Page 18 of Trust Fall
“It’s about the only one I know, actually.” Ivy blushed. “I can’t remember where I even heard it, but I can relate, anyway.” She added softly, trailing off slightly.
“Well, if you want, I have a book all about the constellations and their stories. As you can tell I’ve not read it cover-to-cover, but feel free to borrow it if you want.”
“Thanks, I might take you up on that some time. Well, I hope you have a great weekend, Cleo,” Ivy said as their eyes held each other's. Turning quickly and adding, “and you too, Lana.”
Lana and Toni looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
“Aw thanks Ivy, I‘ll be spending my time with Connor, and Cleo here’s living up the single life, so we’ll both have fun. I hope you will too Ivy, and Toni,” Lana smirked at Toni and cocked an eyebrow as she took a sip from her cup while watching the interaction between Cleo and Ivy over the rim.
“Thanks Ivy, I hope you’re not working the full weekend and get to enjoy some of it too.” Cleo said, seemingly unable to look away from Ivy. Ivy liked it.
“Oh, she's lucked out and got the full weekend off too,” Toni, the Traitor announced gleefully. “I'm only working tomorrow then I'm off Sunday to take Willow to a birthday party... so at least it'll be fun for her,” Toni laughed.
Cleo and Lana headed out the door, which barely had time to close before Toni spun Ivy around by the shoulders. Her eyes were as large as saucers with eyebrows raised so high they were almost in her hairline.
“Are you kidding me right now?! You let her go for a second time without asking her out??” Toni waited impatiently for Ivy to answer.
“Well,” Ivy started, “technically it was her third time, she was in yesterday afternoon while The Golden Girls saw the entire thing. And to answer your other question, no, I didn’t let her go.” Ivy took a deep breath and buried her face in her hands. “I may have written my number on her cup after Oliver told me it was the easiest way to avoid flat-out rejection but still show her that I was interested.” Ivy let her breath out and leaned forward to rest her head in hands on Toni’s shoulder.
“And here was me thinking you’ve got no game!” Toni let out a low whistle. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure you had it in you, Ivy. Though I have to say,” Toni leaned back while still holding onto Ivy’s shoulders. She waited until Ivy looked at her before continuing, “the way she was looking at you is not the way someone looks at someone else who they’renotinterested in. So, I think you’re safe enough.”
“Thanks Toni,” Ivy said then glanced at the clock on the wall. “I’m going to go get ready for my meeting with Lucas.” With that, she made her way through to the back office where she all but collapsed in the chair.
Chapter 17
Cleo
Cleo left the coffee shop with Lana and turned to say bye to her before crossing the road toward the stationary shop, when she saw the look on Lana’s face. Notably, her raised eyebrow with a smirk desperately fighting to get out.
“What’s that look for?” Cleo asked, nerves fluttering inside her. That was new.
“What was that all about with Ivy?!” Lana was just short of grinning.
Cleo knew that she’d gone just shy of scarlet as the blush grew on her skin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She lifted her chin in defiance, avoided eye contact, and took a sip of her coffee.
“Oh c’mon, Cleo. You can’t possibly stand there and try to deny the sparks flying between the two of you just now.” Lana tried to move into Cleo’s eyeline but noticed Cleo looking over her shoulder and back into the coffee shop. Lana moved to stand beside her friend to talk softly to her. “If you’re looking into the shop in the hope that you can still see her, doesn’t that tell you all you need to know?”
Cleo let out a sigh and spoke in barely more than a whisper, “I don’t know what it is about her. I haven’t even looked at another woman since...” she trailed off. Cleo knew she didn’t need to finish what she was going to say. Lana knew about her past. She had opened up after Lana had let Cleo know of her own past only a few months after starting the job.
“I know you’ve kept yourself safe from being hurt after, well,after. But you can’t go through your life hiding your heart out of fear that you’ll get hurt again. And you know,” Lana waited for Cleo to turn and face her before she continued, “youknowthat I know what I’m talking about.” Lana paused and looked down at the pair of coffee cups in her hands. “If I had gone on as I was—like you are—I wouldn’t have met Connor.” She smiled, and once more that familiar smile blossomed across Lana’s face.
Cleo took another drink of her coffee, “I’ve only seen her a few times, and every time I feel like a gawky teenager again. I can barely talk to her; it’s not going to end well.”
Lana expertly moved the coffee cup holder she was carrying into one hand and reached out to gently rub her other hand up and down the top of Cleo’s arm. “Cleo, you weren’t the onlyone struggling over the ability to communicate in there. I think you’re more suited than you know.”
Cleo made her way to her parents’ house for dinner, a gift bag in one hand with a rich plum colored fountain pen for her mom inside, and the remains of her coffee in the cup in her other hand.
She opened the door and was glad for the warmth that met her face when she made her way inside. She knew it was cold out but hadn’t realized quite how numb her cheeks were until the heat started to thaw them, causing tingles to dance across her face. She swiftly closed the door behind her to keep the heat in and stepped out of her shoes and into the slippers left out for her by her mom.
She sat the gift bag and coffee cup on the table by the door and removed her bag and coat. Hanging them up on the wall hook which was “hers,” she picked up the bag and coffee cup before making her way through to the kitchen at the back of the house when she heard her family’s voices.
“Hi love!” Fiona walked toward her with a smile and held her arms open to pull Cleo into an embrace.
“Hi Mom,” Cleo said, as she hugged her Mom back. “Hi Dad, Sis,” she added, smiling over Fiona’s shoulder. When she stood back, Cleo offered her mom the small gift bag. “I saw this in a shop today and thought you’d like it.”
“But it’s not my birthday for another two months,” Fiona said, confused at the impromptu gift.
“And?” Cleo gave a small shrug and lifted her coffee cup to her lips to drain the last of the tepid chocolate-flavored coffeefrom the cup before sitting it on the counter. She saw her dad roll his eyes, then Cleo turned her gaze to watch her mom peer inside the small bag. She removed the rectangular box with a clear window, letting her see the contents without opening the box itself.
