“I really think you two need each other,” Max clarified. “Jack isn’t the only one struggling right now. You’ve tied yourself up into knots because you’re worried about him. Maybe seeing him in the light of day will help both of you.”
“Hmm.”
Max smiled as he pushed himself to his feet and dropped a quick kiss on the top of Ivy’s head. “Tell Jack I said hi when you see him.”
“I’m still going to kill you,” Ivy threatened.
“My armpit is waiting with bated breath for your attempt.”
Four
“What are you doing here?”
The words came out harsher than Jack intended, but seeing Ivy’s beautiful face waiting for him when he left the Shadow Lake Police Station for lunch threw him for a loop.
Ivy scowled. “Well, hello to you, too.”
Jack’s expression softened. “Hello, honey.” He moved closer to her, internally sighing as the sun glinted off the metallic pink accents of her skirt. When he first saw the ankle-length skirts she was prone to wearing, he felt like laughing. She had a certain Bohemian flare. Now he couldn’t stop thinking about what was underneath them. “You look pretty today.”
Ivy refused to relinquish her annoyance. “Are you insinuating I don’t look pretty every day?”
Jack chuckled. “You look beautiful no matter what day it is,” he conceded. “I’m sorry I didn’t greet you with applause when I first saw you. I was just … surprised.”
Jack’s expression was enough for Ivy to cede her agitation. “I’m the one who should be sorry. You’re at work. I shouldn’t have come down here. I just thought … .”
Things were so much easier to express verbally in their dreams.
“I’m always happy to see you, Ivy,” Jack prodded. “Did you come down here to have lunch with me? That would be a nice treat.”
“Well … .” Ivy bit her lip. “I might have packed a picnic for us so we could have lunch just the two of us.”
Jack stilled, surprised. “Really?”
“Oh, it was a stupid idea. Forget it.” Ivy turned to leave, but Jack grabbed her arm and spun her back. “What?” Ivy was flustered.
“I know this whole dating thing is new for both of us, but I’m pretty sure it’s not proper etiquette to show up at a man’s place of business, offer him a picnic, and then take it back before he has a chance to answer.”
“Fine,” Ivy said, sighing dramatically. “Do you want to have a picnic with me?”
Jack smiled. It was the first real one he’d been able to muster all day. “That sounds like the best offer I’ve had since … forever.”
Ivy’s expression softened as her cheeks reddened. “I … .”
“You’re beautiful every moment of every day, but when you’re speechless you’re exquisite,” Jack teased, grabbing her hand. “Take me to this picnic.”
“HAVE you found anything out about last night?” Ivy asked, handing Jack a sandwich. There was no sense in beating around the bush. They were going to have to talk about what happened eventually. It was better to get it out in the open now.
Jack flipped open the bread and studied the meat between the slices, ignoring the question. “Is this real roast beef, or am I going to have to get my ‘this is good’ face ready for some fake vegetarian soy product?”
Ivy pursed her lips. “Why don’t you taste it and tell me?”
“Oh, you’re so cute I can’t stand it,” Jack said. “I still need to know before I bite into this. I might be allergic to whatever this is made of.”
Ivy faltered. “Are you allergic to food?”
“It depends on whether this is horrible or not.”
Ivy rolled her neck until it cracked. “It’s real roast beef,” she said. “I made a special trip to the deli to get it. I also bought fresh Swiss cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. I was going to put onions on it, because I happen to like onions on a sandwich, but I didn’t want to do that in case I decided to kiss you.”
Jack smirked. “That was a good answer.” He took a huge bite of the sandwich. “Good girl!”
“It seems I should’ve gone with my first instinct and put onions on it,” Ivy muttered.
Jack grabbed her chin and pointed it in his direction so he could kiss her, taking Ivy by surprise. Instead of pulling away, though, she sank into it and only reluctantly separated from him when he dropped his hand.
“I’m impressed with your sandwich-making abilities, honey,” Jack said, using a napkin to wipe the mustard from the side of his mouth. “I’m even more impressed because it must’ve killed you to buy meat. I’m sorry.”
“I buy lunchmeat for Max every week,” Ivy countered.
“Why?”
“Because he shows up at my house for at least three meals and if I don’t I have to listen to him do half-hour diatribes about sprouts.”
Jack chuckled. “That sounds about right,” he said, poking through the basket. “What else is in here?”
“I made homemade potato salad with dill, chocolate chip cookies, and I bought a bag of potato chips because I don’t know how to make those.”
“You sure know the way to my heart,” Jack said, reaching for the potato salad. “Not that I’m complaining – and I’m definitely not so don’t turn this question into some big drama in your head – but what brought on the picnic?”
“Um … the truth?”
“I would prefer you not lie to me.”
“Max stopped by and we were talking and he … um … might’ve suggested that I was in a foul mood because I was worried you were in a foul mood,” Ivy admitted. “He thought I would feel better if I saw you. I thought if I stopped by with a picnic it would be an excuse to see you without looking really pathetic. I think I might have failed on that front.”
Jack chuckled. “You don’t need an excuse to see me,” he said. “You can come and see me whenever you want. In fact, I encourage it.”
The tension squeezing
