Chapter 2

"So what's it like being home?" sings Dawn chopping the vegetables as her daughter starts on boiling the pasta.
"It's nice," smiles Ivy and she means that. Although she knows her life will be more difficult having to take care of not only herself but also her mother, it's nothing compared to the warm feeling of being home. Besides they do say 'home is where the heart is' and Ivy can't agree more.
"I'm glad. No regrets about college?-You know it's still only the first day-"
"Mom! We've been over this," groans Ivy taking away the chopped vegetables to be mixed in with the pasta sauce.
"I know, I know, I just don't want you to regret it," defends her mom.
"I don't. Or is there another reason you want me gone?" teases Ivy trying to lighten the mood and it succeeds as Dawn chuckles slightly.
"No! Never! You?! My precious, caring, beautiful, wonderful daughter! My own flesh and blood-"
"Alright. Alright. Miss Sarcasm, you make me feel so loved."
Dawn just grins at her sweet little girl and feels her heart melting, hoping only happiness for her.

As they sit down for dinner together, Dawn can't help but ask Ivy about how her first shift back at the diner went. Before leaving for college, Ivy would do odd shifts to help her mother out but it was mainly her mother who ran the place. Now, she has to take on the exhausting role of doing the long shifts because they can't afford to employ too many people. Ivy doesn't mind and even offered to take over the paperwork but since Dawn's naturally better at all that; Ivy decides to let that responsibility go.
"So were the customers nice to you? What about the staff?" questions Dawn.
"Yeah...It was fine, mom. The customers were fine and the, staff were nice too," dispassionately explains Ivy.
"I'm glad. And no customers gave you trouble did they?"
"...No," lies Ivy. Dawn knowing her daughter like the back of her hand immediately picks up on it and shoots her a stern look-mom mode switching on now.
"Okay, fine....but it was nothing I couldn't handle," sighs Ivy.
"What happened?" asks Dawn in a straight poker voice.
"It was just some teenage kid flirting with me, no big deal..."
"And...."
"And what?" shrugs Ivy innocently. Too innocently.
"Muffin-top, I carried you in me for 9 months, went through excruciating pain to enter you into this world and have raised you for 22 years. I'm your mom and I know you better than anyone in the world; your tricks won't work on me, baby," elaborates Dawn playing the ultimate card-the mom card. The one play in Dawn's deck that Ivy can't argue with.
"There may have been this weird guy as well..." winces Ivy waiting for Dawn's face to contort into one of worry and panic. Sure enough, it does just that causing Ivy to internally sigh deeply.

"What happened? Did you tell the cops? What did he do? Are you hurt?-"
"Mom, mom, mom...nothing really happened, I didn't tell the cops and I'm fine. He was just some cocky douche who..I don't know. He was just trying to get me to go with him and tell him my name."
Dawn's frown ceased immediately and she sucks in her bottom lip to try stop herself grinning. Suddenly she starts to see why exactly this man may have seemed 'weird' in her daughter's eyes.
"So what was so 'weird' about him?" voices Dawn watching as her daughter struggles for the right words.
"Clearly he was a murderer or something. I mean why would he want to know my name, otherwise? Or try get me to go with him?" questions Ivy indignantly.

 "So this man...was he good looking then? Handsome?" questions Dawn with faux-innocence.

Ivy's face recoils in bewilderment as she stutters out, "um...I suppose, I mean, yes he was...somewhat good looking-but I don't see why it matters."

"So was he around your age then?" carries on Dawn.

"I-I would guess so-"

"Then what was so weird. I may be old Muffin-top but at least I know when a man is trying to ask me on a date-"

"What?!" squeals Ivy, "mom, he was not...he wasn't flirting with me or asking me out. He was just some freak."

"Ivy, just because a handsome young man is trying to win your heart, it doesn't mean there's something wrong with him. Look, you don't have much dating experience-"

"Hey!-"

"Sh! Let me finish. Now where was I? Oh yeah, you don't have much dating experience and I know it's mainly because of me-ah no! Let me finish, Ivy. And baby, I want you to feel like you're allowed to be with someone. If you want to go on dates and meet guys, then that's fine. I'm not an infant, Ivy, you don't need to be constantly looking after me. You have a life too and right now, you're young. Make the most of your youth, don't spend it worrying over things you can't control."

