Page 102 of A Lesson for Laurel

“I’m glad he’s doing better,” she said.

“Did you have a good time at the wedding?” Ivy asked. “Your boyfriend is smoking!”

She laughed. “You’re a married woman.”

“I am,” Ivy said, flashing her wedding set. “And I love every minute of it. Can’t wait to get the honeymoon started when we leave on Friday. Well, we’ve been having our own little honeymoon at home.”

She laughed again when Ivy did a little hip thrust. She was hilarious and Laurel had to admit she’d never had relationships like this at past jobs.

“I’m surprised you didn’t leave already,” she said.

“That’s my fault. I wanted to go to Aruba and found the perfect place. But by the time I settled on it, the place was full. I think the holiday and all. Brooks wanted to go all out with the honeymoon suite and insisted going the following week made no difference. And he’s right. So there you go. But back to you and Easton. Brooks said he knew him in school, but he was a few years ahead of him.”

Easton had mentioned that he knew River more. They were about the same or closer in age. He’d also said that it was nice to see River succeeding as a doctor because he knew what it was like for people to look down on you and want to prove you could still make it regardless of where you came from.

She knew that all too well too.

She’d never lacked money, in her eyes, growing up.

Her father gave her a good life, but it was a different life than most had.

She knew Easton wasn’t poor, but he was still raised by his aunt and uncle. Maybe many looked at him that way though.

No one would think it now.

“Easton mentioned that.”

“I’ve heard bits and pieces on how you met,” Ivy said.

“From Poppy?” she asked.

“Yes. I don’t see her as much since she’s still out of work, but we do chat a bit. Sometimes I think this place is magical.”

She tilted her head. “How is that?”

“My sisters and me, we all found love here when we never did anywhere else. We’ve all dated, but here, we find the guy pretty fast and the rest is history. Seems to be happening to you too. You haven’t been here that long.”

“No,” she said. “But I’m not rushing either. Been there and done that.”

“The same with me. I said I wasn’t going to rush, but Brooks is getting up there in age and he didn’t want to wait. But it’s notlike my sisters who married or got pregnant right away. Though I’m hoping for a baby soon.”

She smiled. “Most people don’t say when they are trying.”

“Nope,” Ivy said. “But we stopped protecting from it a month ago. If I’m anything like my sisters, there is hope it’s soon. But I know I should be off the pill for a bit. My sisters weren’t on any birth control. Here’s hoping Aruba is good for us. The timing could be there.”

“Good for you,” she said. “I hope so for you too.”

“Did Easton go back home or is he working from your place?” Ivy asked.

“He left Sunday afternoon.”

“Ahhh,” Ivy said, putting a cute pout on her face. “That stinks. It was a holiday weekend. He should have stayed an extra day.”

She’d wanted him to but understood his reasoning too.

“He’s working on a few things internationally and they didn’t have the day off. He could have taken it, but he had an early call. Like four in the morning and he didn’t want me to be bothered. It’s all good. I’m going there next weekend and then we are going out with some of his coworkers.”

She was thrilled to see Nicole again but a little nervous about meeting the rest of his coworkers. Groups of people he hung out with when he was dating Rachelle.

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