Bluegrass Bend

by Mandy Magro

  Ronny smiled. ‘Good choice, I love that song.’

  ‘It was my mum’s favourite.’ Ivy smiled sadly. ‘She used to play it on this very guitar all the time – it was hers before it was mine.’

  ‘That’s beautiful, Ivy.’ Ronny gently touched her arm, his eyes full of compassion. ‘You must really miss her.’

  ‘I do. A lot.’ Ivy swallowed the lump of emotion lodged in her throat. ‘But I’ve grown to accept the fact she’s gone forever, and I just try to be thankful for the fact I got to spend the first nine years of my life with her.’

  ‘I understand how you feel. I lost my mum when I was young too.’ He motioned to his guitar. ‘And like you, my mum gave me this guitar – it’s my most precious possession. Other than Sundown, of course.’

  Ivy’s heart tumbled. Their lives were so similar in so many ways. She wanted to reach out and pull him to her, but refrained, not knowing if he’d welcome the gesture. ‘Oh Ronny, I didn’t know your mum had passed. I’m so sorry.’

  Ronny gave her arm a squeeze. ‘No need to be sorry.’ His jaw clenched and a muscle twitched in his neck. ‘It’s my father who should be sorry – but the son of a bitch got out of it the easy way.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘There’s no gentle way to put it, really.’ Ronny looked away from her. ‘When I was twelve, my father bashed my mother to death and then he shot himself.’ When he turned back, his eyes were filled with tears. Two rolled down his cheeks and he brusquely wiped them away before clearing his throat. ‘The bastard should have rotted in prison as far as I’m concerned.’

  Ivy gasped, and then covered her mouth, Ronny’s vulnerability making her soul ache to the very core. ‘Oh my God, Ronny, that’s terrible.’ She shook her head, blinking back tears, her heart breaking for this beautiful man before her. ‘I don’t know what else to say.’ She threw her arms around him, unable to stop herself from comforting him any longer. Ronny responded by embracing her tightly, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

  After a few moments, Ivy said, ‘I kinda know how you must feel. Although my father was not so directly responsible for my mother’s death, he still played a huge part in it.’

  Ronny pulled back so he could look into her eyes – the poignancy in them stealing Ivy’s breath. ‘How?’

  Ivy looked down at her lap. ‘She jumped off a cliff because he broke her heart beyond repair when he cheated on her with a barmaid in town.’

  ‘So that’s why you looked so heartbroken at the cliff face when you were giving me the guided tour of Healing Hills.’

  Ivy nodded. ‘I can’t believe you noticed. I’ve become pretty good at hiding my heartache.’

  ‘Now I’m at a loss for words.’ Ronny took both her hands in his. ‘You and I have both lost so much, been hurt so badly. We’re like kindred spirits.’

  Ivy graced him with a small smile. ‘I think you might be right there, Ronny.’

  Ronny gave her a tender smile and her heart fluttered. The warmth of his thigh resting against hers, the strength in his hands, and the tender look in his beautiful amber eyes sent quivers throughout her. In a way she couldn’t make sense of, she felt as though she was somehow home when she was with Ronny, as though she’d been lost all her life and had finally found her place. She wanted to love him so much, and she could feel he wanted to love her in return. Damn his rotten, stinking, stupid, hidden skeletons. They were ruining what could have been a fairytale ending.

  Ronny was the one to break the magical moment as he pulled his hands away and focused once again on his guitar. ‘Let’s get this show on the road, otherwise we’ll be eating at midnight.’ Even though he said it lightheartedly, his voice was a little strained.

  Ivy smiled to cover her disappointment at losing the comfort of his arms. She watched his fingers stroking his guitar strings. She wished it were her he was playing with those manly hands – a girl could always dream. She knew nothing was going to come of her longing for him after their kiss had turned sour, but he was certainly a nice distraction from the nerves beginning to build inside her at the thought of singing. Unclipping her case, she pulled her guitar out carefully. She’d replaced all the strings earlier that afternoon, and had accustomed herself to the feel of having it in her arms once again.

  Ronny graced her with a smile so tender it melted her already syrupy heart. ‘You ready?’

  She nodded as she chewed on her bottom lip before drawing in an extended breath.

