My gaze floats back down to her mouth, and her cheeks tint even darker. I lean closer, just an inch, until I can feel her breath on my lips.
A line of lightning zaps through the sky at the same time a roar of thunder claps in the air.
We jolt apart, and Ivy turns away, hiding her heated face behind her blonde hair.
I bite my bottom lip. My heartbeat rattles in my ears, blood soaring through my body with adrenaline.
I know I should stay away, but I don’t think I’m strong enough to.
For a while, we sit side by side in silence and enjoy the storm.
CHAPTER 15
IVY THOMPSON
The storm flew by our town faster than expected, which is a miracle, so we’re hoping there will be minimal damage. As I approach the kitchen, I glance outside to find my brother standing in the beams of sunlight, not a single cloud in the sky.
Finn has his phone to his ear, a face full of concentration. I decide not to disturb him and turn back to the kitchen to make eggs on toast for breakfast.
When the patio door slides open, I glance over my shoulder as Finn stares down at his screen. “Morning,” I call out to him. “Who was that?”
“Hey.” He taps away at his phone before giving me his full attention. “That was Wendy down at the seafood restaurant at the marina. I got a job there for the summer.”
My brows hit my hairline. “Salty Sea?”
“Yeah.”
I stir my eggs around the pan to make them scramble. “I didn’t know you were looking for a job,” I admit. “But congrats. Proud of you.”
He flashes me a grin and rests his elbows on the counter. “Yeah, I didn’t want to get a job, but I need one if I want to fund this summer.”
“What about your student loan?”
His green eyes flick to mine and he tilts his head. “I spent a lot of it last term, and I desperately need to make the money back.”
“A lot?” I quirk a brow.
He grimaces at my question. “I’m in my overdraft.”
“Oh god.” I turn off the stove. “What were you even spending your money on?”
I watch his shoulders rise and drop dramatically as if the answer is obvious. “Going out, takeaways, you know… the standard student stuff.”
For a moment, I pause as I plate up my breakfast and turn to face him. “Has this got something to do with your excessive drinking?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The fact that you like to drink to the point you almost blackout. You were drunk and you threatened Isaac with digging his grave for him.”
Finn’s eyes widen, and relax the next second. “I was only joking.”
“No, you were about to kill him,” I state.
He waves me off. “So? I had one too many beers. I wasn’t going to hurt the kid. I was just being protective. You know me.”
I snort at his choice of words. “Yeah, you’re right, I do know you, and your drinking habits don’t seem healthy, Finn. If you’ve lost all your money from going out, then that explains how much you must be drinking. And if it’s not alcohol, then it’s drugs, and I pray it’s not the latter.”
“Ivy.” He runs a hand down his face. “You’re reading too much into this. Did you not go out and splash a bit of moneyon alcohol and have a good night out? The last term is always a little chaotic, celebrating exams and papers. It was harmless. I promise.”
