Page 21 of Light My Fire Three Times
He’s watching me and waiting, patient yet expectant.
“I shouldn’t…” I start, barely above a whisper.
Karl’s hand lifts to cup my cheek, thumb brushing gently over my skin.
“Hey,” he reminds me. “No rules tonight. No should. You’re here for agoodtime, remember?”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jesse
NOVEMBER 2ND
I rollup to Ivy’s place just as I always do after a long week. Ready to unwind with my sister and her husbands for our weekly dinner session.
The twins, Mitchell and Timothy, are already inside, probably bickering over who screwed up last week’s tattoo appointments.
Freddie is there too, leaning back with that cocky grin of his, observing everything as he always does.
Ivy is in her element, of course, playing the unofficial hostess and keeping everyone in line. All while parenting Penny and her triplets as well.
She really is Wonder Woman. I didnotthink this would all happen when she first came to stay with me after her life fell apart. But I’m glad it all did, because it means my sister, nieces, and nephew arehere.
“Hey, you’re late,” Mitchell calls out the second I step in. “The food smellsdelicious,and I am starving.”
Timothy rolls his eyes as he continues to cook.
I don’t bother with explanations. “Work’s been hell.”
Freddie raises an eyebrow. “You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
“Yeah, well, try putting out fires for a living. It’ll kill your vibe.” I smirk, but the truth is I’m wiped.
Ivy catches my eye and smirks. “Well, you need to be pleasant tonight, Jesse.”
I roll my eyes. “What now?”
I grab a beer from the counter and pop it open as I follow Ivy toward the dining room. The twins stop arguing, and Freddie pauses mid-sentence, their attention snapping to the same spot.
And there she is. Olivia Quinn. Sitting at the table with the stiffest spine I have ever seen.
My stomach clenches. I’m not ready for this. Not here. Not now.
Livvy looks calm, almost too calm, nearly daring me to react.My sister’s best friend,I remind myself, but that doesn’t stop the heat rising in my chest or the sudden tightness in my throat.
I’m guessing Ivy doesn’t know, or she might have killed me by now. Plus, we agreed not to talk about it, so I think awkward silences it is.
“Hey,” Livvy says with a small smile. “Good to see you.”
I try to play it cool, but inside I’m reeling. What the hell is Livvy doing here, crashing our family dinner? And more importantly, how the hell am I supposed to act now?
The room feels smaller, louder. Everyone’s watching, waiting for my move. I take a sip of my beer, trying to find my footing.
Livvy is amazing, and this isn’t just a dinner anymore. It’s a test. One, I’m not sure I’m ready to pass.
I pull out the chair across from her, not too close but not too far, as if the physical distance could ease the pressure building between us.
I can feel her eyes on me, not with judgment, but with a quiet understanding that only makes it worse. I swear, she knows exactly how to make me feel under a microscope.
