Jaded Anchor: The Human

Chapter Five - Ivy

It had been two weeks since Ivy had spent the night with Coen. She hasn’t spoken to him since. She didn’t leave her number when she snuck out during the early morning hours. She hadn’t even told him bye, instead she wrote him a little note that basically said she had a good but that she had to leave and didn’t want to wake him. The fact that she had fallen asleep in the first place had been unexpected. She hadn’t planned on staying overnight. She had freaked out the whole way home, Emily had already planned on keeping Everleigh overnight, but still, Ivy hated the idea of not being there when her daughter woke up. Thankfully, she had made it home just in time to tell her mini good morning.

Ivy knew both she and Coen knew it had been a one-night stand. There would be no strings attached. She probably wouldn’t ever see him again unless she went looking for him at The Jaded Anchor. Ivy knew that it was only a one-time thing, but she still thought about that night all the time. Every fiber of her body longed to be touched by Coen again. It was crazy really, who gets that attached to a one-night stand? Even if that one-night stand looked like a freaking demigod. He had woken up a part of her that she hadn’t even realized had been sleeping. He made her scream his name unashamedly. No man had ever come close to making her feel that way, and she had been with her ex for over a year.

In her free moments, Ivy found herself wondering about Coen. Of course, those thoughts only lead to flashes of their night together. She still found herself blushing at the memory of him licking her finish off his fingers. She’d never expected him to do that. Ugh, come on, Ivy. Her inner voice sounded exhausted inside her head. As if tired of the continuous replaying going on in her brain. Ivy couldn’t help it though; Coen had given her a taste of what s*x could be like.

Ivy made a face only to start laughing when she realized she had been making the face at herself in her reflection. She was standing in the locker room pulling her long hair down from her ponytail, as she always did after her shifts. Her eyes glanced up when she saw Alexandra behind her. A genuine smile pulled at her lips when she caught sight of her friend.

“Thinking of your sexy secret one-night stand again? Are you going to see this mystery man again?” Alexandra teased, obviously, she had been standing there longer than Ivy thought. She shook her head but her blushing cheeks gave her away. She hadn’t told any of the girls Coen's name or exactly what happened. She had told them a few details when they bombarded her with questions. Not enough to give away his identity, but enough to make the questions stop.

“Not funny. And no. I’m not. Oh, but since I have you here, Everleigh has been begging for a playdate with Lux.” Ivy said turning her head so their eyes could meet. Ivy had a weird thing that she had to be looking at someone when she spoke to them. Maybe to make sure they were listening, or something weird like that. If she wasn’t looking at the person or they weren’t looking back she would stop talking. Mostly she turned so she could make sure the topic at hand had been successfully changed. She didn’t want Alexandra asking any more questions about Coen.

“Lux would love that. You and Evie should come to her birthday party!” Alexandra beamed over at Ivy using the nickname Lux had given Ivy's daughter. “It’s next Saturday at our house. Rowen and I would love for you two to come.”  

Ivy agreed with a smile. She didn’t know Alexandra's husband personally, she’d only seen him from a distance a few times, but Alexandra talked about Rowen so much and so often that Ivy felt like she knew him. It was clear that the two of them were crazy in love. Ivy knew Everleigh would love to go to her party, any chance to hang out with Luxxie.

“We’ll be there. I can’t believe Lux is almost three. It seems just like yesterday when I moved to Silverport. I can’t believe we’ve been here a year already.” When she had moved to Silverport she had been broken. Her self-esteem had been beaten out of her. Literally. She had been unhappy and on the run. She’d only chose Silverport because she knew her ex wouldn’t think to look for her there. It was such a small town. Alexandra had taken Ivy under her wing and really made her feel comfortable and at home. She wasn’t sure how she would feel about the town if not for Alexandra.

Ivy talked with Alexandra for a little longer before she left for the day. She knew she had about two hours before Everleigh got out of preschool, so she drove around trying desperately to think of something, anything other than Coen. Despite her best intentions and her cautious inner voice, Ivy found herself sitting outside Coen’s apartment. She knew it was one o’clock in the afternoon, so chances of running into his most recent one night stand were slim. She had no false hopes about Coen. Ivy knew he probably had several one-night stands since her time with him, but yet she was still there.

Just one quick little chat. Ivy thought to herself. After that, she would be able to see that it was most certainly the alcohol that had made that night seem so great. No man could possibly be as good as her memories made Coen seem. Once she realized that, then this daydreaming madness would be over. And she could go back to her vibrator. Ivy was really just using any excuse she could think of, no matter how awful it was, to see Coen again. It was pathetic.

Walking up the stairs she let her feet carry her straight to his door. Slowly she lifted her hand and racked her knuckles on the door two times before stepping back. This was so out of character for Ivy. She almost couldn’t believe it herself. She had never actively pursued a guy before. What was she thinking? No guy, especially the rough and tumble bad boy Coen, wanted some random one-night stand to show up at his door uninvited. This was a mistake. Maybe she could pretend she forgot something. An earring?

Oh no. What if he answers. What if he doesn’t? What should I say? I had fun the other night can we go for round two. I haven’t stopped thinking about you... Hell no, don’t do that! Run Ivy. Dip out before he answers the door you flipping i***t! Ivy screamed at herself inside her head. She was sure she looked like a mouse trying to dodge a cat. Escape plans formulating in her mind. Her feet going back and forth between staying there and actually running.

Her internal monologue would have been comical if she hadn’t actually been freaking out. She still had time to run. He hadn’t answered yet. Hopefully, he didn’t have one of those video doorbell cameras. Biting down hard on her lip she turned to run away. That’s when she heard it. The sound of a lock being undone. The creaking of the door had her frozen in place. His voice had her shivering. s**t!

“Blondie?” Coen asked seeming surprised to find her at his door. Guess he didn’t have one of those video doorbells after all.

Ivy didn’t need to see his face; she could tell from his tone that he was grinning. Damnit, Ivy… her internal voice whined in her head as the blonde turned to see Coen standing in his doorway. She seemed to have lost her voice. Like full on forgot how to speak type of voice loss. Like traded her voice to a sea witch type of voice loss. To make up for her sudden inability to speak Ivy lifted her hand and then she actually waved at him like a freaking i***t. This could not get any worse.