Page 97 of When Ivy Met Mr. Holiday
“I’m serious.”
“Believe me, I know. And honestly, I want to marry you. Not today,” she was quick to add. She rested a hand on my cheek. “Can you let me get used to the circus that follows you? To life as your semi-famous girlfriend?”
I took her hand and kissed her palm, elated she wanted to marry me. I would take that win.
“It’s the least I can do for you. I love you, and I’ll be patient.”
“Uh-huh,” she laughed, dropping her hand.
I shrugged. “Okay, so I’lltryto be patient. But, just out of curiosity, what kind of timeline are you thinking here?”
A little smile tugged at those beautiful lips of hers. “Well . . . if you must know.” She paused for dramatic effect. “I promise it won’t take me seven years this time.”
“You are still the most stubborn woman I know. I will take solace in the fact that I at least proved you wrong about men and women being able to be just friends.”
“If you say so,” she sang, pulling me along.
“I am right.” I would die on this hill.
Ivy stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. “I was just thinking that no matter what titles we add, you’ll always be my best friend.”
She was good. And she was mine.
Epilogue
Hollywood ConfidentialExclusive: Jack & Ivy Unscripted
In a rare joint interview at their ranch in Austin, Jack and Ivy Holiday open up about their friendship, their marriage, what it’s like working together in Hollywood, and what’s next for them. They are barefoot on their deck, sipping coffee, teasing each other and laughing about the amount of whipped cream in Ivy’s drink. There’s no doubt why they are called one of Hollywood’scutest couples.
“Jack, Ivy—your story started in a hair salon and ended up on a ranch in Austin. Did either of you see this coming back when you first met?”
Jack:Marriage? No. But I knew I wanted to know Ivy.
Ivy:Definitely not. In fact, I did my best to avoid him. I used to think you had to watch out for the Jacks of the world. Obviously, I’ve changed my mind.
“Seven years as friends before anything romantic—was there a defining moment when things shifted, or did it sneak up on you?”
Jack:I knew from the first moment she called meJack, I was going to fall in love with her.
Ivy:Well, I was so determined that we would never be anything more than friends that yeah, it snuck up on me. It almost felt like a thief in the night. But . . . looking back on those seven years, I loved Jack. He was my person.
“Jack, you’ve said before you don’t think men and women can be just friends. How did that belief survive seven years of friendship with Ivy?”
Jack:That’s easy. I always knew I was right. I never wanted to be just friends with Ivy. And I knew one day she’d comearound.
“Follow-up for Ivy: How do you counter that assertion?”
Ivy:First of all, Jack is still my best friend, even after arrogant answers like that. And I love that we were friends for so long. I think it’s made our relationship even stronger. And I believe men and women can be just friends because as humans we have the ability to set strong boundaries and adhere to them. I mean, seven years is a long time.
“Ivy, what’s it really like doing your husband’s hair before he steps onto a big set? Do you get more bossy or more flirty?”
Ivy:At first, I was so nervous about being on set. I felt so out of place. I think I was probably more bossy because I wanted everything to be perfect. But now that I’ve relaxed, I would say I’m definitely more playful.
“You’ve worked on blockbusters and now, live on a ranch. What’s the trick to balancing Hollywood hustle with quiet country life?”
Jack:When we’re home, we’re home. We do our best to stay off social media, and we take limited phone calls.
“Who made the first move? And were you terrified it would ruin the friendship if it didn’t work out?”
