Page 88 of Ink Me Three Times
“Don’t worry, I won’t bite. It’s just good to meet one of you, is all.”
Ivy shifts uncomfortably, a flush creeping up her neck as she looks at Olivia. “Okay,really?”
Olivia laughs again, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. “What? It’s fine. We’re all adults here.”
Ivy bites her lip, then turns back to me, her expression a mix of amusement and something more. Her smile falters, and she opens her mouth to say something, but she stops herself.
I look down at the sidewalk, not sure how to respond. This is weird. It isn’t answering any of my questions. I need to get away.
“I should get going,” I finally say, my voice quieter than I intended. “Lunch break and all.”
“Yeah,” Ivy replies, her voice soft. “I’ll... see you around, Timothy.”
It’s not an invitation, and it’s not a goodbye either. It’s just the kind of thing you say when you don’t know how to say what you really mean.
I nod, feeling like a damn idiot. “Yeah. See you.”
I stuff my hands into my pockets, feeling the weight of the silence hanging in the air behind me. As I walk, my mind starts to drift, and I can’t help but think about all the times Freddie, Mitchell, and I have tangled with the same woman.
It’s never been complicated before.
Hell, it was the opposite.
We’d meet someone, a woman who was into us, and we’d all agree, it’d be fun, a one time thing. We’d share her, no strings attached, no one getting hurt. It was simple. Just a casual thing. And it worked. Every damn time.
But with Ivy... things feel different. There’s more at stake now. I can feel it in my bones. And that messes with everything I thought I knew about myself, about us.
Could we do it here? Could we make this work with her?
I think back to those nights, the laughs we shared afterwards, the comfort in knowing everything was just what it was, no pressure.
But Ivyisdifferent. There’s no denying that.
She’s not some nameless face in the crowd. She’s not someone we’ll forget after a few weeks. There’s something about her. Something that pulls us all in and makes the rules we’ve lived by feel... shaky.
But could it be worth it?
I think that’s something I definitely need to figure out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Ivy
Olivia’sonly in town for a few more hours, so I’ve decided to drag her to the town diner. It's one of those places that feels stuck in time, but that's exactly why I love it.
Plus, I know I can count on a decent burger, which is pretty much all I’m good for tonight.
The bell above the door jingles as we walk in, and the smell of grease and fries immediately hits my nose.
It's familiar and comforting in a way I didn’t realize I needed.
Olivia slides into the booth first, tossing her bag beside her with a dramatic sigh. “What a day. I mean, this town is wild. And Timothy… he ishawt.”
I take my time, glancing at the menu even though I already know exactly what I’m going to get. “Do we really have to do this?”
“Yeah! Of course we do. I didn’t know the twins were going to bethatgorgeous…”
Before I can respond, I hear a familiar voice from behind me. “Ivy?”
