Chase the Blues Away (Summer Lake Seasons Book 4)

by SJ McCoy

  “I like the sound of that. Are you ready for it?”

  “I think I am. I’m ready for you and me. My hesitation is what I still need to do for my mom.”

  “I think that, too, will work out the way it’s supposed to.”

  “I hope so.”

  Ivan did, too. He was thrilled that Abbie felt the same way he did—that they’d both spoken those three little words. He was filled with hope, but there was some trepidation. He was thinking about a future for Abbie and him. He wanted her mom to be a part of it—but not a central part. He understood Abbie’s desire to take care of her, but he hoped that her desire to take care of herself was stronger.

  ~ ~ ~

  Michael and Megan’s house was gorgeous. It was just a little farther down Main Street from Ivan’s place. Abbie looked around the living room. It might not be far away in distance, but it was a whole world away from Ivan’s in the way it felt. This was a family home, there was no mistaking that fact. There were pictures of Michael and Megan and their two boys. There were shelves filled with books and toys. There were so many little touches that no designer would ever have put there, but that gave the place its warm and welcoming style.

  Right now, it was filled with people, too. Cassie was standing in a corner, chatting to Renée and her husband, Gabe. Missy was sitting on the sofa chatting with Emma and Holly, while Michael was in the hallway with Jack and Pete. So many familiar faces, but Abbie was most interested in one she didn’t know so well—Merry hadn’t arrived yet.

  “There you are!” Megan came toward her with a smile. “I was just telling Merry I wanted to introduce her to you.” She frowned. “And to Ivan and his friend. Where is he?”

  “He’ll be along in a little while.”

  “Oh. Okay. Do you want to come into the kitchen where it’s quieter? She’s more comfortable in there.”

  “Oh, so that’s where she is?”

  “Yeah. I thought I was bad at meeting new people, but she’s even worse. She doesn’t want to come out here, so would you mind coming in there?”

  “Sure. It looks like she and Neil are a perfect match.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Ivan’s gone over to his place to make sure he comes. It sounded like he was on the verge of chickening out.”

  Megan laughed. “I didn’t even tell Merry he was coming. She probably would have locked herself in her house and not come out if she knew.”

  “Aww. I hope this isn’t going to be too difficult for them.”

  Megan stopped at the kitchen door. “It’s not like we’re going to lock them in a room together. All we’re doing is giving them the opportunity. It’s up to them what they do with it—or if they do anything at all. Come on.” She opened the kitchen door, and Abbie smiled at the girl who was standing there looking nervous.

  “Merry, this is Abbie.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “You, too,” said Abbie. “I’m glad you came.”

  “You are, why? I think I’ve seen in you the library, but we don’t know each other.”

  “No, but I’d like to. I heard you haven’t made many friends here yet.”

  “No. I’m not very good at that sort of thing, and to be honest …” She looked at Megan. “I don’t think this is the best way for me to start. I know there are dozens of people out there, and I don’t think I can do this. I need to go.” She started toward the back door.

  “Just stay a little while,” said Megan.

  “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  Abbie could see that the poor thing was in a panic. “If you’re leaving, would you mind if I come with you?”

  Merry gave her a puzzled look. “Why?”

  “Well, because if a whole bunch of people is too much, maybe one on one would be better.”

  “Okay.” Abbie was relieved to see her smile.

  “What about Ivan?” asked Megan. Though Abbie knew she was really asking about Neil.

  “I can call him, tell him I’ll meet up with him later.”

  “Okay. I’ll give you a call over the weekend, Merry.”

  “Thanks.” She was very pretty when she smiled. The hostile vibe she’d been giving off at first was just nerves, Abbie was now sure.

  They went out the back of the house, and it was only when the cold hit her that Abbie remembered her coat. “I need to go back for my coat; I’m guessing you left yours, too?”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry. When I get like that, I just need to get away. Freezing on my way home is preferable to going back in there.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll go back in for them.”

  Inside, she grabbed her coat, and Megan gave her Merry’s. She hurried back out and wasn’t surprised that Merry was already shivering when she got there.

  Once they were both bundled up, Abbie offered Merry her arm. “Where are we going?”

  “I live at the end of Maple.”

  “Okay, want to link with me so we can keep each other from slipping?”

  Merry slipped her arm through Abbie’s and started walking. “You don’t need to come with me, you know.”

  “I know, but don’t you want to get to know me? I’m not that bad, I promise.”

  Merry shot her a sideways glance. “I didn’t think you were.”

  “Good.”

  They walked in silence for a little while, and it reminded Abbie of her walk into town with Neil. It was awkward, but she didn’t know how to make it any better. She slowed when they came in sight of Ivan’s house and smiled when she saw his car in the driveway.

  “Would you mind very much if we stop in to see a friend of mine? He lives just here.”

  “That’s okay. You go and see him. I can get myself home.”

  Abbie frowned. She so wanted this to work out somehow. Then she remembered. She’d made a promise to herself that she was going to be open and honest with herself and everyone else. She wondered if that might work out now with Merry. There was only one way to find out. “I’d like you to come. I’d like to introduce you to him, and I think he has his friend with him.”

