Page 54 of Light My Fire Three Times
“He’s determined,” I say, scratching behind his ears.
“Determined to make me lose my mind,” Ivy mutters, taking him back. “What are you doing out here, Liv? You look like you’re on a mission.”
I hold up my notebook. “Trying to find contractors. I can’t keep living out of a duffel bag.”
Ivy tilts her head, eyes narrowing just enough that I know she’s clocked something. “What’s going on?”
I swallow hard. “I overheard Karl this morning. Talking to Leo.”
Her brows shoot up. “That sounds dangerous already.”
I manage a shaky laugh, but it dies quickly. “He said… I was just someone who needed kindness, and he was only trying to help. And that Leo was making it too serious, because we’d only been on one date.”
Ivy’s face softens instantly, but she doesn’t rush in with platitudes. She lets me keep going, and it all comes pouring out.
“I thought… I don’t know what I thought. That there was more there. That maybe the way he looks at me wasn’t just in my head. And now I feel stupid. Like I’ve been misreading everything. Him, my work, my whole damn life.”
My throat tightens. I force a breath, staring at my notebook so she won’t see my eyes gloss over. “It hit me harder than I thought it would. And now I just… I can’t stay there. Not if I’m just some charity case he cooked dinner for.”
Her eyes soften. “Okay, good. Let’s do it together.”
I blink. “What?”
“You think I’m going to let you wander around asking Bill Granger about plumbing? Please. Come with me. Mitchell knows every carpenter in the valley, and Timothy’s weirdly obsessed with drywall. Freddie might know people, too. Between the three of them and me, we’ll get you a list.”
Before I can protest, she’s steering me down the street, her little parade in tow.
Ink & Iron is buzzing when we arrive.
Mitchell is behind the counter, tattoo gun in hand, while Timothy grimaces over paperwork and Freddie flips through his phone like it has all the answers to life.
“Not in here, Pickle!” Ivy hisses, trying to wrestle the French bulldog back into her arms as he wriggles free like a greased pig.
Penny races to Freddie as Mia lets out a war cry from her carrier, and I’m pretty sure half the shop turns to look. At least Max and Lily are almost asleep…
“Chaos is here,” Mitchell says without looking up from the customer in his chair.
The buzz of the tattoo gun doesn’t falter, but there’s a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Timothy glances up from the counter, his gaze softens when he spots me. “Olivia. You okay?”
I open my mouth to answer, but Ivy cuts in. “She needs a contractor. Her place can’t stay a shell forever. We figured between the three of you, somebody knows someone who doesn’t overcharge and shows up.”
Mitchell finally sets down his tattoo gun, wiping his hands on a towel.
“Okay, slow down, everyone,” he says, calm but firm. Pickle squeaks in protest as Ivy wrestles him to the ground again. “Olivia, contractors, right? Let’s start with flooring. I know a guy who does solid work. Reliable. Doesn’t charge like he owns the place.”
Timothy leans over the counter, still focused, but there’s a softness in his eyes. “Drywall… I know a couple of guys who’ll show up when they say they will. None of that ‘we’ll see’ crap. I’ll call them myself if you want.”
Freddie scrolls on his phone, smirking at a text he’s clearly ignoring. “Plumbing? Electrical? I know guys for everything. Don’t need to overcomplicate it.”
I crouch down, scribbling furiously into my notebook as the men volley names, numbers, and availability at me.
I really do hope this is a good start.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Jesse
