“Oh my God, I have missed you so much.” Ivy wraps her arms around me, greeting me enthusiastically as I arrive at her front door. Ivy’s home is a gorgeous Mews house situated over three levels. Of course it is masterfully decorated in her girly luxe style. Her interior design office is just around the corner, on the fashionable Chelsea high street.
“I’ve missed you too.” I hug her tightly.
“Come, come, I have canapés and champagne, we have so much to catch up on.” As she guides me toward her living room, the doorbell rings. “Coming,” Ivy calls as she heads toward it. Moments later Isla is standing before me.
“Isla!” We rush over toward each other, hugging tightly.
“I am so happy to see you. I am so sorry I missed you leaving.”
Isla waves her hand. “Please, you had a lot going on. But I am so happy that you and Axel are together.”
“Thank you, took me a while to work it out, but I am so glad that I did.” Ivy ushers us back into the living room where a beautiful array of tiny canapés is set out before us. Ivy pops the cork of the champagne bottle and pours us all a glass.
“Just water for me today.” Isla states, Ivy and I give her a strange look. “Hangover,” she declares.
“Cheers to Liv and love,” Ivy says, smiling at me. We all clink our glasses and settle back into the soft sofas.
“So, how did things go with the parents?” Ivy asks.
I roll my eyes. “Penny and Eddie were there.” Ivy chokes on her champagne.
“No way, really? Gosh, how did that go?” she asks.
“As you could imagine, swimmingly.” Isla and Ivy chuckle. “But Axel stood up for me, basically told Penny off for one of her snide comments about me.”
“He’s a good guy, Axel,” Isla adds.
“That he is. But surprisingly my father had my back as well.”
“Really?” Ivy looks shocked. She’s been around my parents and my family for years now, she knows them well. “It’s about time.”
“He told Penny that she needed to join the family business.” Ivy chokes again. “Yes, that went down like a lead balloon. Of course mother took Penny’s side, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He told her that she would be moving into the village down from the estate. He also asked me to teach Eddie about the business side of running an estate as he would be taking over his own family’s estate one day in the near future, but his father believes he is not ready.”
“Wow, things are changing then.”
“I think they are. Axel and my father went shooting the other morning, had a great time. They get on really well, which is amazing. While he was away, Eddie found me and apologized.”
“No he did not,” Ivy gasps.
“Yes, he sure did. He also told me that Penny and my mother were not out shopping for the baby as they led me to believe. She was having a paternity test.” Both girls gasp.
“Eddie doesn’t think the baby is his?” Ivy questions.
I shake my head. “No he doesn’t. He knows she was sleeping with someone else while they were together, I mean so was he. He also told me that he found her screwing the best man during their reception.”
“No fucking way,” Isla exclaims.
“Seriously, this is like a soap opera,” Ivy adds.
“I know, right? He says that if it is his baby then he will stay married, but if it isn’t then he is going to demand a divorce or something.” The girls nod in agreement.
“What do you think?” Ivy asks.
“Honestly, I have no idea. Eddie seemed genuinely shocked when she announced she was pregnant.” Ivy nods in agreement. “But who knows. I guess we will find out over the next couple of days.”
“If it’s not Eddie’s baby, I wonder whose it is,” Isla contemplates.
We all go quiet for a moment, thinking it over. It could be anyone’s judging from the tabloid gossip.
“Who cares about her, how are you and Axel?” Ivy asks.
“We are perfect; I couldn’t be happier. We just have to sort out the living arrangements, that’s why he’s checking out real estate for a London office.”
“And will you spend time in LA?” Isla asks.
“Yeah, not sure how it will all work, but I need to find a manager for the estate. Ever since Christian and Vanessa’s wedding we have been inundated with wedding requests from the general public and celebrities.”
“Sounds like you need a full time wedding planner now,” Ivy adds.
“Yeah, I think I might. I should probably ask Camryn. She might know some people.”
“I know Cam’s friend Harper has an exclusive PR firm, maybe you could talk to her about how best to capture this media attention from Vanessa’s wedding and turn it into dollars,” Ivy suggests.
“That’s an awesome idea. See, I have so much to do, I don’t know how I am going to be able to make everything happen.”
“I know Penny is a bitch, but…she is pretty good at organizing parties,” Ivy says quietly. “Maybe, you know, she could be the event organizer. I mean she does have all those celebrity contacts.”
