Then Lincoln dropped the bomb that his childhood best friend, and honorary Cooper brother, Beau Fletcher is moving back to town. My eyes instantly cut to my sister. Nobody but me noticed how Sophie stiffened at the news, but I decided not to bring attention to it as repayment for her taking the heat of everyone's focus earlier. We’re even now.
It’s my dad and Lincoln’s turn to do dishes. They're in the kitchen, and the rest of us are shooting the shit in the living room. Lilah is in the corner, hammering away at the piano, as everyone else manages to talk over the loud and off-key music.
Ivy and Sophie sit next to each other on the couch, laughing hysterically as Ivy tries to grab Sophie’s phone out of her hands. Maverick and Mom are deep in conversation on the opposite couch, and I’m in the love seat watching it all.
Ivy fits in well here. She weaved into the fold without even trying.
I see Ivy stand and kiss Sophie on the cheek, then move over to my mom to do the same. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eye, she licks her finger and sticks it directly into Mavericks ear as her farewell.
“God, gross, Ivy!” he shouts, and swipes at his ear with a disgusted look on his face.
Ivy just walks away with an evil smirk.
This woman.
She makes her way over to me, her gaze flicking up to meet mine briefly before dropping again. She toys with a loose thread on the arm of the couch before murmuring quietly, “Thanks for inviting me, I had a good time.”
Then she turns and yells out to Lilah over the loud piano, “Goodbye, my sweet Delilah Mae Cooper! I’ll see your beautiful face in the morning!”
“Bye, Iby!” she calls out without taking her eyes off the keys.
I push off the couch and follow her to the door where she reaches for her purse. “I’ll walk you out.”
She looks over her shoulder at me. “That’s okay, you don’t need to. I can walk myself.”
“Wasn’t askin’,” I reply, and swing the door open, sweeping my hand through the air to usher her out.
“Alright, bossy,” she mutters under her breath, then steps outside.
If she only knew.
We walk in silence down the gravel road, and the once pink sky has now turned deep blue and violet. The only sounds are the rocks crunching beneath our shoes and the steady singing of the crickets. It stays that way for a few minutes, and the strange thing is, it’s not uncomfortable. It doesn’t feel like the kind of silence that needs to be filled.
Hands in my pockets, I finally give Ivy a sidelong glance.
My eyes travel over her, savoring every inch I can. Hopefully the quickly darkening sky is hiding my discreet, but thorough perusal of her body. Ivy is like a walking fantasy, and it’s damn near impossible not to look. I’m lost in thoughts of professionalism and boundaries when she breaks the silence first.
“What?” she says, her voice cutting through the quiet night.
My head snaps to face her. “What?”
I look down, and the bright moonlight lets me see the all-too-knowing smile taking over her face. It’s equal parts smug and sweet.
“You’re staring at me,” she teases, arching an eyebrow. “You’re not very sneaky, Wesley Reginald Cooper.”
I pray the darkness hides the heat crawling up my neck. I turn my head to face forward. “Not my middle name,” I grumble.
I’m caught red handed, and refuse to look at her. It’s like we pass the power of making the other blush, like a game. I like it far more than I should.
“I’ll get it right, sooner or later,” she replies, her voice full of amusement.
I let her words hang in the air, grateful she took pity on me and is content with just calling me out, not pressing any further.
“What’s the favor?” she asks.
My brows lower. “What?”
“The favor you need from me. Remember?”