  Merry shook her head rapidly. “Thanks, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “What if I told you that his friend is Neil? And that he was bringing Neil to Megan’s place because he wanted to see you.”

  Merry’s cheeks flushed crimson. “Neil?”

  Abbie nodded.

  “He was coming to see me?”

  She nodded again.

  “Oh.”

  “What do you say?”

  “I … I don’t think I can.”

  “Sure, you can. It won’t be a big crowd, not like at Megan’s.”

  She shook her head. “I can barely talk to him when he comes into the library. There’s no way I could do it with two strangers watching.”

  Abbie pulled out her phone. “Well, I need to tell Ivan that we’re not at Megan’s anymore. Should I tell him that you’re going home and that Neil won’t get to see you?”

  Merry looked so torn it was almost comical.

  “This is your chance if you want to take it.”

  Merry grimaced. “I want to, but I don’t know if I can.”

  “Just dive in; be brave.”

  She blew out a sigh. “Okay. But if I run out the back door, just let me go?”

  Abbie chuckled. “Can I at least come after you to give you a ride home?”

  “Maybe.”

  Abbie dialed Ivan’s number and waited.

  “Hey, Abbs. We’ll be there soon. Neil just needed a bit of time to steel his nerves. We’re at my place.”

  Abbie grinned at Merry. “Oh, so he’s nervous to the point of freaking out too?”

  Merry’s eyes widened at that.

  “Yeah. Though he’s more nervous about the house full of people than about Merry.”

  “Well. Merry didn’t like the house full of people either. So, we’re just outside your place. I was going to bring Merry in, but I thought I should warn you first.”

  I
van chuckled. “Awesome. I’ll tell him. See you in a minute. I’ll open the gate.”

  As they walked up the driveway. Merry clutched at Abbie’s arm. “I’m scared.”

  “Of what?”

  “That I won’t know what to say to him.”

  “You’ll be fine. He's as nervous as you are. You’ll get past it.”

  “I hope so.”

  They both looked up as the front door opened. They were still halfway down the drive, but Ivan grinned at her, and Neil looked scared to death. Abbie squeezed Merry’s arm. “You can do this. You like him, right?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, he likes you, too. The logical thing to do is to talk to each other so you can find out if there’s anything to this mutual attraction.”

  Merry finally smiled. “Thank you. You just said the magic word.”

  “I did? What?”

  “Logic. I can do the logical thing—and my behavior so far hasn’t been logical. In fact, it’s been downright irrational. Now I can talk to him because it’s the logical thing to do.”

  Abbie chuckled. “Awesome. Come on, then.”

  When they reached the house, Ivan smiled at Merry. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Merry. I’m Ivan. I work with Neil, and I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Neil shot him a panicked look, but Merry smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Thank you for this.” She turned to Neil. “I was on my way home. Would you like to walk with me?”

  He nodded rapidly. “I … I … Would you like to go to Giuseppe's for dinner?”

  Abbie tensed, hoping that wasn’t asking too much. To her relief, Merry nodded. “Yes. Yes, I would.” She let go of Abbie’s arm and smiled at her. “Thank you.”

  Abbie smiled back. “You are most welcome. I hope you have a lovely evening.”

  Neil smiled at them. “I believe we will. Shall we go?”

  Merry nodded, and they walked away.

  Abbie and Ivan exchanged a glance and then watched them go.

  “Can you believe that?” asked Ivan once they were out of earshot.

  Abbie laughed. “I wouldn’t if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

  Ivan laughed with her. “Well, we did our bit. It’s up to them what they do with it from here.”

  “I think it might just work out.”

  “I hope so. But …” He held his hand out to her. “I’m more interested in this working out.”

  She followed him up the steps and into the house.

  “I thought we had an evening out with a bunch of friends. Now, it seems we’re at a loose end. Can you think of anything we might do to fill the evening?” He closed his arms around her with a smile.

  “Hmm.” She touched the front of his pants. “I can think of a couple of things.”

  He unfastened her coat and slid his arms inside. “Want to tell me about them?”

  She laughed. “I was hoping you might tell me what you’d like to do with me.”

  He pushed her skirt up around her waist and rocked his hips against her. “I’ll do better than that; I’ll show you.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  When Ivan opened his eyes on Saturday morning, he curled his arm around Abbie and hugged her closer to him. She gave a little grunt and snuggled against him but didn’t wake. He smiled. He loved it when she stayed over at his place. Of course, he loved what they got to do at night—and during the night, but he thought that maybe he loved this more, this feeling of closeness in the morning. When she’d had to get up and go to work, they’d only had a few minutes, but she was off today. He kissed her hair, breathing in her scent. He could get used to this.

  She looked over her shoulder and gave him a sleepy smile. “Is it time to wake up?”

  “Not if you don’t want to.”

  She wriggled her ass against him. “I could be persuaded.”

  He’d thought he should leave her be, but that was an invitation he wasn’t about to turn down. He closed his hand around her breast, and the little moan she made had him fully awake. Just as he was thinking about turning her onto her back, she stretched her leg back over his hip.

