by JC Szot
“What happened?” Joel pushed past him. “Let us in.” He pounded on the door. Reed body-slammed him.
“Calm down,” Reed ordered, his jaw tight. Reed didn’t like what he was seeing. Was Ivy having second thoughts? Had they come on too strong? Maybe they should’ve used more words rather than actions to express their feelings, feelings that had snowballed, sweeping them both into a storm of emotions that were new and unpracticed.
“Ivy,” Joel begged, “please.” Reed looked at his brother. Joel’s face fell, his eyes wide with fright. “Let us in so we can talk.” His words were labored with frantic breaths.
“Ivy…” Reed paused. “We don’t want you to be upset. Unlock the door so we can come in. We should talk.” Reed ran a hand through his hair, needing to keep himself collected because Joel was coming apart at the seams.
Ivy shook her head. Glimmering tears dotted her cheeks.
“I can’t.”
Reed could hear her strangled sobs through the glass, her face pinched with pain. Joel pushed him aside, pressing his face into the window.
“I love you, Ivy. We love you, please. We can work this out, whatever it is,” Joel pleaded. He gripped the knob, rattling the door in panic.
Reed heard her muffled cries. “Shush,” he scolded his brother.
“I’m sorry.” Her words fogged up the window pane. “I screwed up. Everything’s fucked up.” She turned her back. The porch flooded with darkness.
“No,” Joel shouted. His fists hammered into the door. Reed spun and grabbed his shoulders. He stared into his brother’s traumatized face.
“We need to give her some space. If we respect her, and I know we do, then we’ve got to give her time.” Reed steered Joel down the stairs of the porch. He rested his hand on Joel’s quivering back as they ambled across the front yard, the grass frozen over below their feet.
* * * *
The scorching water pelted on his skin, feeling like granules of hot magma. Joel sat on the floor of the shower, trying to relive the images of Ivy’s naked body as he and Reed catered to her, and she to them. If it’s too good to be true, then most likely it isn’t. Wasn’t that the motto he always lived by? He’d been so tired of his cynical ways, fed up with the casual. He wanted the real deal. He wanted what everybody else seemed to have.
Over the years it’d been dangled in his face. True love, a real love that kept you grounded, that fed your body, heart, and soul. He’d seen it in other couples, all the couples who vacationed at the resort. He’d grown to hate the honeymooners. They always taunted him with something Joel didn’t think he’d ever have. Now it was here. He’d possessed it, but it was slipping away. He hadn’t claimed it. That was the mistake he’d made. Joel had claimed Ivy in the darkness, a midnight masquerade full of passion and intrigue, but he hadn’t claimed her with his declaration.
Reed had wanted to wait and not bombard Ivy with too many sentiments, a commitment. Joel couldn’t resent Reed for that. His brother did what he thought was best. The waiting would kill him. How long would they have to gawk at her from afar, wondering, trying to read what her thoughts were?
Life as he knew it was emptying out of him, like the tainted water that was rushing down the drain. Joel squinted through the frosted glass. His brother was sitting on the closed lid of the commode. Reed’s voice carried through the bathroom, echoing off the sandstone tiles.
“I’m sorry,” Reed said, his tone laced with regret. “We should have reassured her. I know how you feel about her now. You’ve always been hard to decipher, but not now.” Reed choked on his words.
“I love her.” Joel sagged against the wall, his eyes closing in agony. The water rained on him. The air clouded over. Joel turned off the taps.
“I do, too. That’s why, come hell or high water, we’ve got to fix things.” He sighed. “I don’t know what’s going through her head, but we’ve gotta make it right,” Reed told him. Joel opened the shower door. Reed tossed him a towel, his expression pained.
* * * *
“I wanted to know if it would be convenient for me to speak with you this morning, up here at the bungalow.” Ivy sat in the kitchen, her body slumped over the table. She sipped her coffee, waiting for June’s reply. The sound of rustling papers filled the line. Ivy needed to come clean with June, but she needed to do it here, away from other ears. She needed to ensure that the twins would not become the source of any gossip. She couldn’t live with herself. She was barely able to tolerate herself as it was.
“Are you all right?” June asked. “You don’t sound good, honey. Have you come down with something?”
