Page 44 of Battle of the Exes

She stops at the patio’s edge, sunlight behind her, that wrinkle in her brow like she’s bracing for anything.

“Hi,” she says.

My heart’s in my throat as I stand, unsure what to do with my hands. “Hi.”

Rusty trots over to her like he’s been expecting her all day.

“I read something interesting this morning,” I say, nodding at the paper.

She steps forward. “Oh yeah? What was it?”

“The writer says second chances happen when you’re brave enough to be vulnerable.”

“That writer sounds brilliant.”

I smile, stepping closer. “And beautiful, funny?—”

Her voice drops to a whisper. “Sounds like she realized running doesn’t protect her. It just keeps her from the one thing she wants. She’s working on it.”

“Maybe the guy should’ve tried harder.”

“Maybe he already did more than she deserved.”

We’re toe to toe now. Rusty sighs in relief and flops down.

“Did she come back to say something?” I ask.

Ivy nods, tugging my shirt hem. Her eyes glisten, voice thick. “She came to say she was wrong to leave again.”

I swallow hard. “Is that all?”

She shakes her head, a tear falls. “She also came to say she loves you. If there’s a sliver of a second chance left, she wants it.”

“You love me,” I repeat to myself, the words catching in my throat. It’s all I ever wanted to hear her say.

Her arms slide around me. Her breath reaches my lips.

She nods. “So much.”

My heart may burst with happiness.

“How long are you in town for?” I ask, softly, hoping for one answer only.

“Depends.” Her lips are millimeters from mine.

“On?”

Her glistening eyes bore into me. “If you can talk me out of leaving again.”

“I’ll give it my best try,” I say, closing the space between us. The world narrows to this moment I never thought I’d get again.

We’re not talking anymore. We’re kissing. Oh man, are we kissing.

Her mouth tastes sweet and urgent, like she’s making up for every second we spent apart. Her hands move like she’s relearning me—familiar and foreign all at once. I kiss her back, matching her every emotion.

When we break apart, Ivy rests her forehead against mine.

“How’s that?” I say into her hair. It smells like lilacs.

---