by Jessica Gray
“You can call me Bridget or Mom. I answer to both.” A happy smile covered her entire face. “I’m so glad Terry has decided to settle down.”
Ter flinched at the endearment. “Mom. Don’t call me Terry please. I’m a grown man, not a baby anymore.”
“You’ll always be my baby, independent of your age,” Bridget said. “Once you have your own kids, you’ll understand that.”
“Mom!” Ter protested. And to Ivy he said, “She’s been pressing all of us for grandkids since we turned eighteen.” Then he looked at the driveway and then asked, “Who all’s here?”
Bridget smiled at the obvious change of topic. “Reese is already here, but Nik’s plane is late. Allison and Russell are on their way, and Ethan and Hazel arrived a few minutes ago. They brought Sam’s cousin Preston along to meet everyone. He’s such a lovely guy.”
Ivy stood there listening to Ter and his mother discuss his siblings and felt herself growing more nervous by the minute. What if they don’t like me? She clung to his hand like a drowning person, feeling completely out of place.
A few moments later, a brunette with wild curly hair who shared Ter’s strikingly beautiful emerald eyes rushed out of the house. “Ter. Why didn’t I know your girlfriend is here?”
She hugged him for a long minute before she greeted Ivy. “I’m Reese. I’m so happy to meet the woman who’s succeeded in taming my brother.” Pulling her into an embrace, she whispered loud enough for Ter to hear it. “If you want any dirty details about his childhood, feel free to ask me.”
Ter made a face and Ivy had to laugh out loud. Reese dragged her into the house and she could hear Mitch say, “Let’s go into the backyard, I’ve already got the barbecue heating up.”
Reese said to Ivy, “Ter was kinda tight-lipped about how you met. This all happened so fast.”
Ivy grinned. “It did. I hadn’t planned to come here either. Actually, I’m a bit worried because there are so many people.”
“Don’t you worry. Whoever happens to be around on Saturday afternoons drops by for dinner. It’s a family tradition. And with six siblings, there’s always someone around. Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone else.”
As everyone settled around a large table for dinner, Ter wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead. “Still doing okay?”
“Well, so far I like everyone I’ve met. Your family is so nice. Especially Reese.”
“She likes you, as does everyone else.”
Nik, Reese’s fiancé arrived with two bottles of red wine in his hands. He barely had enough time to set them down on the table before Reese jumped into his arms and they exchanged a passionate kiss. When they finally broke the kiss, Reese’s face was totally flushed and Nik cleared his throat before he said, “Sorry to be late. My plane had to fly around bad weather.”
Preston Armstrong, Sam’s cousin, sat opposite to Ivy at the table beside Ethan, Ter’s oldest brother and his girlfriend, Hazel. Preston remotely resembled Samantha, and he featured the same dark hair and blue eyes. He was planning to build a resort nearby. “It will be just outside Sandy Beach. Big enough to provide all the luxuries, but small enough not to obstruct the landscape. The plans are coming along well, thanks to the great financing work Ethan has put together.”
Ethan chimed in, “Preston’s resort is the first major project I’m financing. And I’m pretty impressed with how things are coming together as well. In my wildest dreams, I hadn’t hoped for my angel to be such a great success.”
“Your angel?” Ivy raised her eyebrows.
Both Ethan and Hazel laughed and Hazel explained, “Ethan just started a business that matches investors with entrepreneurs and others looking at starting up a business but don’t have the money to do so. The official name is AngelSeed. But he calls it My Angel.”
“Oh, that explains it,” Ivy said.
“It will give many people a chance to see their dreams come true.”
Ivy sat back and listened as the Paxton family discussed a variety of things. They reminded her so much of her own family, the love they obviously had for each other and their partners, the deep loyalty and need to see each other as often as possible. The only major difference was the open affection Ter’s family showed one another.
Ivy’s parents were much more reserved and strict. It’s not that they didn’t love each other or their children, but they had their own way of doing things.
During the course of the conversation, she was stunned to get the impression Bridget was the head of the family, not Mitch. Bridget seemed to have her hand on the pulse of what was happening in everyone’s lives, while Mitch was her support in family matters. That would never go over in her house. In her family, her father’s word was law. End of story.
“If I could have everyone’s attention,” Russell spoke up and tapped his fork against his glass. When everyone had quieted down, he looked down at the blonde woman sitting next to him. Ivy smiled as the woman, Ter’s youngest sister Allison, took their cute little son, Jackson, in her arms. Russell cleared his throat. “We’re getting married. This winter.”
Little Jackson screamed, “Me too.”
Everyone started talking at once. Bridget cried, rounding the table to hug them both. “Darling, I’m so happy for both of you. And my youngest will be the first one to get married. I’d never have thought that. So happy,” she sobbed.
Ivy listened, wondering why they’d chosen winter. When it had quieted down, she asked Ter, “Why in the winter and not the summer? I bet Sandy Beach is cold and blustery during the winter, while in the summer it would be a perfect place to get married.”
