"Have a seat." He motions to the barstools.
"This looks really good," I say as I eye my plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes. He gave me enough for three people. "But I can't eat all of this."
"I'll finish whatever you don't eat."
I laugh. "Jen told me about that. She said you and your brothers are like human garbage disposals. Whatever we don't eat, you guys will finish."
"That's true. There were never leftovers at our house." He sets his fork down and turns to me. "Speaking of my family, I have a question to ask you."
"Go ahead."
"Every other Sunday we have family dinner at my dad's house. We're having one today and I wondered if you'd like to come."
He's inviting me to his family dinner? It seems too soon for that. We just started dating.
When I don't answer, he quickly says, "Callie really wants you to come. So does Jen. They could use another girl at the table."
So did Callie and Jen invite me? Is Jake only asking because of them? I don't want to go unless he really wants me to, and I can't tell if he does.
"You're not saying anything," he says. "Does that mean you don't want to go?"
"Do you want me to?"
"Well, yeah, that's why I asked." He still doesn't sound very convincing.
"I need to check in with my sister first. Sometimes we go out on Sundays. What time is dinner?"
"Five o'clock."
"Okay, I'll talk to her and let you know."
We finish breakfast, then Jake takes me home. I call Liza as soon as I'm in my apartment.
"Where have you been?" she asks when she picks up. "I called you last night and you didn't return my call. I was getting worried until I saw your text."
I texted her and told her I'd call her in the morning.
"I told you I was going out with Jake."
"How late were you out with him? You could've called when you got home."
"I couldn't. I um...I stayed over."
"What?" she yells it, not like she's mad, but more like shocked. "You had sex with Jake? I thought you wanted to wait, or not do it at all."
"We didn't have sex. We were watching a movie and fell asleep on his couch."
"Okay, let me get this straight. You spent the night at Jake's apartment, with Jake there, and you didn't have sex."
"Yes. I accidentally sprayed myself with water so I had to wait for my clothes to dry. It was already late so I just spent the night."
"What did you wear when your clothes were drying?"
"Jake let me wear one of his t-shirts." I loved that t-shirt. It was super soft and it smelled like him. I wanted to take it home but I didn't want to ask. He might think that's weird.
"So you were practically naked," she says. "And you still didn't have sex? Are you sure?"
I laugh. "Yeah, I would know if that happened."
"You know what this means, right?"
"No, what does it mean?"
"It means Jake really likes you. You're not just some girl he wants to bang. You're the real deal. He wants this, Ivy. He wants you. And not just for sex." She pauses, then squeals. "Oh my God, I could have Jake Wheeler as a brother-in-law! Just think how gorgeous your kids will be!"
"Okay, wait. Slow down, like waaay down. I am not anywhere near ready to marry anyone, let alone Jake Wheeler. We just started dating and I doubt this will go beyond a few weeks. I mean, come on, you really think Jake can change?"
"Is he calling you his girlfriend?"
I hesitate, knowing she's going to overreact, but then say, "Yes."
"Are you serious?" She yells it so loud I have to hold the phone away.
"You need to stop screaming. I'm going deaf."
"This is worthy of screaming. Jake Wheeler. THE Jake Wheeler. Chicago's most eligible bachelor, who has never had a girlfriend and never wanted one, has now declared YOU his girlfriend."
"It's not that big a deal." I say it just to get her to calm down, but it's not true. It IS a big deal. A huge deal. "And he's not Chicago's most eligible bachelor. There are plenty of other guys out there just like him."
"You didn't see it?"
"See what?"
"Today's paper. In the lifestyle section, they took a poll and the women of Chicago voted Jake Wheeler to be Chicago's most eligible bachelor."
"Wait—what? Are you kidding?"
"No. Check the paper."
"I don't get the paper."
"Then check the website. I'm sure it's on there. It'll probably be on the local news. Jake didn't say anything about it?"
"No, but maybe he didn't know."