Ivy can't help but gently shake her head at her mother in disagreement.

"Mom, I don't care about dating! You know I never have. I have too much responsibility already, I can't deal with the stress, hassle and drama of a relationship! You're the most important person in my life, mom, I don't need someone who's just going to betray me and break my heart," explains Ivy.

"That's not fair. You're focussing only on the negative sides of relationships-" Dawn starts but seeing the determined gaze in her daughter's eyes she just sighs, "you know what? Never-mind. Date when you want."

As her mother states that Ivy's face lights up in a wide grin. Dating's not important at all right now and maybe when her mother's beat the cancer again and everything's settled down, she'll go on a few dates...well, maybe.

Ivy yawns and wipes her hand over her face, before she makes it to one of the booths to take another order.
“Welcome to Danny’s Diner, may I take your order?” she mumbles brining out a pen and her notepad.
“I’m still undecided at the moment,” explains the customer. Ivy’s head shoots up and her eyes widen a fraction in surprise at the who it is. She suppresses the groan with much difficulty and instead settles on a short sigh.
“What are you doing here?” groans Ivy.
“What do you mean? I’m just here to eat...why? Were you hoping for something else?” grins Eli with a wink at her.
“No, of course not,” snaps back Ivy with narrowed eyes, regarding him with suspicion.
“Great...then I’d like an egg please,” he requests.
“An egg?” questions Ivy confused.
“Yep, a bulls-eye, please,” nods Eli.
“Just on the plate with nothing else?”
“That’s what I said, isn’t it?” patronisingly retorts Eli, the grin still present on his face.
“Um...okay.”
Ivy walks away, thinking about how bizarre the man is. Oh God, what if he has a mental problem, she asks herself. Biting her lip, she feels instantly bad. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so rude to him...

“Here you go Sir,” gently says Ivy propping down the plate in-front of him. Confusion passes through Eli for a minute at the change in her tone.
“Could I get some toast?” he asks.
“Look, Sir, is there perhaps a number for your careworker, you have on you? Someone I can call for you?” asks Ivy. Clearly the man, has got away from his worker, or the hospital or whatever, and Ivy has to help them out.
Eli snaps his eyes to his mate beside him. What is she on about? Careworker?!
“I don’t have a careworker!” he laughs, “Tinks, I’m perfectly healthy!”
“I wouldn’t exactly say ‘perfectly healthy’. Some say stalking is a form of mental disorder,” sassily retorts Ivy. Whatever this man’s game is, she doesn’t want to play.
“I’m not stalking you, Tinks-”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“Look, clearly, we’ve got off on the wrong foot. What time do you finish?”
“Why?”
“I want to take you on a date. May I take you out on a date?”

Ivy opens her mouth however, the snappy come-back, remains lodged in her throat, unwilling to spill. She’s not quite sure what to say to that? For starters, it’d been so long since she had been asked on a date. High school, actually. During her time in college, Ivy had kept to herself, working at a bar most nights or studying others. But that date had been to the high school prom which her mother had forced her to go to and enjoy.
“Sorry, but that’s not...not going to be possible.”
“Why not?” rapidly asks Eli.
“I just-I...no. I don’t want to go on a date, sorry.” Perhaps now that he’s got a no from her, he’ll hopefully leave her alone.
“Come on, it’s just one night. I promise, I'll take care of you,” he presses, giving her his most charming smile.
“No thankyou. I don’t want to. I’m sure you can find another woman who’s willing.” Ivy doesn’t need someone ‘taking care of her’, she doesn’t need false promises from a man, especially one who looks like him. Someone, who probably gets whatever they want, is spoilt and rich and only looking for fun. Ivy doesn’t need or want a person like that. Like she told her mom, it’ll only bring drama and drama is something she can do without.

“Is there anything I can do to make you change your mind?” urges Eli. He will not give up so easily.
“No,” responds Ivy shaking her head.

“We’ll see,” he smirks rising to his feet and handing her over some dollar bills, “I’ve changed my mind, about the food...just as you will about me.”
Ivy can’t help the tingling sensation that goes down her spine at hearing his masculine voice, tinted with lust, promise, cockiness and a hint of teasing. Oh great, what has she got herself into.   

