Page 44 of Writing On The Wall

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ETHAN

I’m even more suspicious about Toby’s allegiance to Ivy, because the way I felt after walking into Ivy’s house and finding another man there…I mean, I’m not even dating her, but my body’s reaction was borderline feral. There’s no way Toby could have remained so sickeningly civil upon discovering me in Ivy’s living room a while back if he really cared for her.

And hearing her call the man who just stormed out by her brother’s name only slightly lowers my blood pressure. Because he’s clearly upset her.

Resignation hangs over her shoulders as she gently swings the door closed.

“So. Ready to tackle that list?” She hooks a thumb over her back to gesture toward the wall. Her mouth forms a tight smile, and she stuffs her hands into her pockets.

A few weeks ago, I’d labeled this woman as “complicated” and wanted to run in the opposite direction. Now, here I am, ready to beg her to unload all of her problems on me. I don’t just want to hear them, either. I want tofixthem.

I’m equal parts attracted to and afraid of Ivy becauseshe makes me want to test my boundaries. But in the back of my mind, there’s always awhat if.What if I thought things would be different this time, and they weren’t. What if the enticing call of adventure came along, and I couldn’t resist leaving again? I’m just not sure I’m cut out for a long-term relationship, and I can’t take that risk with her.

“Was that your brother?” I ask, tipping my chin to the door.

Ivy sighs, like she hoped I’d ignore the tension that’s still hanging in the air. “Yeah. Nothing new. Just his usual stuff, but with bigger consequences.” She stares outside the window for a few heavy seconds before her attention snaps back to me. “I have your brownies! Is it too early for brownies?”

“It’s never too early for brownies,” I say, grinning. “Although, I’m a little disappointed you didn’t greet me in a towel this time.”

“You wish,” she replies with a condescending smile.

I kinda do, I think as I follow her to the kitchen. But I pull up short as soon as I walk in.

“Wow. You weren’t kidding when you said you’d…uh…” I pause, nodding my head as I take in the massacred cabinets and the holes in the walls.

Ivy brings her fingers to her top lip while her own eyes survey the room. “Yeah. I did a number. They needed to come down, though, right?”

“Uh—eventually, yeah. I guess that’s today’s job, now.”

“After brownies,” she corrects me, the hint of a smile in the corners of her mouth.

We sit on the floor together, leaning against the wall while we sip coffee, and I eat way too much of the best brownies I’ve ever tasted.

“You make these for all your enemies?”

“I think we’ve progressed to frenemies by now, don’t you think?” She licks a bit of chocolate off her finger, and Iclear my throat and force myself to look away. But my eyes are stubborn, and I’m a glutton for punishment, so I glance back at her lips.

“Maybe we can even drop the enemies part some day,” I suggest, openly staring at her now. Without thinking, I lift a hand to swipe the chocolate smudged over the corner of her mouth.

“I’d like that,” she whispers, and I almost think she saidI like that,referring to my thumb grazing her lips. Then she blinks a few times, as if she’s trying to come back from a trance. “And, no. This is my Gran’s recipe. I thought it was lost, but I found it stuffed in the back of one of these cabinets. I’ve never made them for anyone before.”

Sitting next to her, our height difference doesn’t feel as significant, and her face is closer than it’s ever been. The green in her eyes shifts as she focuses on different parts of my face.

“You made them especially for me, then?” My voice comes out deeper and more gravelly with each bit of our back-and-forth.

“Maybe.”

She has a boyfriend.

Right. I stand abruptly and offer my hand. “Well, enough lazing around, Marsh. Let’s get back to work.”

She takes my hand hesitantly, obviously confused by the sudden shift in my tone. But I had to do something to avoid getting drawn any farther. Gazing into her eyes while all these feelings threaten to bubble up is too confusing and complicated, especially while she’s still in a relationship. I need to switch gears before I do something stupid.

I hand her the pair of gloves I bought specifically for her, and we spend the next hour picking up the remnants of her kitchen cabinets.

We return to the kitchen after hauling everything out to my truck, and Ivy begins sweeping up splinters of wood and dust. Iwatch her for a second before speaking. “If you’re not set on custom cabinets, I think we could pick out some stock ones at a home improvement store, if you’re up for it?”

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