“No, I just need to speak with you privately, but away from the other employees. I hate to ask this of you…I just need for this to remain confidential.” Ivy took a breath. The request sprinted from her mouth. June’s soothing voice warmed her chilled bones.
“Sure, honey, I’ll be up in an hour. I take it you’re not coming in today?” June laughed. “Even though your desk is in order, the guests are looking for your activity sheet.”
“Oh, it’s on the computer, under my docs. Could you print it out for me? I’m sorry, I forgot to do that.” Ivy bit down on her lip, waiting.
“Sure, and I’ll see you a bit later.”
“Thanks, June.” Ivy disconnected the call and sat back in her chair. Her head throbbed. Painful rays of sunlight filled the panes over the kitchen sink. The residual snow lit up the ground, its contrast against the winter-blue sky dazzling to the eyes.
Ivy stood and took her coffee with her upstairs. She stood at the threshold of her bedroom. Piles of clothes were neatly stacked, ready to be packed. She would talk to June and then pack the car. June had been so good to her. The guilt ate away at her. It would be a sickness Ivy didn’t know how long she’d have to medicate. She couldn’t face Reed and Joel. It was too much. She’d hurt them and herself. That was enough. She would not jeopardize years of hard work and their reputation in the community. They had a good business here, at least until their aunt had hired her.
Being deprived of attention and unable to sexually communicate with men had caused her to be careless, not to mention greedy. The only issue that lingered—and it was a big one—was that now she loved them both. She knew now that Reed and Joel loved her. It would be hard to turn away from that. They were the best of both worlds. Yin and Yang, black and white, tender and aggressive, even though Ivy observed a side to Joel last night that had her crying all night under her sheets.
Joel’s face tormented her. It’d once been a series of hard, determined lines that had gone smooth with angst and longing. The emotion of his voice, a tone that was at once raspy and hoarse, full of lust, had cracked with hysteria, ripping her insides to pieces.
Ivy opened the closet and took out her suitcase, lifting it onto the bed. She’d be packed by the time June came, then all she’d have to do is load the car and leave.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“What’s going on?” Reed struggled with his indifference, needing to keep up the charade. He wouldn’t burden his aunt with any of their drama. It wasn’t job related, but Ivy wasn’t at the front desk. Two worlds were colliding. Uneasiness had circled around them all night long, now moving in for the kill. His aunt appeared to have a handle on things. Maybe June had spoken to Ivy. Did Ivy call out sick to avoid seeing him and Joel?
“I’m rewinding the video tape. Ivy usually does it.” June fussed with the controls of the resort’s surveillance system. Her eyes then narrowed at the screen.
“You need some help?” Reed asked, leaning over her shoulder.
“No, but I thought I saw something peculiar. I wanted to look at it again.”
“What d’you mean?” Reed sat down next to her. They both stared at the screen, the video grainy.
“I should upgrade this, too.” June shook her head. “I can’t see a damn thing.”
“What’s up?” Joel set his apron down on the desk, straightening his tie.
“We’re try
ing to evaluate the tape. Aunt June thinks she saw something unusual,” Reed informed him. Joel towered over them. Reed glanced up, assessing his brother’s condition. They’d barely slept. Joel hadn’t shaved. The light shadow of growth looked fashionable, though. Joel’s eyes caught his. A knowing stare burned between them, one they’d grown up with and would share until one left this earth without the other. June’s voice broke the visual link.
“Do you boys see anything? I see Ivy closing up, but then things get fuzzy. She’s also not here this morning.” June’s brow wrinkled.
“Why?” Joel asked. Reed could almost feel his brother’s body freeze over, starved for any insight where Ivy was concerned.
“I’m not sure, but she asked me to meet with her up at the bungalow,” June said.
Reed glanced back at Joel. Vague messages fired between them.
“Is it me? Or does something not seem right?” June leaned into the screen. Reed returned his eyes to the monitor. Joel grunted behind him. He whirled around, catching his brother’s grieved eyes again.
“Boys!” June’s voice rose in frustration. “Look at this with me, please.”
