WRONG NUMBER

14. Got nothing

Within a few minutes, six of them were gathered around a truly impressive spread at the dining. Ivy felt awash with peace and comfort sitting at this table with the lovely, welcoming group of people she hardly knew. And Breezier, he already started licking and enjoying his food.

"Where do you know each other from, you two?" Chloe asked Linden and Ivy, shoveling a spoon of mashed potatoes in her mouth. Linden almost chocked on his food and glanced at Ivy, and saw she was smiling, waiting for him to answer his mother's question.

"Umm I met Ivy at a club, that where my friend threw a party," Linden lied to his mother. He did not want his mother to know that Ivy gave him a drunken call. She didn't know how she felt about the lie all she knew that she hadn't felt it before.

Then he continued at took Ivy by surprised, "she was sitting there and she looked so intoxicated I couldn't take my eyes off her." Ivy sat back in her chair and blinked in astonishment. She had no idea that he will able describe her situation so nicely without fully lying, let alone that he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Ivy licked her lips and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Casey, "Too bloody cute, you too are."

Ivy sucked in a shaky breath and looked at Linden. When their eyes locked, she smiled shyly, trying to send the message that she liked the compliment. Linden's nose scrunched as he attempted to hide his own smile.

When they were almost finished their dinner, Bills mentioned, "After we have our meal, we say a short prayer." They all bowed their heads in prayer after they finished their meals. Though Ivy generally never did it before she also bowed down her head and prayed: More holidays like this. More days With Linden. She stilled for a beat but could think of nothing she wanted more.

"Chloe really, thank you so much for this amazing dinner," Ivy said after they finished clearing the dinner table. "And for letting me spend Christmas with your family, I can't even say how much I appreciate it."

"You're so welcome, sweetheart," Chloe said earnestly as she crossed the kitchen embrace her.

And as she broke the hug she asked Ivy, "Look, why don't you just stay here tonight? I've got plenty of space, and Cass will give you some of her clothes for tonight," Chloe sent Linden an exaggerated wink over Ivy's shoulder. Linden stared at the back of her head and waited for her answer.

She thought for a short while, then decided, "I think I will not let your offer go," she just wanted to spend some more time with Cowden family more specifically with Linden. Well for Linden he was more than pleased with Ivy agreeing to stay.

"That's like my girl," Chloe said when they all heard,

"Time for Scrabble!" Bill yelled distantly.

"Oooh, come on loves," Chloe said excitedly as she hold Ivy and spun her around toward the living room.

"Be there in just a sec," Ivy requested her as she looked at Linden. Chloe took that as her sign to step out, and tiptoed away. Ivy shuffled forward until she was toe to toe with Linden.

"Its fine I stay tonight?"

"It's fine if you stay," Linden confirmed and then he admitted, "Actually I wanted you to say tonight at least,"

Ivy rose onto her tippy toes and flung her arms around his neck tightly. Linden stumbled a step back in surprised before wrapping his arms around her thin waist.

"You okay Ivy?"

"Yes, more than okay," she assured. "Thank you for everything. You've made this a good Christmas, my best ever." Linden had to stop himself from burrowing his grin into the crook of Ivy's neck. He couldn't believe how infatuated he was with her.

Seeing Ivy interact with his family was like puzzle pieces falling into place. For the entirety of his dating life, not like he jumping into dating Ivy but Linden had been either avoiding his family or begging them not to embarrass him. But with Ivy, he'd found someone who embraced their quirkiness. And he was in so deep.

Ivy pulled back and leveled Linden with a smug, self-assured smirk. "Are you ready to be decimated in Scrabble?"

"Let's see who get destroyed,"