Good thing she didn’t mind that one bit since he was gorgeous, but sometimes he made her nervous too. Sometimes she’d catch him looking at her with a quiet, intense look in his eyes and she’d end up stammering and blushing and running away.
Ivy grimaced and ran her hands through her long, brown hair. It was so mortifying to finally be around a man she would love to date and at the same time have the social skills of an eighth grader. Good thing she could hang out with Asher, Garrett’s younger brother. He had hired her as the lead singer in his band, Murphy’s Law, a few months ago after hearing her sing karaoke. They had fun singing in bars and other small venues around Fircrest and Tacoma but it was very laid back which worked for her. A high pressure music career would send her into the nearest closet.
Asher had been talking lately about hiring a publicist and a manager but she had vetoed that. She didn’t want to travel on a bus with a bunch of guys. She finally had a home and she wanted to stay there. Music was fun but not at the expense of her emotional health.
No, she had finally found a place where she belonged. She no longer lived in an empty mansion in San Diego. Now she lived in an old home built in the early 1900’s with her sister and Cleo and five dogs. Sometimes it was so noisy and full of people she felt like covering her ears. But usually, it just made her smile.
She stared up at the gray and stormy sky and knew they’d be leaving soon before they got drenched. She closed her eyes and searched for peace and then gave up. Her problem wasn’t internal, it was external. Asher Murphy had asked her to dinner and she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t talk to Cleo about it because she knew Cleo had hopes of dating Asher herself and the thought of hurting Cleo made her sick to her stomach. She could talk to Rayne about it, but Rayne was so happy and in love that it was hard to fit into the same room with her and her big smile.
Plus, she already knew what Rayne would say. Do what you think is right.
Yeah, so easy. And it would be. It’d be the easiest thing in the world to date Asher. She was completely relaxed around him. They laughed and got along like long lost friends. He was a guy she could burp around and not be embarrassed. But he was pushing for more and she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings but more than that, she didn’t want it to affect the band. The other guys were always teasing her that Asher always dated the lead singer. But for some reason that just made her uncomfortable.
Was it possible to be friends with a man without it having to become something romantic? She groaned and stretched out her legs. If Becket would just ask her out then she could keep Asher at arm’s length, but no matter how many times he would stare at her with that warm, intense look in his eyes, he had never once asked her out. Of course if he had, she’d probably have passed out on the spot, but it still would have been nice.
She stood up and wiped the sand off her jeans and whistled for Kenya as Cleo and Rayne started walking towards her. It was time to go.
“Done meditating?” Rayne asked with a smile as she walked up and threw an arm around her shoulders.
Ivy smiled and shook her head. “Sometimes it’s good to just sit back and think. What about you two? Enjoy your walk?”
Cleo picked up a rock and hurled it over the water. “Well, I tried to talk her out of it but she’s insisting on taking us dress shopping this week up in Seattle. I told her you’d only wear something torn up and holey but she’s insisting on dressing us up and making us look presentable.”
Rayne laughed and pushed Cleo in the arm. “You make it sound so horrible. You’ll love it. We’ll make a day of it. We’ll go dress shopping and afterwards, I’ll take you out for lunch and then maybe a massage.”
Ivy grinned and hooked a leash to Kenya’s collar as Rayne and Cleo did the same for the rest of the dogs. “Well, I would love a massage. Too bad I have to go dress shopping to get one though. But have you thought more about your colors? I just don’t think I can do pink.”
Rayne laughed as they walked back to the car. “I was just torturing you. I’ve decided to go with silver with little splashes of fuchsia as an accent.”
Ivy glared at her sister as Cleo giggled. “Like I don’t know that fuchsia is pink.”
Rayne turned around and raised an eyebrow. “Blame yourself Ivy. What color is streaked through your hair?”
Ivy blushed and turned away. “Fine, as long as it’s just accents. No way am I wearing a bright pink fluffy dress.”
Rayne jumped in the driver’s seat and she took shotgun while Cleo sat in the back with the dogs. “Picture a silver dress with a bright fuchsia sash around your waist. Can you handle that?”
