“Remember what you promised.” It surprised ivy when Geoff gathered his crutches. His words stopped her from protesting that Heath took liberties with how he ordered her son around. She didn’t expect Geoff to… Ivy wasn’t sure if he warned or threatened his father. Now she didn’t know who to scold first. “Don’t worry, I remember. I’m just frustrated. Remember what I said about how grownups sometimes say angry words and argue? Well, this is one of those times. Your mom’s scared other people will say mean things about her. She’s pointing out it’s not fair because even though I’m involved. They won’t do this to me because I’m their boss and a man. They’ll be too scared to say this about me because I can take their job away for this.” Heath patiently spoke to Geoff, explaining everything is such a calm voice Ivy didn’t recognize him at first. “Why is there a difference?” Of course, her son would go into full interview mode to learn everything and more
Ivy snorted as she raised her cup of tea to her lips before she finally responded. “Monica thinks she’s smart, but she’s slow sometimes. She acts impulsively, often as well. I’m not sure what it is with her, but it’s like she is reading off a script or something sometimes. I swear there are times when she sounds like she hasn’t got the emotions to relate to the situation or the people with. Life is like a game and she’s out to take everything she can get.” “That’s pretty much a very good summation of Monica. Did you know she speaks Hungarian and Russian fluently? When I asked her about when she learned it, she tried to tell me she learned it from a phone app. Ivy, we were eating with a client who spoke both languages and he told me she spoke with a local dialect. I forget which region it was, but he could identify it.” Ivy took did a double take when Heath didn’t argue. Again, she wondered about whether she’d been wrong, and he’d changed while she was gone. Gone? What mad
They were ready on time and Heath almost had them out the door when Ivy disappeared quickly to the bathroom and the doorbell rang. “I’ll get the door, Geoff. You can sit and relax.” Heath instructed his son as he strode to the apartment’s front door. “That’s Kathy. I bet mom didn’t call to tell her she doesn’t need to take me to school,” Geoff said from his seat on the sofa. “Well, it’s time we met. After all, she’s your mom’s friend. Thanks for the warning.” He said before he opened the door. A woman who looked like a cross of punk rock princess and a nineteen fifties housewife stood there about to knock on the door. Her eyes went wide when she took in Heath’s sturdy form before her. She said nothing as her mouth made the same of an ‘O’. “You must be Kathy. Come in.” “Uh, who are you, and where are Ivy and Geoff?” She stood there in a green overall dress with a flower print shirt beneath it, which Heath thought with her pink curly hair she looke
Kathy left them after she ogled the car and driver as they got Geoff settled in the back of the car. Once they settled into their seats and were on their way to Geoff’s school, Heath looked at his calendar for the day. “Parker, my assistant has made an appointment for me to test drive several vehicles that will suit us better as a family. How about we book a meeting to discuss your department’s budget for two this afternoon?” The change in the conversation took Ivy aback. “You don’t need to waste money on a large family car. I’m sure we can make do with what’s available. Wait, I haven’t submitted the budget yet. I’m not ready. I only finished the budget last night, and you haven’t looked it over yet.” “Ivy, if you’re still the sensible and down-to-earth woman I’ve known for many years, I can hazard a guess that you’ve been frugal and reasonable with your budget. I doubt I’ll find anything to complain about.” She stared at him for a mom
Ivy felt swept away as Heath just took over. He didn’t have any rights here right now. Heath wasn’t legally seen as his son and now he’s telling Geoff’s teacher they were trying to reconcile, and if that wasn’t bad enough, Geoff heard every word. “Heath, please. We have discussed that briefly, and we aren’t sure if it’s even possible. Let’s not jump the gun on this. Geoff, please don’t think this is a final decision. It’s got a long way to go before it’s set in stone. If it’s ever set in stone.” Ms. Jackson eyed Ivy now speculatively, and then Heath. Ivy knew she was trying to calculate the chances of them getting back together. “Ms. Smythe, are you saying that Mr. Allan is not telling the truth?” She gave Ivy a concerned frown that Ivy felt wasn’t genuine. “What I’m saying, Ms. Jackson, is that Mr. Allan likes to have things his way, and like Geoffrey, he will state his wishes as facts before there’s any real facts to point in the direction of t
Ivy leaned back once he’d made his point. Everything she’d convinced herself of about Heath and his wants and dreams went out the door right then in that moment. He was interested in her still. After seven years, he hadn’t complained about how her body changed even once. Heath mentioned the changes but only in reference that he acknowledged them and liked them. At the time Ivy hadn’t believed him, but right now he sat there watching her with a satisfied smile on his face and his damp fingers stroking her inner thighs. “That isn’t fair, Heath. That’s not how you win an argument.” “No, I’m demonstrating the facts that support my side of the argument. Love, you’re as invested in this as I am. Or do I need to whip out my dick and give you another child right now to prove that our unfinished business will never end? Damn, I’m really tempted to do that right now.” Ivy looked down at his lap and she could see the evidence that she’d been the o
“You don’t fight fair, Heath. It’s not fair. How am I supposed to protect Geoffrey when everything falls apart again? And don’t say it won’t when you know very well it will.” Ivy struggled with her want to see where his kisses would lead to and being smart about everything for her sanity and her son’s well-being. Unconsciously, she licked her lips, savouring the feel of his kiss. “I will let nothing get between us again. No matter what anyone pulls, I promise I will protect Geoffrey from all the fallout. But I won’t continue to back off for much longer. Once the divorce is final, you better be prepared for more than walking down memory lane. I want a future that includes Geoffrey, you, and anyone else who might come along as the consequence of our… uh… reunion? Relationship? Demonstration of our love?” Heath grinned at her flirtatiously as he spoke, his eyes hungrily followed her tongue as it made its way across her lips. “Are you threatening me with w
Heath entered his office. He almost forgot to greet Parker because Ivy distracted him with reminding him of that blasted contract. He had fun with that contract, and Ivy agreed with it. Until Monica came into the picture. Heath remembered he’d stopped starting the contract because he didn’t want Monica looking down at Ivy. “Morning Heath, I’m glad you finally made it in. I got everything you needed done and the results are on your desk. Do I get to know what’s going on exactly?” At least, Parker waited to ask the last part after Heath’s office door closed behind them. “Parker, can you look into what it would take to happen to get a restraining order on Monica? She’s taken over my condo last night, intending on living with me and resetting the separation time period. I took what I could from the condo and Dr. Smythe has graciously allowed me to use her guest room while I clear this up.” “Hm, her guest room. Okay, so how does this affe