Page 112 of An Investigator For Ivy

If she was secretly hoping for more with Brooks, she wasn’t telling her sisters. She just didn’t need to be knocked down when she started to realize that Brooks was right.

He understood her and saw things in her that others didn’t. Others that knew her so well that they couldn’t see she’d changed and matured.

“I do want to talk to you if you’ve got time,” Ivy said.

“Always for you. It’s about Brooks and what happened last week?”

“Right on the first guess,” she said. She found a seat and sat. “How do you do it?”

“I try to put it from my mind and know that we can’t control much in life, but Luke is careful. He knows what he’s doing.”

And Luke was actually more in harm's way now as a trooper than Brooks was as an investigator. She had to be careful to not slip and say something insensitive like that.

“Brooks does too. And I know what he did the other day was actually not something he’d normally do. He was on duty and just running to the bank.”

“That’s right,” Heather said. “You know as well as I do, Luke would have done the same thing. Zane and Trace would have too and they aren’t even in law enforcement.”

Both Zane and Trace served in the Army with Luke. Zane had been Luke’s commanding officer. They were best friends now.

“I know you’re right. So I’m trying to tell myself that. It’s just so hard.”

Heather reached her hand out and laid it on Ivy’s. “I know it is. My guess is it didn’t cross your mind before and now you can’t get it out even with a sledgehammer and ax pick.”

“That’s it exactly,” she said.

“Are you falling in love with Brooks? I heard you met his parents this weekend.”

She wasn’t surprised that the news traveled so fast. “I am, but I can’t tell anyone that,” she said.

“Why?” Heather asked.

“Because then my sisters will remind me that I’m only going to get hurt. That I knew going in that Brooks didn’t want anything serious and yet I went and let my heart get involved.”

“If he didn’t want anything serious then he shouldn’t have brought you to meet his parents,” Heather said, nodding her head like an authority. “It even took him a while to do it. Have you thought of that?”

“I have,” she said. “Plus, there are times he is just so sweet and gentle. I don’t think anyone else sees it but me. Even his mother commented on it. And then he says stuff that makes me think he is falling for me too.”

“Do you think he’s scared?” Heather asked.

“I thought of it, but then said no. I don’t think Brooks gets scared of much in his life.”

“I thought that about Luke too, but it’s not the case. Tell me more about you and Brooks. I know you want to and feel you can’t. I’m sorry for that and don’t want you to feel that way with me. With anyone, but I can’t control anyone else but me.”

“Thank you for understanding,” she said, moving to hug Heather. “I love my sisters and I know they mean well. They are just trying to protect me. My whole life they’ve been like that.”

“Because you wanted and needed it then. Do you think you do now?”

“I don’t think I do. Just wanting to talk to them like I would any friend isn’t the same, but they can’t seem to see beyond that.”

“Never having a sister I don’t understand as much. But having two protective older brothers I do get some of it. It’s hard for them to see me as an adult, but they finally did. I think your sisters will at some point too.”

“Jasmine will or does more than Dahlia. I don’t understand Dahlia as much. I’m not sure if it’s the age difference or just personalities. She’s always been less happy or outgoing than the rest of us.”

Heather smiled. “I don’t think Dahlia is unhappy at all. She’s just not as social or outgoing as you said. She’s serious and maybe she just feels she has a lot on her shoulders at times. The second oldest, she helped raise you guys. You only had Chase, right?”

Her shoulders dropped. “I never thought of that. I even told Brooks how my father was always working and my mother did it all. I could tell he didn’t like hearing that.”

“We all know your father couldn’t give you what you wanted,” Heather said. “Wanting it isn’t a bad thing and don’t let anyone tell you it is. My mother couldn’t give me what I wanted or needed either. I learned to accept that she couldn’t accept me. We are all at a better place in our lives.”

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