Ivy Morgan 11 – 01 – Wicked Whimsy

by Lily Harper Hart

  Ivy balked. “I know that. I’m not an idiot. I know he’s not going to get over it right away. He was enjoying himself before I told him it was time to return to the children’s home. He was opening up.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He told me a few things, like how his mother didn’t want to spend a lot of time with him and how he felt neglected to the point where he was still angry when she died. I think part of the problem is that he’s mad at her and himself because he thinks he should cut her a break given what happened.”

  “Well, I don’t want to condone neglect, but I’m not sure that Josh’s story makes any sense.”

  Ivy was offended on Josh’s behalf. “He wouldn’t make that up.”

  “I didn’t say I thought he was making it up,” Jack cautioned. “I simply don’t believe he understands what his mother was going through.”

  “Nothing excuses neglect.”

  “Unless it wasn’t neglect,” Jack countered. “What if it was something else?”

  “Like what?”

  “Grief.”

  Ivy stilled, confused. “I don’t understand.”

  Jack related his conversation with the aunt and step-grandmother, leaving nothing out. He saw no reason to keep information from her, especially since she was already knee-deep in the investigation and had no intention of backing off.

  “So, from what Tammy told me, I don’t think it was that Melanie was neglecting him,” Jack said, wrapping up the story. “I think it was that she was wiped out emotionally from the loss of the baby and she had trouble slapping herself back together again. Tammy said it was like Melanie wanted to go at the end because she wanted to see the baby.”

  “That is awful.” Ivy was truly horrified by the tale. “I can’t believe one family was expected to go through all that without getting a break. I mean … what are the odds?”

  “I can’t answer that.” Jack squeezed her hand as he leaned back in his seat. “I don’t know why some people are inundated with pain and others aren’t. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.”

  “Do you think some people are cursed?” Ivy asked.

  Jack’s lips curved. “No. I don’t think some people are cursed.”

  “I used to.” Ivy rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand as she shifted on her seat. “When I was a kid and crying all the time because the other kids didn’t like me, I thought I was cursed. I knew I was different. I recognized that and so did the other kids. They didn’t like those who didn’t conform so they attacked whenever they could.”

  Jack’s stomach rolled at the admission. He’d heard parts of this story before, and he didn’t like how sad it made her. “Honey … .”

  Ivy held up her hand to cut him off. “No. This isn’t a ‘poor Ivy’ conversation,” she said hurriedly. “I’m simply explaining that I used to think certain people were cursed. I thought maybe you did, too, because of what happened in Detroit.”

  Jack studied her features for a beat. “You mean when I was shot and left for dead by my former partner?”

  Ivy nodded. “Don’t you think that makes you cursed?”

  “No.” Jack smirked as she furrowed her brow. “At the time, I thought that was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. Now I’m grateful it happened.”

  Ivy was understandably dubious. “You’re grateful that you almost died? I don’t understand.”

  “If I hadn’t been shot that day, if I hadn’t spent weeks feeling sorry for myself and insisted on leaving the city, I never would’ve come here and met you.” Jack’s eyes sparkled as he snagged Ivy’s gaze. “Do I want to be shot and go through that again? Absolutely not. Would I if it meant keeping you forever? Oh, honey, without a doubt. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  Ivy’s cheeks burned, a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment washing over her. “That was possibly the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

  “I meant it.” Jack was earnest. “I can’t be cursed because I have you. It’s that simple.”

  Ivy stared at him for a long beat and then broke out into a wide smile. “Do you have any idea how lucky you’re going to get tonight?”

  Jack chuckled at her enthusiastic reaction. “No. If you want to tell me, though, I’m all ears.”

  “Oh, you just wait.” Ivy bobbed her head knowingly. “I’m going to show you exactly how non-cursed we both are as soon as we get out of here.”

  “That sounds like the best offer I’ve had all day.”

