“That’s because I’m smart and studly. It’s a devastating combination.”
“That must be it.”
He leaned in and briefly rested his forehead on hers. “You’re my whole world, Ivy.” His voice was soft. “We’re going to have the best life together.”
“I know. It’s only a few days now and then we can officially start it.”
“Yeah. Are you nervous?”
“About marrying you? No. About standing up in front of a bunch of people? Maybe a little.”
“It’s going to be fine. The second we’re up there together at the altar, everybody else is going to disappear and it’s just going to be us.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.”
They lapsed into amiable silence as Jack finished combing her hair. He was the first to break it. “Anyway, I think Max is seeing clearer now that I explained compromise to him. He also might’ve blurted out that he’s been thinking of asking Amy to marry him.”
Ivy’s mouth dropped open. “Are you serious?”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure he won’t do it until after our wedding. He won’t want to steal your thunder.”
“I don’t care about that. I want to endlessly mock him.”
“You’re a good sister that way.”
“Yeah.” Ivy took the comb from him and shifted so they were facing one another, twining her arms around his neck. “What did you tell him about proposing?”
“That the happiest moment of my life was when you said yes.”
“That’s kind of romantic.”
“I’m a romantic guy.”
They stared lovingly into each other’s eyes.
“Do you want to forget about my hair and play another game?” Ivy asked finally.
He smiled. “What did you have in mind?”
“It’s called honeymoon preparation. Basically, we’ll just practice for our wedding night.”
“Finally something I want to do.”
“I thought you would be up for it.”
THEY TUMBLED INTO SLEEP WRAPPED IN each other’s arms. They’d made no plans to meet in their dreams, so Ivy wasn’t surprised when she woke in her fairy ring. It was one of her favorite places to visit, whether awake or asleep, and she immediately went to the circle of mushrooms and planted herself there so she could study the wizened face in the tree. When she was little, she treated the man she saw there as a friend and confidant. Now she was simply used to thinking of him as an entity that understood her wishes and dreams.
“Good evening,” Ivy greeted the face with a pleasant smile. “It’s a nice night, isn’t it?”
The tree didn’t answer, not that she was expecting it to.
“Are you up on any new gossip?” she asked as she got comfortable, laughing at her own joke.
“Who are you talking to?” a female voice asked from somewhere behind her.
Ivy jerked her head so she could look over her shoulder, her eyes going wide when she recognized Susan Bishop, a local witch who died decades before but still haunted the area. “You should learn to make a noise so you don’t frighten me when you do that,” Ivy admonished, forcing herself to calm. “You’re going to give me a heart attack if you’re not careful.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Susan said dryly as she circled the fairy ring. “Seriously, though, who were you talking to?”
Ivy felt put on the spot. Still, lying was a waste of time. Susan wasn’t an idiot. She would figure it out eventually. “Him.” She inclined her head toward the tree with the face. “We’ve spent a lot of time throughout the years talking to one another. And, yes, I know he can’t really talk. Sometimes he does in my head, though.”
“I didn’t say he couldn’t talk,” Susan countered. “I simply wondered who you were talking to. I forgot he was here. He’s a perfectly good conversationalist.”
“Oh, yeah?” Ivy couldn’t tamp down her natural suspicion. “How do you know?”
“I’ve been alone in the woods a very long time. I felt the need for conversation a time or two myself over the years.”
“I didn’t think about that.” Ivy made a face. “I was a lonely kid and I came out here to get away from it all. You kind of did the same because you were a lonely ghost. It makes sense.”
“I was definitely lonely,” Susan agreed, dragging her eyes from the tree and focusing on Ivy. “You’ve been busy of late.”
“I haven’t been out to see you enough,” Ivy acknowledged. “I’m sorry. Between work ... and community service ... and the wedding ... it’s just been a lot to deal with.”
“It wasn’t accusing you of anything. I was simply making a statement.”
“I want to spend time with you,” Ivy reassured her. “I want to learn from you. I just ... am dealing with a lot. Things will calm down once I’m back from my honeymoon.”
Susan’s chuckle was rich and warm. “Yes, because being a newlywed won’t keep you busy.”
“Not so busy I can’t see you.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s unnecessary. You have a life to live. I would never try to keep you from it.” She hesitated and then continued. “I am curious what you plan to do about the girl. I know you’ve been in her dreams.”
“I have,” Ivy acknowledged. “I’ve seen the terror she lived with. I don’t see what I can do for her other than find her father and make sure he’s locked away from her.”
“He won’t be easy to catch.”
“That doesn’t mean I can just give up.”
“Oh, you never give up.” Susan winked at her. “That’s one of my favorite things about you. You are tenacious to a fault.”
“I just want to make sure she’s safe. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
“I didn’t say there was anything wrong with that,” Susan reassured her. “I have no doubt that you’ll make things right for this girl. There’s a reason you’re the one she’s reaching out to.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask what that reason is.”
“She bonded with you in the woods. She was resigned to a horrible fate — even death — and then you swooped in to save her. You might as well have been wearing a cloak. She doesn’t understand what you did of course. To her, magic isn’t real, and yet she understands something profound happened.
