Waiting Fate

by Kinnette, W. B.

  So Archer sat and watched the weirdest little cartoon he’d ever seen. “Kids like this stuff, huh?” he asked, tipping his head to the side as if it could make more sense that way.

  “Yes. Anything that tortures adults the way this does has to be good for kids, right?” Her eyes were sparkling when she looked at him, as if some of the pain that usually dulled them had been chased away.

  He hoped, really, really hoped, that he’d had something to do with that.

  They finished the cartoon and Ivy scooted out from under Desee, snuggling the blanket around her and settled the other half over Archer. She glanced up at him once, got caught in his eyes, and her hands stilled for several seconds before she blushed and straightened quickly. “Right. I’ll get to work so you don’t have to spend your whole Sunday babysitting.”

  “Take your time. I have nothing to do today,” Archer said. It was true. He’d written Jay and told him he wasn’t coming, so he had no other plans.

  Desee made her way over to his lap, her yellow stuffed puppy pressed against one cheek, and curled against his chest. So this is what heaven feels like. His heart couldn’t seem to decide if it wanted to stop or explode out of his chest. He wondered if it was possible to love a baby he’d just met?

  The cartoon didn’t last long, and before he knew it, she was sliding off his lap and digging in the drawers under the TV, pulling out coloring books and crayons. She spread them out on the floor all around her in neat little piles and flopped onto her tummy.

  Archer sat forward to watch her, not even noticing Sadi until she had crawled up next to him, slithering forward on her belly, the top half of her on the couch, the bottom half still on the floor. Keeping a watchful eye on Archer, Sadi flinched when he moved his arm but didn’t back away.

  At first he thought she was trying to climb up on the couch, but instead Sadi leaned as far forward as she could and grasped the yellow puppy with her teeth, as gently as if it were a real pup. Finally, it occurred to him what she was after. Ivy hadn’t mentioned that Sadi chewed toys. He lunged forward to save Desee’s precious puppy, but before he could snatch it away, Sadi leaped backward off the couch. She slammed into the coffee table with a yelp, spun around it, and skidded to a stop next to Desee, where she dropped the puppy.

  “Tanks, Sadi,” Desee said without looking up, pulling the puppy close with her free hand. Archer’s jaw dropped. Sadi, who was terrified, had faced the horror she thought he was to save Desee’s puppy from him.

  “You are a good dog,” he said. Sadi looked at him, and he could swear the same sadness that haunted Ivy was there in Sadi’s eyes as well.

  Ivy came in a while later, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Archer was trying to find a book big enough to put under Desee’s paper, because her crayons kept poking holes thanks to the bumpy coffee table. “Santa is bringing her a table just her size for Christmas,” Ivy said, her voice low, when Archer stopped next to her, several wrong-sized books in his hands. “Assuming, of course, that I can put it together.”

  The top of Ivy’s head came to just above his chin, and when she looked up at him like that, all he could think about was what it would be like to kiss her.

  But instead he forced a smile, trying to control his errant thoughts. “I’ll help you put it together.”

  Her face lit up. “You’re a saint.”

  If you knew what I was thinking right now, you would not believe that. His phone rang — a hard rock song that sounded like a lot of yelling, and he dug it out of his pocket while Ivy left his side to sit next to Desee on the floor.

  Where you at? Jay just about burned the place down. It was hysterical. Archer could picture Austin laughing as he sent that text, but Archer couldn’t write him back. He knew how Gunner felt about Ivy. Everyone knew how Gunner felt about Ivy except Ivy. Gunner was in love with her. And if Gunner or Jay knew where Archer was, where he’d blown them off to be, it would cause drama, and Ivy didn’t need more drama in her life right now. Austin would understand, but Archer could wait until later to tell him.

  He spent the day having tea parties on the floor around the coffee table, playing bears, coloring, and feeding dollies. It was the most relaxing day he could remember ever having. “I could get used to this, Des,” he told her over tea. She grinned at him.

  “I think I missed lunch. Are you guys hungry?” Ivy wandered in, her eyes glazed over, massaging her temples.

  “We ate…” Archer raised an eyebrow as he smirked. “So did you. I brought you in a sandwich an hour ago.”