  JACK AND IVY WERE A mass of sweaty hands, hammering hearts and fervent kisses when they hit the cottage. Jack barely managed to remember to check the front door to make sure it latched properly behind them before dragging Ivy toward the bedroom.

  They weren’t married yet, but Jack absolutely loved practicing for the honeymoon.

  Once they were finished, Jack rolled Ivy so she was on top of him, her chin resting on his chest as he absently ran his fingers up and down her spine.

  “We’re definitely not cursed,” Ivy murmured as she brushed a kiss against Jack’s chest. “In fact, that was the exact opposite of being cursed.”

  “I thought so, too.” Jack pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Oh, honey, you have no idea how much I love you.” He clutched her close as he stretched, marveling at the way her body fit against his. “If we spent every moment of the rest of our lives like this, I would die the happiest man in the world.”

  Ivy let loose a throaty chuckle. “You’re easy to satisfy.”

  “It’s not that. It’s simply that you’re everything I’ve ever wanted so you don’t have to struggle to satisfy me.”

  “I think there was a compliment buried in there.”

  “Me, too.” Jack’s eyes were half shut when he glanced at the nightstand, frowning when he saw the light glowing on Ivy’s phone. “Someone must have called. I didn’t hear your cell go off earlier, did you?”

  “No, but I turned it to silent on the ride back from town.” Her eyes were mischievous. “I didn’t want to risk an interruption.”

  “That’s probably wise. I would’ve definitely thought we were cursed if we got interrupted.”

  Ivy giggled, the sound warming Jack to the soles of his feet. “That’s exactly why I turned it to silent.” She grunted as she leaned over to grab the phone. “I wonder who bothered calling.”

  “If it’s Max, I’m going to thump him next time I see him.”

  “It’s probably my mother.”

  “If I thought your father couldn’t take me, I might thump her, too.”

  Ivy laughed as she touched the voicemail button and pressed the phone to her ear. “Wow. I have three missed messages. I wonder how that happened.”

  Jack grew concerned as he tipped his chin down and watched Ivy listen to her voicemail. Leaving three messages was the mark of a desperate person. He couldn’t help but wonder if something bad had happened to one of Ivy’s family members.

  As it turned out, it was so much worse.

  “It’s Josh,” Ivy said after a beat.

  “What does he want?” Jack asked.

  “He’s upset and wants me to come get him. He hates the home.”

  “Honey, you can’t.” Jack stared hard into her eyes. “You know you can’t do that, right?”

  “I know.” Ivy tamped down her agitation at Jack’s worried look. “I’m not an idiot.”

  “You’re definitely not an idiot,” Jack agreed. “In fact, you’re the smartest person I know.”

  “I don’t feel smart.” Ivy pressed a button on her phone and went to the next message. “Oh, geez.”

  Jack knew who it was before he even had to ask the obvious question. “Josh?”

  Ivy nodded. “He’s crying and says that he won’t be able to sleep if I don’t come get him. He’s afraid he’s going to have nightmares.”

  “Ivy, look at me.” Jack’s tone was stern enough that Ivy had no choice but glance up. “I love that you have a huge heart and want to help, but there’s
nothing you can do for that kid tonight.” Jack was firm. “I know that he’s upset because life has thrown him nothing but hand grenades for thirteen years straight, but you can’t fix this for him.”

  “You act as if I don’t know that,” Ivy barked, her temper coming out to play. “I know that I can’t fix this. I didn’t say I could fix this. Why do you assume I’m going to run out of the house in an attempt to fix this?”

  “Because I’ve met you.” Jack refused to back down. “You can’t help yourself. You want to be a hero.”

  “That’s rich coming from you,” Ivy muttered under her breath as she switched to the third message. To absolutely no one’s surprise, Josh was at it again. This time he was so hysterical Jack could hear him through the phone because Ivy was forced to hold it away from her ear.

  “Let me listen.” Jack took the phone from her and pressed it to his ear, wrinkling his nose when he heard the harried boy beg Ivy to drop whatever she was doing so she could pick him up. He suggested that he might die of a broken heart if she didn’t. Even though Jack knew the boy was simply trying to better his own situation, he couldn’t stop himself from being upset at the emotional manipulation.

