Take Me Now (2 page)
“We could have fun together this summer, you and I.” His gaze never wavers from my face. He’s observing every iota of my reaction to his proposal. The old me would have been insulted and walked away in a huff. But I know what it’s like not to have him in my life. I’ve missed him since he went away, not seeing him around. I had wondered what became of him and now I know. He’s hotter than ever.
“Yeah, we could do that.” I whisper, barely trusting my voice. His eyes glimmer like he’s scored an easy victory, and he probably has. I don’t put up much of a fight to get him to win me over. He knows how vulnerable I am to his charm. He’s been leading me on since I was ten years old. He knows what buttons to push. I’m just flattered that I’m finally the object of his pursuit.
“Good.” He immediately steps away from me. He’s like a hypnotist snapping me out of a trance. I blink a few times to reorient myself to my surroundings. He makes me feel things no one else does. That’s why I’ll never get over him. Maybe if he plays with my heart all summer, I’ll finally cure myself of this ridiculous hold he has over me.
“My boss said to tell you he doesn’t have a check for you yet. But you’ll do everything you can to hold the ad space for him, right?” He gives me that winning smile and I melt inside. He’s using me. It’s so obvious, but I like basking in his attention. It’s like he’s filling a hole in my heart that only he can fix. I’d do anything for him, and the sad part is he knows it.
“Yeah, sure,” I mutter incoherently as he hands me his phone.
“Give me your number.” He’s so demanding but I like it.
While my head is down, a long-legged brunette in a sundress saunters through the door. Will’s focus immediately veers in her direction. Absentmindedly, he pats me on the back and pockets his phone. “See you around, Ivy.”
He’s already deep in conversation with her when I stumble back through the storage room. I have to get out of here. He’s done it to me again, and I’m so sick of feeling like this about myself. I’ll never be good enough for him. That much is clear, but it still hurts. It’s a gnawing ache that never really subsides. It’s so familiar. I thought I was over him. I really did.
After kicking the door of my car, I throw myself behind the wheel and take off down the street, completely forgetting that I’m almost out of gas. I debate whether or not to turn around when I catch a glimpse of Will and that girl strolling down the sidewalk in my rearview mirror. No way am I going to let him see how much he’s upset me. I have one more errand to run at a garden center not far from here. I think I can get there and back without making a complete fool out of myself.
The girl from the
Gazette
was supposed to pick up the photo disk forty-five minutes ago. I can’t wait around all day. I have to transfer the new shipment of fertilizer to the rear lot, but if I leave I’ll probably miss her. For the millionth time, I wish I could hire someone to man the front desk on a permanent basis, but for now, funds are tight. I have to scrape by the best I can until I’m able to earn back some of my initial investment on this place.
I catch a slight movement out of the corner of my eye and see the figure of a girl approaching the garden center on foot. She’s walking very slowly down the dirt road leading to the main gate. Something’s wrong.
The fastest way to get to her is over the grassy knoll at the back of the property. It’s a more direct route but she won’t see me coming until I’m right on top of her. I’m probably going to scare the crap out of her but it can’t be helped. She looks like she’s in some kind of trouble, like she might be injured. The quicker I can get to her, the better.
It’s a tad awkward jogging in my work boots with a tool belt strapped around my waist but it goes with the territory. I’m living my dream so I can’t complain. Well, maybe not everything’s the way I’d like it to be, but I’m running my own business—something I’ve wanted to do since before I can remember. I love being outdoors, and I learned everything I know about horticulture from Gram who won first place in the county fair every year for her rose bushes. Making my living off things that grow is in my blood.
Shep, my Old English Sheepdog, catches wind of my haste and trots alongside me. We bound over the hill, and within seconds we’re at the girl’s side. She’s carrying a pair of heels and limping. Shep, thinking her shoes are some kind of chew toy, hurtles his front paws onto her shoulders. Losing her balance, she starts to fall, but I’m able to slide my arm around her waist in the nick of time. The forward momentum sends her careening into me. Bracing myself, I scoop her into my arms. She drops one of her shoes and Shep runs away with it.