  He lowered his head and nibbled her neck. “You don’t want to turn over?”

  She shook her head and rocked her hips back against him.

  He trailed his fingers down over her ribcage, on down over her stomach, and then slid his hand between her legs. He traced her entrance and then dipped a finger inside. She was already wet for him. He loved that she was hot and wet and ready whenever he wanted her.

  “Fingers won’t wake me up,” she breathed.

  He smiled and pulled her leg back, opening her up so that he could enter her.

  They both let out a gasp as he thrust his hips. She was so tight, such a perfect fit. He closed his eyes and steadied himself. He could lose it in no time if he didn’t take it slow. Abbie wasn’t interested in taking it slow. She bounced against him and leaned forward to give him better access. Before he knew it, he was pounding harder and harder with every thrust of his hips, and she was gasping and moaning as she took him deeper and deeper.

  He felt as though he was losing himself in her velvety wetness. She closed around him, taking him for all he could give her, and more. His scalp tingled as the pressure built and built inside him. This was too fast, but there was no holding back.

  “Oh, oh, oh, Ivan!” She screamed his name as she let herself go, her inner muscles pulsating around him, sending him over the edge to join her. He felt as though he came all the way from his scalp to his toes as he found his release deep inside her. His fingers dug deep into her hips as she pushed back against him. They were flying away together to that place where nothing else existed.

  “Abbie!” he gasped. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, but the words wouldn’t go as deep as what they were already sharing.

  When they lay still, he grazed his teeth over her neck, and she shuddered with an aftershock that took her and then him. He held her tight as it quivered through his whole body.

  “Now, that’s what I call a good morning,” she murmured.

  He chuckled. “Me too. But if you would like, we could make that regular morning.”

  She looked over her shoulder at him. “There’s nothing regular about that. I’d call it a Saturday morning special.”

  He held her gaze. “It could be a regular every morning thing—if you wanted it to be.”

  She frowned and rolled over to face him. “Every morning?”

  He nodded. She knew what he meant; he wasn’t going to spell it out.

  “What about Mom?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I like your mom. But not in that way.”

  She laughed and slapped his shoulder. “You know what I mean.”

  “Of course, I do. But that’s not a question for me to answer, is it? I don’t know what you want; I don’t know what she wants or needs. All I’m doing is letting you know what I want.”

  She nodded. “I’d like that, too.”

  He grinned.

  “But I don’t know, Ivan. She needs me. If I woke up with you every morning, I wouldn’t be there for her.”

  He sighed. “I know. And I would never ever try to come between you and her. If you need to live with her forever, I’ll accept that, and I’ll be here for whatever you can spare me. But …” He had to say it. “I don’t think she needs that, or even wants it.” He didn’t want to say too much. He would love Abbie to move in with him, but he couldn’t push for it.

  “I know. I need to get my head around it. Can you be patient with me?”

  “Of course, I can. I’m not pushing, I’m just being honest.”

  “I know. You’re the best. I don’t deserve—”

  He put a finger to her lips. “How many times do I have to tell you?”

  She licked his finger and gave him a wicked smile. “Want me to show you what I think you deserve?”

  He smiled through pursed lips. She took his finger into her mouth and swirled her tongue over it,
making him close his eyes and wonder how he was able to get hard again so soon.

  She pulled her head back, sucking the length of his finger until it came out of her mouth with a popping sound.

  “Is that what you call a diversion tactic?”

  She smiled. “Yeah, are you going to tell me it’s not working?”

  He closed his eyes and breathed a strangled little yes as she kissed her way down his chest.

  She looked up at him with wide eyes. “No?”

  He shook his head. “In the shower?”

  “Oh! Yeah. Good idea.”

  He took her hand on the way to the bathroom. He loved that she was always so eager to go down on him. But he wanted to clean up before he let her. She was so focused on making sure he got what he wanted, she didn’t stop to think what it would mean for herself.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Are you sure you want me to come with you?”

  Abbie nodded. “I’m sure. She’ll love to see you.”

  “I’d like to see her, too. I’m not trying to get out of it, but I know she wanted to talk to you.”

  Abbie made a face. “There’ll be plenty of time for that.”

  “Okay, then.”

  She knew it was probably unfair of her. Ivan wasn’t going to push her to talk to her mom because he didn’t want her to think he was trying to come between them. She knew he wasn’t, and he never would. But she was putting off having the conversation that her mom kept saying they needed to have.

  They’d had a lazy morning at Ivan’s place, but she’d told her mom she’d see her at lunchtime, and she wanted him to come with her. She wanted the two of them to get used to being around each other.

  “Hi, Mom. I’m home. Ivan’s with me,” she called when she opened the front door.

  “Oh, hey, Abbs. I’ll be right down.”

  Abbie led Ivan through to the kitchen. It smelled amazing, and Abbie had to smile. It looked like her mom had done all her Christmas baking.

  “Hey, you two.”

  “Hi, Nina.”

  Abbie got the warm and fuzzies when she watched Ivan give her mom a hug and had to stop herself from laughing when her mom waggled her eyebrows at her over his shoulder.