  “Geez. He really knows how to lay it on thick, huh?”

  Ivy’s expression was unreadable as she propped herself on one elbow and licked her lips. She didn’t immediately answer.

  “Honey, will you tell me what you’re feeling?” Jack asked after a beat. “I mean … I think I know … but I would like to be sure.”

  “I’m feeling guilty,” Ivy supplied.

  “You can’t go to him. The home is locked down for the night. There’s literally nothing you can do.”

  “That’s not why I feel guilty.”

  Jack knit his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

  “I feel guilty because I don’t want to get him,” Ivy admitted, averting her eyes. “I feel guilty because I’m relieved that I don’t have to go to him. I want to help, you know I do, but it occurred to me today that he needs more than I can give.”

  “I believe I told you that already.”

  “Really?” Ivy drawled, rolling her eyes. “Do you want to pull out an ‘I told you so’ now?”

  “I see what you’re saying and I take it back.” Jack softly rubbed at the tension building in the base of her neck. There was nothing Ivy liked more than a good massage. He was hopeful he would be able to lull her to sleep now with his magic hands. “You’re wise and beautiful.”

  “Ha, ha.” Ivy rolled her eyes. “He’s so desperate and needy that I don’t know what to do for him. No, seriously. I don’t know if anyone has enough to give him. I think it’s because he’s lost so much that he can never get back. He has a hole inside that can’t be filled.”

  “You have a way with words and I think you’re probably right,” Jack said. “I don’t know how to make this better right now, though. I know we’ll figure this out, but I don’t even know where to look to start things off.”

  “I have faith that busy mind of yours will come up with something.” Ivy rested her head back against his chest. “Until then, I thought maybe we could dream walk tonight. We haven’t done it in almost two weeks and I’m worried we’re both so restless we won’t sleep unless we agree to go on a trip together.”

  Jack and Ivy’s minds joined before they even started dating. Somehow Jack drew her into his dreams, something that didn’t freak her out and caused her to want to stay despite the dark corners of his mind. The dream walking had turned into an adventure of sorts, but one they didn’t want to abuse.

  “I think a shared dream is just what the doctor ordered tonight,” Jack noted. “How does a white sand beach and ocean breeze sound to you?”

  “Great. Don’t forget the hammock.”

  “Oh, I could never forget the hammock.” Jack gave her a soft kiss before returning her phone to the nightstand. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll come up with a plan that allows everyone to get what they need. I promise.”

  “I know. I have faith.”

  “Good. Now … I suggest you dress yourself in a coconut bra for this dream. I have very specific ideas.”

  Ivy giggled. “Lead the way.”

  “Oh, I intend to. Brace yourself; it’s going to be a hot and sandy ride.”

  Ten

  Jack woke first and immediately smiled when he heard Ivy lightly snoring beside him. She insisted she didn’t snore and he was determined to record her as proof. He managed to snag his cell phone from the nightstand but didn’t get a chance to turn it on before noticing her bare feet poking out from the end of the covers. On a whim, he leaned over so he could touch her foot and wasn’t surprised to find it ice cold.

  “What are you doing?” Ivy murmured, her eyes remaining closed.

  “I don’t understand why you do this.” His plan to record her snoring ruined, Jack abandoned his phone and focused on Ivy’s freezing feet. “Why must you poke your feet out from under the covers? How is that even remotely comfortable?”

  Ivy shrugged, noncommittal. “I don’t know. I don’t like my feet being hot.”

  “It drives me crazy.” Jack pressed a kiss to the bottom of her foot and caused her to squirm. “I was going to record you snoring, by the way, but I became distracted by your feet.”

  “I don’t snore.”

  “Oh, you snore.”

  “I do not.”