I haven’t held a woman in so long. She feels good pressed against my chest, wisps of her hair tickling my face. I should put her down but I’m caught up in the moment. Her green eyes dance with mine and she relaxes into my hold. The silk of her blouse molds itself to my hand, so utterly soft and inviting. Her face is flushed and her hair is coming undone, and I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.
Her chest rises and falls and I tear my eyes away from the glimpse of her camisole peeking through the buttons. She weighs next to nothing, and without even thinking, I start carrying her back to the garden center. I sense of déjà vu comes over me like I’ve done this a thousand times before, even though I don’t even know her name.
She doesn’t fight the sensation either. Gripping the front of my shirt in her fist, she eases into my embrace like she’s comfortable where she is. It’s not the reaction one usually has after being attacked by a strange dog but I’m fine with it.
If only I were open to the possibility of romance, but I’m not. There’s no way I can be. There are circumstances that can’t be wished away or ignored. My heart’s not ready—not yet. And while this absolutely gorgeous girl has wandered into my life, I’m not going to act on it. It’s too soon.
I stride into my shop, gently placing her on the counter. Her feet are bleeding and she looks like she could use a drink of water. She’s covered in dust from the road but she looks adorable sitting there. I don’t know what it’s like to be in a scenario like this with a girl. I’m used to things being straightforward and laid out before me. This looks like something I could get easily lost in if I’m not careful.
We still haven’t said a word to each other, and I hate to break the silence but it can’t be avoided. “Rest here a minute. I’ll be right back.”
Her hand lingers on my upper arm, her thumb massaging by bicep. I exhale heavily, trying desperately to clear my head. Her touch is stirring things inside me I haven’t experienced in quite some time. Emotions I never thought I’d feel again. “Thank you,” she whispers, her eyes never leaving mine.
“No problem,” I try to say as casually as possible. She’s looking at me like I’m her knight in shining armor and I don’t want her to get the wrong idea. I can’t go down that road again. I just can’t. My soul still isn’t fully healed from the last time. I can’t trust myself in these kinds of situations. I need to back away as gracefully as I can.
In my closet-turned-office, I rummage around for the first aid kit. After finding some Band-Aids, I run a strip of gauze under the faucet in the adjoining bathroom. Before exiting, I pop open the mini-fridge and extract a bottle of water. Thinking I have everything I need, I hurry back to her.
She’s leaning on her hands, taking it all in as she swings her legs from side to side. A breeze from the window rustles her hair and her sparkling eyes land on me. I’m caught in her gaze—trapped, even. I can’t look away. She is completely mesmerizing. There’s something so childlike and innocent about her, but at the same time she’s bewitchingly sexy, even if she doesn’t realize it. There is a wholesomeness to her. When the warmth of her smile lights up her face, it makes me feel comfortable just being around her. I could get addicted to her company. It wouldn’t take much.
“My name’s Ivy Thompson, by the way.” She extends her hand for me to shake. I hesitate because I have dirt caked under my fingernails but I don’t want to be rude. I lightly take her smooth palm with my callused hand. It feels so small and delicate, like the fluttering of a bird’s wing. Something I can easily break if I’m not careful.
“Eric Young,” I say, withdrawing my hand from hers. “This is my place.”
“Ah, so you’re the one I’m supposed to see.” She gasps as I dab the gauze across a nasty cut on her right foot. It must have hurt because she inadvertently spreads her legs wider, distracting me from what I was doing. She’s wearing a skirt, and her movement causes it to ride up a millimeter higher.
“You’re from the
Gazette
, huh? I’ve been waiting for nearly an hour. Where were you?” My intent is to be jovial but the words come out like a snarl. Being so physically close to her has me all worked up inside. I can barely see straight, never mind control my tone of voice.
“I’m sorry. I ran out of gas about a mile back. I had to walk the rest of the way.” She raises her foot just as I’m attempting to apply a Band-Aid. “And well, you see what happened.”
She’s playing it off like it’s no big deal. Maybe she’s not the slightest bit attracted to me and I’m blowing this way out of proportion. If it’s all one-sided, I don’t know if I’ll feel relieved or disappointed.
