I pace my room, confused by whatever is going on with him. How does he feel so familiar? And did he say he feels the same? He said I’m not crazy, or not wrong, whatever he said. He feels like I belong with him. God, what is wrong with me? I’m not one of those insta-love kind of gals. I’m not. I wasn’t even like that with the man I agreed to marry. My hand goes to my neck. He bit me. No. Good grief, no. He did not bite me. But his mouth was on my neck again and I felt—I don’t know what I felt. An uneasy, unsettled feeling has me coming out of my own skin. I grab my coat. I know Eli told me to be careful at night in the city, but the doorman indicated just the opposite. In fact, the staff, in general, have assured me this is a safe area, well patrolled. Just as long as I stay in the main strip areas, I’ll be fine. And I really need air right now.
I head downstairs and decide I’ll see if the hotel car can take me to Union Station where I can enjoy Milk Box ice cream, which I’ve tried already and is marvelous. Not that I’m afraid to walk around just because Eli told me to be. I’m not. I can make my own decisions. But I’m still a woman alone at night. Of course, I don’t have much space for food in my belly after that dinner, but I’ll make it work. I need out of the room right now.
Milk Box is located inside the Crawford Hotel, as are a number of bars, restaurants, and shops. A few minutes later, I have a huge cone filled with salted Oreo ice cream, and I’m sitting in the rather rowdy lobby, which is a melting pot for everyone visiting the hotel and the establishments inside. There are clusters of wooden tables, random couches, and a bar with a walk-up booze ordering window. I’m on a cushy chair, with people I don’t know all around me. Which is fine. I don’t mind strangers and they don’t seem to mind me.
I’ve just taken a huge bite, when I hear, “Ivy?”
I rotate my chair around to find Jacob standing above me since I’m sitting and he’s not. He too is holding an ice cream cone.
“Hi,” I say. “How are you?”
“Good,” he says. “I heard about the ice cream and had to find out if it was good for myself. Are you alone?”
“I am. You?”
“I am,” he confirms, motioning to a couch that is open. “Join me?”
I have a brief memory of Eli’s reaction to Jacob and it was not good. I know I have no commitment to Eli, but this feels wrong, which of course, is silly. Jacob is just a casual acquaintance that I can’t even call a friend. And I have no interest in him.
“Sure,” I say, and the two of us settle on the couch, though I am quick to ensure we have space for another person between us.
“Where’s Eli?” he asks, wasting no time getting to that point.
“He was called to duty,” I say. “He runs a high-end security service.”
“I see,” he says and when I think he’ll ask for more details about Eli, instead he says, “Are you here with him?”
“We met at the hotel. He actually lives in a residence in the hotel.” I realize then that I’m incredibly interested in what his apartment is like. I’m simply interested in all things Eli, to the point of him all but consuming me.
My mind is back on that moment when I’d touched his face, and there is this strange, unfamiliar, but oh-so-familiar image in my head. Me with him, eating dinner and laughing, only it’s not me, and I’m very confused.
“Ivy?”
I blink Jacob back into view. “Yes?”
“Your ice cream is dripping.”
“Oh gosh, thanks.” I lick the ice cream dripping down my cone, aware of Jacob watching me a bit too closely. “I can’t waste this,” I add awkwardly. “It’s too good.”
“Agreed,” he says but he’s moved on. “I got the impression tonight you were with Eli, but you only just met?”
He’s pushing. Too much. I don’t like it. “We’re getting to know each other,” I say. “And I’m interested in seeing where that goes.” Now that I have my ice cream under control, I add, “I’m committed to seeing where that will go, Jacob. I’m kind of a one-cart horse.” I laugh. “Sorry. Bad joke. My father’s joke.”
“Maybe I can change your mind,” he says. “I’m a determined guy. Some even think that’s how I got to be a success.”
“The timing is wrong, Jacob,” I say, not about to lead him on. I stand up. “I should get back. I have to try and get a few more words on the page tonight.”