Ivy tilted her head and thought about it. It kind of sounded amazing really. “I guess so.”
Rayne threw a dog biscuit at her and they both laughed. They stopped by the store on the way home and got all the ingredients to make tacos. Rayne was on a salmon kick but she and Cleo went with some shredded beef from the deli. When they got home, she fed the dogs while Rayne and Cleo began cooking.
She washed her hands and took over the tortillas from Cleo so she could chop the mushrooms and onions.
“I love getting raw tortillas but pulling them apart is the worse,” Ivy complained as the tortilla tore in the middle.
Rayne frowned. “I hate that. Then they don’t bubble up. That one’s yours,” she said as she minced garlic for her Salmon fillet.
Ivy stuck her tongue out at her sister as someone began knocking on the door. Cleo put down her knife and wiped her hands on a dish towel. “Allow me,” she said and disappeared.
Ivy went back to pulling apart the tortillas very slowly as she watched the one in the pan, flipping it as a few bubbles popped up.
“Something smells delicious.”
Ivy turned around in surprise to see Garrett, Becket and Asher walking into the kitchen. Rayne’s whole face lit up as she caught sight of her fiancé and immediately dropped the lime in her hand so she could throw her arms around Garrett’s neck.
She and Cleo groaned as they began kissing and she turned around to hide her blush.
“You two need to get married. All this PDA is hard to take on an empty stomach,” Cleo said with a laugh as Rayne and Garrett ignored her.
Garrett pulled back and smoothed the hair back from Rayne’s face. “Have you ever seen such beautiful eyes?” he asked the room in a soft voice and Ivy immediately forgave him. Garrett might not care about where they were or who was present when he kissed her sister, but at least she knew that he loved Rayne. All the way, forever and ever, loved her.
Unlike Rayne’s ex, Liam Michaels. She frowned thinking about him. Her parents had practically forced Rayne to date their best friends’ son but she hadn’t enjoyed it and when she’d finally put her foot down and broken things off with him, she’d had to face their fiery wrath and the never ending guilt trips. No, Garrett Murphy was perfect for Rayne.
“I don’t know, I think Ivy’s eyes are pretty.”
Ivy’s head snapped up and she slowly turned around to see Becket leaning in the doorway as he looked at her solemnly. Her face reddened as everyone turned to look at her. Garrett grinned and winked as Rayne bit her lip and raised an eyebrow. Asher’s face had turned stony and hard while Cleo smiled at her.
“Ivy’s and Rayne’s eyes are identical. They’re sisters,” Cleo pointed out as she dumped all of the mushrooms and onions into the sauté pan.
Becket shook his head slowly as he continued to watch her. “No they’re not. Ivy’s eyes are darker and more mysterious. Rayne’s eyes are clear and light but Ivy has a dark gray ring around hers.”
Ivy blinked in surprise and knew she was going to drag Rayne to the nearest mirror as soon as the guys left to compare eyes. How had he seen her so clearly? He’d been aware of the tiniest detail. She stared back at Becket as she tried to figure him out. He smiled slowly at her and she knew she was smiling back.
“Thanks Becket,” she said quietly, not knowing what else to say.
<
br /> “Do you mind if we crash your dinner party?” he asked, just looking at her.
Ivy glanced down at her pan and the now blackened tortilla and squeaked. “Of course you’re welcome to stay,” she said quickly as she lifted the tortilla out of the pan and turned and flung it in the sink as everyone laughed.
Asher walked over and took the pan from her. “Here, let me do that for you,” he said kindly as his eyes twinkled at her. “I’m kind of an expert at frying tortillas, just ask Garrett.”
Ivy stepped back and watched as Asher expertly peeled the next tortilla and laid it in the pan. She glared at his back wishing that he wouldn’t always step in. She was doing just fine with the dang tortillas until Becket had walked in. And then her mind went to mush like it always did.
“Ivy, why don’t you and Becket set the table for us? My salmon won’t take long at all and Cleo just has to cook the mushrooms and we can eat,” Rayne said as she put her salmon fillet in the oven.
