Page 111 of The Dating Ban
She huffs, focusing on keeping steady. “Oh, I’m sorry, did you want me to fall?”
“No, I’m just—”
But then—she wobbles.
Just a little. Just enough that she reaches out without thinking—
And her fingers brushagainst my arm.
It’s a light touch, barely there, but I feel it everywhere.
Her breath catches, and for a second, she looks up at me—
The moment is broken when Lucy groans loudly and flops dramatically onto the grass.
“My tummy is angry!” she declares. “It needs food!”
Ivy lets out a soft laugh, stepping back from me—too quickly, if you ask me.
“Oh no,” she says, crouching beside Lucy. “That sounds serious. What does it need? Toast? Cereal?”
Lucy shakes her head very solemnly. “Something cold.”
Ivy hums, pretending to think. “Well, lucky for you, I bought ice lollies yesterday in town.”
Lucy’s eyes widen with joy. “Can I have one now?”
Ivy looks at me, eyebrows raised. “What do you think, Dad? Ice lollies before lunch?”
Lucy turns to me, clasping her hands dramatically. “Pleeeease?”
I sigh, knowing I’ve already lost this battle.
“Fine,” I give in. “But only one.”
Lucy cheers, already sprinting toward the house, yelling, “I want the red one!”
Ivy grins as she follows her, tossing a look over her shoulder. “How about you?”
I exhale. “Nah, I’ll stay out here a bit longer. Finish up properly.”
She shrugs, still smiling. “Suit yourself.”
Then she disappears inside, leaving me standing in the middle of the field, very much not as relaxed as I was five minutes ago.
I inhale deeply, shifting into a slow stretch, trying to get my head back into yoga mode.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Find balance.
Find focus.
Find—
…Ivy.
Her smile, the way it tugs just slightly higher on the left. The way her eyes crinkle when she laughs. The way she rolls them at me constantly but never actually walks away.