Or did he know and not tell me because he knows I don't like all the attention he gets from other women? I hope he didn't purposely hide this from me. If we're going to date, he can't be hiding stuff from me. He was the one who told me to be honest, even if he didn't like what I was going to say, so he needs to do the same for me.
"So what did you guys do last night?" Liza asks.
"Went to dinner and a club, then came back to his apartment."
"So you didn't have sex, but I assume you did other things?" I can tell by her voice that she's grinning.
I roll my eyes. "Yes, we did other things."
"And was he good at those other things?" She laughs.
"Very good. Exceptionally good."
"Oh my God, I knew it! When the girls at work used to talk about him, they used to say how good he was in—" She cuts herself off. "Never mind."
She was going to say he was good in bed, and I have no doubt that he is, after what I experienced last night and this morning. If he's that talented with his hands, I can only imagine what he can do with his—I need to stop thinking about that, especially while talking to my sister.
"How's Dad doing?" I ask, wanting to get off the topic of Jake.
"His back was bothering him so he doubled his dose of pain meds and now he's sleeping."
"He needs to get up and walk around. He can't be sleeping all the time."
"I know," she says in clipped tone. "You don't have to tell me. I'll make him go on a walk after he gets up."
Liza doesn't like it when I give her reminders about how to care for Dad. But when I'm not there I feel like I need to, even though I know she takes good care of him.
"Sorry, Liza. I didn't mean anything by that. I know you're doing what you can. I just worry about him."
"I know. Me too." She pauses and I feel the tension in the air. Sometimes I wonder if she resents me for not living with them. She wouldn't tell me if she did. She's too nice, and she wants me to be happy, and she knows I wouldn't be happy living at home. That house is too tiny and I'm told old to still live there. My dad understands that, and was supportive of my decision when I moved out a few years ago. But Liza was upset that I left. She misses having me there.
"So what are you doing today?" she asks, now back to her usual chipper self.
"I need to clean my apartment and do laundry and then I'll probably come over there and see you and Dad."
"You're not seeing Jake today?"
"He invited me to a family dinner at his dad's house, but I told him I needed to talk to you first. See if we were doing anything. But Liza, I'll tell him no. I need to hang out with you and Dad."
"Jake asked you to go to dinner at his dad's house?" She has that excited tone again. "And his whole family will be there?"
"Yeah. His dad, his brothers, Nash's girlfriend, Callie, and this girl, Jen, who is like a sister to Jake. I went to lunch with Jen and Callie. I really like them. We're planning to go out again. You should come too. We could have a girls' night out."
"Ivy, you have to go."
"Go where?"
"To Jake's family dinner! Do you not realize what a big deal this is? He's bringing you home to meet his family!" She sighs dramatically. "You guys are totally getting married someday."
"Would you stop saying that? I'm not getting married. And Jake's invite doesn't mean anything. He said Callie and Jen w
ant me to come. I'm sure this wasn't Jake's idea."
"But he told you he wanted you there, right?"
"Well, yeah, but he didn't sound that convincing."
"Because this is so completely unlike him. Taking a girl home to meet his family? He was probably scared to death to even ask, not because you'd say no, but because of what this means."
"Which is what?"
"That he's really serious about you. You can't turn him down, Ivy. That would be mean. He's really trying here."
"I know he is."
"So why don't you want to go?"
"I do, but I also want to spend time with you and Dad."
"Just come over later tonight. Or come over now and we'll hang out until you have to go. What time do you have to be there?"
"Dinner's not until five. I don't know what time he'd pick me up. I'd have to call and ask."
"Then call and find out and then come over here. We can have an early lunch."
"I'm not hungry. Jake just made me a huge breakfast."
"He MADE you breakfast? Like he actually made it?"
"Yeah. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes."
She sighs. "He is SO in love with you."
I laugh. "He is not in love with me. He made breakfast. That's not a sign of being in love."
"For Jake Wheeler it is. I bet he's never made any girl breakfast but you."
