Page 69 of Volatile

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Chapter Eighteen

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Shittiest. Day. Ever.

Ivy felt like she’d exploded into a million pieces only to be put back together all wrong. Nothing seemed right, inside or out.

Earlier that day, she’d found the note. A damn note. Lily told her she was moving out to give them both some breathing room. What bullshit. It was the guy; that was the reason. He’d convinced her to go back to him. One of the signs of an abuser was isolating them from their family. Which explained a note instead of a face-to-face. It was already starting, and she felt powerless to stop it. Lily was of age, and her shrink was on her side. Ivy didn’t know whether to scream or cry.

Then Ivy had what was possibly the worst day at work, aside from what happened to Pamela. Creepy Guy had been there again and was getting bolder. He’d insisted on sitting in her section, and when she’d cut him off, he’d just gotten his drinks from the bar. He wouldn’t take no for an answer, and she’d been freaking out underneath that fucking smile she had to wear.

It certainly wasn’t the first time she’d dealt with a sloshed-face asshole, but there was something about this one who weirded her out to no end. The vibe he’d given off was not good. Her initial reaction upon seeing Jonathan had been one of relief. Until he got her fired.

Jonathan.

The tears formed beneath her lids, but she held it together. She’d missed him so badly this week she felt gutted. Her feelings had run deeper than she ever thought possible, and this was with a man she’d only known a short time. It’d be asinine to call it love so quickly, but it had seemed to be heading in that direction at breakneck speed. She’d never felt so alive, so desired. It was crazy, and all that bullshit of ‘it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all’? Yeah, all fucking bullshit.

How could he do this to her? How could he rip away all her wonderful feelings? Jonathan said he was the same man, but no... he wasn’t. What he’d told her had changed everything. She had no assurance things would stay the same between them. Pamela’s guy had been charming at first, even if Ivy hadn’t trusted him. But Pamela had, and that’s what led to her downfall. Ivy wouldn’t share a similar fate.

She knew she’d lost it at Rig’s. The events of the day had come to a head, and she lost her sense. She’d just wanted to scream and never stop. Her unexpected gratitude for Jonathan’s arrival had turned into shock when he actually knocked out a guy, and before she knew it, she no longer had a job. Now, what the hell was she supposed to do? About anything?

Ivy pulled into her parking space and rested her head on the steering wheel for a moment. It’d been a low blow bringing up Wes. She didn’t regret leaving him, but it’d come out that way to Jonathan. She’d meant it when she said she wanted normal, just not Wes-normal. She really had to work on her problem of blurting things out without thinking first, but she’d let her jealousy get the best of her.

Julia. Ivy couldn’t stand knowing that she had his whole heart. It was a blade to the chest, even though she shouldn’t care. But she did. She wanted him, but she didn’t want to want him. And she knew that if she didn’t keep away from that man, eventually she’d break. She’d be sucked in further, and then it’d be too late to get out. Best for it to end before she really got hurt.

Ivy snapped herself together and went inside. She just wanted to curl up on her couch with a good book and a block of chocolate. She focused on the one bright spot: working at the flower shop the next morning. After a day there, she’d be in a much better headspace to figure out her whole financial situation.

She let herself into the building, and as she walked down the hall, the light under her door caught her eye. Excitement filled her. Lily decided to come home! Ivy unlocked the door and swung it open. Her excitement crashed. What the hell?

“What are you doing here?”

She dropped her purse on the table, cursing herself for not collecting his key. The split had gone so smoothly it hadn’t even crossed her mind at the time. Wes sat on the couch like he’d done a million times before, but he suddenly appeared out of place. He didn’t belong there.

He attempted to stand. He didn’t accomplish that goal because he was trashed. She was inside some alternate messed-up universe. Wes did not drink, much less get drunk. She could count on her fingers the number of times he had a beer, and she was usually the one who finished it.

“Hey, babe. You look nice.”

Ivy gave her head a sharp shake. “What is the matter with you?”

“Been drinking.”

“I can see that. But you don’t drink.”

He waved his hand around. “Good time to start.”

She had a sinking feeling, and it made her sit down on the couch next to him. “Did something happen?” It’d make sense if his state was spurred on by some horrible news.

“Happen?”

Good Lord. “Did anything bad happen to make you want to drink tonight?”

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