs on my palm.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”

“I feel like, for the first time in my life, everything is going exactly how it is supposed to.”

We sit hand in hand for the rest of the car ride home. When I see that our driveway has an overflow of cars, I know I fucked up. I completely forgot that Byron was making dinner for some of the team, and then they were going to watch Monday Night Football.

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