Ivy
Ipop a chipin my mouth, chewing thoughtfully as Theo wipes Lucy’s ketchup-covered hands with the efficiency of a man who has done this a thousand times before.
“You are disturbingly good at that,” I say, nodding at Lucy, who is currently squirming but ultimately letting him clean her up.
He raises an eyebrow. “At what? Parenting?”
“At controlling the mess,” I clarify. “If that had been me, the ketchup would have somehow ended up in my hair, on my shirt, and possibly in my shoe.”
Theo smirks. “I’ve had five years of training.”
Lucy beams proudly. “Daddy says I’m very messy.”
I nod solemnly. “You should be. It’s a child’s job to be messy. You’re doing important work.”
She grins before turning back to her plate, clearly satisfied with my answer.
Theo shakes his head, picking up his own fork. “So,” he says, giving me a look, “I’ve spent the last half hour spilling my entire backstory to you. Tell me something about you.”
I freeze mid-bite. “Oh, you don’t want to know about me. Very boring. Nothing to report.”
He gives me a pointed look. “You talk about…” He mouths the word foursomes, “…in public, willingly signed up for three months of not dating, and somehow ended up having dinner with a five-year-old you just met and her rather clueless dad. I highly doubt you’re boring.”
I gasp, placing a hand over my chest in mock surprise. “So you did listen.”
Theo smirks. “Hard not to when someone casually drops… certain topics into conversation while standing three feet away.”
Across the table, Lucy pauses mid-chip, looking between us with open curiosity. “What topics?”
I bite back a laugh. Theo, however, doesn’t look quite as amused.
“Oh, nothing,” I say breezily, stirring my hot chocolate. “Just… very boring adult things.”
Lucy’s nose scrunches up. “Taxes?”
Theo clears his throat, hiding a smirk. “Exactly. Boring adult things. Definitely not worth repeating.”
Lucy hums, narrowing her eyes suspiciously before returning to her food.
I smirk at Theo. “Smooth save.”
He sighs. “I’m starting to think I need to keep a ‘things Ivy should not discuss in my café’ list.”
“Oh, you’re such a delicate flower,” I tease, resting my chin in my hand.
He gives me a dry look. “I’d prefer ‘a man just trying to run a respectable business without innuendo disasters in front of his staff and child.’”
I chuckle, but decide to spare him—for now.
“So,” he says, changing the subject. “Now that I know way too much about you, tell me something normal. Something… child friendly.”
I sigh dramatically. “Fine. Since you’re so desperate for a wholesome fact, I’ll give you the mildest one I have.”
“I’m on the edge of my seat.”
I smirk. “I’m a forty-one-year-old divorcee who can’t cook. Oh, and I’m an urban planner.”
Theo blinks. “Wait—really?”