She twists off the cap on the water bottle and tilts her head back to take a drink. All I can think about is running a trail of kisses down her neck. She doesn’t stop until the bottle is empty. She doesn’t even come up for air. Breathless, she laughs, and I smile back at her. “Do you want another?”
“Nah, I’m good for now.” She’s getting a bit antsy being propped up on the counter. She begins to play with some of the seed packets I have on display next to the register. “I bet as the owner of Riverside Gardens you’re a fan of girls named after a type of vegetation.” She gives me a wink. It’s a lame joke but she still makes it sound funny. “No wonder you came charging to my rescue. That is until your dog bowled me over.”
Securing the last Band-Aid, I stand up with a chuckle. “So you know all about me, do you?” Her face clouds over, and I realize she is familiar with the details of my life. How could she not be? It was all over the news for a month straight. She’s not giving me that pitiful look most people do. Instead, her gaze is direct, like she’d like nothing more than to face the issue head on and get it over with.
“Yeah, and I’m sorry about Cassidy.” And just like that, she puts it out there. There’s no pretending she didn’t say it or skirting around the matter. But I can’t talk about my dead fiancée with a girl who had my pulse pounding a minute ago. It feels like I’m cheating on Cassidy when I’m not. I can’t betray her memory like that.
“Me too.” I want to drop the subject. Ivy doesn’t respond and I’m glad. I don’t want to delve into this with her. It only makes me realize how I’ll never have anything that’s not tainted by the loss of Cassidy. That bitter sadness creeps into everything. It’s inescapable. There’s no relief when every person associates me with her tragic end.
“I don’t want to take up any more of your time. I know you must be extremely busy. I’ll grab your disk and go.” She hops off the counter and grimaces as she lands on her feet.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” I cross my arms in front of my chest, laughing to myself.
“Like what?” She gingerly makes her way to the door, concentrating on where she is stepping.
“Your shoes, for one thing.” I retrieve one of the battered heels off the floor.
“Do you know where your dog ran off with the other one?” She gives me a hopeful look, like with that single gesture I can solve all of her problems. She’s untouched by tragedy. I’m not used to that.
“I’m afraid it’s a lost cause. Shep has probably thoroughly mauled it by now.” The indignation on her face is priceless. She’s speechless at the thought of not being reunited with her fancy footwear. “But I’ll tell you what. In order to make amends for my rascal of a dog, why don’t you pick out a pair of garden clogs from the selection in the corner? My treat.”
“Eric, I can’t go back to work in a pair of clogs. Lauren will kill me. I already went to my placement interview in flip-flops. I don’t need another black mark in her book. Have you seen the way she dresses?” She’s visibly distraught but not so much about her appearance as she is about courting her boss’s favor.
“I’ll be sure to call her up and explain what happened before you get back. You need something to put on your feet.” The last thing in the world I want to do is have a phone conversation with Lauren Price. She’s been pursuing me ever since Cassidy died, showing up at the garden center at odd hours under the pretext of securing ad copy or dropping off an invoice when it could have easily been done via email. There’s no valid reason for her driving a half hour into the country except to see me, and then when she gets here, I can’t get rid of her. One Friday night she stayed until eleven o’clock, refusing to take the hint that I sure as hell wasn’t interested in having her spend the night.
“Really? You’d do that for me?” Ivy’s surprised.
“Not a problem.” I cringe inwardly at the idea of hearing Lauren’s voice in my ear, but I quickly dismiss it as Ivy tries on nearly every pair of clogs that I’m selling. I could sit back and watch her all day.
“These are so comfortable, Eric. I love them.” She clomps around on the rubber soles, deciding on the ugliest utilitarian green color.
“There’s just one problem.” She waddles over to my side, and I can’t resist tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes widen, and I think my touch is affecting her in some way, but Shep barks as he runs by outside, interrupting the moment. I clear my throat before continuing. “We’re going to need to get you some gas. I’ve got some in my shed that I keep on hand for my tractor. It should be enough to get you back to the office.”
“I don’t know what I love more—you or these clogs.” She gives me a playful sort of shove and my heart contracts. I hope for her sake she never falls in love with me.
