Ivy Morgan Mystery Box Set 5

by Lily Harper Hart

  “I’m an only child. That’s why I’m kind of excited to see the way you interact with your sister. I’ve heard you guys are really close and I want to see how that works.”

  Max cocked his head to the side. “You’ve heard?”

  “People talk about you around town. I’m new and when we started dating a lot of women approached me to tell stories.”

  Max’s lips curved down. He should’ve seen that coming. Instead, he didn’t even consider it. He could just imagine which women rushed to Amy to give her an earful. “Let me guess … Maisie Washington and Ava Moffett?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Let’s just say that I’m familiar with their work and leave it at that.” Max made a dour face. “What did they say? Wait … don’t answer that.” He held up his hand. “I can imagine what they said. For the record, you should know, they’ve always had attitude where I’m concerned because I refused to date them.”

  Amy’s expression was hard to read. “Oddly enough, they didn’t even talk about you all that much. They said you were good looking but to watch out because you have a wandering eye.”

  Max made a series of protesting noises with his mouth. It took him a full beat to find words. “That is not true. I am not a cheater.”

  “I don’t think they referred to you as a cheater. They simply said that you got bored with women quickly.”

  Max couldn’t exactly argue with that sentiment. The statement wasn’t untrue. Still, he didn’t want her living in fear that he would suddenly take off and leave one day. He remembered what that fear did to Ivy after she first hooked up with Jack. “That was before I met you.” He offered up the most charming smile he could muster. “I think I was doing a lot of searching before. I no longer have to search.”

  He internally cringed when he heard the words escape his mouth. They were a bit heavy-handed. If Amy felt the same, she didn’t show it. Instead she merely smirked and shook her head. “We should get the rest of this set up. I want to take a look around the grounds when we’re finished. I’ve never been in this part of Michigan before. I’m looking forward to seeing what this place has to offer.”

  “There are a lot of small waterfalls on the hiking trails,” Max explained. “That was my favorite part when I was a kid.”

  “Then I definitely want to see them.”

  “I think I can make that happen.”

  JACK DIDN’T CARE ABOUT unpacking as much as he did kissing. The second Ivy was in the tent with him, he had his arms around her and they were rolling around on the sleeping bags he’d zipped together to make a cozy bed.

  “This should be the only part of camping,” he announced as they got comfortable. “Seriously, we should just live in this tent. I’m pretty sure love can fortify us.”

  Ivy snickered, genuinely amused. “No food?”

  “You’re better than food.”

  “And you’re a smooth talker.” She rolled him so he was on his back and she was straddling him. It was more of a playful position than a sexual one. “So … what do you think of Amy?” They’d already talked about Max’s girlfriend … twice … and yet Ivy couldn’t stop fixating on the woman. “I don’t think she likes me.”

  Jack’s eyebrows flew up his forehead. “Why would you say something like that? She seems to like you just fine.”

  “No. I asked her to help me with the kitchen stuff and she hurried over to help Max instead.”

  “That doesn’t mean she doesn’t like you. It means she’s the nervous sort.” He linked his fingers with hers and grinned. “Not everyone is as bold as you, honey. Give her a few hours to settle down.”

  “Do you think she’s afraid of me or something?”

  “I think you are a handful.” He lifted his head from the ground. “I happen to like a handful. Give me a kiss.”

  “Why? You’ve already kissed me ten times.”

  “Are you keeping score?”

  “I’m … not sure what I’m doing,” Ivy admitted after a beat. “I just like torturing you.”

  “That’s because you’re a mean woman.” He slid his hands up and down her hips. “Come on. I need a kiss.”

  “I think you just want to get frisky.”

  “Guilty as charged. Now … kiss me.”

  Because it was something she wanted to do anyway, Ivy gladly acquiesced. She sank into the exchange as he wrapped his arms around her back and held her close. Neither one of them was sure if the kiss would lead anywhere, but the possibility of that happening flew out the window when the sound of their tent zipper going up assailed their ears.

