I knock again and the door swings open just as I am about to rap for a fourth time. Ivy looks stunning. She has done up in a neat swirl with a few locks twisted into curls falling to her cheek. Her dress is an elegant wine-colored dress that’s tight at the top and falls into a wide gown. Her make-up is perfect, making her look like a porcelain doll. I’m afraid to touch her. My clumsy fingers might destroy such a magnificent creature.
“Anything wrong?” She straightens her dress. “It’s too much, isn’t it?”
I shake my head. “No. It’s beautiful. You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
I remember my gift and present it to her. “Thought you might want to wear this.” I open the little rectangular box and revealed the diamond necklace inside. I took a walk during lunch today and saw the necklace as I was passing by a jewelry store. The understated design attracted my attention, and I immediately went into the store and bought it. It was an expensive piece, but I don’t care about the price. What matters is if she likes it. The diamonds are shaped into elegant squares tied together with platinum gold. I lift the necklace from the case. “I thought you might want to wear this to compliment your dress.”
She gasps and then sighs. “Bribing me with jewelry?”
“Not at all.” Yes. “I thought you might like it.”
“If that’s the case, I do, but it doesn’t mean I will accept you for giving me a gift.”
I step behind her and brush away the hairs on her nape. Her neck is soft to the touch and when I clasp the necklace. It’s too tempting not to kiss, and so I do. She jumps and turns to face me. “Anything wrong?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Thank you,” she says, clasping the necklace, her voice slightly breathless. “Shall we go?”
I nod and take her hand. She resists, but Lake walks past and beams. She relents. “You look so pretty, mom.”
“Thanks.”
“You too Dad.”
My heart skips a beat. This must be the first time he’s called me dad without first calling me uncle or stumbling on the word. My chest warms with joy that I can’t explain. A single word and I feel like he has given me the greatest gift in the world. “Thanks, Lake.”
“I wanted to go, but mom said kids are not invited.” He looks down as though he wants me to contradict his mother and tell him he can tag along. “She’s right. Not only are kids not invited, but if you go, you’d be so bored. It’s just people talking.”
“Yeah,” he scuffs his toe to the floor, eyes still cast down. “That’s what she said.”
Ivy bends down and brushes a tendril of his hair from his forehead. “I’m pretty sure Bailey knows lots of games you can play together while we’re gone.”
“Can I stay and wait for you?”
“Sorry pal, bedtime’s at nine,” I say. “And we won’t be back by then.”
Ivy and I leave him with the new nanny, and I wonder if he’s going to be distraught. He looked a little sad that he was not coming with us and wanted to go.
“He’ll be fine, don’t worry,” Ivy says to my unvoiced concerns. “Lake can be like that when he sees me going somewhere he can’t, but he will quickly forget once he starts having fun of his own.”
“You know him so well.”
“You’re not so bad of a father. He’s adjusted to you quite well and loves you a lot.”
“Thank you.”
Our conversation ends just as we approach the town car. I asked my driver to chauffer us tonight, and he’s waiting with the car door open. We arrive at the function fashionably late. I takeIvy’s hand and we walk into the venue arm-in-arm. Our entrance causes a bit of a stir. More than a few people turn their gazes towards us and I can hear a few whisperings as we walk past the guests.
“You’re drawing a lot of attention,” I say to Ivy.
She scoffs. “You’re the belle of this ball. It’s you they’re talking about.”
“There you are,” a voice behind me says. Her brother, Carey, comes to stand in front of us. Champagne flute in hand. “Someone told me you’re here. I didn’t believe them. I was sure you hadn’t arrived yet. You look stunning, by the way.”
“We’ve just got here,” Ivy replies.
He turns squarely to face. “And with the enemy,” I see.