It had grown quiet enough that everyone heard her question and broke out in laughter. Reese was the first to stop and answer her question. “That’s the exact reason why in the winter. Sandy Beach is overrun with tourists during the summer months and people won’t have time to attend a wedding with everything so busy.”
Mitch piped up, “And things are much more expensive around here in the summer.”
Russell grinned. “And Chase and Pearl won’t be competing so they’ll be able to attend.”
Ivy was amazed at how many other people had been considered. It showed how tight knit the family was and she loved it.
When it was time to head back to Chicago, she could honestly say she’d had a wonderful time. She hugged Bridget. “I had a lovely time. Thank you for having me.”
“I wish you could have stayed longer,” Bridget answered.
“Sorry. Perhaps you’ll be able to come up to New York once Ter gets moved.”
Mitch wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulder. “Definitely. It was nice meeting you, Ivy.”
“You too.”
“Ready to go?” Ter asked, having just seen his sisters and brother off.
She nodded and waved to his parents. They headed back to Chicago early enough to get some sleep before she had to be back to the airport early the next morning.
When he dropped her off at the airport, it was bittersweet and Ivy hoped the next couple weeks would fly by.
“I’ll be moving to New York two weeks from now. I’ll call as soon as I have some details and maybe I can visit between then and now.”
“For real?” Ivy asked, thrilled that he might fly in before he made the official move to the city. “That would be great.”
Ter kissed her tenderly and then searched her eyes. “I’m so glad you flew out here.”
“Me too.”
“I’ll call you tonight to make sure you got back safely. I’m already missing you.”
Ivy could only nod as he hugged her close one last time. “I’ve got to go.”
“Talk to you tonight, lovey.”
She grabbed her suitcase and headed inside the airport. She’d come to Chicago to do what her job demanded. And what her heart had wanted. It had been a success on both levels.
Chapter 20
Ivy arrived in New York later that day, feeling lonely and depress
ed. She was still feeling lonely when she visited her family to celebrate her father’s birthday.
Everyone was there, her two sisters Sequoia and Thalia, and her two brothers Corbin and Barrett with their wives and kids. At least playing Aunt Ivy for a while would distract her from constantly thinking of Ter.
She loved kids and realized that she’d never discussed kids, and whether or not Ter wanted any, with him. The answer to his mother’s teasing had her believe he wasn’t totally opposed to kids, but it was one of the points on her checklist, and one she still needed to research.
Ivy was quieter than usual, and thought maybe she’d gotten by without her mother catching on, but that hope was dashed when she made to follow everyone as they left for the evening.
“Hold up there, Ivy.”
Ivy turned to see her mom standing in the hallway. “Yes?”
“You’ve been awfully quiet today. What’s going on with you?”
Before she could respond, her father stepped into the hallway. She looked at them both and then said, “I’ve fallen in love.”
Her mother hugged her. “I’m so happy for you. What’s his name?”
This was the part Ivy dreaded sharing with her parents. “Well, his name is Terrence Paxton and he’s the lead singer for a band I work with called Electric Flow.”
“A rock star?” her father exclaimed, clearly not happy with her news.
“Yvonne! You can do much better than a rock star. We’ve heard so many bad things about them. The drugs and the parties. That is not what we want for you,” her mother said, shock lacing her voice.
“You haven’t even met him. Terrence isn’t like other guys. He’s different…”
“And what about the groupies? There’s a reason so many musicians have broken marriages. Women throwing themselves at the men constantly; it makes keeping one’s marriage vows too hard. And what about a family? He probably doesn’t even want one.”
“You should meet him before you—”
Her father made a silencing motion with his hand. “Yvonne, you did not study and get a suma cum laude degree from Columbia Law School so you could end up with an uneducated rock star.”
“But he’s—”
“Is he white?” he asked her and lifted her chin.
“Yes.”
He groaned. “He’ll never understand your culture or your history.”
Ivy could have held her cool until her father made those last comments. For the first time in her life, she raised her voice against her father. “I’ve lived in New York City since I was six years old. This is my culture. Not Africa. I mean, I’ve been there what – five times in the last twenty years. I can’t even speak the language anymore.”
Her mother stepped forward, trying to shush her and calm things down because she knew how angry her husband could get. “Ivy, what your father was trying to point out was that he only wants what’s best for you and you’re still so young.”
Her mother turned, speaking directly to her father. “She’s just confused. Infatuation can do that to a young girl, but it will pass soon and she will see that you were right. One day in the future, she will thank us for not letting her make such a big mis—”
Ivy interrupted her “I won’t. It’s not a mistake. I love Terrence and it’s a lot more than infatuation.”
“Do not take that tone of voice with us,” her father warned her.
She took a breath, striving for a calm she wasn’t feeling. “Father, let me ask you a question. Why didn’t you oppose my brothers’ choice of wives? They both married women without college degrees.”
The moment she’d spoken those words, she wished she hadn’t. Her father’s face took on a threatening expression and his voice was sharp-edged as he approached her. “Who are you to question my decisions? You overstep yourself.”
