He moved closer. Invading my space once again. “What’s his name, Ive?”
“You smug bastard. His name is Dr. Scotty.” My back hit the wall, and he was so close our noses were almost touching.
I couldn’t move. I was paralyzed by his gaze.
And nothing was going according to plan.
Chapter Four
Ty
“Sometimes you find love where you least expect it.” Gigi, college freshman
“A doctor, huh? It can’t be very serious if it’s a first date,” I said as my hands captured hers at her side and our fingers interlocked.
So fucking natural.
Like she belonged right here.
Because she did.
My dick strained against my jeans. Hell, no one got a reaction out of me like Ivy did. Didn’t matter if some chick was grinding all over me, just the sight of Ivy Baron had my body reacting in all the ways.
“How do you know it’s our first date?” she hissed.
“I did my homework.”
“Am I supposed to believe that you’re keeping tabs on me, Ty?” she whispered, and her green eyes locked with mine. Her lips parted, but I was pretty sure she was holding her breath.
“Believe whatever the fuck you want to believe. I’ve been keeping tabs on you since the day I left. I heard you go on a lot of first dates.”
She tugged her hands away from me and shoved at my chest.
“No, Ty. You don’t get to come here and complicate my life. I have a date with a doctor tomorrow, and I intend to keep it. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She patted down her fitted pencil skirt that was driving me mad the way it hugged her curves perfectly, before straightening the collar on her white button-up. Her hand moved to her chest, and she grasped the little gold heart that hung on the chain.
“Glad to see you still wear the necklace I gave you.”
She cleared her throat and narrowed her gaze. “It’s my lucky necklace. I couldn’t very well throw it away just because you bother me, could I? You need to go.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
She moved to her desk and glared at me before picking up her phone. “Please have security escort Mr. Greene out of my office. Our meeting is adjourned.”
Adjourned? My girl always had a flair for the dramatics. And I fucking loved it.
Missed it every day since the last time I saw her.
Kathleen Pompy opened the door and smiled. She had lived next door to my family up until the time my father imploded our lives. She was in her mid-fifties and I’d always liked her.
“Uh, I’m guessing I’m security?” she asked with a wince before winking at me.
“Don’t wink at him. He’s being escorted out of the building.” Ivy folded her arms over her chest, and Kathleen and I both laughed.
I reached across her desk for her phone, finding my name and unblocking my number as she gasped and huffed. “I’m leaving. But I may need to reach you to discuss the budget as well as the details of this wedding. On a professional level.”
She yanked the phone out of my hand, and I didn’t miss the zip of electricity that buzzed through my body as her fingers grazed mine.
It had always been there, and time hadn’t changed a damn thing.
But Lucy felt that clearing the air with Ivy was the key to getting over my writer’s block, and so I had no choice but to keep pursuing her until she agreed to meet.
“I’ll be in touch, Ive. Good to see you, Kathleen.” I leaned down and kissed the older woman’s cheek before wriggling my brows at Ivy.
Kathleen giggled and patted my back before turning around to speak to her boss. “I’ll see the enemy out.” Her voice was all tease.
“It’s not effective if you keep giggling, Kathleen,” Ivy hissed before slamming her door behind us.
“She’s fucking beautiful when she’s pissed, isn’t she?” I asked as I paused in the front office, my hand on the door.
“Be careful, Ty. She’s a special one. You hurt her real bad once, don’t do it again.”
Her words stung because they were true. What the fuck was I doing? Dreaming and fantasizing about Ivy Baron was one thing… but flirting with her like that was not wise.
But I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
I nodded and pushed through the door to find five or six photographers camped out at The Wedding Bells.
“Seriously? Can you guys not just let me come home for my sister’s wedding and have some time with my family?” I asked.
“Why’d she throw a milkshake in your face?” one of the cockroaches shouted from behind me.
“None of your fucking business,” I said before Gerard opened my door as he stood in front of the car.
My head fell back in laughter when I thought about her chucking that shake in my face.
Ivy was the perfect mix of fire and sunshine.
I dialed Lucy’s number as we pulled away from the curb. The woman always took my call, and I had a hunch the label was paying her a fortune to be on call twenty-four-seven.
“How is being back home, Ty?” she asked.
“My father’s still a selfish bastard. There are a few photographers that followed me here, and I’m wondering if Zane tipped them off, which pisses me off. And Ivy Baron chucked a milkshake in my face, which was the highlight of my day.”
She chuckled. “Wow. You’ve only been home a few hours. Let’s start with what you can control. Zane has already shown you who he is, so trust your gut. Your father has probably not changed, but your goal is to make peace with it and let go of some of the anger. And as far as Ivy goes, it seems like you probably had it coming. I mean, you said you left her with no explanation, so she has every reason to be upset. Have you set a time to talk to her?”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “She’s refusing to talk to me about anything outside of the budget regarding the wedding.”
“Do you want to start writing music again? Get the label off your back? Have a good reason to stop touring so much because all the new words are flowing?”
“Of course. That’s the goal.”
“Then make her talk to you. Don’t take no for an answer. I’m quite certain you can be persistent, so find a way to meet with her. Make peace with her. Lay your cards on the table and let’s hope that’s what you need to move forward.”
I’d had a few panic attacks at the last few shows, and I hadn’t been able to write in several months. I wasn’t sleeping well, and life had spiraled a bit out of control for me. Lucy was convinced my past was catching up with me. I trusted her and was hoping she was right.