Page 88 of Yours Truly

A real plate, not a paper one.

Ivy is to thank for that too. Well, Ivy and Amazon.

“I’m guessing the party is a surprise,” Deuce says.

“Yeah,” I agree, slathering the jam on thick as my stomach rumbles. “And I guess it’s a good thing you did your compliment crawl because I wanted to ask if we could have it at Ink Time.”

Deuce nods. “Course we can,” he agrees easily.

I bite the inside of my cheek as I smear butter over the jam. Yeah, that’s the order. “There’s something else.” I look up and find his eyes on me.

“What?”

“I want to buy this place from you.”

He snorts. “You know you could buy a better place. Or build your own place.”

I roll my eyes, and I get why Ivy does it so much. Sometimes an eye roll covers what words don’t. “I know that. But…” I trail, summoning the man courage to say feely things to another man. “This is the place where I got better and figured out what I want, and who I want that with,” I admit, my voice rough. “And I know you and Ev bought it as a fixer-upper investment but I’m willing to buy you out, and buy you guys any other property in Bluebell.”

“We’d be neighbors. Can you be my neighbor?” Deuce asks, a grin teasing his lips.

“I don’t know. Will you be over here begging for compliments all the time?” I prod.

“A few days a week, max,” he says. He gets up from the couch with a grunt. “Let me talk to Ev, all right?”

I nod. “Yeah, and the party, can we keep this between us?”

He salutes me. “You thinking Friday for the party?”

Pouring my cup of coffee, I agree, telling him more of the plans. “Yes, and I have a bunch of black balloons, black crepe streamers, you know, a ton of gothic party shit being delivered here in a day. After I figured out I wanted to do a gothic theme, I drew up a little design for her, and I’m gonna have that printed onto a banner today to hang in the entry of the shop.”

“Show me,” Deuce says, reaching past me to swipe a mug, “and fill it.”

I pour him a cup then shuffle down the hall, sipping the much-needed caffeine, grabbing my sketch book. Flipping it open, I show him the design. “It’s kinda stupid, the play on words. But I couldn’t bring myself to do a dumb congratulations sign, you know?”

We look down at the sketch taking up the page. The words Ivy Inks are written in gothic print, the knife in her boot replicated through the I in Ivy and Inks. “It’s gonna be black and white, with this here being a spot of red,” I say, pointing to the little drop of blood dripping off the end of the blade on the knife that makes up her name.

“She’s gonna love it,” Deuce finally says, and I release my breath, relieved he approves. I’ve never planned anything for anyone, so around three in the morning I questioned if all of this was stupid or not. Deuce knows Ivy, irritatingly it can be argued he may know her better than me in some ways, so if he says it’s good, I’m on the right track.

I clap my hand on his shoulder and squeeze. “Glad to hear you say that because after six hours into this I was worried it may be… I don’t know… too much.”

He laughs. “Proposing on the first date is too much. Throwing a party to celebrate your girlfriend’s hard work and accomplishments is not too much.”

I nod, taking a bite of my toast as I stare at my sketch.

“She’s gonna know, though,” he says, finishing his coffee.

“Know what?” I say around a bite of toast.

“That you’re in love.”

“You’re right,” I reply, “she’ll definitely know the next day, because I’m going to tell her.”

“Don’t wanna tell her that night? I mean, hell, she’s gonna see the work you put into this and know, man.”

I take another bite and talk with my mouth full because it’s Deuce, and I ain’t wasting manners on him. “Na, that night is about her. Celebrating finishing the program. Not about how I feel about her. It can wait until the next morning.” I bend down and pull from the cupboard another Amazon buy.

“You’re telling her with that?” Deuce says, chuckling.

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