"I don't know, but it doesn't matter. You're reading too much into this. Jake was just being nice. And he had to make breakfast for himself, anyway. The guy eats a ton of food."
"He'd have to to feed a body like that. All that muscle. And he's so tall. What is he, like 6'4?"
"I don't know. That sounds about right."
"He is so hot. I'm jealous."
"Well, he's got two single brothers, although Bryce is in love with Jen so he's probably out. But you could try dating Austin."
"Is he the one in the band?"
"Yeah. He was playing at a bar in Evanston last night. We were thinking of going but Jake wanted to stay home."
"So he could be alone with you," she says in a sing-songy voice.
I laugh. "Okay, you're starting to annoy me. I'm hanging up and calling Jake, then I'll come over there."
"Tell my future brother-in-law I said hi!"
"Yeah, you're funny. Bye. See you soon." I hang up before she can say any more.
She's going to tease me about Jake for as long as I date him. Saying he's going to marry me? That's about as likely as me becoming president. Never gonna happen. Completely out of the realm of possibility. I can't even imagine Jake getting married, to anyone, not just me. He's a free spirit. Doesn't like being tied down. And neither do I, especially now, when I'm in my twenties.
I call Jake. "Hey, it's Ivy."
He chuckles. "Yeah, I know. Caller ID. Plus I recognize your voice."
"Oh. Okay, well, I was just calling to say I can come to dinner."
"Great, then I'll pick you up around four thirty. Sound good?"
"Yeah. I'll see you then."
I end the call, but then realize I forgot to ask what to wear. But he'd probably tell me anything is fine, even if it's not. I need to ask Callie. I find her number in my phone and call her.
"Ivy," she answers. She always sounds happy, which is amazing given that she lost her whole family less than two years ago. She must be a really strong person, or as Jake said, she has a strong support system through Nash. "What's up?"
"Jake invited me to his family dinner and I wasn't sure what to wear. I was going to ask Jake but decided it'd be better to ask a girl."
"I'm so excited you're coming! It'll be great to have another girl. I love the guys, but they can be a little much when they start talking sports. They get really loud, and hearing them talk sport stats gets really boring. Anyway, as for clothes, the guys always wear jeans and polo shirts or button-up shirts. Jen and I wear a dress or a skirt but that's only because both our grandmas used to say you should always dress nice for Sunday dinner and the advice just kind of stuck. But you don't have to dress up. You could wear jeans and a sweater or something like that."
"My grandma used to say the same thing about Sunday dinner, so I think I'll go with a skirt or dress. I just wanted to check with you first. Oh, also, should I bring anything? Like dessert or a bottle of wine?"
"You don't need to bring anything."
"Are you sure? I feel like I should."
"Nope. Just bring yourself. And Jake. Don't forget Jake." She laughs. "He's been a little out of it lately. You may need to remind him to show up."
"Why has he been out of it?"
"I'm guessing it's because he can't stop thinking about a certain girl. Maybe a carpenter he met at work?"
I laugh. "Yeah. I don't think that's it. He's probably got his mind on work. He's got a lot going on. Anyway, I should let you go. I'll see you soon. Thanks for the advice."
"Anytime. Bye, Ivy."
Why is everyone so sure that Jake likes me so much? Is it just because he's never dated a girl and he's now been dating me for a week? That doesn't prove anything, other than the fact that he's capable of dating and isn't just a one-night stand guy. But that guy could reappear at any time and our relationship would be over. I hope that doesn't happen, but I'm preparing for it if it does.
I really like Jake, and I know he likes me, but I'm not letting myself get too far into this. I've been burned too many times. I'm not just giving my heart out to a guy because I like him or think he's hot, like I've done in the past. I'm older and wiser now.
Or maybe I'm not, because I feel like I've already done that. Like I've already given Jake a piece of my heart. A tiny piece, but still a piece. And now I'm afraid of what he'll do with it.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Jake
We just arrived at my dad's house. Ivy looks beautiful. Her hair is down and she has on just enough makeup to highlight her delicate features and those deep brown eyes. She's wearing a black knit dress and a silver necklace with a tiny silver hammer hanging from the chain. The necklace is perfect. Absolutely perfect. My family will love it. And it's so Ivy. All girl, but reminding you that she's tough, working in an almost all-male field and kicking ass while doing it.