The next day for work, Ivy was on edge. Her body couldn’t seem to relax despite how much she willed it to. Part of her was nervous; presumably that man would be at the diner again. And what’s more she has no idea what he’ll do. Although that thought does send a quiver of excitement through her. She quickly buries that to the back of her mind though. Damn player. She can’t be dragged into that. She can’t afford to be.
As Ivy unlocks the diner and steps in, there on the bar table in front of her, is a large vase of pink lilies. What the...Frightened and curious, Ivy slowly makes her way over there to the bouquet. The scent of lilies fills the air and causes a small smile to flicker at her lips. Who the hell could they be for? And more importantly how did they get here?!
A small pale green card sticks up from the flowers, tempting Ivy to reveal its contents and set her curious mind at ease. She takes the small card out of its envelope and flicks it open.

‘What are your favourite flowers, Tinks? Lilies?’

Ivy gasps in realisation. They’re for her?! There’s only one cocky ass that’s call her Tinks and she’s can’t believe he’d do something like this. Furious by his instance, she picks the lilies up and goes to the back to chuck them in the bin. As the vase is about to be tipped over the trash can, she hesitates. They are a nice bunch of flowers and it would be a shame to waste them regardless of who they’re from and who they’re for. Groaning, she plonks them on the table and lightly pounds her fist against the steel table. That man! Who is he? How the fuck does he manage to get in the diner and why is he so insistent?!

Throughout the day, Ivy couldn’t help but have her thoughts consumed by him. She’s rehearsed the whole speech in her head but just her luck, it turns out that he doesn’t even turn up at the diner. One question that constantly keeps worrying her is how he managed to get into the diner in the first place. As far as she’s known there have only been two copies of the keys to the diner. Hers and her mother’s. Not even Frank, their longest employee, has a key. Ivy had checked the locks before she closed up and there were no signs of breaking and entering. The windows too were all locked at night and last night, she was the one who closed up. So the question remains...how did he get in?

“Ivy, honey are you okay?” asks Dawn seeing her daughter so quiet.
“Yeah mom...I was wondering do you still have your key?”
“To the diner? Yes, of course.”
“Are you sure?” questions Ivy.
“Yes. Darling, what is this about?”
“There was a...Someone left flowers in the diner. This morning, before I opened up. And there were no breaking and entering signs, I checked all the windows and doors,” explains Ivy. The rest of the employees had though it weird that she’d done that but hadn’t questioned the boss. Nor did they ask about the flowers, instead they allowed them to remain at the diner with hopes that customers don’t have pollen allergies.
“Odd...So nothing was taken, right?” anxiously enquires Dawn.
“No. He just left flowers.”
“ ‘He’?” grins Dawn. Now this is getting juicy. Could her little girl finally be giving love a chance? Whoever the guy is, Dawn feels bad for him. She knows full well how hard it must be to break into her daughter’s heart and only hopes the poor schmuck has enough patience and will, to do so. Because Dawn only knows firsthand how truly beautiful and loving her daughter is.
Ivy groans at her slip up. Great, now her mom’s probably going to pressure her to go on a date with him.
“I don’t even really know him. Remember that creepy guy I told you about yesterday. Yeah, it’s him. I think, anyway. I just...I don’t get how he managed to get into the diner though!” cries Ivy frustrated. She hates not knowing.
“Well, I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s not like he’s doing any harm,” smiles Dawn. If this man can get into Ivy’s heart, then Dawn is fully supporting him.

Hoping yesterday had been a one-off, Ivy opens up the diner again and this time there’s a bun of red roses in a vase on one of the booth tables. Groaning again, she picks up the red card to read the message.
‘Not a lilies fan? How about roses?’
Great more useless flowers for her to do absolutely nothing with! Still, that twinge of excitement stirs in her; however realising that, Ivy quickly crushes it back down. No, she will not play his stupid game. She’s not some kind of toy for him to do that with.
Once again, she rehearses a speech to present furiously to him, but once again, he doesn’t show.