  Ivy blinked at him. “You did?”

  “Yep. Paper going well?” he said, laughing.

  “Yes. I’m done. Wahoo.” She raised one hand in the air half-heartedly. “Now I need a nap. Desee? How you feelin’ about a nap?”

  “No tanks, Mama,” Desee said, pouring more tea for her puppy and then refilling Sadi’s cup, too.

  “Well, if little girls don’t get naps, little girls get cranky and scream at their mamas.”

  Ivy’s phone buzzed; Archer had noticed she had no ringtones, just beeps and buzzes. “Don’t people know how to text these days?” she muttered as she hit the answer button. “Hello.”

  He snickered. She hated talking on the phone and seemed to take it as a personal insult when someone called her. “Hi, George.” George? Who’s George? Archer tried to squash the jealousy that attacked from somewhere he wasn’t aware existed. It was an attempt he failed.

  “Tonight? I… guess that will be fine.” Her face creased into a frown and she nibbled her lip. “When will you have her back?” She paced across the kitchen. Sadi, seeming to feel Ivy’s discomfort, fell into step beside her, walking back and forth as Ivy did. “Ten is kind of late. She goes to bed at seven.” Again Ivy paused, but her pacing never slowed. Much longer and she’d wear a path into the hardwood floors.

  Desee fell silent, watching her mama, and Archer noticed, not for the first time, that for a child under the age of two, she was unusually perceptive to her mom’s moods. “Well, yeah, I guess that will be fine. I’ll have her ready.”

  Ivy hung up and stopped pacing, turning to watch Desee. “Do you want to go visit Uncle George tonight? They’re going to a party for Great-grandma Walkens.”

  Ivy put on a falsely bright smile, but Desee didn’t buy it. “Mama go?”

  “No, sweetheart. Mama will stay here. But Uncle George and Aunt Shalice will bring you back to Mama tonight.” Ivy knelt in front of Desee, brushing the silky strands away from Desee’s face.

  What if Desee says no? Ivy already told them she could go. Archer frowned, but Ivy knew what she was doing.

  “‘Kay, Mama. Desee come home to Mama after.” Ivy nodded, still smiling, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes.

  “Who’s George?” Archer asked.

  “Vick’s younger brother. The only one in their family that I like.” Her eyes drifted across the room. “It will be fine. They’ll take good care of her.” Archer could tell she was saying it more to reassure herself than she was to him. Shaking her head, she smiled again at Desee for real this time and said, “Okay sweet pea. Time for a nap. You’ll be up late tonight.” She scooped the baby up, and Desee snatched her puppy from its seat at the tea party on her way to Ivy’s shoulder, squishing it underneath her cheek as she lay her head down.

  “Thank you so much for your help. If I could cook without poisoning you, I would totally make you cookies.”

  Archer grinned. “How about this. Go to a party with me tonight, and we’ll call it even.”

  Ivy froze. “A — a party?”

  “Yeah, a party — typically meaning a social gathering with invited guests at a private home, for conversation, refreshments, entertainment.” Ivy rolled her eyes and Archer snickered. “My cousin’s having a party tonight and I told him I’d come. It’d be a lot more fun if you were with me. And I’ll have you home by ten.”

  Her lips quirked, just a bit. “Okay. What time?”

  “I’ll come get you around seven.”


  Chapter Eleven

  Archer called Austin on his way home. “I’m bringing Ivy to the party tonight.”

  “Sweet. We haven’t taken her partying with us. I wonder how well she holds her liquor.” Austin chuckled.

  “She doesn’t drink,” Archer said, distracted because Austin wasn’t getting it. “Austin, I’m bringing her.” Austin was silent for several seconds.

  Archer was about to pull the phone away from his head to see if the call was still connected when Austin said, “That’s where you’ve been the last two days.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Gunner and Jay are gonna kill you.” Austin sounded amused. “Remember the agreement in high school. We’re still not friends with Max.”

  Archer groaned. “That was high school¸ A.”

  “Yeah, and Gunner is holding on to it like a lifeline. We all know you’re her favorite. It’s been obvious since that first night at the corn maze. Gunner thinks that agreement is the only thing standing between you and Ivy.”

