Wicked Dreams

by Lily Harper Hart

  “Well, honey, you’re going to make her scream if you go in there, and that’s what we’re trying to avoid,” Ivy said.

  Michael and Brian exchanged a look, one that wasn’t lost on Jack and Ivy. They were amused by the banter, enjoying the show even though bigger issues were weighing down on them.

  “What do you suggest?” Jack asked, his hands landing on his narrow hips as he regarded Ivy. She really was aggravating … and hot … and she smelled delightful. He had no idea what the scent was, but it was going straight to his head.

  “I don’t know,” Ivy replied primly. “I … .” She stuck her head back in the room for a moment, her eyes finding the shaking girl in the corner. “Okay, I have a plan.”

  “I can’t wait to hear this,” Jack said.

  Ivy ignored him. “Dad, I need you to go back to my house,” she said. “There’s some egg salad in the refrigerator. Make two sandwiches and grab the bag of broccoli in the bottom drawer. Bring a couple of bottles of water, too. She’s probably thirsty.”

  “You’re going to bribe her with food?” Jack asked.

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Michael said, not bothering to argue with Ivy’s order.

  “I think I need to call for some paramedics,” Brian said. “She looks … rough.”

  “Call Samantha Hobbes,” Ivy suggested.

  “Why her?”

  “She’s a woman.”

  “Ivy, I know what you’re thinking,” Brian said. “I’m not ruling that out. We don’t know that she’s been hurt that way, though. Not yet.”

  “I’m taking every precaution,” Ivy said. “Trust me. I hope she hasn’t been hurt that way. It’s going to make me really sad if it’s true … but we have to be careful either way.”

  “Okay,” Brian said, giving in. “I’m going to let you take the lead – but only because I don’t know what else to do.”

  “Every man in my life should always take that approach where I’m concerned,” Ivy sniffed.

  Jack pursed his lips. “I agree,” he said after a moment. “I think we should start carrying you around on our shoulders and exalt your virtue and loveliness every chance we get.”

  Ivy made a face. “You’re going to owe me a big apology when I’m right on this.”

  “I’m looking forward to it, honey.”

  IVY gripped the sandwich plate in her hand and pressed the bottles of water to her chest as she shuffled toward the back corner of the greenhouse twenty minutes later. She knew Brian – and more importantly, Jack – watched her from the doorway. She didn’t want to fail, and sadly, it wasn’t just because she wanted to help the girl. She also wanted to be right.

  Ivy lowered herself to a sitting position and rested the plate and bottles of water on the ground. She carefully pushed them over until they were within reaching distance for the girl, and then she pushed herself back until she was close enough to watch her but far away enough to appear unthreatening.

  “You should eat something,” Ivy said, keeping her voice soft. “It’s egg salad and broccoli. I don’t have a lot of junk food around my house. I’m sorry.”

  The girl shifted her position, pushing herself upright as her eyes darted between Ivy and the plate.

  “I promise it’s good,” Ivy said.

  Either the girl was opting to trust her – or she was just that hungry – because she grabbed the sandwich and shoved it into her mouth without uttering a word. Ivy had never seen anyone inhale a sandwich that fast, and she was relieved when the girl approached the second sandwich with tepid moderation.

  “Have some water,” Ivy prodded.

  The girl suspiciously took the water, casting one more look at Ivy before opening and guzzling it. She didn’t put the water bottle down until it was empty, and then she immediately reached for the second bottle.

  Ivy’s heart rolled painfully. The girl was starving and dehydrated. Upon closer inspection, the bruises on her arms were darker and more numerous than Ivy realized. She had a feeling that they weren’t relegated to just her arms either.

  “My name is Ivy. This is my greenhouse. I own the whole nursery, actually. My house is just through the woods, too.”

  The girl didn’t respond, but her thoughtful eyes were focused on Ivy as she reached for the broccoli and started munching.