I’ve just collapsed behind my desk when the intercom on my phone lights up. I’m a sweaty, bedraggled mess, and I haven’t even had a second to catch my breath. I drove like a maniac but I was still late returning to the
Gazette
office. I knew Lauren would want to chew me out for my tardiness. It’s probably the highlight of her day to belittle the new intern into submission.
“Hello?” I pick up the receiver and bite the bullet.
“Get in here. Now.” Lauren’s voice sends a chill down my spine. Before I can answer her, she hangs up. I’m in for it and she hasn’t even seen what I have on my feet. Shuffling down the hall, I try to scope out if Ryan is around, but there’s no trace of him. I could really use a pep talk before entering the viper pit, but it’s not going to happen. I gather my courage and waltz into the room.
“Lauren, I’m an idiot. I thought I had enough…” I freeze when she spins around to face me, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Ivy, it’s okay. Eric explained everything.” It’s like she’s caressing his name with her lips. It makes me want to hurl. What is she, into him or something? He’s way too good for her. Run, boy, run.
“He did?” Playing dumb might work to my advantage, especially since Lauren always likes to think she’s the smartest person in the room.
“I’m actually quite pleased by this turn of events. No question you bungled the situation but Eric saved it from becoming a total fiasco. He’s knows how to prevent things from spiraling out of control and I admire him for it. You’re a wretched case and he took pity on you. I wouldn’t expect anything less from him.” She’s lost in her own reverie. She’s still hurtling insults at me but it’s like she’s forgotten I’m standing there. I’m overcome with queasiness. What if she starts dating Eric? What if that phone call leads to other things…things I don’t even want to imagine? He’s such a sweet guy. I can’t stomach the idea of her sinking her claws into him.
“Here’s his disk.” I hand it over, keeping things strictly business. I don’t want to hear anything more about whatever feelings she may have for Eric.
“Ah, yes. There’s something else I need to discuss with you.” She crosses her legs while pinning me with her gaze. What new task is she about to throw at me now? Despite myself, I begin to tremble. “Eric agreed to sponsor the ad for the film festival since he said you told him you were unable to collect payment for it. It appears he’s quite the film buff and he wants to support the theater as much as he can. He heard they’re having some financial difficulties, and he wanted to step in and help them out.”
I can’t believe Eric was even listening to half the things I rambled on about when he drove me back to my stranded car. I’m impressed that he took the initiative to come to the theater’s rescue. I wonder what kind of movies he likes. Is he into independent films like the ones they’re bound to show at the festival? It makes me all tingly inside to know that we might have more in common than I thought. He’s older, way out of my league, and not to mention totally hot. He carried me like I weighed nothing more than a feather. He must be strong from all of the manual labor he does around the garden center. I could so fall for a man who works with his hands. I bet they’re skilled in other areas as well.
“Ivy, did you hear a word I said?” Lauren’s whiny voice cuts into my daydreams, making me look like an idiot. I better pull it together before her good mood fades. It’d be great if I could keep Eric on speed dial for when she reverts back to her bitchiness. Since her horniness for him is the only attribute making her appear semi-human.
“I’m assigning two stories to you for the next lifestyles edition. You’ll do a little blurb on the line-up for the film festival. Supposedly there’s some UCLA student working up there for the summer who can assist you with all of the details.” She’s talking about Will—my Will. He thought sweet-talking me would get his boss out of paying for the theater’s ad. Wait until he hears he got it for free. He’ll be practically ripping my clothes off the next time he sees me. Yeah, Eric was nice to me and all, but he’s not Will. Just like I’m not Cassidy. Sure, things got a little intense at the garden center, but it was like he was rescuing his kid sister from the neighborhood dog. He was just being a gentleman. He wasn’t trying to sweep me off my feet or anything, right? Whatever. I can’t think about that now. All of my concentration needs to be focused on Will. I have a job to do.
“And the second story, I’ll be overseeing personally.” Lauren inches forward in anticipation. Her eyes brightening like she’s a huntress on the prowl. I have a bad feeling about where this is going. “It’s a profile piece on Eric. You know he’s a very private man, especially after the press besieged him during his ex’s battle with cancer.”
