Wicked Beginning: An Ivy Morgan Mystery Books 1-3 (14 page)

“How was your date yesterday?” Michael asked, watching Ivy as she settled on the ground and went to work on a hydrangea.

“It wasn’t a date.”

“I think it was.”

“You need to stop listening to the crap Max is feeding you and realize that I’m not the dating sort,” Ivy said. “I just … don’t want to deal with it.”

“I know you’ve had some bad luck in that department,” Michael said. “Not all men are strong enough to handle a woman like you. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any out there. Look at your mother. She’s not normal, and I’ve still managed to love her with my whole heart. You could find that.”

“I’m not having this discussion.”

“I like Jack,” Michael said. “He seems like a standup guy.”

“He’s dealing with stuff of his own,” Ivy said. “He’s not looking for a relationship either.”

“Maybe that means you two are perfect for each other.”

“Or maybe it means we could do some real damage to each other,” Ivy countered. “Dad, I love you. I know you just want me to be happy. I am happy, though. I don’t need a man to complete me.”

“I didn’t say you did,” Michael said. “I just … you’re looking for something, Ivy. You might not want to admit it. I see it, though. No, don’t argue. I’m your father. I know you.

“Jack might not be what you’re looking for,” he continued. “I might be way off base. If I am, I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted.”

Michael frowned. “I’m not way off base. You like him. The sooner you admit it the easier things will be on you.”

“Stop it!” Ivy slammed her hands down on the ground, irritated. “Even if I wanted to pursue something with Jack, it’s not an option. He has gone through something … terrible. He’s healing. He does not want a relationship. We’re not right for each other.”

Michael’s face softened. “What do you mean he’s gone through something terrible?”

“Something bad happened to him,” Ivy said, her mind drifting to the scars on his chest. “I don’t know what it is, but I do know it was truly awful.”

“Maybe you can help him,” Michael suggested.

“You can’t help someone who doesn’t want help,” Ivy said, climbing to her feet and dusting off the back of her skirt. “Jack knows what kind of life he wants, and I’m not a part of it.”

Ivy squared her shoulders and pasted a bright smile on her face for her father’s benefit. “Now, I’m going to go over to the tree lot and see if anyone needs help. Are you good here?”

“I’m good,” Michael said. He watched his daughter walk away from him, her head hung low. She’d always been good at lying to herself, but he could see she was starting to question those lies. He had no doubt Jack Harker was the reason why. Now he just had to figure out if Jack was really worthy of Ivy’s heart because there was no way she could tolerate it being broken again.

He had an idea.

“THESE
are beautiful.”

Ivy lifted her head from the small sapling she was pruning and almost fell over when her gaze landed on Chad and Heath. If she hadn’t seen the two of them the day before she wouldn’t have recognized them. Instead of the attention-grabbing robes, the men were dressed down in simple jeans and T-shirts. The robes must be relegated to home use, Ivy mused.

“Hi, Chad. I … what are you doing here?”

“Well, after seeing you yesterday, I remembered that you opened a nursery,” he said. “We’ve been looking for some trees to plant on the south side of the property, and I figured you would have some great stock.”

“Sure,” Ivy said, keeping her face neutral. “I can even give you a deal … since we’re old friends.”

“Hi, Ivy,” Heath said shyly.

“Hello, Heath,” Ivy said, leery.
Did he tell Chad we were spying yesterday? Was that why Chad was really here?
“How are you today?”

“Good,” Heath said. “I’m really good.”

“That’s great.” Ivy decided to feign innocence. If Chad had the guts to question her about the spying she would tackle it then. “Do you know what kind of trees you’re looking for?”

“I’m open to suggestions.”

“I … okay. Well, for that property, I think something that flowers might be beautiful. Since you guys are growing your own food up there, cherry trees would be a nice fit. You could eat the fruit and enjoy the blooms.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Chad said. “I never would’ve thought of something like that.”

“Well … I aim to please.”

“You always have,” Chad said. “I … um … .” He glanced at Heath. “Could you give me a few moments alone with Ivy? We need to catch up, and I’d prefer doing it in private.”

Heath shifted, crestfallen. “But … .”

“I’m sure Ivy will grace you with her presence when we’re done.”

“Sure,” Heath said. “I’ll just look around.”

“You do that.” Once Heath was out of earshot Chad turned back to Ivy. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see you. You look … amazing.”

Without an audience, Ivy was having a hard time holding on to feigned pleasantries. “You look like a reject from a bad Broadway revival.”

“That’s not very nice.”

“I call it like I see it.”

“I see you’re still mad about my … indiscretion … on the camping trip,” Chad said. “I really am sorry for what I did. I was lost during that time of my life. That’s not an excuse, but I am sorry.”

“It’s been almost ten years,” Ivy replied, nonplussed. “I’m pretty sure I’m over it.”

“You don’t seem like you’re over it. I understand if you’re still hurt. First love runs deep.”

He was awfully full of himself. “You weren’t my first love, Chad,” Ivy said. “You were my first infatuation. There’s a difference. You might think you crushed me when you slept with Maisie, but I already knew you’d cheated on me with at least three other girls. It wasn’t quite the heartbreak you think it was.”

Chad balked. “I … how did you know?”

“People couldn’t wait to tell me,” Ivy said. “I was the weird girl who snagged the high school athletic god. People didn’t understand it, and they couldn’t wait to topple it.”

“That’s terrible,” Chad said. “I had no idea.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ivy said, waving off his faux sympathy. “I was looking for a reason to break up with you when I stumbled upon you and Maisie. It was actually a relief.”

“W-w-what do you mean?”

