Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux by Latrivia Nelson (the beach read txt) 📗

reason for this marriage thing. But it’s your choice. I won’t push you anymore.”

“I want Grey,” Ivy said in a low whisper.

Nicola looked away from her, trying not to let her see that she had just knocked the wind out of him. Finally, seeing that his reasoning with her had gone nowhere, he rested. Lifting her chin, he kissed her lips softly and rubbed her cool shoulders. “You keep telling yourself that and maybe you’ll be happy with him, being his fucking Pinocchio.” His voiced cracked, ached for understanding.

Trying to fight tears, she gathered herself. “Go to hell, Nicola, if you aren’t already there,” she said walking off quietly.

Nicola stood in his front yard watching her drive off into the sunrise, with her drop top down and hair flowing into the wind, running from him. Feeling the dew under his feet, he picked up his newspaper and dragged back inside of his house. What a fucking night.

He was so close to breaking through Ivy’s defenses; he could finally feel them waning. So, what had happened? Santo wasn’t really the reason for her anger. Something else was driving her to push away. But he was so tired of fighting to figure it all out. After all, he had the love of his children. She had given more than her share to him. Ivy was right; it was time for her to be happy. Besides, Grey was still holding Trina over his head, even after Brooks’ death. It had been a stretch to ask for her tonight. If she had chosen to be with him for good, he would have surely cost Trina her marriage to Emerald and her friendship to Ivy, and more than likely he would have still lost Ivy. Slamming the door behind him, he walked pass Santo who had passed out on the couch and went up to his room.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Wake Up!

Chapter 32

Wake Up!

The early morning sun blasted into Grey’s room as he woke from a comfortable slumber. Rolling over, he felt for the warmness of Ivy’s body. Eyes opened, he realized that he was alone.

Why would she be here, Grey thought to himself as he tried to sit up and fight what seemed to be a hellacious hangover. Pulling himself to the end of the bed, his feet snuggled into his plush carpet allowing him to hold on to the nightstand and pull up from the bed.

He stood over the sink watching the hot water cascade over the black marble and yawned profusely. Washing his face, Grey thought back to the previous night and debated on whether or not Nicola had truly drove him home. The whole notion was sort of hard to swallow. The guy he hated more than anyone else in this world was slowly gaining some of his respect. Maybe he could trust him? Maybe he was wrong about his intentions? Okay, that wasn’t happening, but it was a square gesture all the same.

Peeling his clothes off of his body, he stepped into the shower to think further on the situation before church. He couldn’t miss service this Sunday. Today was Men’s Day at Tennessee Boulevard Pentecostal Church, and he had to be there to support his father, who was a guest speaker at eleven o’clock.

After a thorough cleansing, a hot breakfast and a little television, Grey headed out of his house clean-shaven and dressed immaculately in a black tailor-made Jones New York Suit with white dress shirt and tie and his favorite black Ralph Lauren dress shoes shining to perfection.

By memory, Grey drove through the quiet streets of Harbor Town trying desperately to remember how Ivy had gotten him to Nicola’s house the week prior. He didn’t call first or even think through his decision to visit him on such a short notice. If he had thought it through, he may have changed his mind. Spotting Nicola’s truck, he pulled into the drive and looked down at his watch. It was still only eight o’clock in the morning. Nicola was surely still asleep.

Walking to the front door, Grey could slowly feel his heart moving up into his throat. He had every reason to be nervous and every reason to feel stupid, but it was too late to walk away. Pushing himself to get pass his emotions, Grey quickly rang the doorbell and stood back anxiously awaiting a reply. Minutes later the door opened slowly and a man in black silk boxers and a black tank top opened the door.

“Can I help you?” Santo asked peering at Grey through his blood shot eyes.

“Yeah, I just wanted to come by and talk to you for a minute. I hope it’s not too early.”

“What time is?” Santo looked down at his watch. “It’s already eight?” He was stunned that he had slept that long. He was normally an early bird.

“Yeah, it’s eight,” Grey said confused by Santo’s strange reaction to him.

“Well, come in. You must want Nicola. I’ll get him for you,” he said opening the door wider.

Grey walked in and looked back at Santo. “You’re not Nicola?”

“No, I’m his twin brother Santo.” Santo offered his hand. “And you are?”

“I’m Grey Henderson…Ivy’s fiancé.” Grey instantly thought of the children. This was just one more secret that Ivy had kept from him.

“Oh,” Santo said shocked. “Okay.” He stared for a long minute before excusing himself to get Nicola. “Well, isn’t’ that something,” he said recalling Ivy’s disposition the previous night. It was a good thing that he had interrupted Nicola the night before or Ivy may have still been there on the couch with his brother. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Grey trying to repress a huge grin.

Opening the door to this brother’s room, Santo looked back once more before he went in and closed the door. This was more action he had seen on the home front since