  Like riding a bike, a musician never forgot how to play their instrument and soon Ivy was strumming the hypnotic tune along with Ronny. It was a shared journey that held them spellbound in enthralled silence. No lyrics were needed at first, the melody enough to flood her skin with goose bumps. This was it, the moment she’d been dreaming of, pining for, fearing … and it was more entrancing than she could ever have imagined. The music soared through the air like a wedge-tailed eagle on an updraft, taking with it Ivy’s heart and soul. She glanced sideways at Ronny as he hummed the tune, his eyes focused on where his fingers were strumming his guitar. He felt her eyes upon him, and looked at her, smiling and nodding, as if to say, See, you can do it.

  And yes, she could, with him by her side …

  It was at that very moment that Ivy felt the weight she’d been carrying in her heart and soul since that horrific night lift and disperse like ice melting on a summer’s day. Then, she found her voice and began passionately belting the lyrics. Ronny followed suit, their voices entwining and floating upon the gentle evening breeze.

  ***

  Three hours later, the mouthwatering aroma of the beef Wellington cooking in the oven wafted through the cottage. Ivy could have sat on the verandah and sung with Ronny all night long, his intense husky voice addictive, although their stomachs had other plans and hunger had lured them inside. She licked her lips, belly rumbling with the thought of tucking into something that smelt so divine. It was close to nine thirty, so it was no wonder she was starving and about to chew her own arm off. They’d been enjoying singing together so much they’d simply lost track of time. Once again, Ronny impressed her with his skills. The man clearly knew his way around a kitchen, on top of everything else he was good at. What a catch he was – if only she could catch him. Still on a high after playing some tunes with him, she tried not to let the thought get her down.

  Sitting at the breakfast bench, she watched as Ronny fussed about the kitchen, chopping vegetables like he was a pro. Country music played softly in the background. She’d offered a number of times to help him prepare dinner, but he’d refused, telling her to sit back and relax, so she was. She took a sip from her beer, feeling at ease while she admired how sexy he was as he roamed the kitchen. His jeans showed off the curve of his arse perfectly and his singlet was taut in all the right places across his back and chest. Yum.

  Ronny looked up at her as though reading her thoughts, a cheeky smile on his kissable lips. He put his knife down and wiped his hands on the tea towel over his shoulder.

  ‘Have you never seen a man cook before?’

  Ivy tipped her head to the side. ‘Come to think of it – nope.’

  Ronny laughed, and then stopped. ‘Are you serious? You’ve never had a man cook dinner for you?’

  ‘Nope.’

  ‘Holy crap. What kind of blokes have you been dating, Ivy?’

  Ivy smirked at his mention of a date, and then shrugged. It was nice to imagine Ronny was seeing this as more of a date than just a friendly catch up. Maybe there was a little hope for them. ‘I’ve clearly been dating Neanderthals,’ she said with a grin.

  ‘I’d have to agree with you there.’ His gaze lingered on her, intensity filling his eyes. ‘I really enjoyed singing with you. Your voice gives me goose bumps.’

  ‘Aw shucks, thanks, Ronny.’ Ivy felt her cheeks flame. She turned away and pretended to be engrossed in the candle flickering on the coffee table in the lounge room. ‘Your voice gives me goose bumps too.’

  Ronny snorted. �
�Yeah, right.’

  She spun back to him. ‘Seriously, as I told you before, your voice is a gift.’

  Now it was Ronny’s turn to look away. Ivy watched his Adam’s apple bob. When he brought his eyes back to hers, a smile adorned his yummy lips. ‘Thank you, Ivy, it honestly means the world, hearing that from you.’

  She flashed him a smile as the music playing in the lounge room grabbed her attention. ‘Oh my God, “Goondiwindi Moon”. I love this song.’ She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, letting Lee Kernaghan’s voice sweep her away. Seconds later she jumped when Ronny grabbed her.

  ‘Dance with me,’ he said before dragging her from the stool and into the dimly lit lounge room.

