He wondered to himself–had Ivy figured something out already?
But the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed. Ivy was nothing if not straightforward, always seeing things in black and white, and she wore her likes. and dislikes on her sleeve. If she’d known he was Dr. Handsome all along, she would’ve blown up on the spot. She’d have marched right up to him, demanded answers, and then drawn a sharp line between them.
But now? She was calm as ever, not a hint of anything unusual.
So, she probably didn’t know.
Relieved, Jamison allowed himself to relax a little.
Ivy set her phone aside, switched off the overhead light, and got back into bed.
“Hey, do you dabble in stocks?” she asked, her voice drifting over to him in the darkness.
Jamison shook his head. “I don’t have time for that. My assets are all managed by professionals.”
She snorted. “Makes sense. A big–shot billionaire like you wouldn’t bother with the hassle. But once I graduate and go full–time, let me manage your portfolio. You can pay me commission–keep it in the family, right?”
There was a teasing lilt to her words, half–joking, half–serious.
Jamison raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you say you didn’t trade stocks before?”
“When did I ever say that?”
“When you bought my duplex, at the real estate office.”
Ivy thought for a moment, then remembered. “I never said I didn’t trade stocks. I just said I never lost money. You just assumed I didn’t trade.””
Jamison tried to recall–she was right.
“I haven’t really lost money trading,” Ivy continued. “I started messing around with my family’s account when I was fifteen. Once I turned eighteen and could open my own, I put all my savings into the market. Maybe I just have a knack for it. Anyway, the duplex I bought from you? All paid for with stock earnings. Impressed?”
Jamison was honestly stunned. He hadn’t expected someone so young to be so gutsy and so capable.
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“Yeah,” he said finally. “That’s impressive.”
She laughed. “You don’t sound convinced at all. Look at that guy online–he didn’t believe in me either, and now he’s lost so much he’s come crawling back for advice. I haven’t even started my job officially and I already have clients.”
Jamison didn’t know what to say to that.
The truth was, while his fortune was managed by professionals, he dabbled in trading himself–not to make big money, but as a way to blow off steam and have something to chat about with colleagues. But honestly, he was never that sharp with it. Over the years, he’d easily lost a couple million.
Naylor Wilson always teased him about having too much money to burn–said he was basically doing charity work for the market.
They chatted idly for a while, but before long, Ivy’s voice faded as drowsiness. overtook her and she drifted off to sleep.
Jamison, meanwhile, lay awake, his thoughts unsettled and his injured back making it impossible to get comfortable. He tossed and turned, sleep eluding him.
Once her breathing settled into a steady rhythm, he turned his head and, by the soft glow of the nightlight across the room, gazed at her face.
Did she really love him?
Sometimes, she was so rational it felt like she didn’t love anyone. Other times, her gentleness and little gestures made him think maybe–just maybe–she cared for him after all.
Especially when they kissed–he could feel her lose herself in the moment, just as he did. But was that real passion, or just instinct? He honestly couldn’t tell.
The more Jamison thought about it, the more lost he felt.
Maybe Ivy was right–apart from his skills in medicine, he really was hopeless at everything else.
All these years, and he’d finally found a second woman who made his heart race, a woman he could love openly and without reservation–and yet, he still couldn’t figure her out.