Page 78 of Raising Love
I blinked, my jaw slack as the weight of her words sank in. “That’s… amazing.”
“Right?!” Ivy’s lips trembled as she forced in a breath, holding her composure. “She wrote about why they chose Levi. She said they wanted us to feel close to him. That they chose the name because it combined parts of our names—your ‘L’ and ‘E,’ and my ‘V’ and ‘I.’” Her voice wavered. “She wanted him to carry a piece of us, to remind us how much they loved us.”
The room seemed to fade around us, the distant hum of voices and laughter falling into the background.
Ivy’s eyes glistened as she continued. “She wanted to wait to reveal the baby’s name after he was born so she could explain why they chose it. She hoped it would help us embrace the change he’d bring into our lives by helping us to see parts of us in him by way of his name.”
I nodded slowly, unable to form words in the moment. The revelation settled heavily on my chest, equal parts bittersweet and awe-inspiring.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I hadn’t been as hung up on choosing a name for the baby the way Ivy had been, but it really meant something that we were going to give him the name his parents wanted.
“I haven’t reached out to the estate lawyer with the news or made any filings,” she informed. “I wanted to tell you first and make sure we both agree on the name before we start adding it to the birth certificate, birth records, and all that jazz.”
“Ivy, Leo,” a voice called from the side of us. When I turned my head, I saw a photographer we knew, Talia, with a massive camera lens aimed in our direction. “Can I get a photo of the most famous friends in the room?”
Ivy laughed softly. “Famous friends? Talia, you do too much.”
Talia grinned at her, then turned to me.
“Sure, T,” I said, taking a step closer to Ivy. “And you dubbed us accurately. Just make sure you get my good side.”
“All sides of you are good, LV,” Talia teased, raising the camera to her face.
I looped an arm around Ivy’s waist and pulled her close, closing the distance between us for the photo. I underestimated the effect of feeling her body against mine—she fit so perfectly, like she was supposed to be here. The camera flashes flickered, and I smiled, keeping my gaze forward.
Talia stepped back, lowering the camera to inspect the photos she’d taken. A satisfied grin spread across her face. “Y’all look amazing. Thank you!”
Ivy stepped out of my hold, clearing her throat, and looked up at me with a small smile.
I shifted slightly, trying to keep my body calm. To say I hadn’t been thinking of Ivy in that way—about the nights we spent together—would’ve been a straight-up lie. Every night since then, memories of her had come rushing back. The way she looked at me, the way her body moved with mine, taking in every inch I gave, the sounds she made… it all kept playing on a loop in my head. At first, I tried to fight those thoughts. Now, I didn’t even bother.
“So, this weekend, right?” she asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Levi”—her lips curved into a small grin as she said his name—“will be with you?”
I nodded. “Yup.”
“Cool.” She nodded again, shifting the clutch under her arm and gesturing toward the exit. “I’m gonna?—”
“Do you… wanna grab a drink… or something?”
The words spilled out before I could stop them.
She tilted her head, studying me. “Or something?”
I licked my lips and shrugged. “Yeah.”
“What’s the something?”
I chuckled nervously, running a hand down my mouth.
She gasped, then let out a laugh, her smile softening the tension between us. “Ah, so that’s how you do it. The Leo Vanguard way of getting ladies to make questionable decisions.”
Her gaze met mine, her dark eyes locking me in place. The rest of the room faded—the crowd, the noise, everything. All I saw was her. All I wanted was her.
“Leo,” a familiar voice called from behind me, breaking the moment.
I turned to see Simeon, my agent, walking toward us. His eyes bounced between Ivy and me, his expression curious.
“Oh,” Simeon said, placing a hand over his chest. “Am I interrupting?—”