“We both knew we weren’t in it for forever,” Ivy said. “I just didn’t want to be the bad guy and break up with you when you were going through so much. It was a decade ago, Chad. I’ve let it go. Don’t worry that you somehow crushed me.”

Ivy knew what she was doing when she made the admission. She was curious how he would react. She wasn’t going to be disappointed.

“You were going to break up with me? I don’t understand. That’s just … I was a catch. I was the best you were ever going to get.”

There he is.
There’s the personality Chad always struggled to hide. Even before his life fell apart, he was there. Ivy just hadn’t realized it until she was in so deep she could barely crawl out.

“I guess that’s how you want to see it,” Ivy said. “That’s not how I see it. Now, how many trees do you want?”

“You wait just a second … .”

“MR. MORGAN?”

Jack studied Ivy’s father with somber eyes and trepidation. When the man called asking Jack to stop by the nursery when he had a chance, Jack didn’t know what to think. He was still confused. Michael hadn’t left him with much room to argue, though, so here he was.

Michael brightened when he saw Jack. “You didn’t have to rush out here,” he said. “I know you’re busy.”

“You made it sound like it was important.”

“It is,” Michael said. “It’s not more important than a murder investigation, though.”

“We’re still in the middle of things,” Jack said, confused. “I had a few minutes. Is something going on? Did something happen to Ivy?”

Michael pressed his lips together, fighting the urge to smile. “I don’t know. Are you going to make something happen to Ivy?”

Now Jack was really confused. “I … what?”

“Listen, son, I don’t know you well, so I’m reluctant to broach a sensitive subject like this with you,” Michael said. “The problem is, my love for my daughter outweighs any conversational norms I might ordinarily cling to.”

“I don’t understand.”

“My daughter is struggling with … something … where you’re concerned,” Michael said. “She won’t admit it. She’s lying to herself. There’s something about you that vexes her.”

“Vexes?”

“She likes you.”

“Sir … .” Jack was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. “I don’t think this is something we should be talking about.”

Michael ignored him. “She’s warm for your form, boy. I don’t know how you did it, but you’ve turned the woman who doesn’t want anyone into the woman that won’t admit she wants you.”

“Sir, you seem like a good man,” Jack said, forcing himself to remain calm. “You seem like a great father. Ivy and Max are a testament to something, and I have a feeling it’s their upbringing.

“That being said, your daughter and I are not romantically involved,” he continued. “She’s not interested in me. As … delightful … as I find her, I’m not interested either. I’m not looking for a relationship.”

“She told me.”

“She did?”

“She told me all of that,” Michael said. “She told me she’s not interested in you and that you’re not interested in her.”

“Why am I out here then?”

“You’re both terrible liars,” Michael said. “I see the way you look at her, and she’s just a bundle of energy right now. That’s because of you.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” Jack said. “I’m not lying to you. I’m not involved with your daughter, and I have no intention of changing that. I don’t want to be involved with anyone.”

Michael chuckled, the sound low and throaty. “I see you’re just as stubborn as my Ivy,” he said. “I guess I’m just going to have to leave you two to muddle through this on your own.”

“We’re not going to muddle through anything.”

“You’re lying to yourself, son,” Michael said. “I guess that’s your prerogative. This isn’t any of my business. I promise to stay out of it from here on out. I just want to make you aware of one thing.”

Jack waited.

“If you break her heart, I’ll break your neck.”

Jack was surprised by the threat, especially since Michael delivered it with a wide smile. “I have no intention of getting anywhere near Ivy’s heart.”

“Good enough,” Michael said, shrugging. “I’m sorry to have interrupted your day. I hope you solve your case soon.”

Jack did, too. The faster he could distance himself from Ivy and her crazy family, the faster he could claim the life he really wanted.

“TAKE
your hands off me,” Ivy warned, glaring at Chad as he gripped her elbow with enough force to whiten his knuckles. “I will hurt you if you don’t.”

“I don’t think I like your attitude,” Chad said. “I’m the man here. You need to treat me with respect.”

Ivy attempted to rip her elbow away from Chad, but that only resulted in him digging his fingers in deeper. “Ow!”

“Apologize.”

“Bite me,” Ivy shot back.

“Apologize.”

“Let me go right now!”

Ivy took an involuntary step back when Chad’s grip suddenly eased. Before she realized exactly what was going on, Jack was between them and he had a harsh grip around the front of Chad’s shirt. “Don’t ever touch her.”

Chad jerked away, casting a dark look in Jack’s direction. “You.”

“Me,” Jack agreed.

“Don’t ever put your hands on me,” Chad said. “You won’t like what happens if you do.”

“Then don’t put your hands on her,” Jack said. “What are you even doing here?”

“I was going to buy some cherry trees,” Chad said. “I think that ship has sailed.”

“Good,” Jack said. “Follow your ship to the parking lot and get your ass out of here. I’m not joking.”

“Is this your property?”

“No,” Jack said.

“Is she your property?”

“No.”

“Then mind your own business,” Chad said.

“Listen, I don’t know what you think you’re doing, and I don’t know what you hoped to accomplish by coming here, but if you don’t leave right now I’ll arrest you,” Jack threatened.

“On what charges?”

“Disturbing the peace.”

Chad looked like he was going to argue further, but instead straightened his shoulders. “You two need to stay away from my property, too,” he said. “If I catch you spying out there again, I’ll have you arrested.”

Well, that answered that question. “Don’t come back here, Chad,” Ivy said. “You’re not welcome.”

“Oh, Ivy, don’t let regrets about the past cloud your future.”

“Oh, Chad, fire that fortune cookie writer who scripts your little platitudes,” Ivy shot back. “They don’t work on me.”