Doll House: Book Two

six | dessert

Ivy noticed Zane the minute that she walked into The Smith but she urged herself to stay guarded despite the natural warmth of his presence.

"Table for one?" The hostess asked, grabbing a menu. Ivy switched her gaze and removed her shades, folding them into the case.

"Actually I'm meeting the guy back there."

"Oh Zane, right? I think I've seen him on-uh in-in-"

"In porn." Ivy said candidly. "Don't make it weird." She gave a tight smile then approached the table where Zane was scanning his menu with a fixed expression.

"Pancakes or chicken and waffles?"

Ivy shrugged as she sat and responded, "pancakes."

"Cool, so I'll order chicken and waffles then steal from your plate." He smiled then closed his menu and slid it over to Ivy who resisted the urge to laugh. "I actually ordered already since I knew what you'd choose."

Ivy was complicated in many ways and food was one of them. Had anyone else ordered for her she would cause a scene but Zane was different. Very different. They'd bonded over food in the past and she realized today would be no exception.

"You didn't come to our party last night."

Zane shook his head and took a sip of water. "Nah, not my thing anymore."

"Oh really? What's your 'thing' now?" Ivy asked.

"Mostly softcore sex scenes." He shrugged. "And baking occasionally."

"At the same time?" She joked but didn't smile.

Zane chuckled and leaned forward. "I'm serious. Half of my time is spent as a certified pastry chef."

"Really?" Now Ivy couldn't hold back a smile. "Good for you. I know that you've always liked baking."

Zane nodded as their food was placed before them. They were silent for the longest two minutes of Ivy's life until Zane spoke up to break the silence.

"Okay, elephant in the room. What happened with my good friend?"

"It never worked out and I don't wanna talk about it." She sipped her water. "Now to address the real elephant. You."

"There's nothing going on with me." He set his fork down. "I'm just, back."

"I can't go on Pornhub without seeing you on the popular page so that's a lie. Why are you back at Rebel?"

Zane laughed, "I told you it's temporary. They lost Dax so Victor figured that I was the next best thing to round out the numbers until they could find someone new."

"You left everything in Florida to come back to New York." Ivy finally asked.

She wasn't buying anything he said. After Zane had left New York, Ivy found out that he'd settled in Florida through some gossip website. She knew that he was doing well over there because of the noteriety he'd received after coming out of Dax's shadow. He really had no reason to return to the big city even if there was a figurative slot open at Rebel.

"Well I don't have everything in Florida." He said, "And I'm only here for a month, maybe six weeks."

"Did you expect to see me?" Ivy looked at Zane who shifted a bit in his seat before nodding.

"Of course, I knew we had to talk and I knew I had to apologize." His voice was soft.

"I'm listening." She said.

"Ivy." He touched her hand. "I fucked you over and I'm sorry."

She looked at his familiar hand and felt her throat tighten. She started to remember when they'd met. How she'd just finished a scene at Rebel as a fan with Dax. Victor had taken him aside almost immediately after the camera turned off so Ivy was alone in her robe awaiting further instruction. Zane had entered ready to film next with a different fan but he sensed Ivy's discomfort and struck up a conversation with her. Even when she'd been on her emotional roller coaster, Zane was always there to listen. That's all she'd wanted until that final miserable moment when she reached out to him and he slammed the door in her face.

"You knew I only wanted to talk to you." She gulped. "You knew so why-why-"

"Ivy, I was wrong. The day you told me that you loved Dax, he and I were already going through our own shit and we fought." Zane kept his hand on hers and gripped a bit tighter. "I couldn't handle it so I just left everything and everyone here."

He had. Within forty eight hours she'd received word that his room was completely cleared. But she'd never known about the fight and the root cause for Dax and Zane falling out. Maybe it didn't even matter anymore.

"That's why I stopped coming around." She cleared her throat.

"Really?"

"Let's just stop talking about this." Ivy swiped under her eyes. "I'm taking this food to go."

"Okay." Zane slowly nodded then narrowed his eyes at her and smiled. "Let's get dessert." She looked at his mischievous expression.

"It's ten o'clock in the morning. We don't need dessert."

"I know what you want already."

"Don't order that!" She protested but Zane had already waved the waitress over.

"Can we get six scoops of strawberry ice cream please?"

"Ice cream?" The waitress looked between both of them. "Okay, three scoops each?"

"No, six scoops in one bowl." He grinned. "Please."

"This is so unnecessary." Ivy gave his foot a nudge under the table but laughed. "I don't eat strawberry ice cream anymore."

"I'm back in town." He bit his lower lip and leaned forward, holding a spoon out for her. "I'm sure you can make an exception."

Ivy looked down then back up to connect their eyes in a humorous moment that they hadn't shared in three years.

"Fine."

"Tell me you forgive me." He demanded with a charming smirk.

"Don't push it babe." She grabbed the spoon from him, too proud to admit that he was already forgiven.