The Kiss that Sparked it All (Ellinor and Theo) novel Chapter 1996

Chapter 1996 

Ivy and Quinton had been in touch a lot lately and she’d even roped him into doing quite a few favors for her. 

Ivy was well aware of Quinton’s knack for getting things done, so having him teach Clara a lesson wouldn’t have been a tall order for 

him. 

But Ivy wanted to handle this herself. 

She was determined to give as good as she got from anyone who had wronged her, convinced that it was the only way she’d ever grow 

stronger. 

“I can take care of it myself. Besides, Quinton’s been a huge help to me recently. He’s your secretary, not my errand boy. I can’t keep piling work on him.” Ivy pressed her lips together, offering a faint smile. 

For some reason, that smile, which revealed a hint of vulnerability, made him ache for her. 

“Let’s go,” Balfour said as he stepped forward and casually took her hand, “I’m taking you out to eat.” 

Before Ivy could even process what was happening, she found herself being ushered out the door, “Uh, Balfour, wait a minute.” 

He strode forward with her in tow as if he didn’t hear her at all. 

Ivy stopped resisting. Looking down at their intertwined hands, her cheeks were flushing and her mind was wandering. 

When had she started to feel comfortable with Balfour’s touch? Without realizing it, their relationship seemed to have shifted from what 

it once was. 

When they reached the car, Balfour opened the passenger door for her. “Hop in,” he claimed. 

“Where are we going?” Ivy asked. She was suddenly conscious of her free hand and somehow she felt unsure where to bestow it. 

Balfour let out an exasperated sigh as he gently nudged her into the seat, “Where else will we go? We will get some grub.” 

He drove them to a nearby diner and ordered from the waiter, “The usual.” 

The waiter, who understood his meaning immediately, served all the dishes in five minutes, “Mr. Howard, your meal is ready.” 

Once the waiter had left, Ivy eyed the spread with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, “Balfour, are you sure this food was made fresh? How did everything come out so fast after we sat down?” 

“This place keeps a table’s regular order of mine. If I show up, they serve it; if I don’t, it’s their staff meal.” Balfour ladled some soup into a bowl and passed it to Ivy. 

Ivy was once again struck by the lavishness of the gesture; an entire table’s worth of food prepped daily was no small expense. 

“Do you come here often?” she asked. 

“Now and then.” Balfour served himself some soup with an air of refinement and took a sip.