  “What the … ?” Jack made a face as he pressed Ivy close to his chest and glared at Max, who didn’t seem to be bothered by what he found inside the tent. “Are you trying to get me to kill you?”

  Max ignored the pointed question. “I need your help, Ivy.”

  She remained where she was, her head resting on Jack’s chest. “I believe I’ve helped you all I’m going to help you this week. I let you come camping with us because of your incessant whining even though it upset Jack. I’m done doing favors for you.”

  Max rolled his eyes. “Get over yourself. Am I making a fuss because you’re sitting on Jack in a way that makes me want to neuter him? No. I’m resigned to the fact that you guys are going to be filthy all weekend and I don’t care. I really do need your help, though.”

  Ivy wanted to push her brother out of the tent, but she let loose a sigh instead. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Oh, don’t ask him that,” Jack groused. “If you start bending to his whims now he’s just going to keep upping the ante. Personally, I think they should stay on their side of the campground and we’ll stay on our side. I know I’m going to be outvoted on that, though.”

  “You definitely are,” Max agreed. “We’re here for romance, but I’m also trying to get to know her. She’s a little closed off.”

  Ivy lifted her head, intrigued despite herself. “What do you mean?”

  “She’s just … shy.” Max plopped down on the floor of the tent, making Jack realize that he wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

  “Ugh.” Jack kept Ivy pressed tight to him as he sat up so she wouldn’t go spilling to the floor and rearranged her so she was sitting comfortably between his legs as he focused on the older Morgan sibling. “What seems to be the problem? Be specific. I have plans for your sister and I can’t engage in them until you’re out of this tent. Oh, and by the way, if you come back in this tent without knocking, I’m going to make you cry like a little girl.”

  Max rolled his eyes. “Yeah. You’re a terrifying specimen of a man. My knees are quaking in fear.”

  “I’ve taken you down before,” Jack reminded him.

  “That’s when we first met and you took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting you. Lightning doesn’t strike twice and I’ve been watching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on television. I could totally take you.”

  Ivy’s forehead wrinkled. “Is that that thing I saw you watching at the lumberyard a few weeks ago? The one where the pasty white dudes were rolling around on the floor together, right?”

  “They weren’t rolling around on the floor together. They were wrestling, fighting the battle of the gods.”

  Jack snorted as he smoothed Ivy’s hair. “I believe I know exactly what sport you’re talking about. Here’s the thing … your sister could take all those dudes without even breaking a sweat.”

  To Ivy, that sounded like an insult. “I’m strong.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “No, you said it in a mocking way.” She pinched his flank. “I’m all-powerful and strong. Bow down.”

  Jack’s smile was indulgent. “I would totally bow down if you were dressed like Wonder Woman when you delivered that line.”

  “Maybe when we get home.” She kissed his cheek and turned back to Max, frowning when she realized he was glaring at her. “What were we talking about again?”

  “How much I want to smother you both,” Ma
x replied without hesitation. “You need to focus on me.” He slapped his knee for emphasis. “I’m being serious here. Amy ran down to the bathroom so she won’t be gone long. I need you to listen to what I have to say … and then advise me … oh, and then disappear because I want to romance her without you guys trying to distract me.”

  “Yes, we’re the ones distracting you from romance,” Jack drawled.

  “You are.” Max was firm. “I just need help.”

  He looked so forlorn Ivy couldn’t help taking pity on him. “You really like her, don’t you?”

  He nodded, sincere. “I do. I don’t know how to explain it. There’s something about her that calls to me. You said it was like that for you when you met my sister, Jack. I’m just trying to get her to open up. How did you get Ivy to start talking?”

  “Believe it or not, your sister has never been shy when it comes to sharing things with me,” Jack replied, smiling as he thought back to the beginning of his relationship with Ivy. “I can’t believe it’s been more than a year. In two months, we’ll be married. This has been the best year of my life.”

