Page 7 of Compelling Urges

Bodhi looked into his mug of coffee and blew out his breath. “I don’t know about working other than managing the investments I have. Maybe I’ll take a breather while I figure that out. I have no plans to sell the house, and if you both want to stay, I’ll take Cooper’s old room. It’s fine. I do need to buy a car pretty soon, though, since I doubt anyone is going to want to chauffeur me around.”

Cooper squinted at Bodhi while Ivy snorted and muttered, “You got that part right.” Then she looked him square in the eyes and asked, “So, are you a voyeur now?”

“Are you an exhibitionist?” Bodhi countered.

“I liked it,” laughed Cooper.

They both stared at him.

“What? It’s true. And don’t try to deny that the two of you got off on it either.”

Ivy’s face went scarlet, and she self-consciously reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. As she did so, the sun glinted off her ring, and Bodhi’s eyes suddenly went huge.

“What the hell is that on your finger, Ivy?” he rasped.

She held up her hand and looked at it as if she were seeing it for the first time as well. Her expression was unreadable.

Cooper broke the silence by announcing in a voice that was a little too loud, “I asked Ivy to marry me a few days ago, and she said yes.” He had a huge smile on his face as he reached his hand toward Bodhi as if expecting his friend to shake it in congratulations.

Bodhi just stared at Ivy, then he silently stood, walked back into the house, and headed to his new bedroom. He didn’t emerge again until the next morning. By then, Cooper had gone to work. Ivy was home because it was Monday, and her gallery was closed.

Chapter 8

Bodhi found Ivy staring at her computer in the kitchen. She had coffee and a muffin sitting next to her laptop, but she seemed to be ignoring both. Bodhi poured himself a mug and located a fresh muffin for his breakfast before he sat down across from her. He took a healthy bite and exclaimed, “These are great. Did you bake them?”

“Uh-huh,” she answered without looking at him.

“Ivy.”

“Hmm?” Her eyes were still on the computer screen.

“I need to talk to you.”

“So talk. No one’s stopping you.”

“Can you stop staring at nothing and look at me, please?”

She sighed and closed the laptop lid, raising her eyes to his with a cautious expression. “What?”

“I’ll never be able to apologize enough for leaving you the way I did. It was cowardly and rude. I’m so sorry. You have no idea.”

“Look, what’s done is done. It hurt like hell, but I got over it,” she lied. “You made your point by leaving, and I’ve moved on.” She took a swallow of her coffee and started fiddling with the paper cup on her muffin.

Regarding her downcast eyes once again, Bodhi said, “Well, it wasn’t honest, and I was a total fool.”

Her eyes snapped to his. “What are you talking about?”

“I was too fixated on all of the wrong things to admit how much I was in love with you, and I wasn’t even honest with myself.” He heard Ivy give a small gasp as he continued, “I’ll be sorry about that for the rest of my life.” He reached toward her as if to grasp her hand, but she pulled away. “Are you happy with Cooper?”

“Yes. I am. ItrustCooper.” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him, mistrust evident on her face. “How convenient for you that you finally came to your senses when you know you’re way too late. Don’t go trying to undermine what I have with him, Bodhi. I know how controlling you can be. You stomped on my heart, and I sure don’t want to go there again, so stay out of it.”

“I missed you so much. You have no idea,” he whispered.

“Are you delusional? Not one word of apology from you for a whole year, and you never even checked to see if I was alive! You can’t mean what you’re saying because you have no heart, Bodhi. None!” Her voice grew in volume and passion, and she seemed to be fighting tears. “Did someone dump you in London and that sent you packing? Did you want to come back to poor little Ivy who must be sitting around pining for her long-lost love or some crazy shit like that?” Her huge brown eyes seemed to be throwing daggers at him. “Did you get a taste of what it feels like to be abandoned and forgotten?”

“Hardly,” he scoffed. “And I knew you were doing okay because Cooper mentioned you now and then when he’d text me.”

“Big whoop.”

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