Dreams of Ivory

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “I left you having to find another person to watch over the territory assigned to me. That can’t be forgiven so easily.”

  Her aunt shook her head and poured them glasses of water with strawberries and mint—nothing too acidic for their teeth. “Brent took care of your territory just fine. Honestly, we don’t even need two fairies so close to each other since he handled the work easily, but we like another person in Holiday because that’s where the Ivory Queen always resides. Or at least, has since Holiday was founded.”

  “Well, I’m back, but I don’t want to step on any toes, you know?”

  Her aunt smiled and took a sip of her water. “You won’t. Brent was fine when I told him you were returning. Honestly, now he’ll have more time to move on with his life and live normally.”

  “Wait, has he been neglecting his own happiness because he had to do my work?” Shame filled her again, and she set down her glass.

  “Shut up. You needed time to grow up and find something you love to do besides teeth. I get that, Honor. Fairies usually don’t start working until their mid-thirties anyway—that way they have time to live their lives normally before they do things magically. You were only starting early because of who I am, not because you necessarily wanted to.”

  “I’d made a promise though, and I broke it.”

  Her aunt clucked her tongue again and took another sip. “You left so you could grow up and nurse a broken heart. If you’d stayed—even after Jackson—you’d have resented everyone for it, and that wouldn’t make a good tooth fairy, would it?”

  Honor shook her head.

  “That’s right. Fairies need to love what they do because like Christmas, Easter, and all the other holidays children love, they need the tooth fairy to show them that their dreams and hopes can come true. We’re the ones who show that bit of magic and take their teeth—and a copy of their favorite memories—with us. We leave a coin… well, more these days because of inflation, to show the children that people are thinking of them. We then implant the memories in their parents’ minds to let them think they’re the ones doing it, hence bringing them closer to their children.”

  Honor smiled as her aunt went through the reasons her kind existed. “I love you, Aunt Clementine.”

  Her aunt snorted and turned her head, but not before Honor caught the misty look in her eyes.

  “You’re back now, and you get to relearn how to make children’s dreams come true. I know you have other plans with the camp you’re setting up with the town, and I’ll be there to help if you need it. Don’t let your past and fears ruin what you could have, Honor.”

  Honor stood up and hugged her aunt, not surprised when Clementine hugged her hard right back. Her aunt might act gruff and curse like a sailor, but she was still her flesh and blood.

  Speaking of….

  She pulled back and sighed. “Tucker’s pissed, by the way.”

  At the mention of Honor’s brother, Clementine laughed. “That boy is an idiot. I love him, don’t get me wrong, but he’s an idiot.”

  “He didn’t want me to come back. It took all I had to stop him from coming here and kicking Jackson’s ass when I left. Thank you for that.”

  Clementine rolled her eyes. “Tuck needed to know why you were leaving in such a hurry. Big brothers need to protect their sisters, even if it annoys them. It’s in their blood.”

  “Well, I practically had to tie him down. Now he’s pissed because he thinks I’m coming here to get back with Jackson. Yeah, like I’d prostrate myself, begging for scraps. No, thank you. That’s over. Oh, and Tuck’s mad that I’m joining the family business. He might know about magic, but he doesn’t like it.”

  Much like someone else she knew.

  Not that he’d ever told her that, but Clementine had mentioned it.

  Clementine sighed and poured herself some more water. “I don’t know where I went wrong with that boy.”

  “Considering he was raised by our straight-laced, magic-hating parents, I have an idea,” Honor said wryly.

  “At least you came out okay,” Clementine said with a smile. “And don’t worry about Tucker. I’m sure he’ll turn around.”

  Honor grinned. “I keep telling you that you’re not a mind reader or witch, yet you keep acting like one.”

  Her aunt fluffed out her too-red hair. “What can I say? It’s a gift.”

  Honor snorted and brought her aunt into another hug. She’d needed this. She’d needed to come home to Holiday, even if Jackson didn’t want her there. She had a job to do—two in fact—and she couldn’t wait to get started.