“No, you’re overstepping yourself. I’m an adult and at least in this country, I’m allowed to choose who I want to love.” She bit her lower lip, trembling inside.
Her father uttered a curse word in his native tongue and Ivy took a step back. She’d seen her father angry before, but never this angry. He took a step towards her and stated, “You will not see this man again. I forbid it.”
“I don’t live here anymore. You can’t tell me who I can see.”
Her father straightened to his full height and said in a cold voice, “If you choose to continue seeing this man, you are no longer my daughter. You are not welcome in this home.”
Ivy looked between her mother and father, seeing her mother’s tears, but no action on her part. Her father was dead serious and Ivy could only stand there and look at him. Finally, she nodded and turned to leave. “Fine.”
She walked out, slamming the door behind her and returned to the small apartment she shared with Bella. Bella was equally shocked when Ivy told her the news. “I can’t believe it.”
Sitting on the couch, Ivy cried her eyes out. “Believe it.”
Bella sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her friend’s shoulder. “Your father has always been so kind and modern. I just can’t see him opposing your choice of a life partner.”
Ivy continued to cry while Bella held her. She was in love with Ter, but her father had made it clear. If she chose him, she would have to say goodbye to her family.
She cried the whole night through, not falling asleep until the wee hours of the morning. Heartsick and with no idea of what to do.
Chapter 21
Ter was out of his mind with worry. Ivy hadn’t answered any of his texts and all of the calls he’d placed to her cell phone were going straight to voicemail. Then, late Sunday night, he received a text from her that made absolutely no sense.
I’m sorry, but we cannot see each other again.
What the…? Given how they’d said goodbye just that morning, that didn’t make any sense at all. He was so worried, he finally called Reese.
“Hi Ter, I hadn’t expected to hear from you so soon,” she gushed and bulldozed over him with questions. “How’s Ivy? I like her. She’s perfect for you. I’m so glad for you. I–”
“Something’s wrong,” he said, interrupting his sister.
“What?” The word was barely a whisper.
“I don’t know. Everything was fine, but now she doesn’t answer her phone and sent me a text saying that we can’t see each other again.”
“Oh, Ter, I don’t know what to tell you. If she won’t answer her cell phone, you can always call her office Monday morning. She must at least take your call then. Maybe there’s an explanation to this?”
“Thanks, Ree. Sorry to call this late.”
“Ter, you know you can call me at any hour. I love you. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. Night.”
“Night.”
First thing Monday morning, he called the record label and asked to speak to her.
“Terrence,” she answered his call with trepidation and something else in her voice he couldn’t place. She sounded so sad, and almost as if she’d been crying for a long time. It broke his heart.
“Ivy, what’s going on? I tried to call you yesterday after you sent that text. Speaking of which, what do you mean we can’t see each other again?”
He heard her sniff into the phone and knew she was crying. “Ivy, please tell me what’s going on. Whatever it is, we can fix it.”
“We can’t. I went to see my father for his birthday last night. I told him about you and he’s forbidden me from seeing you again.”
“What? He can’t do that. I mean this is the twenty-first century. You can make up your own mind.”
She sniffed again. “When I said the same thing, he got furious and told me if I continue to see you, I’m no longer his daughter or a part of his family.”
“Lovey, I’m sure this is just a temporary thing. He’ll change his mind once he gets to know me.”
“No. Not my father. And…God, this is so hard.” She inhaled. “Ter, we’ve only known each other for a short time. How do we eve
n know what we have is long term? I can’t risk losing my family and then wind up with nothing.”
The way her mind was processing everything shocked him right down to his soul. “Ivy, of course we’re long term. I can feel it and I know you can too. Things will calm down–”
“You don’t know my father.”
“That’s true, but–”
“No buts. I can’t see you again. Goodbye.”
He heard her hang up the phone and sat there, absolutely shattered. Tears stung his eyes, but he forced them back. She was only doing what she had to do, and as much as he wanted to force the issue, he also knew this was killing her.
And he wouldn’t intentionally cause her more pain. He couldn’t force her to choose him and lose her family in the process. How would he react if he had to choose between his family and her? Honestly, he had no idea.
For hours, questions stabbed at him, not giving his mind any rest. She was right. They barely knew each other. They didn’t know each others faults yet. They hadn’t been through a crisis together. Or separation. Or conflicts. As hard as it was, he decided to try and forget her.
But he couldn’t.
Two weeks later, when he moved to New York City, she was still his first thought in the morning and his last one at night. And things worsened with every passing day.
Electric Flow was in the recording studio immediately upon arriving in the city, but the record label had chosen his newest song to become the first single they recorded. The love song he’d written for her.
He just couldn’t bring himself to sing it. Every single note tore his heart into pieces and more than once, he stopped in the middle of a verse. On the third day of recording, they still hadn’t made much progress with this particular song. Even his band members were getting worried.
Jason must have drawn the short straw because he cornered Terrence in the hallway. “Ter, what’s up with you, man?”
He looked at his drummer and shrugged. “Nothing.”