Read Online Icing Ivy by Evan Marshall - Free Book Online

friend. Sadly she turned and left Carla’s room.
    Later, during writing time, Jane was in the lounge reading the manuscript she’d tried to read the night before, when Ellyn Bass timidly approached her. “Jane, could I talk to you for a minute?”
    â€œSure, Ellyn. What’s up?”
    â€œSomething’s bothering me. Last night Tamara came to my room and told me I have writing talent but that I shouldn’t waste it on romance. Jane, I love romance. I love reading it and I love writing it. It really hurt my feelings when she said that to me.”
    â€œI don’t blame you for feeling hurt,” Jane said. “She shouldn’t have said that to you—though I suppose she meant well, in her way.”
    â€œAren’t we all supposed to be encouraging? Supportive of each other’s efforts, like Rhoda said?”
    â€œYes, definitely. I’m glad you mentioned this to me. I’ll speak to Tamara.”
    Ellyn smiled. “Thanks, Jane. I’m really enjoying this retreat.”
    â€œGood, Ellyn, I’m glad.” Jane smiled as she watched Ellyn leave the room.
    Suddenly Ivy had taken Ellyn’s place, and Jane felt her smile melt. Ivy looked miserable, her hair tousled, her clothes rumpled. She wore no makeup.
    â€œOh, Jane,” she said on a little cry, sitting down beside her friend. “It’s so awful.”
    â€œWhat is?” Jane asked, remembering the yelling coming from her and Johnny’s room.
    â€œI saw Johnny come out of that storage closet with Carla. I told him so last night, but he didn’t care. He actually got mad at me.” Carefully she raised her sweater to reveal an angry black-and-blue mark.
    Jane sat up in alarm. “How did you get that?”
    â€œHe hit me,” Ivy said, and started to cry. “He hits me a lot, Jane.” She hung her head, staring into her lap. “He always hits me in places where it won’t show.”
    Jane sat up, incensed. “Then you should have gotten rid of him a long time ago. How dare he hit you? You’re well rid of him.”
    Ivy gave her head a little shake. “No, I’m not, Jane. He’s all I have.” She met Jane’s gaze, her eyes brimming with tears. “Do you think it’s that easy for me to find men?”
    â€œBut isn’t no man better than one who hurts you?” Jane asked gently.
    â€œNo.” Ivy paused, collecting her thoughts. “He got so furious at me for challenging him that he threatened to leave here with Carla the minute the road was clear.”
    â€œI don’t know what to tell you, Ivy. If it were me, I’d let him go.”
    â€œBut you’re not me, Jane, don’t you get it? You’ve never been me. You’re beautiful and successful and funny and smart, and you got Kenneth, the man you wanted. The man who loved you and treated you like a queen. And if he hadn’t been killed you’d still have him. Me, I got Ira, who constantly cheated and finally left me because I was ‘stupid and boring.’ You never met the men I dated after Ira. Each one was worse than the one before. Then I met Johnny. He’s part of my new life in New York. I love him. He doesn’t mean to hurt me, he just has a wicked temper. And he always says he’s sorry afterward. I know he means it. I—I can’t lose him, Jane. What am I going to do?” she asked miserably, and buried her face in her hands.
    Jane simply shook her head. “I’m sorry, Ivy. I won’t advise you about how to keep a monster like that.”
    Ivy looked again at Jane, this time as if she’d never seen her before. “You’re not my friend, not really. You don’t want me to be happy. I see that now. If I lose Johnny, you’ll be glad, because you’d rather I had nobody than someone like him. You’re a snob, Jane.” She jumped up and ran from the room.
    Jane sat very still. That last