“All that girl has known her entire life is the love of a mother and the fear of a father,” she continued. “You gave her something more to believe in, and she’ll be better for it when her life settles.”
Ivy swallowed hard. “What did I give her?”
“Hope.”
“I didn’t really think about it. I was just trying to do what was right.”
“And you did. You saved her.”
“Not yet. There’s still an enemy out there. Heck, there are likely two enemies out there. Somebody informed Oliver Taylor where his family was. I think it had to be deliberate.”
“I can’t answer that. I can only see so much. I would warn you to be careful, though.”
“I’m always careful.”
Susan snorted so hard it took Ivy by surprise. “Oh, you’re so funny. Does Jack think you’re funny?”
“I’m being serious.” Ivy refused to back down. “I don’t take unnecessary risks.”
“If you truly believe that, then you’re deluding yourself. I’m betting you say things like that to placate Jack, though.
“As for what’s to come, it’s murky,” she continued. “I have no doubt you will come out on the other side. To ensure that happens, though, you need to be vigilant. You’re not quite done in this, no matter what you may think.”
“Oh, I know I’m not done.” Ivy’s jawline was set and grim. “I won’t rest until I know exactly what’s happening out there. I hate anyone who would prey on the most vulnerable.”
“Your motivations are altruistic. That’s why you will prevail. As for help, I’ll do what I can. This isn’t my normal terrain. That doesn’t mean I can’t be on the lookout.”
“Thanks. That’s going above and beyond.”
“Think of it as a wedding gift.” Susan’s patented smirk was back. “Your road isn’t easy — it never will be — but your prize at the end of the day will make the journey worth the effort.”
“You mean Jack.”
“I mean all of it. Jack is only the beginning.”
Ivy smiled in understanding. “Thank you for your help. I’ll take whatever guidance I can right now.”
“I’ll look around, ask questions, listen. I’ll be in touch if I learn anything.”
“I’ll be looking forward to your return.”
“Don’t obsess about it,” Susan warned, drifting backward. “You need balance in your life. Jack desperately needs it, too. That compromise he talked about is necessary for the two of you.”
“Have you been eavesdropping on our conversations? That’s creepy and weird.”
The ghost laughed again as she began to dissolve. “In this place, I only know what you know. Don’t worry. Your privacy is intact.”
“I’ll still see you soon, right?” Ivy called out. “You won’t leave me hanging, will you?”
“Never. The scales have to be balanced for the people in that shelter. You’re the only one who can do it. I’ll be with you all the way.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Some things are necessary. This is one of those things.”
Since she agreed, Ivy merely nodded. “Then let’s take whoever is doing this down.”
“That’s the plan. We just need to get the pieces to fit together. Have faith, though, because I know we’ll figure it out together.”
On that, Ivy was pleased to say, they could agree.
11
ELEVEN
Jack was already awake when Ivy opened her eyes the next morning, his soft gaze roaming her face as she climbed out of sleep.
“Hi.” Her voice was soft as she greeted him.
“Hi.”
“What are you doing?”
“Marveling at my life.”
“Oh, yeah?” Her eyebrows winged up. “What do you think the most marvelous thing in your life is?”
“You.”
She’d expected the answer. “I think you’re the most marvelous thing in my life, too.”
“That’s good.”
“Do you know what else I think? I think we’re both being ridiculously sappy because we’re going to be married in a few days.”
“I think you’re right. I also don’t think it’s going to change once we are married. You’re stuck with me being a schmaltzy sap for the rest of your life.”
“Oddly enough, I’m okay with that.”
“Good.” He kissed the tip of her nose, never looking away from her face. “Can I ask you something?”
“Uh-oh.” Ivy shifted so she was propped on her elbow and could look down at his face. “Are you about to tick me off?”
Amusement lit his features. “Why would I do that?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. You seem to have a knack.”
“That’s true. The goal isn’t to tick you off, though. I’m honestly curious.”
Leery, Ivy moved her hand to his chest and traced the scar over his heart. Had things been different, the bullet shifted only an inch, she never would’ve met him. It was a miracle he was next to her ... and yet she was convinced he was about to tip her temper into overdrive. “Go ahead.”
“Are you going to take my name?”
Whatever she was expecting, that wasn’t it. Her eyes went wide as she regarded him, and it took her a moment to absorb what he was asking. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “Why? What did you think I was going to ask?”
“I thought you were about to ask some convoluted question designed to distract me from what’s going on at the shelter. I figured you were going to try to trick me into backing off.”
“Oh, well, aren’t you glad I didn’t go that route?”
Was she? The actual question was a lot harder to answer than she anticipated. “Do you want me to take your name?”
“I don’t know. I’ve thought about it a lot and I don’t know that I have an answer. Brian has been teasing me about it and the wedding is close, though, so I thought we should probably talk about it.”
“I’ve thought about it, too,” Ivy admitted.
“You’ve jokingly said a few times that you were considering hyphenating your name.”
