Page 56 of Every Single Wildflower
“I hate the guy as much as you do, but we have to be smart about this. You know he isn’t sloppy if he even did this.” I rub my hands over her shoulders. “Ryder is the one we need to worry about. His fuse has been short lately.”
“Lately?” She scoffs. “He’s been one spark away from detonating as long as I’ve known him.”
I chuckle. “True.”
She presses a kiss to my cheek. “I’ve got some errands to run.” She smiles sweetly, and I know what that smile means.
She’s up to something.
“Ivy,” I warn.
“What?” She tiptoes around me.
“You’re not going over there,” I grit out.
“Where?” She picks up her pace as I follow her to her bedroom.
Her old bedroom. As of today.
“To Bernard’s.”
“And why do you think I would do that?” She snags up her favorite pair of boots, the ones she wore last night. I momentarily lose my train of thought as I picture them secured around my waist.
“Promise me,” I say, crossing my arms.
She pauses, her shoulders sagging. “I just want to talk to him.”
“And what? Ask him if he set your parent’s house on fire?” I ask, my voice growing.
Rocky is bad news, and I plan to keep her as far away from him as possible.
“I don’t know," she says as she shoves the other boot on her foot. “I’m kind of in a panic here.” She springs up from the bed. “If there’s an investigation this halts the insurance money. I’m not sure how much longer the ranch can hold out.”
“And you think confronting him is going to make a difference? We don’t even know if it was him.”
“Who else would it be?” She shouts. “Come on, Maddox.”
“Ok.” I raise my palms. “Baby, all I’m saying isyoudon’t need to be the one to approach him. Let me, Coop, and Ryder handle it.”
“Fine.” She huffs. “But if I see him out in the wild, he’s free game.” She stands, pulling her hair up on top of her head, twisting it up into a bun. “I do need to get to the hospital. I need to help mom and dad get settled.”
She steps up to me, her hands sliding around my waist. “What are you doing today?”
“What I do every day.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Why don’t you take Dakota with you.”
“I’ll ask her. She usually doesn’t have sessions on Sunday’s.”
Dakota is a horse trainer. A damn good one. She’s even better than Cooper. I just don’t want Ivy alone until we figure out what the hell is going on.
“Ok. I’m going to make my rounds.” I lean back, watching the way her eyes hesitantly drift from mine. “Goldie.”
“Mmhm," she responds.
“Do you want to talk about last night?” I ask, knowing her mind is reeling. Mine is too.
Brady showing up first thing this morning isn’t helping either of us.
“Later?” She asks.