  Caught off guard, Ivy let him do as he wanted and before she knew it, she was in his arms, her head against his burly chest as they slowly moved to the beautiful love song. With his body pressed against hers, Ivy’s heartbeat accelerated, but it had nothing to do with fear of being hurt this time and everything to do with what her body wanted. She felt herself go into a trance, the tenderness of the moment making the outside world fade away, leaving just her and Ronny, here together, alone, as their souls mingled. Emotions stirred deep within her and a lump formed in her throat, as though the words she’d been dying to say had stuck there and needed to come out. A tear trickled down her cheek, not from sadness, but from the sheer emotion coursing throughout her. Ronny must have sensed her shift in energy as he gently placed his finger beneath her chin and tilted her face so she was gazing into his eyes. As his arm slid round her waist, he wiped the tear away with his thumb.

  ‘You okay?’ His voice was so tender.

  She shook her head.

  ‘Want to talk about it?’

  She so wanted to talk about it, wanted to tell him exactly how she felt. She wanted him to know she could barely take a decent breath because she was falling so in love with him. But should she?

  He tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear. ‘Come on, what is it?’

  And she caved at the compassionate look in his gorgeous eyes, her walls finally crumbling, leaving her exposed and vulnerable and in danger of being hurt. And the beautiful thing was, she didn’t care. ‘I’ve fallen for you, Ronny, hard. I can’t explain how, or why, after only knowing you for a short time, but there’s just something about you that makes me feel like I’ve already known you for a lifetime. You somehow make me feel so safe, and so loved for who I am, and …’ She stumbled over her words. ‘I suppose what I’m trying to say is I –’

  Ronny leant in and placed a kiss so gentle and lingering upon her lips it made her entire body quiver. She wanted, needed, craved him, was desperate for him to kiss her harder, but he didn’t.

  ‘I love you too, Ivy Tucker.’

  And she stood there, silent, their eyes locked on one another’s, as his words sank deeply into her galloping heart. No more words were needed right now; what she needed was to feel at one with him. She clasped her hands at the back of his neck, pulling him into her once again. His lips met hers, hard this time, and they were oh, so deliciously hungry as their breaths quickened and their tongues twirled. Fingers fumbled as they began tearing at one another’s clothes. Naked, they tumbled onto the couch.

  Ivy wondered if he’d ask about the scar on her stomach, but he didn’t, instead tracing his fingers along it before he stopped and looked into her eyes, his handsomeness enhanced by the flickering candlelight. ‘Are you sure, Ivy?’

  ‘Uh huh.’ She pushed her hips into his long, hot hardness. ‘I want to feel you inside of me.’

  Needing no more of an invitation, a sexy smile curled his lips as he cupped her breasts and leant in to caress her nipples with his mouth. He licked and sucked and bit to the perfect point of pleasure. Ivy gasped in ecstasy as his lips trailed down her stomach, halting to kiss and lick inside her thighs, and then, thankfully, to her pulsating heaven. His tongue was warm and slow and lingering and so damn perfect against her that she almost reached ecstasy instantly.

  And then he stopped.

  She sucked in a breath, teetering on the edge of bliss, her body quivering.

  Ronny stood and grabbed her hand, his yearning for her evident. ‘Come on, let’s take this to the bedroom, where it’s more comfortable.’

  ***

  Propped up on his elbow, Ronny smiled wickedly, his desire to ravish Ivy again perfectly clear, before a knock at the front door chased his smile away. ‘I wonder who the hell that is?’

  Ivy groaned as she felt his body move away from hers. ‘Do you have to answer it?’

  ‘As much as I would rather stay here with you, I have to. Just in case it’s an emergency.’ He brushed a kiss over her lips. ‘I’ll be back before you know it.’

  She smiled sassily. ‘I’ll be waiting.’

  The knock sounded again, this time louder and more insistent.

  ‘Yeah, I’m coming,’ he called as he rummaged through his drawers, pulling out a pair of boxers.

  ‘You get many late-night callers?’ Ivy said playfully. She tucked her hands behind her head so she could grab a better look at his naked lusciousness. A tingle travelled throughout her at the thought of ravishing him again when he returned to bed.

  ‘Never. Christ knows who it is. It can’t be Larry, he’s gone away for a romantic weekend with Shirl.’ Ronny tugged the boxers on.

  Ivy smiled. ‘Well I suppose you won’t know who it is until you open it.’

  ‘True that.’ He sauntered out of the bedroom. ‘Back in a sec.’