  Hiding from the eldest Cooper brother, however, might make things a bit difficult.

  Good thing Honor was up for a challenge.

  Chapter 3

  Jackson poured the rich brew down his throat and closed his eyes, savoring the taste. He might act like a clean-cut business man, but hell, a good beer seemed to make anything better after a long-ass day.

  Since he’d spent the past two days trying not to think about a certain woman, he thought he deserved a beer or three.

  Springsteen belted from the speakers as people played pool in the back under dim lighting. Others sat at the bar, either alone with their drink or talking about whatever was on their mind.

  The Cooper brothers sat in their booth in the back corner of their local dive, Eddie’s, each with a beer in front of him. They didn’t get out as much as they liked, but Jackson was glad they got the chance tonight.

  “Do you remember when we used to do shots on these nights?” Justin asked, his eyes closed as he leaned his head against the back of the booth. “I know we don’t do whiskey anymore because a certain brother of ours had an incident.”

  Jackson held back a shudder as his stomach threatened to revolt at just the memory of that night of the whiskey shots. Thank God he wasn’t that guy anymore.

  “We’re too old for that shit,” Tyler said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I might not be as old as some of you, but hell, Abigail is ten damn years younger than me.”

  Matt chuckled. “Can’t keep up with her, old man?” At thirty, Matt was the youngest of the Cooper brothers and made sure everyone knew it.

  Considering they’d tormented the bastard growing up because he was the youngest, Jackson guessed it was fair Matt was taking it out on them now.

  Tyler punched Matt’s shoulder then took a sip of his beer. “Fuck you. None of us are in our twenties anymore, but hell, we’re not old.”

  Jackson nodded, though he didn’t quite believe it. “I have two years until I hit the big four-zero and I already have gray at my temples. I think I’ve already hit old.”

  Brayden shook his head, his too-long hair brushing his forehead. “You’re only as old as you feel. We might all be tired right now because of our pregnant wives—and my three kids—but we’ve still got some steam.”

  Jackson raised his brow. “And what’s my excuse?”

  Justin grinned and grabbed a handful of peanuts. “You’re just an ass from what I hear along the Holiday grapevine. Guess that adds fatigue.”

  Jackson closed his eyes and held back a sigh. “The grocery store?”

  “Yep,” Matt said, and Jackson could tell the bastard was smiling. “You are an ass, but only to those who deserve it, like Jessica. You’re just broody to everyone else.”

  Jackson opened his eyes as Tyler smiled.

  “You know broody is in right now,” his sheriff brother said with a grin. “Just get some vampire teeth or shift into a wolf and any woman would have you.”

  Jackson growled, and Tyler nodded again. “Yep, Jacks, growl just like that for the ladies, and they’ll come right to you.”

  His brothers laughed, and Jackson was forced to join in or be left out. “Wait, do those really exist?” he asked, despite himself.

  Justin shook his head. Since he worked for Santa—of all people—and Mr. Kringle was the undecided head of all things holiday magical, it made sense that Justin would know.
r />   “The big man said only holiday magics. Well, holiday as in something that is significant to others that happens yearly or daily. No shifters or vamps. Yeah, I guess they could go with Halloween, but I guess that’s why we have ghosts and witches.” He elbowed Matt, who sighed.

  “Thank God I’m not a ghost anymore,” his youngest brother grumbled, and Jackson agreed. Though he hadn’t known Matt had been a ghost the entire time he’d been non-corporeal, it still haunted him that his family had been in jeopardy. He’d never seen his brother as a ghost until the night Matt had saved Jordan’s life. It still surprised him that he hadn’t known.

  “Magic isn’t that bad,” Brayden said as he leaned back. “I might have given mine to Allison, but our kids are half-gnome, so it’s always going to be there.”

  “True, but your luck helped you,” Matt said. “I was literally shackled to a house on certain nights.”

  Jackson sipped his beer and listened as the rest of his brothers chimed in with their new powers. Tyler, as a cupid, could feel when someone was near another who would be their soul mate. Justin, as Santa’s executive, used magic along with his wife, an elf, to help the children of Holiday find their happiness.

