Page 99 of Trust My Bodyguard

“What else could be the reason?”

“Maybe she’s more important to you than other clients.”

“There’s no favoritism in our security firm, Mom.”

“It could simply be that your heart has chosen its favorite and there’s nothing to be done about it.”

I sigh and rub a tired hand down my face. When did I become obvious? Mom is all the way across town. I doubt she’s seen me with Ivy because I sure as hell haven’t given her those details. Yet, she’s spelled the situation out better than I could articulate.

My heart’s favorite. Ivy would sneer if she heard those words from my lips.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Mom has a satisfied smile on her face.

“What?”

“You’re smiling. You’re thinking about her.”

“Ugh.” I run my fingers through my hair. “Whatever you’re thinking, just stop. Ivy and I would never work. This is just a...” I grasp for a description that minimizes how my heart thumps when I look at her, “a... thing.”

“Mm-hmm.” Mom’s knowing smile grows. “Call it whatever you want but you’d have to face the truth of it very soon, Brody. You like her. I’m sure she likes you too. I saw it that very first day at the bakery. She couldn’t stop staring at you. I almost felt like I was intruding on a special moment.”

“Mom.” I look down at my clutched hands, my face warming up. Leave it to my mom to make me feel like a kid with his first crush. “It’s not—”

“I don’t care what it’s not. I care what is.” Her gaze softens. “You’re a good man, Brody. I know. I raised you. And you’ll make a good woman happy someday. Someday could also be today.” She pauses. “Or in the coming days. Whatever. But don’t throw it away.” Her eyes drift into the distance. “Sometimes we get one and that’s all we get.”

She’s probably thinking about my dad. My heart squeezes. I lean forward and take her hands in mine. “Sometimes we have all we need right from the start.”

“Sweet.” She gives me a small smile. “But you know what I mean. Don’t let her get away because you’re too headstrong to see what’s right in front of you.”

“You could have stopped at ‘away’ and the sentence would have still been completed.”

She laughs and flicks the back of my hand. “Will you tell her how you feel?”

I exhale and recline in my seat. Twice in one day, I’ve been asked to address this thing between me and Ivy. I told Cliff I would, but thinking about it now, doubts cloud my head.

What if Ivy rejects me? What if my confession sours the time we’ve already shared? So many what-ifs.

Giving the advice is easy. Executing it is much harder.

I glance at Mom’s reassuring face. What do Cliff and she see about Ivy? They’ve never endorsed a woman for me like this. My heart has never needed a woman like this, either.

Maybe they see something I don’t. Perhaps I should listen.

Doubts still niggle at me. And mulling over the matter doesn’t clear it up one bit.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Ivy

The conference room buzzes with a low thrum of unspoken tension. Everyone zips around, head down, attention fixed. No idle chatter. No meaningless conversations.

The atmosphere only serves to heighten the tension brewing in my chest.

I’m seeing my father today.

Three days ago, HEY and the police compared notes. The latter agreed they had enough evidence against Luke. But they needed a confession to make it unequivocal. That’s where I came in.

I was handed a phone with the dial tone going off. Everyone hovered around me, watching, waiting. But it was Brody’s eyes I was most aware of.

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