Day 3 and Ivy was fully expecting flowers now, which is why she sneakily decides to go to the diner early and hopefully catch the man in the act.
“Dammit!” curses Ivy as she swings the door of the diner open and there stands another flower by her feet. This time it’s a beautiful white orchid in a clay pot. Sighing, she picks up the pot and that’s when she notices the tiny coils of ivy planted at the base of the orchid. The small star leaves curl and wind up the long stem of the orchid and her heart pounds louder at possibilities of why he would do that. Picking off the white card, she opens it.
‘Orchid’s, Ivy?’

Shit. Now he knows her name? How does he know her name? He can’t know her name?-Okay, okay, breathe Ivy, breathe. So what if he knows your name; it doesn’t matter; so what, right? Panics Ivy to herself. She pinches the bridge of her nose and breathes out evenly. The next time, if ever, she sees the man, she’ll return his orchid and nicely ask him to stay away. Or she will call the police.
Suddenly a knock at the window has Ivy jolting in shock and nearly dropping the pot. She sets it down on the nearest table and goes to the door with determination. Out of the window she can see the devil himself has returned.

“Listen Mister, you better stay the fuck away from me, or I will call the cops! Don’t think I won’t!” defiantly states Ivy poking a finger at his well muscled chest. Eli grins at his small mate. She’s so adorable, he thinks to himself. It’s like hearing a puppy growl. So cute. 
“Well, good morning to you to, Tinks,” he smiles easing past her and into the diner.
“Hey! You can’t come in! Hey!” cries Ivy shutting the door and striding over to where he chooses to sit on the bar stool.
“Oh. Looks like I just did, babe.”
“ ‘Babe’? Don’t call me that!” spits Ivy disgustedly. He has no right to call her that-that is a term of endearment and they’re certainly nowhere near endearment terms.
“What are you doing here? Why do you keep sending me flowers and who are you?!” questions Ivy.
“I’ll tell you who I am, if you go on a date with me; which is why I’m here and the reason for those flowers. I told you, I don’t give up easily,” chirps Eli.
“This is crazy! Just stop it! Stop harassing me! Go find someone else to go on a date with.-”
“But I want you, Ivy,” huskily whispers the man into her ear. Sharp tingles of desire shoot up Ivy spine, clouding her head with lust, before she has to tell herself to snap out of it. Jeez, she needs to do something about her sexual frustrations, or it’s just going to cloud her mind more.

“You know what? Sure.”
“Really?” lights up Eli’s face in a smile.
“No,” harshly retorts Ivy causing the handsome man’s face to immediately fall into a frown. Her heart clenches seeing his sad expression but she won't do anything about it.

“But-but why?” asks Eli in confusion. What does this girl want him to do? It’s only a date, for God’s sake! How bloody hard does he have to work for it? Part of him wishes that he can just walk away from this. This girl has clearly got barriers thicker than higher than the Wall of China, and a small part of Eli’s urging him to just leave her alone. To...reject her. But he can’t do that. She’s his mate. His father, his family have raised him better than that; and he won’t disgrace them. He knows that although they love him, he lets them down sometimes, but not on this...he won’t just reject his mate and disappoint them all. He can’t.

“Is it the way I look? Did I do something wrong? Do you not like flowers?” he endlessly tries enquiring wanting to get to the bottom of her reason. Ivy sighs as her defence’s falters a little.
“No, it’s not the way you look. You look fine. And what you did is a bit creepy but I like flowers-”
“So what’s wrong with me, then?”
“Nothing! It’s not because of you that I don’t want to go on a date. Even if someone else asked me, I’d say no. I have a lot going on in my life right now, and dating and men just don’t...there’s no room,” explains Ivy.

Eli’s eyes narrow briefly on her, making sure she’s not lying. It doesn’t seem like it, but then why would she not have room for him? It’s not like she’s running a CIA operation or anything and besides, he’s her mate. Surely she feels some kind of attraction to him. Or at least she should. Maybe he should rethink this. Clearly just asking her, or rather pressuring her, isn’t working. He needs a plan, a good plan at that as well.
“Okay...well, if you change your mind, my name’s Eli Carter,” says Eli, getting up and walking away.
Ivy blinks in shock as he just ups and leaves. Well...that’s the end of that, then. 

A/n To the right this time is the beautiful Elisha Cuthbert who is how I imagine Ivy to resemble the most, again feel free to imagine her the way you wish!  Thanks for reading!