Page 43 of The Dating Ban
Lucy hums thoughtfully. “Maybe next time you can come too. But you have to be a princess.”
Ivy grins. “Deal.”
I don’t know whether to be concerned or amused by the fact that Lucy is already recruiting more people for her chaos. Probably both.
We keep walking, Lucy still animatedly recounting every detail of Saturday’s excitement.
I glance at Ivy more than I should, Geoff’s words replaying in my mind. I really am starting to hate the dating ban.
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Ivy
By the time yogais over, my legs feel like jelly, my arms are somehow sore even though I’m fairly sure we didn’t do that much with them, and Lucy is still full of boundless energy as she skips beside us on the way to the smoothie bar.
Honestly, it’s impressive. Concerning, but impressive.
Theo holds the door open as we step inside, the smell of fresh fruit and something vaguely tropical hitting me instantly. It’s one of those small, overpriced places that makes you feel healthier just by existing in it.
Lucy runs straight to the counter, already deep in decision-making mode as she studies the brightly coloured chalkboard menu. I order a berry smoothie, Theo gets something green (Mr Healthy, of course), and Lucy predictably ends up with the most sugar-packed option available.
We find a table by the window, Lucy happily slurping away at her drink as she watches people walking past theshop. I take a sip of mine, enjoying the rush of cold sweetness, before stretching out my legs with a small sigh.
Theo watches me over the rim of his cup. “You alright there?”
“I’ll live,” I say, rubbing my calf. “Probably.”
He smirks. “So, now that you’re practically a pro, you planning to stick with this?”
I pause, swirling my straw in my cup. “Well, I’m coming to the end of my yoga month in a bit over a week.”
“And then what? You give it up?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I actually… like it. Weirdly enough.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Not weird. But surprising, considering how much you complained about it at the start.”
“I stand by my complaints,” I say, pointing my straw at him. “But I also have to admit it’s… good. It does something for me.”
Theo nods like he already knew that answer. “So, what’s next?”
I blink. “Next?”
“For your self-discovery thing. You said you’re coming to the end of yoga, right?”
“Oh. Yeah.” I pause, thinking. “I was looking at trying something with clay.”
His brows lift. “Like a pottery class?”
I shake my head. “No, not like the whole potter’s wheel,Ghostreenactment thing. I’ve seen loads of people on Instagram using air-dry clay, just making stuff at home. It seems fun, and I like the idea of making something with my hands.”
Theo takes a slow sip of his smoothie, considering this. “So you’re saying next month’s mess potential is high.”
“Oh, extremely high.”
“Well, at least you’re keeping things interesting.”
