“The faster we solve the case the faster we can do all the fun things I’ve been dreaming about since I met you,” Ivy said, nipping at his chin.
Jack was intrigued. “What have you been dreaming about doing?”
“I want to go down to the lake on a picnic. I want to go for a hike to my favorite river and hang out – maybe even fight out there. I thought we could go horseback riding.”
“I like the lake and river ideas. I’m not getting on a horse.”
“Why not?”
“They freak me out,” Jack admitted. “I always fancied myself a cowboy when I was a kid. Unfortunately, I would’ve been the only cowboy in the world walking wherever he went. I don’t like the idea of being at the mercy of an animal.”
“You’re at my mercy … and I’m an animal.” Ivy mock growled as Jack tickled her ribs.
“We’ll definitely go on some picnics together,” Jack said, kissing her forehead. “To do that we have to find Laura. So, with that in mind, we need to get out of bed.”
Ivy reluctantly rolled away from him, resting her feet on the soft rug beneath her bed and stretching. The movement was enough to have Jack rethinking his decision. Instead, he sucked it up. Once they were free and clear from trouble they could spend as many lazy mornings as they wanted together. He was convinced he would never tire of it.
“What are you doing today?” Jack asked. “If you’re going to the nursery, I want to walk you over there myself and talk to your father.”
“I’m not going to the nursery today.”
Jack was relieved. “Thank you.”
“I’m going to Max’s lumberyard,” Ivy said. “We’re supposed to have lunch and I have a few things I need to talk to him about before Aunt Felicity’s birthday party. It’s in a few weeks. Hey, I’ll actually be able to take you as a date. That sounds kind of fun, huh?”
When Ivy turned in Jack’s direction she found him leaning forward with an irate look on his face.
“What?”
“You can’t go to the lumberyard. That’s twenty minutes outside of town.”
“I have to go,” Ivy said. “I promised.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No!”
“Yes!”
Jack lifted the covers.
“What are you doing?” Ivy asked, irritated.
“Get back in here,” Jack said. “You’re going to kill us both. I hope you’re happy. You have no one to blame but yourself when you can’t walk in twenty minutes.”
Ivy couldn’t help but smile. “I’m really starting to like this whole relationship thing.”
“YOU look all … glowy,” Max said two hours later, making a face as Ivy approached him in the sales yard at his lumber business. “How much sex have you been having?”
After graduating from college, Michael and Luna helped Max start his own business – the same as they did with Ivy – and then they sat back and let him sink or swim. Max managed to turn his business into a money making machine, and Ivy was proud of him. That didn’t mean he didn’t irritate her.
“Don’t you think it’s a little weird for a brother to ask his sister questions about her sex life?” Ivy challenged.
“I’m not asking you to describe it,” Max said, wrinkling his forehead. “Don’t ever do that, by the way. What are you doing here?”
“I thought we were having lunch.”
“And I thought you were on lockdown until Jack solved the mystery of who was trying to kill you,” Max shot back, using a red chalk stick to mark something on the end of a board. “Should you be out without supervision? Heck, how did you even get here? I happen to know your car is still in the garage being fixed from that whole … shooting thing.”
Ivy rolled her eyes. “I borrowed Dad’s car.”
“Does he know?”
“I … yes.”
Max narrowed his eyes, suspicious.
“Fine! I waited until he left the front register to help a customer and then I stole his keys,” Ivy admitted. “I left him a note.”
“How does Jack feel about this?”
“Jack and I came to an … understanding.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to hear this,” Max said. “What understanding?”
“We like to make up after we fight,” Ivy answered, not missing a beat. “He likes to yell … and I like to yell … and then we like to make up.”
“You two are sick,” Max muttered. “How does he really feel? Don’t lie to me. I’m not thrilled with Jack right now, but the one thing I can say with absolute certainty is that he would never purposely put your life in danger … that includes letting you do something stupid.”
Ivy bit her lip. Max knew her too well. It was annoying. “He walked me over to the nursery, watched me steal Dad’s keys, and then threatened me with handcuffs – and not in a fun way – if I wasn’t really careful,” Ivy explained. “I’m not allowed to drive back to my house. I have to park Dad’s car at the nursery and then wait for Jack to walk me back home.”
“Oh, it’s like a really cute and co-dependent Lifetime movie,” Max teased, although his smile told Ivy he was genuinely happy to see her. “I’ve kind of missed spending time with you over the past few days. I guess now that you and Jack are officially on, I won’t be seeing as much of you, huh?”
“We’ll still be seeing each other, Max,” Ivy countered. “There’s no reason to cry. It’s just right now … with all that’s going on … Jack is kind of glued to my side.”
“Don’t kid yourself,” Max said. “Jack has always wanted to be glued to your side. He finally got his head out of his ass long enough to admit it. This is new. You guys should hopefully calm down once all this blows over. What’s going on with the investigation, by the way?”
Ivy related the new developments to Max, sitting at one of the new picnic tables he was offering for sale and resting her chin on her hands. “The thing