“Those weren’t jokes. If I take your name, it will be hyphenated. I don’t want to give up the Morgan part of myself completely.”
She was so serious, he had to chuckle. “I don’t want nor expect you to give up the Morgan part of yourself. As you recall, I fell in love with Ivy Morgan. I will love Ivy Morgan-Harker and Ivy Harker equally.”
She smiled as he said all the names. “Do you want to know the truth?”
“Always.”
“I think Ivy Harker sounds like a Tupperware saleswoman.”
His eyes went wide. “You’re talking about that plastic stuff with lids for the kitchen, right?”
“Yes. It’s an older thing. I honestly don’t even know if Tupperware still exists. It strikes a certain stereotypical image in my head, though. Jack Harker sounds like a romantic hero in a book. Ivy Harker sounds like the romantic hero’s boring wife who follows him around hawking her goods to unsuspecting people at cocktail parties.”
“Fair enough.” He found her explanation strange but didn’t want to push her. “If you want to keep your maiden name, I’m not going to give you grief about it. I’m fine with it.”
“I know. The thing is ... I kind of want to mash your name and my name together.”
“I do love it when Morgans and Harkers mash together.”
She smirked. “You’re such a pervert sometimes.” She flicked his ear and shook her head. “We’re going to have kids, right?”
They’d talked about it at length and agreed that one or two children were definitely in their future. “That’s the plan. Why?”
“Well, I don’t want to have a different name from my kids. So, even though Ivy Morgan-Harker makes me sound like a law firm, I think it’s my best bet.”
“A law firm, huh?” Love for her welled up. “You know you’re my favorite person in the world, right?”
“You might’ve mentioned it a time or two.”
“Well, it’s true. I think Ivy Morgan-Harker is a fine name.”
She smiled at him, and then a devilish glint invaded her features. “Of course, you could become Jack Morgan if you wanted.”
“That definitely sounds like a lawyer … or a mix between bourbon and rum. Besides, you just said that Jack Harker sounds like a romantic hero.”
“I did say that.” She grinned and leaned over to kiss the corner of his mouth. “So ... we’re okay, right?”
“We’re definitely okay.”
“We’re going to be Jack Harker and Ivy Morgan-Harker.”
“Better known as the Harkers at cocktail parties.”
“We’re not going to cocktail parties.”
“How come?”
“I don’t like people enough to drink with them. I think we should be that reclusive couple who lives in the woods and everybody knows they’re having a lot sex. We’ll be the talk of the town, but we won’t care because of all the aforementioned sex.”
His laugh was so loud it echoed throughout the room as he drew her to him and kissed her. “Oh, I love you so much.” He rolled with her until she was under him and he could push her hair away from her face. “Ivy Morgan-Harker is the only person I want to spend time with. I like your plan a great deal.”
“Honestly, I knew you were going to like my idea.”
“I’m nothing if not predictable.”
THEIR MORNING ROUTINE STRETCHED OUT longer than Ivy anticipated so she was a full thirty minutes late getting to the nursery. Thankfully her father was always early and had already opened by the time she popped out of the woods and
landed at the front of the lot.
“You’re late.”
Michael Morgan was a tall man, broad shoulders like his son, and he had an easygoing personality. That wasn’t on display today as he perused a gardening magazine. No, there was an edge to his tone today.
“I’m sorry.” Ivy was taken aback by her father’s cold demeanor. “I had some stuff going on at home.”
“I’m pretty sure you always have stuff going on at home.”
Ivy chewed on her bottom lip and glanced around, unsure. It wasn’t like her father to be in such a bad mood. “I probably haven’t thanked you enough for all you’ve been doing for me,” she offered. “Taking over the nursery while I was busy with community service was going above and beyond.” Queasiness squeezed her stomach, but she barreled forward. “You’ve probably changed your mind about wanting to watch the place when Jack and I are on our honeymoon. You don’t have to worry if that’s the case. I can just shut it down.” And watch all my hard work die in the greenhouses as the plants go without watering, she silently added.
Michael’s expression was unreadable as he focused on his only daughter. “What is it that you think is going on here?” he asked finally.
The question threw her for a loop. “I don’t know. I think you’re mad at me. Since you’ve been the one doing the bulk of the work here over the past few weeks, I figured that’s what had you upset.”
He let loose a world-weary sigh, one that only the father of a tempestuous daughter could muster. “I thought we’d been over this. I don’t mind running the nursery so you can have some time off. In fact, I’m all for it. You work too much.”
Ivy’s eyebrows knit together. “Then what’s the problem?”
“The problem is that you were attacked by a madman — not once but twice — over the course of the past few days and you didn’t bother to tell me. I don’t care how old you are. I’m still your father and that means I get to hear about it from you instead of someone else when you’re almost killed.”
Ivy’s mouth dropped open. “Who ...?” She didn’t have to finish the question. She already knew the answer. “Max. When he was finished talking to Jack last night, he went looking for you because he wanted someone to tell him what he wanted to hear regarding Amy.”
Ivy Morgan Mystery 18 - Wicked Wedding Page 11