Ivy shrugged and grabbed some plates as Becket opened the fridge and pulled out the salsa and the jalapeños. Since it was an old fashioned house, the dining room was down a small hallway and off to the side. She could feel Becket walking behind her and automatically tensed up. She’d have to talk to him now. She swallowed and took in a deep breath. She was twenty-three years old. She was an adult who could have a conversation with a man who had just complimented her eyes in front of a whole room of people. She was a strong woman. She could do this.
“I won’t run away,” she whispered to herself as she turned the light on.
“Run away?”
Ivy groaned. Becket had to be half-dog. His hearing was unreal. She could lie or she could turn things around on him.
She set the plates down on the table and looked up at Becket and felt her breath catch. If he wasn’t so good looking this would be easy. How could she be expected to have a conversation with a man who looked like he did? He was about six feet tall and although Garrett was taller, Becket was bulkier. But it wasn’t his build that made her mute, it was his face. He had the face of a fallen angel. He was all golden, with tanned skin and blond hair, white at the tips from the sun. And forget her eyes. She’d noticed that his brown eyes sometimes went light amber when he laughed. Ivy had lain awake too many nights imagining his face in her mind. He looked exactly like Apollo would if he existed. He was a walking, talking Sun god.
“Sometimes I get shy or nervous around you and instead of talking to you, I end up running away. I don’t want to do that anymore,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster.
Becket’s eyebrows went up and his eyes warmed before his mouth went up on one side in a half-smile. “Why do I make you nervous?” he asked softly as he set the jars down on the table.
Ivy cleared her suddenly dry throat and picked up a plate, setting it very carefully down on the table. Yeah, lying would have been easier.
“I guess, because I like you,” she said simply, refusing to look at him.
Becket moved around the table and picked up a plate, setting it down as she picked up another one. “I like you too Ivy. But why would liking me make you nervous? You don’t make me nervous.”
Ivy blushed and pushed her hair over her ear as she picked up a plate and walked away from him as she set it at the head of the table.
“I don’t actually know the answer to that to be honest. I mean, I like a lot of people but they don’t make me stammer and forget my name,” she admitted as she glanced at him quickly.
Becket was standing there with a plate in his hands looking very pleased with himself. “So you don’t stammer around Garrett or um, Asher?”
Ivy smiled and laughed a little. “No, of course not. Garrett’s like a big brother to me and Asher’s just . . . Asher,” she said lamely not knowing why she was so comfortable around him.
Becket nodded his head and walked around to set a plate down. “What about that guy in the band? Trevyn? Do you ever feel nervous around him?”
Ivy tilted her head and frowned. Trevyn was their drummer and he asked her out a minimum of twice a week but he was a harmless flirt. He was the type of guy who had to have at least three girlfriends telling him how amazing he was or he was miserable. “Not even a little. Why do you ask?”
Becket smiled and shook his head. “Just curious. So this problem with me. . . what do you think would cure it?”
Ivy straightened the plate and shrugged. “I’ve thought about it. A lot. And I don’t know.”
Becket picked up a plate and walked over and set it down before walking over to stand next to her. She was forced to look up into his face and felt an awareness come over her body. She felt a catch in her breath as she breathed in the scent of grass and flowers and wood, an outdoor fresh smell that always reminded her of Becket.
“I might have a cure for your nervousness,” he said softly reaching over and gliding his fingers up and down her arm.
Ivy felt a shiver run down her spine as she stared up into Becket’s warm brown eyes. “What kind of cure?”
Becket’s face was suddenly closer and she stared at his lips as they curled into a smile. The sound of feet coming down the wood floor alerted her seconds before Asher walked in carrying a plate of steaming tortillas. She looked at Becket but he had already stepped back from her and was scowling darkly.
Asher set the tortillas down and grinned at her. “See there? Perfect and not one burned.”
Ivy tried to smile. “Thanks for saving the day,” she said dryly.
Asher laughed as if she had made a joke. “Hey, why put yourself out when I can do it for you?”
Ivy frowned at that but didn’t answer as everyone walked into the dining room carrying plates and bowls. Rayne preferred fish tacos with artichoke hearts, mushrooms and caramelized onions topped with olives and Caesar dressing. She and Cleo liked the more traditional taco with beef, butter lettuce, jalapenos and cheese with a sprinkling of olives and salsa.