They all gawked at the screen, viewing Ivy as she stacked her mail and shut down her computer. They tracked her walking toward the door. Reed noticed Ned walk into the frame, their images snowy with video static.
“Why the hell was he here so late last night?” Joel asked, his tone seething.
June explained that they had had a few drinks and appetizers while they waited for them to return from the convention.
“You were both late, so…” June’s voice trailed off. “What’s going on here?” June stared into the screen.
“Rewind that,” Joel demanded. Reed rewound the tape and they sat watching it again. Reed’s fingers curled into a fist as they all watched Ned’s movements, how he’d placed his hands on Ivy. The expressions on her face changed, her body language screaming with fear, hesitation, and then some assertion.
“I think we might have a problem,” June whispered, her eyes narrowing in anger.
“You think?” Joel’s sarcasm iced over his words. “Where’s Ivy now?” he demanded, ripping off his bow tie.
“Joel,” Reed cautioned. He could feel his brother’s temper. It was erupting out of him like a flaming inferno.
“She’s still at the bungalow,” June told them. She stood and circled the desk, intercepting Joel as he began to pace. June’s brows pulled together. The front door of the lobby opened. Ned strolled toward the front desk. His eyes skirted between all three of them. Joel threw his tie down on the desk.
“Why don’t we ask him?” Joel pointed. His raised voice echoed off the ceiling. Reed noticed the pulse quivering in Joel’s neck. Oh no!
“Good morning, folks, everything all right?” Ned jammed his hands into the pockets of his brown slacks.
“Nope.” Joel shook his head. “It isn’t. In fact, we have a big problem.”
“How can I be of assistance?”
“What did you do to her?” Joel asked, his tone cold.
“And who are we inquiring about?” Ned smiled, his head tilted in question.
Reed saw the hesitation and doubt that Ned fought to keep from reaching his face, his polished veneer crumbling. Reed moved closer to his brother, feeling the waves gain momentum.
“Ivy,” Joel shouted. “We’re talking about Ivy, and what we all just viewed on the surveillance tape from last night. You can see that she’s not here.” Joel waved his hand over the front desk. Reed quickly retreated toward the dining room doors and closed them. Two employees were at the bar slicing fruit, their expressions stunned.
“Well, I hope she’s not ill.” Ned shifted his weight.
“Yeah, well, I’ll tell you who’s going to be ill.” Joel got right in Ned’s face. Ned’s head reared back.
“Joel.” Aunt June’s words of warning were failing to keep Joel contained.
“The way you had your hands on her made me pretty fucking ill.”
“I think your aunt would be very enlightened…”
Joel would have none of it. His bodily movements blurred in Reed’s drowsy eyes as his brother’s arm recoiled, cracking his fist into Ned’s jaw. Though Joel moved swiftly, everything around Reed slowed, becoming hazy.
“Joel, please,” June screamed. Reed waved her back and closed the distance between him and his brother. He jutted his body up against Joel’s, attempting to pull him back into a bear hug. Joel bucked, almost head butting Reed.
“You slimy bastard,” Joel howled. He broke free of Reed’s grasp and plowed all of his weight into Ned. Ned’s eyes widened with alarm, his demeanor now shaken. Their feet scuffled across the floor. June ran over to the double doors and locked the lobby. Two waitresses stared through the dining room windows, their faces shocked at the outbreak of commotion.
Joel rammed Ned into the wall, his arm recoiling again. Reed grabbed Joel’s arms. Joel fought back, determined. His strength jostled Reed. Reed pressed his mouth to his brother’s ear.
“That’s enough, back off. You want assault charges filed against you?” Reed slipped his hands under Joel’s armpits, threading his fingers together and locking his arms across Joel’s chest. He could hear June’s pleas echoing around them. Joel’s heaving breaths roared through the dumbfounded silence of the lobby. “I know you can pound this guy into a pulp, believe me.” Reed grinned into his cheek, trying to lighten Joel up with a bit of humor. “Let Aunt June handle it. We know he’s as good as gone,” Reed said. His voice was gruff with effort as Joel thrashed in his arms. Reed kept reassuring Joel, feeling his body sag into his chest, his corded muscles relaxing. “We’re going to go up to the bungalow and talk with Ivy. Everything’s gonna work out, okay?” Reed loosened his grip, turning his brother to face him. Joel’s eyes blinked back a shine that was trying to press through. “Go into the dining room and wait for me at the bar,” Reed told him, tilting his head toward the French doors.