  “Oh.” Ivy beamed with pleasure as she leaned back and studied Jack’s strong profile. “It’s been the best year of my life, too.”

  “Oh, don’t make me douse you with water,” Max snapped. “I need help. Amy is loving … and kind … and sweet. She has the best laugh. She’s just quiet and never volunteers anything. I just found out a few minutes ago that her parents are dead.”

  Ivy sighed, the sound long and drawn out. “Did you ask her about her parents before today?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because … um … because … .”

  Ivy already knew the answer. “Because you were too busy talking about yourself,” she finished. “I love you, Max. You know that’s true. You’re the best big brother in the world. You have a tendency to make everything about you, though.

  “As for Amy, I don’t know what to tell you,” she continued. “She seems to be the nervous sort. I tried talking to her myself, but I think I frighten her or something.”

  “You do,” Max confirmed. “She thinks you’re outgoing and intimidating. She likes you, but she’s terrified you’re going to start yelling at her the same way you did at Jack when he didn’t put up the tent the way you preferred.”

  Ivy’s expression darkened. “I didn’t yell at Jack about the tent.” She looked to her fiancé for confirmation. “Tell him I didn’t yell at you.”

  “Honey, you yelled a little,” Jack replied without missing a beat. “It’s not a big deal, though. We tend to be loud individuals. That’s simply how we communicate.” He flicked his eyes to Max. “We’ll try to refrain from doing that in front of Amy until she knows us better. We forget that not everyone communicates in the same manner we do.”

  “It’s not about that,” Max argued. “It’s just … I don’t know how to do this. I’m not a very good relationship guy.”

  The expression on his face – a sad mix of worry and potential heartbreak – was enough to tug on Ivy’s heartstrings. “You’ve got to get over yourself and focus on her,” she explained, choosing her words carefully. “Instead of volunteering stories about our family and then telling another story about our family, just relate the one story and then ask her if something similar happened over the course of her life. Relationships are about give and take.”

  “Right.” Max rubbed his forehead, his eyes cloudy. “How long was it before you guys were confiding in one another?”

  “Oh, well … .” Ivy turned to Jack, uncertain. “How long would you say it was?”

  “We started talking right from the start,” Jack volunteered. “We didn’t talk about the big things obviously. That didn’t start occurring until we started sharing dreams. We talked about our families and the other stuff fairly quickly, though.”

  “It was a couple of days before Jack told me about being shot,” Ivy volunteered. “He only told me because of the poison ivy, though, and the fact that he had to take his shirt off so I saw his chest.”

  “And it was several days before your sister started confiding in me that she was afraid,” Jack added. “By then I was already determined to keep her safe forever.”

  “See, I want to keep Amy safe forever,” Max noted. “I already feel that. She opens up sometimes and then seems to catch herself. I don’t know how to explain it. Something just feels off.”

  “Probably because you’re so desperate for things to work out,” Ivy volunteered. “I know how that goes. I felt that way when Jack and I first hooked up. When he took off after I was shot … well … it was like every doubt I ever had took me over. You’re probably feeling the same way.”

  “I’m so glad that was brought up again,” Jack muttered, earning a grin from Ivy.

  “Don’t worry.” She patted his cheek. “I know without a shadow of a doubt you would never leave me again. You didn’t even really leave me the first time. You just freaked out for twenty-four hours and then slapped yourself back together and became the best boyfriend a woman could ever hope for. I know that you’re going to be a wonderful husband, too.”

  “Aw.” Jack grinned at her and lowered his mouth to offer a sweet kiss. “I can’t believe I got so lucky when I found you.”

  “Oh, gag me.” Max rolled to his knees to crawl out of the tent. “You guys are absolutely no help. I came in here for real advice, not to watch you bounce off each other like rabbits. Good grief. You guys are sick.”