  Jackson had none of that.

  Thank God.

  “There’s got to be something about this town and us though.”

  Jackson blinked at Tyler’s words. “What’s that?”

  Tyler narrowed his eyes. “Thanks for paying attention. What I was saying is that we all know Holiday is the mecca, but we don’t know why. We don’t even know who knows what and what else might exist in town. We also don’t know why we Coopers seem to be drawn to it and we’re immune to the gnomes’ magic.”

  Jackson shrugged. “Does it matter?”

  Brayden frowned. “You’re the one who always likes to look for answers. It’s why you liked science so much in school. You’re honestly telling us you don’t care about why things are the way they are?”

  “No, I don’t. I’m not magical, and I’m happy that way. I’m not about to poke the hornet’s nest and end up like Abigail with new powers that I can’t control.”

  Tyler snarled, but Matt held him back.

  “Leave my wife out of this. She’s learning to be a harpy.”

  “Yeah? She’ll always have to deal with the fact she has a temper she can’t control and can’t eat off her own plate. What about your kids? Or any of your kids? Why would you want to subject yourselves to that?”

  Brayden shook his head. “We can’t change the way things are, but we can figure out why they are. That might help with control. As for our kids? They’re going to be loved and cared for, no matter what, so back the fuck off.”

  Jackson winced. “Hell, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything like that. You know I’m going to love those babies like they’re my own. I’m already Uncle Jacks, and I’m going to love all the babies that come into your lives.

  His brothers nodded, their tempers soothed a bit.

  Jessica had been right; he was an ass.

  “I’m off my game, sorry,” he said as he drained his glass and asked for a round of waters. Since they all were going to different places afterward, they didn’t have a designated driver, hence the one-beer limit.

  “I have a feeling why you’re so jumpy,” Matt said as he smiled.

  Dread filled him, and he fought to keep his expression remote. “Yes?”

  “Really? What happened?” Brayden asked with a grin on his face.

  Jackson looked at Justin’s and Tyler’s smiles and wanted to leave Eddie’s right then. Apparently the damn Holiday grapevine had struck again. Since all Cooper women were pregnant with mini Coopers, the only gossip left was for Jackson.

  Hell.

  “It seems there’s a new town resident,” Brayden drawled, and Jackson eyed the door.

  So. Far. Away.

  “Ah yes, the raven-haired goddess, according to town gossip,” Matt said with a laugh.

  “Don’t let Jordan hear you say that,” Jackson bit out.

  The description of Honor did fit, but he wasn’t going to mention that.

  “Who do you think told me?” Matt explained. “Now where was I? Oh yes, this new girl seems to know you. So well in fact that she stopped by your clinic and had a tense conversation in front of your receptionist, Veronica.”

  Damn Veronica.

  “Not to mention that you later saved Honor’s life when you threw your body on top of hers,” Tyler said with a smile.

  “I hear he practically made sweet, sweet love to her while he was on the ground,” Justin added in.

  “Sweet, sweet love?” Jackson said, holding back a smile. Hell, the gossips were having a party with this.

  “Yes, sweet, sweet love,” Brayden agreed.

  “There was no loving, sweet or otherwise, going on,” Jackson explained. “I just pushed her out of the way so the damn flowerpot wouldn’t hit her.”

  All four men stared at him with knowing expressions.

  “I repeat. No loving.”

  The image of Honor naked as she rode him from above, her full breasts bouncing along with her fast rhythm, filled his mind.

  Well, fuck.

  “Sure,” Matt drawled. “That doesn’t tell us much though. How do you know this goddess?”

  Jackson let out a sigh. There really was no getting out of this. He could either deal with his brothers now or be forced to answer the endless questions from their wives later.

  He held back a shudder.

  Anything but that.

  “I knew her when she came to visit her aunt before. That’s it.”

  Tyler furrowed his brows. “She’s Clementine’s niece, right? Honor Bridges?”

  Jackson nodded and drained his water glass, suddenly very thirsty. He signaled for another one and winced. He’d have to piss like a racehorse soon if he kept this up.

