“To yell at my friend for not telling me she needed help. Now that I’m off on summer break, I’ve had plenty of time to help her. She should’ve called me,” she calls out. “Also, I want to borrow a dress for tonight.” She straightens her shoulders and lifts her hand to bang on Ivy’s door.
Ivy’s door swings open, revealing Ivy in only a bra and underwear with a toothbrush sticking out of her mouth. My jaw drops. Holy walking fantasy. When she sees Sophie, she smiles and grabs her by the hand, dragging her into the room and slamming the door.
I’m left there staring, hoping and praying I get to see that bra and underwear later.
25
Wes
I thought seeing the motel room in the light of day would make me realize that maybe it wasn’t that bad. Maybe I over exaggerated the flaws of the building because my emotions were running high, and a motel at night just seems sinister.
I was wrong.
It’s worse in the daylight.
The curtains pulled open, you can see every stain, and every tear and dent in the furniture. It smells like stale cigarettes, and last time I checked, Ivy’s not a smoker. I take stock of Ivy’s belongings. She’s right, it should only be one trip.
“I’ll kind of miss it,” Ivy says. “What?”
I look down at her, and the expression on my face must be pure disgust, because she gets defensive. “Nobody bothered me. It looks bad, but at least I had somewhere to sleep,” she shrugs.
“You always had a place to sleep,” I grumble.
“Easy, big guy.” She pats my chest. “You’re too easy to rile up.”
“Ivy, babe, this place is a dump.” Sophie pipes up, surveying the room with her hands on her hips.
Sophie rarely says an ill word about anything or anyone. So her bagging on this place says a lot, and Ivy knows it.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’ve already chewed my ass out,” Ivy replies. “Let’s get my stuff and go, I want some cotton candy.”
A low whistle echoes through the room, and the three of us turn around at the same time to see Maverick bracing his hands on either side of the threshold.
“Darlin’, you might need a tetanus shot after stayin’ here,” he says, wincing at the interior of the room.
“Oh my god, I get it!” Ivy yells and flaps her arms in the air.
“What are you doing here?” Sophie asks, laughing at her twin.
“I was on my way to the bar to do some work before the fair, and I saw Wes’s truck in the parking lot. Dad told me what happened. Thought I’d come see how moving day was going,” he replies as he inspects a questionable stain on the wall.
I turn to Ivy who is already shaking her head. “For the love of the goddess. So should I expect everyone to know then?”
I tuck her thick, inky hair behind her ear, as my sister answers for me. “Yeah, it’s kind of part of the deal with our family.”
Ivy looks up, turning her bright green eyes on me as if looking for confirmation for what Sophie just said.All I do is nod once, and give her a smirk. She rolls her eyes playfully, smirking back.
“Hey Casanova, you need help with the boxes?” Maverick says, breaking mine and Ivy’s stare.
“Yeah. Come grab one.” I tilt my head to the corner of the room where three large boxes are stacked.
“Be careful, they’re heavy.” Ivy says nervously.
I lift it with ease, giving her a dry look. Then it hits me. “Did you carry these up the steps yourself?” I ask her, my tone serious.
“No?” Ivy says it like a question, wincing.
I roll my eyes, hearing Sophie and Maverick’s snickers as I leave the room and head down to my truck. Just before I get out of earshot I hear Sophie whisper shout, “Oh my god, Ivy. He’s obsessed with you.”
