15. CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Holland

Did I make peanut butter bacon cheeseburgers for dinner? Yes. Was it because I feel guilty? Also yes. I know there's nothing I can do to change how this happened, but I can show Ivy all the ways I know and care about her.

We both sit on the leather couch, the new blanket across our laps. Typically, Ivy would practically be in my lap, but we both left space between us.

Ivy breaks the silence. "Is there anything else you want to share about this whole thing? Any reason you want to or don't want to move forward with the offer? Anything you meant to say and didn't?"

I take a few seconds, thinking about what she's asking. She's giving me the opportunity to lay all my cards out on the table.

"At first, I was skeptical. I truly didn't think I'd be interested at all. But, when I saw the amount of money, and how I'd keep this and the land surrounding it, that's when it changed. I wasn't lying when I said the lodge is doing well financially, but with that amount of money, that could change our lives."

"What about our life do you want to change?" She gives nothing away with her voice level and clear.

"It's not that anything is wrong with it, I'm just pointing out that it would give us the opportunity. We could travel. Find where we want to put our roots down. You could quit your job, try something new." I list the things that went through my brain when I saw the amount of money they were offering. That, coupled with my healthy savings, would go a long way.

"Do you think I don't want to work?" Ivy's brows are scrunched.

"No, I'm just saying it could be an option. You're good at your job but it's also stressful and demanding, plus there's just some baggage there."

"You're not wrong but I want to work. No part of my brain has ever really thought about not working. Especially with my set up at Sparks now, it's flexible and lets me take on as much as I want," Ivy reassures me. "Somedays the baggage is annoying but not enough for me to leave. Wouldn't that mean Jack and Royce won? I don't want them to win. I want to win." Her hand sits on her chest.

Fuck . How does she do that? She always seems to know exactly what she wants.

"Do you hate not having an office? I know there's not a ton of space here." I look around the space, the one I love.

"No, I've never wished for anything other than what's here. I love this space and it's perfect for us." She puts her hand on my leg, squeezing. "After reading through everything, I was much more relieved. Like, this is favorable to you, and the place you've helped thrive. I don't want to ever give this up. But if you want to give up some of the pressure, I'll support you."

"What would you do?" I'm looking for anyone to give me a tip, direction.

"You know I can't answer that. I'm here to contribute but this isn't a decision for me. Given you could stay at the lodge, working like you have been, and we could live here, that's what's important to me. What's important to you?" She asks in a way that I know she's not looking for a response but for me to think.

What's important to me? Ivy. Slate. Hazel's legacy, which is the lodge. My family. This just makes things more confusing because all those things play into the thing we're talking about.

"This isn't an easy decision and I'm sure you'll go back and forth. It looks like they don't want to connect until January. Is there a hard deadline?"

"No. They basically said they could give me as much time as I need, but to let them know the second I'm not interested anymore."

Just another reason I'm impressed with Greater When Green. They honestly have been supportive of me coming to a decision on the timeline that works best for me. I know that's not always the case.

"Okay, well, there's no need to try and solve it tonight, right?"

I agree with a nod, looking at my own hands in my lap. This territory is new. Ivy and I rarely fight, and not over anything like this. The room is heavy and fragile all at the same time.

"I also owe you an apology. Storming out of here, on foot, wasn't what I should've done. We both deserve more than what happened today." She locks her green eyes on mine. "You're right, I've been overwhelmed with this new event and I'm trying to be better at handling it." Her eyes dart around, as she fidgets her fingers in her lap.

"We'll both do better next time," I say before leaning in, putting my hand under her chin, and putting my lips on hers. Nothing feels better than when she kisses me back.

This conversation was so much worse in my head. I went back and forth about how it would go and I feel relieved, seeing where we ended up .

It's not perfect or completely resolved, but I don't feel like I'm being crushed with uncertainty.

"Come here," I say, putting my arm out, giving Ivy room to lay against me.

She picks Slate up, rearranging his sleeping position, before closing the space between us. Ivy wraps her arm around my stomach and puts her head on my shoulder.

A wave of warmth washes over me, like the sucker I am. Tonight, the three of us, together on the couch, is all I need.