Page 83 of Holly versus Mr. Ivy
I rubbed my forehead. “There’s this black cloud that blankets my brain like fog. It’s hard to see through it and find the truth versus the lies my brain wants me to believe. Instead, I go numb and do everything I can to stay that way because it dulls the pain and roaring misbeliefs in my mind.” I stared at the ice floating in my glass. “Anyway, if you decide my mental health is too much to take on and you don’t want to date me, I’ll understand. It’s a lot to handle.”
I didn’t dare look at Holly to see what expression she wore. If she pitied me, I couldn’t take it.
“Rhett.” Holly’s tone, full of compassion, made me raise my gaze to her.
Her features were soft, caring. “I’m sorry Lexi left you when you needed her. That you didn’t have someone to rely on during your darkest moment. The mistake was hers. And a huge one, at that. Everyone, to some degree, struggles with mental health. Just because you have that illness, it doesn’t mean that’swhoyou are.” Holly’s smile was teasing, bordering on flirty. “But I have to say, I’m glad she broke up with you, because now you’re mine.”
My pulse skyrocketed like NASA had shot a space shuttle into my heart and through my arteries. Here we were on our first date, and Holly wasclaimingme? This should terrify me. Send me into a panic attack.
But it didn’t.
It made me smile like I’d won a game-winning touchdown.
“Yours, huh?” I asked, wanting to be sure Holly truly was ready to make a declaration like that so soon.
She leaned toward me, her eyes locked on mine, making sure Ifeltthe words she spoke next. “I don’t do things halfway, Everett Ivy. If I’m risking my job, my verylivelihoodfor you, you’d better believe I’m all in. Are you?”
Her saying my full name sent a ripple of pleasure through my core. This declaration should feel too soon or make me question Holly’s sanity a little bit. But the woman across from me, the one I’d gotten to know over the past two and a half months, evoked nothing but pure joy from me. That she still wanted me after I’d told her my biggest struggle made me fall for her even more. It was too soon for love, but one small nudge would get me planting my flag and claiming land in the “I love Holly” zone. “I’m all in, sweetheart.” And I meant it. I would do everything to protect Holly. To keep her from losing her job, to push her to be the best version of herself. To love her, grumpy side and all.
Pulling into Holly’s driveway, my heart raced like we’d been chased by cops. The rest of our meal, we spoke about places we wanted to travel in our lives, what college was like, favorite vacations we’d been on, and local spots we loved. Being with Holly was easy. She got riled up quickly, and I loved teasing her.
“This part feels weird since we’re going to see each other at work in an hour,” Holly said.
I quirked a brow, my lips pulling up into a smirk. “Are you saying you want to skip the porch scene? Because I was quite looking forward to it.” I undid her seatbelt for her.
Her cheeks turned pink. “I didn’t say that.”
“Good.” I hopped out of my truck, going around to Holly’s side.
When I opened her door, there was no hesitation on her part. She swung her legs around the seat and leaped right at me. Her enthusiastic jump was more than I’d expected. Her head smacked my chin, forcing me to stagger backward. Scrambling to keep her from falling, I clumsily clutched onto her, but her slippery coat made finding purchase difficult. Twisting, grasping, unable to grab on, Holly and I tumbled in a heap to the ground.
“Oof,” I grunted, as Holly landed half on top of me.
“Sorry,” she squeaked.
“Are you okay?” Taking stock of how I’d landed, I determined nothing but my face hurt, where Holly had hit it with her own.
Holly’s head popped up, cheeks red as raspberries, eyes shiny. She scrambled off me. “I’m just going to head that way.” She pointed a gauze-wrapped hand to the house.
“If you wanted to kiss me so badly, we could’ve made it happen in the truck.” This attack was a bit much.
She let out a strangled laugh.
I stood, brushing the snow from my coat. Closing the passenger door of my truck, I followed a silent Holly to the porch.
“We should probably say goodbye inside in case someone drives by.” Lampton wasn’t a tiny town, but it also wasn’t that big of a city either. Any of Holly’s neighbors might know Uncle Anthony.
Holly pointed to the door. “But my mom’s inside.”
I tilted my head back and groaned. “Definitely should have stayed in the truck longer.”
Holly grinned. “Let’s just be super quiet and stay in the entryway. My mom won’t hear us,” she whispered.
Sneaking around, hiding our affection, was fun. It added another element to our relationship. Like we were playing a life-sized version of sardines, except Holly and I were hiding together, and I prayed no one ever found us.
Like teenagers slipping in past curfew, I carefully opened the front door. We tiptoed inside to the formal living room, where we’d put up the Christmas tree the other night. The colored lights were on, flashing in alternating patterns.
Removing my coat and gloves, I dropped them into a gold and pink-striped armchair.