She said her dad gave her the necklace when she got her first real carpenter job. It was when she was 21, after she'd been training as an apprentice for years. She had a lot of experience before taking her first job and yet they paid her next to nothing. When she told me that story I was pissed, even though it was two years ago. There's no way in hell a guy would ever get paid that little.
"Good to see you again, Ivy." My dad walks into the living room, a dish towel hung over his shoulder.
"Good to see you too, Mr. Wheeler." She shakes his hand.
I chuckle at how formal she's being. "Just call him Mitch," I tell her.
He smiles. "Yes. We're not very formal around here."
She smiles nervously. "It's just that you're my boss so I feel like I shouldn't call you by your first name."
He nods. "I understand, but I'm not your boss when you're here, so feel free to call me Mitch."
Nash walks in, and I motion to him and say, "And technically, Nash is your boss, and you're not calling him Mr. Wheeler. That'd just be weird."
"Sure would," he says, coming up to her. "Makes me sound old, like Dad."
My dad ropes his arm around Nash's shoulder. "You turn 26 soon. You're not exactly young anymore." He pats him on the back. "I better get back to the kitchen before your girlfriend wonders where her helper went."
He leaves and Ivy says to Nash, "When's your birthday?"
"Not until March. Callie's was a few weeks ago. We celebrated down at my house, a couple hours south of here."
She raises her brows. "You have a house?"
"So does Callie," I tell her. "It's a long story. I'll tell you later."
"Hey, you made it!" Callie comes out of the kitchen in a navy dress, a white apron wrapped around her. Her hair is up in
a ponytail with wispy strands hanging down, framing her face. She's really pretty, and so completely perfect for Nash. The two of them just go together. They even look right together.
"The food smells great," Ivy says, giving Callie a hug.
"It's pork chops with a balsamic glaze and roasted potatoes. Plus some other stuff that doesn't really go with the pork but I wanted to try some new recipes."
Nash comes up behind her, pulling her into him and kissing her cheek. "My little chef. I told her she needs to open a restaurant."
She smiles up at him and he kisses her again. "It's just a hobby."
"Let's go sit down," I say, not wanting to stand here and watch Nash and Callie make out. Once they start kissing, they forget people are around and keep kissing until someone tells them to stop.
Nash and Callie sit on the couch, leaving Ivy and me to take the loveseat. I'm sure that was intentional on Callie's part. She's playing matchmaker, doing whatever she can to make sure Ivy and I keep dating. Nash and Callie are worried I'm going to screw this up, and knowing me, I probably will. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I've never had a girlfriend before.
"I love your necklace," Callie says to Ivy. "Nash, look. It's a hammer."
"My dad gave it to me," she says. "I figured it was appropriate for wearing to a dinner with people who own a construction company."
Callie laughs. "Totally. It's perfect. You fit right in." She eyes me, like she's hoping I heard her comment about how Ivy fits in our family, but I already know she does. She gets along great with Nash, and she likes my dad, and I'm sure she'd get along well with Bryce and Austin too, once she gets to know them. And she's already friends with Jen and Callie.
"Hi, everyone." Jen comes walking in the front door.
"Hey." Callie waves her over. "Come sit down."
Jen takes her coat off and notices Ivy. "Ivy, I'm glad you came." She goes over and gives her a quick hug.
"What about me?" I ask, pretending to be hurt. "You're not glad I came?"
"I see you all the time," she says, plopping down on the couch next to Callie.
"So did you guys do anything fun last night?" Callie asks.
I smile to myself, because hell yeah, we had fun. I got Ivy naked and kissed, licked, and touched just about every part of her.
Give Us a Chance (Wheeler Brothers #2) Page 18