  Jack opened his mouth to push the issue and then thought better about it. “Fine. You don’t snore.” He gave her foot another kiss before propping himself up on an elbow to study her face. “You look well rested,” he said finally. “I was worried you wouldn’t sleep because of the messages from Josh.”

  “I slept.”

  “Did you sleep well, though?”

  Ivy sighed. She was used to Jack hovering when he thought he had something to be concerned about. “I slept fine, Jack.”

  “I can’t help it if I worry, honey.” Jack refused to back down. “That’s what happens when you love someone.”

  Ivy didn’t bother to stifle her sigh as she rolled flat on her back and stared into his eyes. “We talked about this. You don’t have to worry about me. Do I feel guilty about not being able to help him more than I already have? Yes. That doesn’t mean I don’t understand that I’ve done all I can do.”

  Jack wanted to believe her. From his perspective, the problem with that was Ivy often acted before she thought about the consequences. “What do you plan to do today?”

  Ivy knew exactly where he was going with the question but refused to react out of anger. “I thought I would spend the day sitting on the couch and thanking my lucky stars that I have you in my life.”

  Jack scowled. “There’s no reason to get testy.”

  “I’m not being testy. I plan to write a list of all the things I love about you. That will take all day and keep me out of trouble.”

  “And here we go,” Jack muttered as he rolled to his knees and stared directly into her eyes. “I don’t want to fight.”

  “You always want to fight.” Ivy knew she sounded like a petulant teenager but she didn’t care. “That’s what keeps your skin young and fresh.”

  Despite himself, Jack barked out a laugh. “I think you like to fight as much as I do. That’s not necessarily a bad thing when you like to make up, too. As for this stuff with Josh … well … I know you’re trying to be as careful as possible. I get it. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about your heart getting broken in this matter.”

  Ivy struggled to a sitting position and shifted her body so she was forehead to forehead with Jack. “I know I can’t fix this for him.” She kept her voice low and even. “I can’t stop myself from wanting to help him, but I’m not an idiot. I know what you’re really worried about.”

  Jack carefully slid a strand of her morning mussed hair behind her ear. “What am I really worried about?”

  “That I’ll blame myself when he’s moved to a new home,” Ivy replied without hesitatio
n. “That I’ll take it upon myself when he falls apart because he can’t see me any longer. I’m not an idiot, I know that he will have an adjustment period at a new home and they’ll want me to take a step back.”

  “They will,” Jack confirmed. “The thing is, honey, I love that you’re so giving and want to help, but I’m worried that you’re getting too attached to him and he’s becoming too reliant on you. It’s not going to be good for him to be dragged away from you again. I worry how he’ll react.”

  Ivy thought about the voicemails the previous night. “Yeah. I’m worried, too.”

  “So, what are you going to do with your day?” Jack was keen to hear her answer. “Are you going to check on him?”

  “I’m going to call him,” Ivy replied after a bit of thought. “I don’t want him to think I suddenly lost interest in him. That doesn’t seem fair. It will crush his ego.”

  “Okay. I don’t think a call is the end of the world.”

  “Then I’m going to go morel hunting with Max,” Ivy added. “Our previous trip ended early and I still want to bring home one big score for a few recipes I like.”

  Jack made a face. “Are you going to make me eat these recipes?”

  “Probably.”

  “Ugh. You know I hate the morels because they taste like feet.”

  “You just spent five minutes kissing the bottoms of my feet,” Ivy pointed out. “I would think that means you secretly like feet.”

  Jack stared at her for a long beat, caught between annoyance and adoration. “I like your feet,” he clarified finally. “I like the way you wiggle when I kiss your feet.”

  “I think you’ve got a fetish.”

  “That’s still not how you’re going to get me to eat those mushrooms,” Jack noted, firm. “You’re going to have to offer me something special to even get me close to those mushrooms.”

  Ivy giggled. “Like what?”

  “Like … a moonlit walk to the lake one of these nights when it gets warmer,” Jack replied. “I want it to be a really hot night, for the record, and I’m going to demand all of your attention when it happens.”