𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕟

Chapter 26 : keratin

Ivy watches Alex as he fumbles with the front door, his hands shaking a little.

"Alex, I’d like to get in before nightfall," she teases, laughing softly. Alex chuckles, the tension easing from his face.

"Sorry," he says, finally guiding the key into the lock. With a satisfied grin, he nudges the door open with his foot.

Once inside, Ivy makes a beeline for the kitchen. "Hey, what are you thinking for lunch?"

"Can I get back to you on that?" he asks, gathering his bags in each hand. "I need to unpack and take a shower first."

She grins. "Sure. I’ll make some tea in the meantime."

Alex nods appreciatively, and Ivy sets out the mugs, savoring the simple act of settling in.

---

An hour later, Alex drags himself downstairs, freshly showered and still toweling off his damp hair. He spots Ivy perched on the counter, cradling her tea.

"Hey, Haulten," she says with a smirk. "How was the shower?"

He reaches for his mug. "Good. Brushed my teeth, combed my hair... adult stuff."

Ivy peeks at him over her cup, snickering. "Not sure you really *used* that comb, though. Your hair's still a mess."

"Hey!" Alex protests, pouting. "Try taming these curls. It’s a losing battle."

Ivy’s grin softens as she sets her empty mug down. "Have you seen my hair? There's a reason I pick my shampoo so carefully. Some days, I just want to straighten it out and chop it off."

Alex laughs, taking a seat on a stool across from her. "You should. It’d look great."

Ivy glances away, her gaze drifting to the floor. "I almost did once, about three years ago. I actually booked an appointment. But it didn’t happen."

"Why not?"

She rolls her eyes with a bitter smile. "Tristan called the salon to cancel. Said I’d look terrible."

Alex feels a spike of anger rise within him, a visceral urge to shatter his mug. It's just one more example of everything Ivy has sacrificed for this man, and every day it becomes clearer just how deeply Tristan’s presence has impacted her. He clenches his jaw, silently wishing he could give Tristan a piece of his mind.

"Come on, get down from there," Alex says suddenly. Ivy looks at him, confused.

He sets his mug in the sink with a clink, then grabs his keys and wallet.

"Alex!" Ivy whines, sliding off the counter and dragging her feet toward the door. "We *just* got here. What are you doing?"

"It's a surprise." Alex tosses her sneakers onto the floor in front of her. "Put these on."

She raises an eyebrow, her expression wary. "You want me to go somewhere with you. Alone."

He nods.

She hesitates, sizing him up, and finally mutters, "We're building trust here, right?"

Alex beams, thrilled as she ties her shoelaces and nearly trips on her way out the door. Ivy’s trying to play it cool, but her leg won’t stop bouncing in the car, her gaze darting to every passing street as though she’s plotting her escape. But Alex doesn’t comment. He can see she’s trying her best to keep calm.

After fifteen minutes, he pulls up to a small hair salon with a bright white comb painted on the door, complete with a playful smirk.

Ivy’s eyes widen when she realizes where they are. "What the hell, Alex?"