Page 28 of Sliding Into Love
Jase’s ears perked up.
“Is that Ethan?” he asked.
“Yes, but he’s tired, I think. He got meds for his knee.” Ivy was trying not to laugh at the silent conversation Derek and Ethan were having behind Jen’s head.
“Hi, Jase!” Ethan yelled.
Derek grabbed the phone from Jen, holding it in front of his face and silently laughing, pointing over his shoulder at Ethan, who was making grabby hands at the phone. “Hi, Jase! Heyyyy Ivy!” His voice deepened when he said her name. “How you doin’?”
He didnotdo the Joey at her. Ivy snorted but tried to cover it with a cough. Derek abandoned containing his laughter and nearly howled.
“Ethan! We saw the game! It was awesome! You were awesome!” Jase’s excitement bubbled over as he rushed to get his words out.
“Igot more hits than him,” Derek said, sounding miffed, and Ivy couldn’t resist needling him.
“But Ethan broke the tie,” Ivy added with a smirk.
“But but but—Ihit the one that got him home!” Derek spluttered, and Ivy grinned at him.
“You did well, D,” she said fondly.
The screen went dark again, with a hand holding a pack of gum sliding past the camera for a few seconds until Ivy saw half of Derek and Ethan’s faces.
“How was the trip?” Ivy was unsure if she should try to carry the conversation or hang up.
“Good, good,” Derek said absently, trying to dodge Ethan, who was trying to hide behind him. “Ethan, what the shit!”
“It’s Ivy!” Ethan said in a stage whisper. “She’s so pretty!”
“Yeah, so why don’t youtalkto the pretty girl?” Derek spoke as though to a small child, and he looked simultaneously exasperated and as though he would have entirely too much fun torturing Ethan about this later.
“Nuh-uh,” Ethan said.
“Derek!” Ivy hissed as she rejoined Jase and Janna near the swings.
Derek made pointed hand gestures between Ivy on the phone and Ethan behind him.
“Ethan? Are you feeling okay?” Ivy said when she got tired of trying to decipher Derek’s gesturing.
Ethan’s dark head slowly rose behind Derek’s shoulder, and he nodded without speaking. Absently, he chewed a piece of gum, his jaw flexing, his lips falling open, the tip of his tongue poking out the tiniest bit, trying to blow a bubble.
Oh.
I’ll give you somewhere to put your tongue, a voice said in her head.Nope. Nope. Do not go there,she told the voice.Now is not the time.
Derek was talking, but Ivy only had eyes for Ethan and his sinful mouth. He kept blowing bubbles, and Ivy’s eyes kept returning to his lips. Ethan took a huge gulp of air, and with a look of concentration so intense his eyes nearly crossed, he blew an enormous bubble right beside Derek’s ear. It popped so loudly that Derek jumped, swearing at Ethan, who doubled over giggling.
“Ivy, we’re at the hotel now, so you’re going to have to talk tothose twolater.” Jen reappeared on the screen and jerked her thumb toward Derek and Ethan, who were grappling for the phone again.
“It’s okay, my phone is going to die again, anyway.” Even though she’djustcharged it. Shit. “Bye, guys!” she trilled and ended the call.
Loud, snorting laughter erupted behind her, and Ivy nearly fell out of her swing. Lily had arrived.
“Ivy’s sooo pretty!” Lily put on a mocking deep voice and pretended to swoon and fan herself.
“Shut up. Asshole.” But Ivy grinned too. Medicated Ethan was… interesting, and Ivy wondered how to get him to open up without resorting to narcotics.
The next day,the doorbell rang right after Ivy settled in to eat her lunch. Naturally, she stuffed half her sandwich in her mouth before answering the door and was surprised to see a uniformed delivery driver through the peephole. Still chewing, she opened the door. The driver held up a clipboard and asked her to sign before handing her a box. Inside the box were two smaller boxes, and Ivy opened the smaller first. Inside was a portable battery charger with a solar panel. Huh. Nifty.
