the playful malice gone. He held out his hand, pulling her to her feet, and settled a thick blanket on the bench before sitting on it and patting the seat next to him. She stood there, blinking at him, her mind sluggish. “It’s warmer this way. And more comfortable. Football games are long.”
“Oh. Right. Thanks.” She gave him a wobbly smile as she sank down next to him.
He grabbed another blanket from the bench on his other side and covered them both with it. “Sorry I’m late. I had issues at work I had to deal with.”
“Oh. Oh no, it’s fine. I’m glad you made it.” Sighing, she rubbed a hand over her eyes again. “I’m a mess. Sorry.”
He smirked. “You look great…” As he trailed off she looked up at him, wondering if he was going to point out that her nose was red or her mascara was smeared all over her cheeks. It was waterproof, but sometimes that wasn’t enough. He hesitated for a second before continuing, “What’d he say that got you so upset?”
Ivy tipped her head to the side, fingering the quilt. It had little tufts of yarn in every square, and she found one to wrap around her finger. “I don’t want to drag you into my mess.”
“I want to help, Ivy. Let me help.” His voice was soft but insistent.
She glanced up at him again, and hiccupped like a lunatic. Yep, I’ve lost it . He had such kind eyes. Pretty eyes. She was jealous of his eyelashes. They had to be at least an inch long and so thick. “He said I have to come back to Alaska for two months, or the judge won’t grant our divorce. Something about jurisdiction. And he said I shouldn’t have Desee because I’m not taking care of her.”
Archer sat back, watching her for several seconds. “I would find out about the jurisdiction on your own — don’t take him at his word. I’m sure you can call the court system up there.” Ivy nodded, sniffling, as Archer continued, “And I’ve never seen a single parent so dedicated to her child as you are.”
Ivy looked up at him, hopeful. “Do you think so?”
“Yes. Ivy, I don’t know your circumstances. I don’t know what you’re running from, but I want to help. Whatever you need.” Archer’s eyes were brown, like hers, but lighter, like they had honey in them. Honey was sweet, and maybe that was why they were so kind. To her overwhelmed and frightened brain, it felt like they were emitting some sort of magic power that calmed her frantic heart.
Once again she wondered when, exactly, she had lost her mind. Forcing a weak smile, she turned to the football game, which was already in the second quarter, and she hadn’t even realized it had started. “So. Explain this game to me. ‘Cause it isn’t making any sense at all.”
Archer smiled and winked at her. “No problem. But…” He looked at her quizzically. “Didn’t you play powder-puff in high school?”
Ivy laughed, her first real laugh all day. “Yeah, but we kind of didn’t play by the rules.”
By the end of the game, Ivy had a vague idea of how football was played, even though the she couldn’t keep the ten-thousand incredibly detailed rules straight. What she was sure of, though, was that she loved it and couldn’t wait to see more. As they walked to her car after the game, she had almost forgotten her conversation with Vick while she peppered Archer with questions.
He laughed and held up his hands, like it was possible to ward off her attack. “We watch football every Sunday night at my brother’s. You should come.”
Ivy’s heart pounded. Was he asking her out? She glanced at his face, trying to be sneaky while she searched his eyes, but they were just friendly, like always. “That’d be fun.”
She raced through the twenty minute drive home so that she could make it in time for dinner with Desee. While they sat at the table, dodging spaghetti noodles that Desee thought were way more fun to fling than to eat, Ivy filled her parents in on Vick’s phone call, dread in her voice,
“Oh. Right. Thanks.” She gave him a wobbly smile as she sank down next to him.
He grabbed another blanket from the bench on his other side and covered them both with it. “Sorry I’m late. I had issues at work I had to deal with.”
“Oh. Oh no, it’s fine. I’m glad you made it.” Sighing, she rubbed a hand over her eyes again. “I’m a mess. Sorry.”
He smirked. “You look great…” As he trailed off she looked up at him, wondering if he was going to point out that her nose was red or her mascara was smeared all over her cheeks. It was waterproof, but sometimes that wasn’t enough. He hesitated for a second before continuing, “What’d he say that got you so upset?”
Ivy tipped her head to the side, fingering the quilt. It had little tufts of yarn in every square, and she found one to wrap around her finger. “I don’t want to drag you into my mess.”
“I want to help, Ivy. Let me help.” His voice was soft but insistent.
She glanced up at him again, and hiccupped like a lunatic. Yep, I’ve lost it . He had such kind eyes. Pretty eyes. She was jealous of his eyelashes. They had to be at least an inch long and so thick. “He said I have to come back to Alaska for two months, or the judge won’t grant our divorce. Something about jurisdiction. And he said I shouldn’t have Desee because I’m not taking care of her.”
Archer sat back, watching her for several seconds. “I would find out about the jurisdiction on your own — don’t take him at his word. I’m sure you can call the court system up there.” Ivy nodded, sniffling, as Archer continued, “And I’ve never seen a single parent so dedicated to her child as you are.”
Ivy looked up at him, hopeful. “Do you think so?”
“Yes. Ivy, I don’t know your circumstances. I don’t know what you’re running from, but I want to help. Whatever you need.” Archer’s eyes were brown, like hers, but lighter, like they had honey in them. Honey was sweet, and maybe that was why they were so kind. To her overwhelmed and frightened brain, it felt like they were emitting some sort of magic power that calmed her frantic heart.
Once again she wondered when, exactly, she had lost her mind. Forcing a weak smile, she turned to the football game, which was already in the second quarter, and she hadn’t even realized it had started. “So. Explain this game to me. ‘Cause it isn’t making any sense at all.”
Archer smiled and winked at her. “No problem. But…” He looked at her quizzically. “Didn’t you play powder-puff in high school?”
Ivy laughed, her first real laugh all day. “Yeah, but we kind of didn’t play by the rules.”
By the end of the game, Ivy had a vague idea of how football was played, even though the she couldn’t keep the ten-thousand incredibly detailed rules straight. What she was sure of, though, was that she loved it and couldn’t wait to see more. As they walked to her car after the game, she had almost forgotten her conversation with Vick while she peppered Archer with questions.
He laughed and held up his hands, like it was possible to ward off her attack. “We watch football every Sunday night at my brother’s. You should come.”
Ivy’s heart pounded. Was he asking her out? She glanced at his face, trying to be sneaky while she searched his eyes, but they were just friendly, like always. “That’d be fun.”
She raced through the twenty minute drive home so that she could make it in time for dinner with Desee. While they sat at the table, dodging spaghetti noodles that Desee thought were way more fun to fling than to eat, Ivy filled her parents in on Vick’s phone call, dread in her voice,
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