Page 14 of Clint & Ivy
“I haven’t told her about Hanzee.”
“What if she hates dogs? Who gets the boot? I can take Ivy off your hands if you're looking to save your dog.”
“And what would you do with her?”
“The same damn thing you should have done once you heard her sob story. Take her to the Sabine Women's Center and get her help.”
“But she’s mine,” I pointed out in case my sister’s distrust for romantic encounters had blinded her to my needs.
“You just want to pound that tiny woman with your manly dong.”
“No, I want to make delicious love to that petite woman.”
Elle staggered backward and covered her mouth. “Oh, God, I’m going to barf.”
“Alright. I’m pulling the card.”
“What card?”
“The brother-sister loyalty card. Back when you turned up pregnant after getting blackout drunk in Mexico, everyone was horrified. The kid might be the offspring of a mutant for all you knew. Everyone thought you weren’t ready to be a mom. However, do you remember theoneperson who supported you?”
Refusing to give in, Elle only shrugged. “Shay warmed up to the idea rather quickly.”
“But who supported you right away?”
“I feel like Vanessasecretlysupported me.”
“Elle,” I muttered when she refused to be honest.
“Fine. You were supportive. When all my friends and family thought I was nuts, you had my back. And you were right. Iama great mother, and my kidisn’ta mutant.”
“Now, I’m asking you to have my back.”
“Okay, but who will have Ivy’s back? Or do you think this will be one of those ‘beast with two backs’ things?”
“Do you really believe I’m a threat to Ivy?” I asked, putting Elle on the spot.
“I think you mean well, but you are used to getting whatever you want. If his tiny woman is coming from a place of weakness, she’s bound to get swallowed up by your dominating personality.”
“No.”
“No?” Elle balked. “That’s it?”
“Ivy will meet the family tomorrow. You’ll get to know her. She’ll meet the club. The foxes will wrap around her like armor. If I’m acting like a pushy asshole, you’ll all tell me.”
Elle glanced at Ivy, who was shuffling very slowly toward the dog carrier. My sister grinned at the other woman’s behavior.
Her gaze lifted to meet mine, and I saw the one person I trusted more than any other. Elle and I had always been tight. Though we shared plenty of friends, my sister was the only person I could be weak around.
“Hanzee needs to be let free,” Elle announced and walked over to the carrier. “Do you like dogs, Ivy?”
“I don’t know. I only had one for a short time. I’m not sure.”
Despite Ivy’s meandering words, she clearly liked dogs and was very curious about mine. Hanzee waited patiently in his little carrier.
“You should meet Hanzee before I let him loose,” Elle explained. “If he isn’t certain about you, it could get dangerous.”
I rolled my eyes as Elle introduced Ivy to my brown-tan-and-white long-haired Chihuahua.