  Moments later, Ivy’s stomach turned at the sound of the woman’s voice. Her jealousy fired up. What in the hell was Amy Mayberry doing here, and so late? Tugging the bed sheets over her naked body, she eavesdropped on the conversation.

  ‘I thought I’d use my open invitation to drop in with some wine, Ronny. You up for a bit of fun tonight, cowboy?’

  Ivy gritted her teeth. How blatant could Amy be?

  ‘Oh, um, I –’ Ronny sounded extremely uncomfortable. Ivy wondered whether it was because he’d been caught out – maybe he was having a bit of fun with Amy on the side, like she’d first thought. Had Ronny lied to her face? Was that what he hadn’t wanted to tell her? Her heart squeezed as anger flooded her.

  ‘Oh, come on now, you party pooper, let loose once in a while.’

  ‘Not tonight, Amy.’

  Not tonight? What kind of answer was that? Ivy’s anger turned to rage at the thought she’d been taken for a ride by a bloke once again. Fuck this. She was going to go out there and give Ronny a piece of her mind – and Amy, while she was at it. She wrestled out of the sheet and climbed from the bed, cursing when she remembered her clothes were strewn all over the lounge-room floor. Bugger it, she’d just have to wear one of Ronny’s T-shirts and hope it was long enough to cover her.

  ‘Oh come on, Ronny, I could feel how much you wanted me at the bakery and I know you haven’t done anything like this before, after what you told me, but I promise I can teach you everything you need to know.’ Amy giggled suggestively.

  ‘I’m sorry, but I already have company tonight, Amy.’

  Hands shaking, Ivy yanked open the top drawer and fumbled through it.

  Amy’s voice went up a few notches. ‘Oh, have you now? So much for me being able to call in any time. Who’s the lucky girl?’

  Ivy smirked as she pulled a shirt from the pile – it was a small win that Amy wouldn’t be getting what she wanted tonight. As she unfolded the T-shirt, a piece of paper drifted to the floor. She bent and picked it up, still completely focused on the conversation going on at the front door.

  ‘I’ve got Ivy here for dinner.’

  ‘Oh, I see. Well, would you rather I go?’ All the sugary niceness had left Amy’s voice.

  You better say yes, Ronny, Ivy thought as she straightened up and looked at the paper in her hands. A letter. Her jaw dropped. This was her handwriting. What in the hell was Ronny doing with this? And all of a sudden the conversation no longer held any intere
st for her, Ronny and Amy’s voices fading away as the walls began to feel as though they were caving in on her. Her blood froze solid in her veins as her heart stalled and then started beating frantically. She fought to take a decent breath as she looked to the doorway Ronny had disappeared through, and then back to her trembling hands. She leant against the wall for support, feeling completely numb. She had to remind herself to keep it together as her temples began to throb. And then it dawned on her in full shocking force as Ronny’s words hit home. There are some things I just can’t tell you. And for that reason, I need to leave you alone. Oh, how right he was. She wanted to scream, thump something, climb under a rock, anything but face what was right in front of her. Her heart ached beyond belief. Ronny had been lying to her about who he was all along. They’d just made the sweetest love. Twice. The bastard, taking advantage of her like this. He was not the person he’d led her to believe, nowhere near it. She should have stuck to her guns, stayed away – as her father had taught her all those years ago, men just couldn’t be trusted.

  Needing to get some clothes on, she slammed the letter onto the dresser, part of her wanting to tear it to shreds, and glared at it as she tugged the T-shirt over her head. What to do now? Storm out there and confront Ronny, in front of Amy, or wait until the wretched woman left? Her fists clenched tightly at her sides until her nails dug into the palm of her hands. The only thing she was really aware of was the sound of her heart pounding against her chest, and her pulse drumming in her ears. Her mind spun out of control, to the point she couldn’t think straight. She didn’t know what hurt more right now, that Ronny felt he couldn’t tell her who he was from the beginning, or that he’d deliberately hidden this from her. This whole time he’d been pretending to be someone he wasn’t. She felt like a complete fool. She wanted to run – far away from him, forever, but that meant she had to run past Amy, and she wasn’t about to do that. Her head spun faster, and she was finding it harder and harder to breathe. She clutched the side of the dresser, afraid she was going to pass out. Ronny appeared at the doorway, his smile disappearing when he spotted the outraged look on Ivy’s face and then the open letter.