Joel nodded. He walked toward the dining room, avoiding Ned’s glowering eyes. Ned looked down at himself, attempting to straighten his rumpled tie.
June’s sharp words rebounded off the walls of the lobby. “Mr. Fleming, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure to find out. You need to collect your things. I want you off the grounds. You have twenty minutes.” Her tone was curt. June turned on her heel and exited the lobby.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
June’s persistent knocking on the front door reverberated through the quiet bungalow. Ivy zipped up her bags. She glanced in the mirror and fingered her hair. She hastily picked at the lingering lint that clung to her green sweater. Smoothing her palms down the front of her jeans, she descended the stairs.
She could see June’s face through the window, her expression unreadable. Ivy opened the door, stepping back to let her in.
“Thanks for coming,” Ivy said, her tone reserved.
“I’m worried about you.” June’s eyes moved over her.
“I made coffee.”
“Good, I could use a cup.” June shook her head. “Is it too early for liquor?” Her laughter was sarcastic.
Ivy led her into the kitchen, motioning for June to sit, somewhat relieved that June had a sense of humor. It was quiet as she poured the coffee. June’s floral perfume permeated the kitchen. Questions swelled in the silence. Despite her joke in regards to needing a drink, June looked a bit frayed around the edges. Ivy’s stomach rolled over, knowing that Ned must’ve gotten to her first. Ivy placed their steamy mugs on the table and sat down. June took a sip of her coffee and set her mug down. June’s gaze cornered her, her eyes troubled.
“I need for you to tell me what happened between you and Ned Fleming because I just threw him off the grounds.” June fingered her blonde hair, wanting to appear composed. Ivy took a breath, trying to evaluate the vacillation that filled June’s soft, brown eyes.
“I’m afraid I’ve conducted myself in an unprofessional manner,” Ivy admitted. S
he forced the confession out of a dry throat, her voice strained. The cat was out of the bag, crawling all over the table between them. June’s brows rose. Ivy cleared her throat, needing to dive right in and admit to her indiscretions.
“I’m aware that you’ve befriended the boys,” June said. “I think it’s great. They need to socialize more. Sometimes I feel so guilty.” June sighed, her gaze darting to the window. A breath slipped from her lips. “I feel like I’ve trapped them here, but after my sister and brother-in-law were killed, I had just bought this place. I was in debt up to my eyeballs,” June said, laughing cynically. “I was all they had, and I was already in too deep here. The business has isolated them over the years, though they never complained. I think they were afraid if they did, I’d get rid of them. They were two frightened young boys when I got them.” June leaned an elbow on the table, her eyes glassy with the memory.
Ivy sipped her coffee, her nerves rearing like a horse needing to cut loose. The words spilled from her mouth, coming out more forcefully than she intended.
“The friendship has crossed the line, June.” Her voice rang throughout the room. “Somehow Ned found this out.” Ivy let her words sink in before continuing. “We were always appropriate around the guests, but I’m afraid it’s more than a social outlet, or a friendship for that matter. My feelings for them…”
June cut her off, waving her hand abruptly, her bangle bracelets rattling around her wrist.
“Ivy, you and the twins are adults. I don’t need to know this.” She laughed. June’s cheeks flushed, her mind possibly painting the picture.
“Well, Ned—”
“Ivy, I don’t give a rat’s ass about Ned. The guy was snobby, not to mention pushy. Frankly, I think he was after my business.” June’s face tightened with disapproval. “Ivy.” Her tone softened. “Whatever relationship you have with Joel and Reed is between the three of you. You’re all excellent workers and work great as a team. The guests love you, and I can count on you all. That’s all that I need to know, but I will tell you what I do know.” June reached for her hand. June’s fingers threaded with hers. “I can tell you’ve made my boys happy, and Joel…” Her eyes lifted in wonder. “What a change I’ve seen in him. The way he went after Ned in your defense. I believe the man has spoken.” June chuckled.