“Cassidy isn’t his ex. He was going to marry her.” Lauren can believe whatever she likes, but Eric was deeply in love with Cassidy. He probably still is. I won’t tolerate Lauren sullying the memory of his late fiancée especially since he can’t be here to defend her himself. It’s the least I can do after the hospitality he showed me this afternoon. God, the nerve of this woman.
“Whatever,” Lauren responds, making a dismissive gesture with her hand like she could care less about how much Cassidy meant to Eric. She’s going in for the kill and nothing’s going to stand in her way, least of all my objections to her insensitivity. “The public has been waiting a long time for a follow-up to Eric’s story, and he hasn’t spoken to a reporter since she died. But I could tell that he opened up to you today. For some inexplicable reason, he trusts you. He doesn’t view you as a threat and you’re going to pounce all over that. You hear me?”
My insides are in knots just contemplating what she’s asking me to do. She wants to manipulate Eric’s good nature to her advantage. She wants the exclusive interview and she wants him—and she’s going to use me to get the whole shebang. This isn’t what I signed up for. This isn’t about being a journalist. It’s about getting a petty bitch what she wants, no matter the cost.
I simply nod, unsure of what to do. Should I stand up to her and tell her no? She’s going to go ballistic if I do. I’m her one connection to the guy she’s been after for quite a while. She’s never going to let me out of this no matter how much I beg and plead. She may very well terminate the internship if I refuse to cooperate with her little scheme. If I plan on finishing my college career at the main campus, I don’t stand a chance if I don’t complete these work experience credits this summer. I’m stuck in an impossible dilemma and I hate it.
“You’re going to research Eric to the nth degree. Comb his Facebook page. See if he has a Twitter account. Follow up on every Google lead. I want to know what makes him tick, what makes him the man he is.” She’s off on a tangent I don’t want to follow. She’s basically turning me into her own little personal matchmaker. I’m to uncover his likes and dislikes and spoon-feed them to her. This has nothing to do with the story and she knows it. Yet she has the audacity to think I’m not onto her. I know what she’s trying to pull. I’m not stupid. I mean, I’m a girl too. We do insane things when it comes to guys. I’m no exception, but she’s crossing a line by having me stalk the object of her obsession.
“That’s it. Now get to work.” She claps her hands, shooing me out the door as she pulls up Eric’s Facebook page on her computer. Furiously scribbling on the notepad in front of her, she doesn’t even notice when I stick my tongue out at her bent head.
Shielding myself against the internal fury building inside of me, I bump into Ryan coming out of the break room with two Dr. Peppers in hand. That image is the only thing that can make me smile after the disturbing episode with his deranged stepsister. It’s so good to see him. I’m glad he’s still here.
“Nice shoes,” he teases, pointing at my feet. “Care to step outside so I can have a smoke?”
He’s well aware that I’m not a fan of his nicotine habit, but just this once I’ll overlook it. I need to get out of here or I’m going to suffocate on the hostility floating through the air as Lauren via speaker phone starts issuing a tirade upon the graphic designer for using the wrong headline on page five. Her good mood sure lasted long, didn’t it?
“Ry, let’s get the hell out of here. Lead the way.” I tuck my arm under his as he hands me one of the soda cans. It’s been our tradition ever since we were young. When one of us is having a bad day, the other supplies the Dr. Pepper. It’s one of the unwritten rules of our friendship.
We were next-door neighbors until Ryan’s parents split when his father got caught having an affair with Lauren’s mother. He ended up leaving his wife to marry her. So Ryan moved into a tiny apartment with his mom and his dad legally adopted Lauren. But before all of that drama occurred, Ryan would yell under my bedroom window and I’d come outside to play. We’d ride our bikes, go swimming, or explore one of the numerous paths through the woods either catching tadpoles or picking blueberries. But we’d always have a can of Dr. Pepper with us. It’s one of the things that’s carried over from our childhood.
After tromping down the stairs, we’re out the door, and I can finally breathe. The atmosphere in there is so oppressive. Can Ryan feel it too? He seems all right to me. Maybe he’s used to the way his stepsister behaves. I just wish he had given me more of a warning before I signed up for this miserable gig.
