Page 69 of When Ivy Met Mr. Holiday
Why didn’t it surprise me that my sister had her own lie detector?
I wrinkled my nose. “That won’t be necessary.” I was afraid of the truth now more than ever.
“Well, I don’t know what in theh-e-l-lis going on,” Mom spelled out like none of the kids could read or write.
The big kids all snickered. Honestly, I almost did too, but nothing was funny about this.
“And until we figure it out, Jack and Ivy are wearing the Grinch hats of shame.” Mom pointed between Jack and me. “And fakers don’t get to share a bunk bed or a room.” She fumed and stormed out of the kitchen.
Each member of my family filed out after her, shooting glares at Jack and me like we’d just turned Mary and Joseph away from the inn and it was all our fault that baby Jesus had to be born in a stable.
I’d never felt lower in my entire life.
As soon as the last footsteps faded, Jack dropped into the seat beside me like he couldn’t stand one more second of distance.
“Ivy.” He said my name like it was meant to belong to him.
“Don’t.” I stood, my voice barely above a whisper. “Just . . . don’t, Jack. Or should I say,Mr. Holiday?”
Jack’s eyes widened, and his cheeks flushed like I’d just slapped him.
“You promised we’d be safe. You lied.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
Elbert Hubbard
Ivy
Isatonthecouch in the middle of the night, aimlessly scrolling through my phone. Trying not to think about the fact that there were paparazzi camped out in the freezing temps on the perimeter of my parents’ property. Or that said paparazzi had somehow gotten my number and were calling me for interviews.
How did I try tokeep my mind off this?
I’d decided to do a little light reading. As in, I was reading every article and post about the love triangle I was apparently a part of. Not to mention all of Jack’s PR team’s denials about Sienna and Jack reconciling.
I never thought I’d be both a headline and a punchline.
Some of the headlines were downright ridiculous.
Holiday Heartbreak
Silver Bells and Scandals
Who came up with these?
If they only knew my sister wanted to dissolve Jack in Coke. I could picture that headline now:Exclusive: Paige Montenero Threatens to Dissolve Jack in Coke—Sources Say She’s Not Kidding.
I would be that source. I giggled, even though I was more depressed than ever. Honestly, I was getting pretty good at writing fake headlines. Maybe I’d missed my calling.
But none of this changed the fact that I’d ruined Christmas, and now, I was stuck on the couch in the family room wearing the Grinch hat of shame and probably giving myself glaucoma from staring at my phone screen for too long in the dark.
It seemed so backward that Mom and Dad didn’t want Jack and me to sleep in the same room now that they knew we really weren’t sleeping together. Which wasn’t to say I didn’t appreciate the space from him at the moment.
Admittedly, I found it easier to keep reading about Jack and Sienna’s destined reunion than to deal with my feelings about Jack being in love with me. Actually in love, not fake in love—assuming he was telling the truth. It was hard to tell.Especially since I’d let my feelings cross a line. I blamed it all on his kissing and oxytocin.
So yeah, it was much easier to drown myself with reminders that everyone saw Jack and Sienna as Hollywood’s golden couple. They even had a couple name—Port Holiday. So ridiculous.