  “The fact that she’s still married hasn’t occurred to him?” Archer asked dryly as he turned into his driveway. He had to shower and eat and get some work done for his dad before seven, which meant he had to move fast.

  “That’s why he hasn’t made his move yet.” Austin laughed.

  “How do you know all this? What are you, some kind of spy?”

  “I guess you’ll never know. Look, man, I’m happy for you.”

  Archer smiled, he couldn’t help it. “Well, she still thinks we’re just friends. And when Gunner and Jay find out…”

  “They won’t be there tonight. Alcohol, ya know. But I’ll do whatever I can to help. She doesn’t need the drama.”

  Archer paused, his key halfway into the lock on his front door. He’d thought the exact same thing.

  “Anyway, her divorce should be final in a couple of weeks. It’s not a big deal,” Austin said.

  “Nope, not a big deal.” To anyone but her, Archer thought. “I gotta get stuff done. I’ll see ya tonight?”

  “I’ll be there with bells on.” Austin was still laughing as Archer hung up.

  Archer couldn’t remember the last time he’d been nervous for a date. Girls were just… girls. He had no desire to get married. If they liked him, then great. If not, he didn’t care.

  But Ivy was different. With her, he did care if she liked him, and he was pretty sure that after tonight, she was going to realize he didn’t want to just be friends, which was what made him so nervous. He could lose her tonight, before he’d ever actually had her. But the alternative meant not taking a chance and staying friends forever, and that might just kill him, too. So when his hands shook on the steering wheel while he drove to her house, he cut himself some slack.

  She was outside with Sadi when he pulled in, throwing tennis balls against the garage door while the German shepherd did flips and spins, trying to catch them in the air. Her face lit up when he pulled to a stop behind her and she waved.

  “Hi,” he said, sliding out of the truck. Hi? Hi? Aren’t you supposed to say something witty or clever? He berated himself, but she didn’t seem to notice.

  “Let me just put Sadi back inside and I’m ready.” She patted her leg and the dog took off for the door, anxious to be away from Archer. She jogged back out a few seconds later, and Archer finally got a good look at her without a hairy dog standing in front of her, obstructing his view.

  She looked gorgeous. Her dark hair fell in shiny waves down her back, and her black top and jeans hugged her curves in ways that made it hard for Archer to swallow.

  “I’m ready.” She stood right in front of him, as uncertain and nervous as he was. He had been expecting her to insist on driving — she had a weird thing about that — but she didn’t. He swung open the passenger door and lifted her up, his hands lingering on her waist just a second longer than necessary, and then he shut the door and jogged to his side of the truck.

  “Whatcha sittin’ way over there for?” he asked with a wink when she started to buckle her seatbelt.

  Her big brown eyes went from his face to the center seat and back again, and her cheeks pinked just a bit. “Oh.” She slid over next to him and did up her seatbelt. “Where’s yours?” She gave him a pointed look.

  “My what?” he asked as he shifted into drive.

  “Seatbelt.” She reached over and shifted the truck back into park before he could let off the brake. “Do you have a death wish?” She quirked an eyebrow at him and smirked.

  He looked at her in amusement as he reached behind him for the seatbelt, fastening it securely. “Better?”

  “Yep.” She shifted into drive and he laughed. He asked her about the rest of her day, and how Desee had handled leaving, and she seemed relieved that he had given her topics to talk about.

  “She was okay. Pretty happy, I think. Whoa.” Archer spun around the corner at the stoplight, and Ivy toppled sideways, trying to catch herself with her hand on the dashboard.

  “It’s okay.” Archer smiled sideways at her, sliding his free arm around her shoulders. “I’ve got you.” He kept his arm there until they got to the party, and although he could feel how tense her shoulder was underneath his hand, she also looked pleased, so he didn’t move.

  Once there, he jumped out of the truck and helped her out, his hands at her waist as she slid down next to him, and he could feel every curve. Heaven help me, he groaned under his breath, but she was staring at the house apprehensively and hadn’t noticed.

  “Have I mentioned I don’t do well in crowds?”

  Archer held out his hand, and she took it without hesitation. “I’ll protect you,” he said with mock seriousness. She rolled her eyes.

