Page 136 of Playing for Keeps
Ash smirks. “I’ve heard you make a mean pancake.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah? Who told you that?”
“That would be me,” Ivy says quietly.
My head snaps around to see her standing behind Ash. I cross the kitchen in a few quick strides and wrap her in my arms.
“You’re awake.” But when I pull back and see her puffy, red-rimmed eyes, my heart twists. “Have you been crying?”
She rests her head on my chest and holds up her phone.
“I shouldn’t have looked,” she whispers.
“Shit, baby.” I exhale. “I’m so sorry.”
She gives me a weak smile, then steps out of my arms and moves to Ash.
“What are you doing here?” she asks, leaning in to hug her.
“Thought you might need a friend,” Ash says, hugging her tightly.
“Thank you,” Ivy whispers, her voice soft with quiet gratitude. “So… you’ve seen it all?”
Ash nods. “Wyatt called me this morning and explained everything.”
Ivy’s eyes flick to mine, her brows pulling together.
“How long have you been up if you had time to call Ash and she’s already driven over?”
I shrug a little, sheepish. “A while. I couldn’t sleep.”
She reaches for my hand, her touch warm.
“You should have woken me.”
I shake my head. “No way. You needed the rest.”
“So did you,” she says. “You’ve got training this afternoon.”
“I don’t care about that,” I say, squeezing her hand. “All I care about is you.”
“I’m okay,” she says quietly.
“You’re not,” I reply, pulling her back into my arms.
She holds on tight, and I can feel it in the way her fingers clutch at my back, she’s anything but okay, no matter what she says.
She leans back just enough to kiss me softly. “Go make your breakfast. I’ll whip up pancakes for Ash and me. If you didn’t sleep, you need something decent in you. I don’t want you getting hurt out there.”
My chest tightens. Even in the middle of all this mess, she’s still thinking about me, still putting me first.
“I love you,” I whisper.
She nods. “I love you too.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Ivy