He lights up and takes a drag before he’s ready to talk. Thankfully, he blows the smoke away from me and not in my face to taunt me, which he’s known to do. He must really be feeling bad about having gotten me into this situation.
“So how’s your first day going?” He seems wary of my answer, like he doesn’t want to hear the truth. Let me throw him a curveball instead.
“I saw Will.” I tread carefully as he squints before shaking his head.
“No shit?” It’s more of a rhetorical question but I can tell he’s upset that the guy I’ve been fixated on forever somehow wormed his way back into my life. Ryan knows what Will’s put me through in the past. I can’t blame him for his lack of enthusiasm for his reappearance on the scene.
“You thought I was gonna complain about your stepsister, didn’t you?” I punch him in the shoulder and he staggers back theatrically.
Taking a sip of Dr. Pepper, he runs a hand through his blond hair before studying me with his baby blue eyes. “Nah, I know she’s tough. She goes through interns like most people change socks. Not many can put up with her, but I know you can handle it for three months. You’re no cry baby.”
I notice that he let the subject of Will fall by the wayside. Is he jealous? I can’t tell. He’s always been overprotective of me even though I’m the older one. But for some reason, he’s always viewed Will as a threat to my happiness. If I told him to back off, he wouldn’t. He’d want to rip Will’s face off and eat it for breakfast. That’s how much he can’t stand the guy. I don’t want to provoke him but he has to know what’s going on.
“Yeah, I can suck it up for the summer, but I think I’d have to shoot myself if I had to stay here. Besides, she just assigned me a story to do on Will.” I wedge my clog against the doorframe, waiting for him to explode.
“What the f—?” He advances on me and I hold up my hands in surrender.
“I know. It’s messed up, right? But it’s cool. I can handle myself around him.” I take a long swig to keep from looking at him.
“Sure you can.” Just by the sarcasm dripping from his voice, I know he’s glaring at me. Friends don’t lie to each other. What am I hoping to prove anyway? Ryan knows me better than I know myself sometimes.
“Listen, it goes with the job. He’ll be back in California come August. Gone and forgotten, once and for all. I just have to get through this interview with him. I promise I won’t torment myself with knowing he has my number but never calls.” I shouldn’t have shared that last bit of information but I couldn’t resist.
“You’re a damn fool, Ivy. You know that, right? If you want to put yourself through some new level of psychological torture with that asshole, that’s your business. But I don’t have to listen to it.” He stomps out his cigarette and starts walking backward through the parking lot.
“Where the hell are you going?” I begin to panic. I don’t want our conversation to end like this.
“Home. I’m done for the day.” His back is to me now and I see his shoulders slump in defeat. Is he really that disappointed in me? Why does he care so much about what happens with Will? It’s not like I’m going to get my happily ever after where he abandons the Hollywood high life and settles down with me. I’m not that naïve, but I wouldn’t mind a make-out session or two in the back of his car before he vanishes from my life again. I’ve been waiting a long time to recapture what it was like having him as my first kiss. Sure, it was a game of spin the bottle at Johnny Hoover’s thirteenth birthday party, but it was still magical to me.
“Call me later!” I practically beg as Ryan drives up next to me.
“Won’t you be having phone sex with Will?” He rolls his eyes as he leans out of his Jeep.
“You know I only come for you.” I bat my lashes provocatively and he scowls. He has to learn if he’s going to give it, he has to take it.
Someone is tapping on the window above us. I look up and see Lauren ordering me back inside. She must be livid having caught me with Ryan but I’m not going to deny my friend for anyone. He’s too important to me to throw away over some stupid job. Lauren can kiss my ass.
“Ivy, just be careful.” His engine is idling like he doesn’t want to let me go, like I’m traveling to some dark place where he can’t follow.
“I will, Ry. I promise I won’t do anything dumb.” I give him a lopsided grin and blow him a kiss.
He pretends to grab it and place it next to his heart. “Bye, Ivy.”
“Bye, Ry.” For a second, I experience a devastating sensation of loss as he pulls away. Silly, I know. I’ll see him soon. But something about our friendship seems different, changed somehow. Like a part of it has splintered and it’s never coming back.