  There were a lot of people in the tiny house, but not as many as usual, for which Archer was grateful. Ivy stuck next to his side, her fingers clenched around his in a death grip he couldn’t have escaped from if he’d wanted to. Which was convenient, because he definitely didn’t want to. For a tiny thing, her strength was impressive.

  “Hey, kids. You’re late!” Austin ambled over from the kitchen. He handed Ivy a dark drink and she took it, biting her lip. “It’s soda, Ivy.” He rolled his eyes. “Don’t you think I know you better than that?” Ivy threw him a bright, grateful smile and he beamed at Archer. When he wanted to be, Austin was talkative and hilarious, and he had Ivy laughing in no time. Between him and Archer, they kept her distracted enough that she’d relaxed a bit, but she still seemed on edge.

  “What’d you want to drink?” Archer’s cousin, playing barkeep, asked from across the counter.

  “Soda?” Archer asked. Ivy looked at him like, once again, he was her hero.

  “You’re so boring. Don’t you want to shake things up and try a mixed drink of some sort?” Austin asked, poking Archer in the chest.

  Archer rolled his eyes, never having cared if someone called him boring. “No.”

  He sat on a barstool and Austin sat next to him. Ivy was left standing between them, and if Archer hadn’t known better, he’d have thought his best friend had planned it that way. Archer pulled her back against him, settling her on his lap.

  She sat stiffly for several seconds before saying, “I’m gonna break your leg.”

  Archer laughed. “No, Ivy, you are definitely not going to break my leg.”

  “Right. Do you even weigh a hundred pounds?” Austin yelled over the roar of the party. Ivy smacked him lightly. “You never ask a woman her weight, dummy.” Austin just gave her a wicked grin but said nothing.

  “So, Ivy. Why is it you don’t drink? I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned.” Austin asked several minutes later. He, too, was drinking soda, and if it hadn’t been awkward, Archer would have hugged his best friend. They both usually drank at parties, but Ivy was uncomfortable with alcohol. If they had been drinking, it might have sent her over whatever edge she was standing so precariously on.

  “You never asked,” Ivy said, peering at Austin over the rim of her gl
ass.

  “I’m asking now.” Austin stared back, smirk firmly in place.

  Ivy shrugged like it was no big deal, but her words proved otherwise. “Ex was a mean drunk. Ex-brother-in-law was an alcoholic. Other ex-brother-in-law was a mean drunk.”

  Archer felt like he’d been punched in the gut. She’d had that kind of experience with alcohol, and he had brought her to a party where everyone was drinking. He met Austin’s eyes over her head and a silent understanding passed between them — one that only his life-long best friend could have interpreted without words.

  They had to get her out of here, but they had to do it without making it seem like a big deal, or it would embarrass her. And Archer had already messed things up enough. If there was any way he was going to make this night not a bad memory for her, he would like to do it.

  The party, like most parties that involve alcohol, was a raging success to those who were drinking. But to Ivy, Archer, and Austin, who were not drinking, it was just a lot of watching stupid people do stupid things. Someone started breakdancing in the computer room, which started a breakdance competition. But drunk people can’t breakdance. They can’t even dance. All they can do is break, and Archer’s cousin was going to be buying a new computer as soon as he sobered up.

  Archer tried to figure out how he could get Ivy across the room and outside to his truck, but it was packed. From the doorway, Austin said loudly, “You guys have got to see this!” He caught Archer’s eye and Archer gave him a nod of thanks. One step closer to his truck.

  Ivy sucked in a deep breath as soon as they were outside. Archer hadn’t noticed the smell when they’d been in the house, but now that they were out of it, he, too, sucked in fresh air like he’d been suffocating. She glanced over at him, amused. “They kinda stink,” she said.

  In the driveway, random guys Archer didn’t know were showing off their skills, hanging sideways on a basketball pole. Archer could do it, and knew it took a lot of upper-body and core strength, but doing it while drunk was never a good idea, and he wasn’t surprised when the second person to try fell to the ground and ended up scraped and bloody. Ivy shook her head at his stupidity when the guy rolled over, laughing hysterically. “It’s not going to be so funny tomorrow,” Archer muttered. She raised a sardonic eyebrow and nodded in agreement.