  “I grew up here,” Ivy continued. “This is a very special place. I’m betting that’s why you were drawn here.”

  There was still no answer. Ivy decided to do what came naturally: talk.

  “Are you from around here? I’ll bet you’re from close by,” she said. “Did you have to walk here? Do you want more to eat? Do you want to come out and let me get a better look at you?”

  This went on … and on … and on.

  “WE have to do something,” Jack said, leaning his head against the wall of the greenhouse and turning his attention to Michael and Brian. “She’s floundering in there.”

  “She’s not floundering,” Michael argued. “She’s trying to build a rapport.”

  “She just talking … and talking … and talking,” Jack said. “The girl isn’t talking back.”

  “She’s not screaming either,” Brian said. “Give Ivy a little time. She might surprise you with how good she is with people.”

  “I didn’t say she wasn’t good with people.”

  “You were insinuating it,” Michael said, shooting him a look. “I’ll have you know, my daughter is good at whatever she does. No, I take that back. She’s great at whatever she does. You should have a little faith in her.”

  Jack was taken aback. “I didn’t say I didn’t have faith in her. I … she’s not getting anywhere, though.”

  “She got her to eat without screaming,” Brian said. “That’s more than you or I could’ve accomplished.”

  “You don’t know that,” Jack said. “I’m very charming. I’m also easy to talk to.”

  “That must be why you and Ivy are always sniping at one another,” Brian said drily.

  “That’s the sexual tension,” Michael said.

  Jack’s cheeks colored. He was well aware that the town was talking about his flirtation with Ivy. He could deal with that. He was new to town. He didn’t know most of the people who lived there, so he didn’t care what they thought. For Ivy’s father to point it out, though, was something else entirely. “I … .”

  “Oh, look how cute he is,” Brian said, smirking. “You’ve completely thrown him off his game.”

  Jack recovered quickly. “I am not off my game. Nothing throws me off my game. I’m a professional.”

  “I heard Ivy beat you at basketball last week,” Brian said.

  “She didn’t beat me,” Jack said. “She … played me. She didn’t tell me she could’ve tried out for the WNBA and made it on half of the teams before we started.”

  “She’s always been a good athlete,” Michael said, chuckling. “She’s not that good, though.”

  “She had home court advantage,” Jack grumbled. “We’re having a rematch now that I know what I’m up against. I won’t let her win again.”

  “Wait,” Brian said, holding up his hand. “Did you lose because she’s good enough to be in the WNBA, she had home court advantage, or you let her win? Those are three different things.”

  “I … let it go,” Jack sputtered. “We have more important things to focus on.”

  “We do,” Brian agreed, grinning despite himself. “We have to focus on the basketball star and the fact that she doesn’t like to lose any more than you do. Trust me. She’s going to find a way to win in this situation, too.”

  “I’m not sure there’s going to be any way to win this situation,” Jack said, sobering. “This is going to be bad no matter what.”

  “CAN’T you please say something?” Ivy asked. “I’m not asking for a full sentence. Just say one word. Tell me to shut up if you want to. I can take it.”

  The girl tilted her head to the side, her dirty blonde hair dipping low on her shoulders as she
regarded Ivy.

  “Please,” Ivy prodded.

  “I’m still hungry.”

  The words took Ivy by surprise and yet caused her heart to soar at the same time. While the girl wasn’t opening up about her ordeal, or even saying her name, she also wasn’t closing herself off to the possibility of Ivy helping her.

  “I can deal with that,” Ivy said. “I have a lot more food back at the house. If you don’t like any of it, I’m betting I can get something delivered that you will like.”

  “I … .” The girl broke off, biting her lower lip uncertainly.

  “I’m not going to pressure you,” Ivy said. “I just want you to stand up and walk with me.”

  “Can’t you just bring the food out here?”

  “No,” Ivy said, shaking her head. “This isn’t a place for food. It will draw scavengers. I can take you out of here, though. I can help you get cleaned up. I can feed you as much as you want to eat. You have to trust me, though.”