I frown for a moment, anything to do with Penny makes me squirm, but maybe Ivy is right. I’m not sure what else she could possibly do in the business.
“Anyway, what has been going on with you two?” I ask, turning the attention back onto them.
“Nothing much, just the same old things,” Ivy adds.
My eyes narrow. “What happened with Alex?” Ivy met Alex when we were at The Paradise Club resort. He’s the owner, Nate’s, younger brother. He is also some real estate tycoon or something, he’s helping Axel out with finding a new office today.
“It was just some holiday fun, nothing more,” she states. I nod then turn my attention to Isla.
“And you? How’s everything going working with that hot chef, Sebastien?”
Isla sighs, “He is wonderful, I am having the best time. I have been jet-setting all over Europe. I got to catch up with Yvette as well in Paris.” Yvette is this amazingly talented designer who is friends with the Dirty Texas girls. She designed Vanessa’s wedding dress which was stunning, plus she is a really fun girl to hang out with.
“So, you know, has anything happened?” Ivy asks.
Another sigh from Isla. “Stupidly, once.” We both raise our eyebrows.
“I was lonely, a little drunk and horny, and one thing lead to another and we slept together.”
“Please tell me that man was amazing,” Ivy pries.
Isla giggles, “Of course, but…” We both hang on the edge of our seat. “We are just friends. After it happened and we both woke up we knew it was a mistake. He is hot and everything, but we are more friends than anything else.”
“So, what about Finn?” I ask.
Isla tenses. “Finn…he is one big complication. I don’t know. He was my first love; we have been together through so much. He’s my best friend and I miss him, but…”
“Why have you two always hidden what has happened between you both?” I ask.
“I didn’t want it to affect his friendship with Oscar. Plus, we were so young when we started hooking up. Oscar was protective of me growing up. I think we just got used to the fact that was how our relationship was.” Isla takes a sip of her water before continuing. “Once Finn became famous, everything between us stopped. I guess you grow up, and that teenage love dies out.”
“But haven’t you been hooking up recently?” I ask her.
“Yeah, it started a couple years ago. I broke up with my long term boyfriend, he was a dick, jealous of me hanging out with rock stars all day. Touring with them et cetera, even though he was an actor and his days were spent kissing other women. Of course, I didn’t know at the time he was also screwing them in his trailer. You know the story, you surprise your supposedly loving boyfriend and you end up being the one surprised. Five years I wasted on him.”
“Bugger, Isla. I’m sorry,” Ivy adds.
“Yeah, me too. I was only dating him because I was sick of watching Finn screw around with groupies all the time.” Ivy and I both make faces. “Yeah, exactly,” Isla laughs. “I jumped into my car and drove straight to Finn’s house, thankfully it was skank free. I knew if I saw Oscar he would charge down to the studios and kick my ex’s ass. I just needed a friend. And, well…after some tears, one thing lead to another and that’s how we started sleeping with each other again.” Isla shrugs.
“And now?” I ask.
“Now, I don’t know. All I know are things have become complicated.”
“How so?” Ivy asks.
Isla shakes her head. “Ugh, that’s a story for another day. We are here to celebrate Axel and Olivia,” she says, changing the subject. We both let her because we could see she was getting upset.
***
I’ve been thinking about what Ivy said about Penny maybe taking over the events side of the estate. She’s pregnant, so it would only be temporary. I don’t think I can see Penny being a stay at home mother.
“Hey, you okay? You have a big frown line, right here.” Axel presses the deep line between my brows.
“Sorry, just thinking about Penny.”
He chuckles, “Well, that would do it.” I smile at him; we are currently chilling in the hotel room. Axel has just returned from looking at real estate. He has narrowed it down to a couple of places. Places that Alex actually owns and said he would give him a good deal on. Just has to pick which location would suit the label.
“Ivy suggested that I should hire Penny to work in our events team, seeing as that’s pretty much all she has done, is plan parties.”
Axel is quiet for a moment. “Can you trust her?” he asks.
“I hope so. I’m not sure what else she would be interested in, and I know my father is going to want her to do something.” Axel nods. “I think she might actually like it, give her some independence.”
“You are too good, do you know that?” He kisses my lips. “Even after everything that your sister has put you through, you still want to help her.”
I sigh, “Does that make me a sucker?”
“Hey, no, not at all. That makes you a wonderful human being.” Kissing my lips again, he adds, “One that I am madly in love with.” Another soft kiss follows.