  “That can’t be it,” Brayden put in. “I mean, if you’re acting all broody over her and had that intense chat in your office, it has to be something more.”

  “Fine,” Jackson bit out. “We dated over a summer years ago when she visited her aunt. She left. I stayed. No big deal.”

  His brothers were silent for a moment, and he cursed himself. He shouldn’t have added that last part. It had been a big fucking deal, but they didn’t have to know about it.

  “You dated her for a whole summer, and we didn’t know?” Tyler asked. “When was this?”

  “Eight years ago. What does it matter?”

  “Eight years ago you were thirty. This wasn’t some teenage lovesick thing, Jacks,” Brayden said softly.

  “No, it wasn’t. It was just a fun time for a summer. It was over, and it’s still over. Don’t make a big thing about it.”

  Justin stared at him, concern in his gaze. “Why didn’t you tell us about her when you were dating?”

  Jackson held back a wince. He hadn’t told them because he’d like Honor too much, but they couldn’t know that. Hell, he didn’t want to get into that now, or ever for that matter.

  “It wasn’t a bit deal then, and it’s even less of one now. Just drop it, guys.”

  Matt shook his head. “I don’t think we can. The women have all got it in their heads that Honor means something to you, or at least she did. You know what that means, right?”

  Jackson cursed. “They need to stop fucking matchmaking. I know you’re all happy with what you have, and fuck, I’m happy for you, but I like being alone. Okay? I don’t want a wife. I don’t want kids. I don’t want magic. I just want to live like I’m living now, and I don’t want to change that. My relationship with Honor is over. I’m not going to be with her again and just because she moved back to town doesn’t mean I’m going to act like Matt did over Jordan and get with her again. Got it?”

  Liar.

  “You’re denying it all a little quickly, don’t you think?” Matt said with a grin.

  “Fuck you. I don’t love Honor. I didn’t before.” Liar. “It’s not the
same as you and Jordan. Get it through your thick skulls, okay? Honor moved back to be with her aunt, not to see me. She only met with me in my office out of courtesy. Though, really, she hadn’t even needed to do that.”

  Tyler shook his head. “You sure are getting riled up over a woman you say you’re over.”

  Jackson closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Shit. If he kept denying it, they’d think he was just denying his feelings. If he didn’t deny it, they’d think he wanted Honor.

  There really wasn’t any way to deal with this other than kick the shit out of them like he had for years…or at least try.

  Tyler narrowed his eyes, his cop face on. “Don’t even think about. I’m not about to get kicked out of Eddie’s because you’re in a fucking mood. I’m the sheriff for God’s sake. Now I got this new deputy, Hugh, and I need to act like I run this town, not like I brawl.”

  “I wasn’t going to hit you,” Jackson lied. “Though, if I did, you’d just have to deal with being known as the pansy ass who got his butt kicked by his older brother.”

  Tyler scoffed. “Really? That’s how you’re going to play it?”

  “Settle down now, boys,” Brayden intervened. “Jacks, don’t rile him up just because you don’t want to talk about your lady love.”

  “She’s not my damn lady love,” Jackson spat.

  “I’ll remind you that you said that when you’re married and you have all those babies you’re afraid of,” Justin said.

  Jackson threw up his hands. “I give up. You guys think what you want, but know this, I am not with Honor Bridges, nor will I ever be. Got it?”

  He pushed Matt out of the booth, got up and walked out the door ignoring Tyler’s parting remark.

  “Famous last words, bro.”

  Fuck.

  He cursed himself for letting his brothers see below the surface as he made his way home and jumped in the shower to get the bar smell off of him before he went to bed.

  Jackson turned the water up as hot as he could take and let the spray beat down on him. His shoulders were knotted, his back aching like an old man’s, and all he wanted to do was sleep like someone far older than he was.

  He hadn’t been lying to his brothers when he’d said he’d wanted to be alone in his life. The only time he’d ever thought about a future with someone had been with Honor, not that he’d ever admit that to anyone.