  The girl shrank back slightly.

  “I promise you can trust me,” Ivy said, extending her hand. “I won’t hurt you. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I’m meaner than I look in case you’re worried about someone coming to look for you here. I won’t let anyone touch you.”

  The girl studied Ivy’s hand for a moment and Ivy’s heart stuttered when she finally reached out and took it. Ivy kept her smile in place as she helped the girl to her feet and started to lead her out of the greenhouse.

  It wasn’t much. It wasn’t answers. It wasn’t a solution. It wasn’t a happily ever after. It was something, though, and for now Ivy was more than willing to take it.

  Three

  “Absolutely not,” Jack said, gritting his teeth as he leaned against Ivy’s counter.

  After leading the girl to her house – bypassing the helpful paramedic with an apologetic smile – and promising to find something for her to eat while she was in the bathroom taking a shower, Ivy informed Brian and Jack that she was keeping the girl until she felt safe enough to talk.

  Brian was blasé about the announcement while Jack was bitterly against it. Ivy was expecting both reactions.

  “Why not?” Ivy crossed her arms over her chest obstinately.

  “Because I said so,” Jack replied.

  “She’s going to be comfortable here,” Ivy said. “It will be me and her. There won’t be anyone to scare her. If it’s just the two of us I might be able to get her to open up. How can that possibly be a bad idea?”

  Jack made a face. “That’s not how things work in situations like this,” he said. “We have to call the state. They have people – counselors even – who are trained to deal with things like this. The girl has obviously been abused. You can’t fix that for her.”

  “I didn’t say I could fix it.”

  Jack sucked in a long, calming breath. Flying off the handle wasn’t going to accomplish anything. All it would do was get Ivy’s hackles up – and no one wanted that. “I know you want to help her,” he said, keeping his voice low. “I commend you for it. Just because she was found on your property, though, that doesn’t mean she’s your responsibility.”

  “I don’t like the way you’re talking down to me,” Ivy said, her blue eyes narrowing. “I’m not a child.”

  “I didn’t say you were a child,” Jack said. “When did I say you were a child?”

  “You were talking to me like I’m two and I want a cookie but I’ve hit my sugar limit for the day,” Ivy said.

  “I was not.”

  “You were, too.”

  “I was not.”

  “You were, too.”

  They both turned to Brian expectantly. He seemed surprised to be included in the conversation. “Oh, don’t look at me,” he said. “I was just wondering where the playground moderator was to break you two up.”

  “See,” Jack said triumphantly.

  “I was talking to you, too,” Brian said, nonplussed.

  “See,” Ivy said, sticking her tongue out.

  The gesture was supposed to irritate Jack – and it did – but it also turned him on. He could think of a few other things he wanted to do with that tongue, like rub it against his own. Oh, man, he was losing it. There could be no other explanation. He had to try a different tactic. “Ivy, even if we wanted to let her stay here with you, we can’t,” Jack said. “She needs a social worker. Tell her, Brian.”

  Brian cleared his throat as he shifted uncomfortably. “I think she should stay here.”

  “What?” Jack’s eyebrows nearly flew off his forehead as he turned on his partner.

  “I’m not suggesting she move in and become Ivy’s ward or anything,” Brian said, lifting his hands to hold off Jack’s fury. “I’m suggesting she spend the night.”

  “How is that going to help?” Jack asked, refusing to surrender even though he was outnumbered.

  “It’s going to give the girl a chance to catch her breath in an unthreatening atmosphere,” Brian said. “If Ivy can get her to talk, we might be able to find some answers. We might be able to help her.”

  “Ivy isn’t trained to handle anything like this,” Jack countered.

  “You don’t have to be trained to be a good sounding board,” Brian said. “I’m not asking you to go against your instincts. I’m asking you to give Ivy one night and then we’ll regroup and make a decision tomorrow.”