As everyone sat down, she noted that Asher had fixed it so that there was an open seat next to him. She glanced at Becket but he was talking to Garrett and Cleo was seated on his other side. She sat down and smiled at Asher.
“Since you’re so good at tortillas Asher, would you like to offer the prayer?” she asked, grinning wickedly at him.
Asher grinned back good-naturedly. “My pleasure.”
After the prayer, everyone dug in and pretty soon there was laughter and conversation filling the room. Ivy sighed happily as she glanced at her sister, sitting at the head of the table next to Garrett. She was glowing. She reached over and touched Garrett’s cheek and the look he gave her made Ivy’s heart burst it was so full of tenderness. She sighed with a smile and glanced across the table to see Becket looking at her. She blinked and looked away, but then looked back. He was looking at her as if . . . as if he thought she was beautiful.
Ivy smiled hesitantly at Becket and he nodded his head at her before turning and answering a question Cleo had asked him.
“So are we still on for tonight Ivy? I’ve been looking forward to taking you to the movies all day,” Asher said before shoving the rest of his taco in his mouth.
Ivy felt paralyzed as all conversation stopped. She swallowed sickly as she noticed Cleo staring at Asher with pain in her eyes before glancing back at her plate and schooling her expression. She glanced at Becket and bit her lip as she saw that his eyes were narrowed and his face was hard and mean looking. He was staring at Asher in a way that made her very nervous for him.
She took a sip of water and smiled. “The movies sound great Asher. What do you guys think? Should we all go to the movies after dinner?” she asked smiling at the whole table before turning and staring at Rayne, silently pleading with her for help.
Rayne’s eyes were big and she glanced at Garrett who looked worried. “Uh yeah, the movies sound great. Let’s all go,” she said unenthusiastically.
Ivy glanced around the table and noticed that Becket had put down his napkin and was loo
king like he was ready to stand up and walk out. Cleo just looked unhappy. This was not good. Why couldn’t Asher just go for Cleo like they all thought he was going to do?
Asher sighed loudly. “Yeah, I guess we could all go. But I was thinking of taking Ivy to see that new romantic comedy with Sandra Bullock and Chris Evans. You guys never watch chick flicks,” he said glancing between Garrett and Becket.
Garrett rubbed a hand over his face and glanced at Rayne who was now grinning at him. He grumbled something under his breath and then laughed. “Yeah, actually I love chick flicks. Anything that lets me sit next to Rayne and kiss her in the dark is good with me.”
Becket looked up at that and frowned before turning and staring at Asher. Ivy’s eyes widened and she jumped into the conversation. “What about you Cleo? You love popcorn and red vines. And you told me just last week that Chris Evans was the most perfect man ever born.”
Cleo smiled stiffly and shrugged as Asher looked at her with a frown. “Sounds like Asher just wants to take you out. I’m sure he doesn’t appreciate all of us tagging along on your uh . . .date.”
Asher reddened and ran a hand through his wavy hair that was getting long enough to touch the back of his collar.
“Ah, it’s nothing um, like that. We’re just friends,” he said with a nervous laugh as he glanced around the table.
“Good, if it’s not a date then let’s all go,” Becket said and stood up, picking up his plate and walking into the kitchen.
Ivy stayed put for a moment and let out a sigh of relief. She loved Asher. He was the best. He made her laugh, he was sweet and he was always rushing to help her or rescue her from anything. Last week he had even spent twenty minutes during practice trying to kill a spider just because she’d been frightened. But thinking about sitting in a dark movie theater, just the two of them, made her feel weird.
“Let’s go have fun,” she said cheerily and picked up her plate.
Biography
I live in Utah with my six children and I’m the author of thirty-three books so far. I write YA Paranormal Romance under my pen name, Katie Lee O’Guinn. I enjoy the outdoors, reading and being with my children. I’m also a supporter of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. For more info on her cause, please go to: http://elizabethsmartfoundation.org/.
Falling for Rayne: Book 1 in the Love and Flowers Trilogy Page 21