Bob shrieked, starry-eyed, “Oh my god! Dale said earlier that Dr. Ludwig is super tall–like, at least six-foot-three. I didn’t believe him!”
“And Mrs. Smith, you’re so tiny and gorgeous! You don’t look anything like your screen name. I pictured someone totally different!”
Bob’s real name was Sophia. Despite the nickname, she was a woman in her early thirties who ran a cozy little coffee shop down in Montclair–a spot that had become a minor social media sensation in the area.
She’d just turned thirty, never married, no kids, and not even a whisper of a relationship.
But watching Jamison and Ivy standing together–such a perfect-looking couple–she found herself suddenly daydreaming about love.
Dale Sullivan had arrived first and already blended right in with everyone.
After Sophia finished gushing, Dale stepped forward, friendly as ever. “Hey there, Mrs. Smith–I mean, Ivy. I’m Dale Sullivan, just Dale from the group chat.”
“Dale, don’t call her Mrs. Smith! You’re making her sound ancient,” Sophia teased, grinning.
Before Dale could explain, the rest of the group chimed in with introductions.
“I’m Jay–yep, real name’s Jay. I’m the band’s lead singer.”
“I’m Coach Murphy–real name, Scales Murphy. Dale and I have already grabbed dinner together before, so we go way back.”
Jamison waited for everyone to finish, then nodded and spoke up. “I’m Dr. Handsome–Jamison, as you probably know. And this is my wife, Ivy–she’s our Mrs. Smith from the group.”
Ivy gave a polite nod. “Hi, everyone. Just call me Ivy, no need for the ‘Mrs. Smith’ stuff. Thank you all for coming all this way to see me.”
“Ivy, how old are you anyway? You look like you just walked out of college!” Sophia was still hung up on the age thing.
Jamison, ever the gentleman, pulled out a chair for his wife and gave her a reassuring tap.
Ivy didn’t even have to look to know what he meant. She sat down, gracefully, smiling. “Well, I actually am in college–sort of. I lost three years, so I still haven’t finished my undergrad. I’m back to finish my degree now. As for my age–I’ll be twenty-four soon, so I’m not that young, right?”
“You’re the baby of the group!” Sophia laughed, eyes sparkling. “Seriously, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met in real life. No wonder Dr. Ludwig only has eyes for you.”
Ivy blushed under the compliments and glanced at Jamison. Their eyes met, and both of them were smiling.
The dinner began, with Dale Sullivan taking charge as an impromptu host.
“Dr. Ludwig, you and Ivy kept your secret from us for ages. Time to pay up–three drinks as a penalty!”
Normally, Jamison barely touched alcohol–a self-imposed rule for a surgeon. But tonight, he knew there was no getting out of it.
He agreed easily, “You’re right, I owe you. But Ivy’s sitting this out–doctor’s orders.”
“She can use tea instead,” someone suggested.
So the two of them stood up, Jamison downing three drinks in quick succession while Ivy gamely emptied three cups of tea.
“Happy now?” Jamison flipped his empty glass upside-down to prove his sincerity.
“Alright, alright, you’re a good sport!”
As they sat back down, Ivy leaned in and whispered, “Are you sure you won’t get drunk?”
Jamison replied quietly, “Don’t worry, I know my limits.”
He sounded confident, but Ivy wasn’t convinced.
Their little tête-à-tête didn’t go unnoticed; the rest of the group immediately started teasing.
“Dr. Ludwig, you and Ivy have all the time in the world to whisper to each other at home. Tonight, you’re stuck with us!”
“Yeah, no flirting tonight–you two have to hang out with us!”
Embarrassed, Ivy sat up straighter.
As the waiter continued bringing out dishes, Ivy remembered her own situation and quickly reminded everyone, “Don’t forget to use serving utensils tonight. I’ve taken medication to block infection, so the risk is really low, but let’s still be careful, I’d hate for any of you to be at risk because of a careless mistake.”
They’d all discussed this in the group chat before, but Ivy wanted to make sure.
Her words brought a slight hush over the table.
Jamison jumped in, reassuring, “Ivy’s already had the most accurate HIV test available–she’s clear. She’ll be tested again at three and six months, just to be absolutely safe. So, really, it’s just a precaution.”
Dale responded immediately, “Of course. Ivy’s just being responsible. We’ll all use the serving spoons.”
The mood quickly lightened again, and soon everyone was raising their glasses to Jamison.
“So, are we the official witnesses to your love story or what? Some of us even played matchmaker! Dr. Ludwig, you definitely owe us a big thank-you tonight!”
Everyone knew Jamison came from a prestigious background, but since most of them weren’t part of that world, there was no need for stiff formality. The conversation stayed relaxed and easy.
Jamison, usually reserved, was much more outgoing around these friends he shared with Ivy.
Coach Murphy called for a round in his honor, and Jamison obliged, working his way around the table. By the end, his cheeks were flushed from the drinks.
Ivy watched with concern and whispered for him to slow down, but Jamison leaned closer, warm breath tickling her cheek, eyes bright with laughter. “Relax. If I get drunk, you’ll just have to take care of me.”
“I don’t know the first thing about looking after a drunk!” Ivy protested.
He grinned. “No worries. I’m a happy drunk. Just help me home and put me to bed.” Ivy could only sigh.
After watching him show off on the basketball court, tonight she was seeing another side of Jamison–uninhibited and lively after a few drinks.
The group got rowdier as the night went on, egging the couple on to drink a “wedding toast”–a sort of rehearsal for the real thing.
Ivy was mortified, but Jamison, loosened up by the alcohol, looked like a whole new man.
“Come on, let’s do it. You can use tea,” he said, pouring himself another drink and turning to Ivy with a grin.