  “I … .” Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and shifted his gaze to Ivy. He expected her to be aggressive and vehement. Instead, he found her eyes bright and pleading. He couldn’t say no, even if he wanted to. “Okay.”

  “Really?” Ivy looked surprised.

  “Really,” Jack said, his voice softening. “Be careful, Ivy. She’s been through something. I know you want to help and I believe you can. You can’t fix everything in that girl’s life, though. It’s not possible. Promise me you’re not going to … go overboard.”

  “I promise,” Ivy said, instinctively throwing her arms around his neck and offering him a grateful hug.

  Jack was surprised by the gesture, and he initially thought he should pull away from her, but she felt too good in his arms to ignore. He hugged her back, and when he met Brian’s delighted smile from over her shoulder, he found he didn’t care so much that his partner was saving up a bevy of things to tease him about later.

  Once they separated, Ivy regained her senses quickly. “I’ll call you if I find anything out,” she said.

  “Call me tomorrow morning regardless,” Jack said. “We’re going to have decisions to make no matter what happens tonight.”

  “Okay.”

  “I can’t believe you’re being this easy to deal with,” Jack muttered.

  “I promise I’ll be good,” Ivy said. “I know you warned me not to go overboard, but you should know, I never go overboard.”

  Jack didn’t know her well, but he knew enough to know that was a blatant lie. “I just know I’m going to regret this.”

  “WHERE did the policemen go?”

  Ivy, who was sitting on the couch in the living room when the girl finally left the bathroom, lifted her head and smiled. “They left.”

  “I thought they wanted to arrest me.”

  “Why would they want to arrest you?” Ivy shifted over on the couch, clearing a spot for the girl should she want to sit, but she didn’t force her. The yoga pants and T-shirt Ivy left for the teenager were big on her narrow hips, and now that she could see her figure in its entirety, it was clear she was malnourished. Her hipbones were protruding through the thin cotton fabric, and her elbows were knobby. Ivy had every intention of fixing that.

  “I trespassed.”

  “You got turned around,” Ivy corrected. “It’s my property. It’s only trespassing if I say it is. I say you got turned around. Don’t worry about it.”

  “I … thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it,” Ivy said, forcing her face to remain neutral even as the dark bruises on the girl’s arm caught her attention again. “I …
can you sit over here with me? I’d like to take a look at those bruises.”

  “They’re fine,” the girl said, tilting her head to the side and studying Ivy’s cottage. “Do you live here alone?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re not married?”

  “No.”

  “Do you have a boyfriend?”

  Ivy chuckled. “No. Everyone keeps trying to find me one, though.”

  “The tall cop with the dark eyes? Is he the one who everyone wants you to be with?”

  Ivy was surprised by the girl’s question. She’d obviously been watching the situation as it progressed outside the greenhouse. She was intuitive … and smart. Ivy just hoped she could reach her on a personal level so she could get some insight into her as well.

  “How did you know that?” Ivy asked.

  “He looks at you in a funny way,” the girl said. “You look at him the same way.”

  “I do not.”

  “You both do. You just don’t do it at the same time. You only look at each other when you think the other isn’t looking.”

  Ivy rolled her eyes. “Are you going to hop on the Ivy and Jack train, too?”

  “Maybe,” the girl said.

  Ivy patted the couch. “Let me check your bruises.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “If you let me check your bruises, I’ll tell you all about Jack,” Ivy said. She wasn’t above bribery. She new it could be an effective measure when she really wanted something and she really wanted the girl to open up.

  “Okay.” The girl gave in and approached Ivy slowly. She was cautious in her movements, and Ivy knew why. She was used to people lashing out at her.

  Once the girl was settled, Ivy carefully lifted her arms and studied them. After a few moments, she raised her eyes to the girl’s. “I have some cream that will help these fade. It’s just in the bathroom. I’m going to go get it.”