  Ivy squeezed Jack’s hand as she called out to Max. “Just sit down and ask her questions, Max. Ask about high school … and her favorite movies … and what she likes to eat. All the things you like to talk about are probably the same things she likes to talk about. You just have to be patient because she does seem to be the nervous sort. She won’t tell you to stop talking about yourself even though everyone would be happiest if you did.”

  “Ha, ha, ha.” Max rolled his eyes as he slipped through the opening. “I guess your lame advice is better than no advice.”

  “Here’s more advice,” Jack called out. “If you come in here again, I’m going to beat you up. I don’t care if you’re going to be my brother-in-law or not.”

  “I will take you down with my Jiu-Jitsu.” Max struck a hilarious pose. “On a different note … thanks for listening. I’m sorry I took over your camping trip. I promise this won’t become a regular thing.”

  “That would be a nice change of pace,” Jack agreed, waiting until Max closed the zipper to ask the obvious question. “He’s crazy for her, isn’t he?”

  Ivy nodded as she reached for the canvas flap that covered the tent window. When she yanked it down, she found Max already crossing to the trail that led down to the water spigot and bathrooms. Amy was halfway back, standing in the middle of the trail and staring at … something. Ivy had trouble making out what had caught the woman’s attention.

  “What’s she looking at?”

  “Hmm.” Jack’s lips were busy on her neck and it took every ounce of strength he had to pull his attention away from the love of his life. It took him a moment to find Amy in the open expanse, and when he did, he merely shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s a guy over yonder putting up his own tent. I think he asked her a question … or maybe he was hitting on her or something. Max will take care of it.”

  “I guess.” Ivy stared a moment longer. The way Amy was looking at the man made her distinctly uncomfortable. “Maybe they know each other.”

  “Maybe.” Jack moved his lips to the corner of her mouth. “Shut that thing and focus on me. I have something I want to show you.”

  Despite herself, Ivy couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “That old thing? I’ve seen it a million times.”

  “I’ve made some improvements.”

  “Oh, really? Perhaps one more time wouldn’t hurt.”

  “That’s exactly what I hoped you would say.”

  Four

  Ivy was a good cook …
in her own kitchen. Cooking over an open fire was another matter and it didn’t help that Max kept sticking his nose in as she attempted to grill hamburgers on the new skillet Jack had purchased for the trip.

  “You’re making them too thick,” Max complained as he studied the three patties on the metal contraption. “And what is that?” He gestured toward a third item and made a disgusted face. “Did you drop that one on the ground already? That’s the one you’re going to feed me, isn’t it?”

  Amy stood next to the picnic table mixing the pasta salad Ivy made at home and watched the banter with overt amusement.

  “That’s mine,” Ivy snapped, her eyes lighting with annoyance. “It’s a soy burger.”

  “Ugh.” Max made a disgusted face and shifted his eyes to Jack, who was transferring beer cans into the beverage cooler. “She brought a soy burger to the woods. How can you live with her when she does stuff like that?”

  Jack’s fingers were chilly and wet from being in the ice and he transferred them to Ivy’s hip, causing her to jump as he chuckled. “I happen to be impressed with the fact that she’s a vegetarian. She’s dedicated to a belief system … and I’m proud of her for sticking to it. Don’t give her grief.”

  Ivy slid her eyes to Jack in appreciation. “Thank you, honey.”

  “No, thank you, honey.” He pressed a kiss to her mouth, causing Max to mime vomiting as he moved away from his sister.

  “I keep thinking you guys are going to stop being so sappy, but I guess that’s not happening until after the wedding, huh?”

  Jack narrowed his eyes. “We’re going to be sappy for the rest of our lives.”

  “We are,” Ivy agreed, nudging Jack back in case he decided he really did want to wrestle her brother to the ground. Max’s insistence upon joining their camping trip remained a major annoyance and even though she was working overtime to smooth the edges of Jack’s frazzled nerves, it wasn’t an easy task. “You should be glad you weren’t in the truck with us for the ride up. We spent half the time talking about future children.”