20. CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY
I vy
“Groop is not a word.”
Iris places down her mug of hot cocoa on the table and I know I’m in for a bullshit explanation. “Imagine there is no letter ‘U’ in the universe.”
“Can’t. You just used it in the word universe.”
“Just imagine.”
“Scrabble is not about imagining words. It’s about actual real words.”
“How do you think we arrive at real words? People make up words. I can make up a word right now.”
“Oh, yeah? Let’s keep groop. I’ll make my own word too.” I grab my tile pieces and arrange them over a double word box. XZIKQ. “There.”
She mutters, trying to pronounce the non-word. “What is that?”
“A new word.”
“That’s not how it works. You can’t just carry a bunch of maximum point letters and…”
“Oh? There are rules now? I thought that we could use our imagination.”
She eyes me. “I’m calling Brody.”
My cheeks grow warm and I grab my mug to hide the impact hearing his name has on me. Sometime between last night and this morning, he slipped out of my bed and I have only seen him in passing since.
It’s almost as if he’s trying to avoid being in the same room with me. I can’t afford to obsess over his behavior so when Iris suggested a game, I agreed. I didn’t know he’d be added into the mix too not long after.
Before Iris can shout for Brody, a knock rattles the front door. She sucks her momentum back in and meets my eyes.
“Who could it be? Considering how the guys went home last night, they’re in no condition to be up and about this morning.” She presses her hand on her forehead. “I know I’m not.”
Same. But for a completely different reason. I had to use a hand mirror to check that Brody hadn’t rearranged my anatomy. If I close my eyes and stay still, I can still feel him deep inside me, fucking my brains out.
“My head hurts.” My sister’s words bring me back to the moment.
“You’re not even twenty-one yet. You shouldn’t have been drinking.” I press a hand to her forehead to test her temperature.
She bats my hand away. “I have been around more drinks and party favors than you have. I’m alright.”
I frown.
“I didn’t do it. I was just around it.”
“Doesn’t make it any better.”
The knock comes again.
“Should we tell Brody?”
My heart skips a beat. “Why? Tell him what?”
“That someone’s at the door.” She eyes me.
“Don’t worry.” I stand. “I’ll get it. We’re safe, aren’t we? They should have caught the bad guy by now.”
Iris keeps looking at me weirdly. The smile on my face must fail to convince her that nothing is up. What am I saying? Nothing is up. Well, aside from the fact that I had the most mind-blowing sex with Brody last night and we can’t even maintain eye contact this morning. Nope, nothing is up.
Another knock comes just before I unlock and pull the door open. A man I’ve never seen before stands on the porch.
“Hello.”
“Hello. I’m Sergeant Crams.” He flashes his badge. “Detective Callum sent me to accompany you and your sister back to Denver. I’m guessing you are Iris?”
“No. Ivy.” I give him my hand. “Ivy Ross. Come in.” I step aside to let him through.
He dusts off the specks of freshly fallen snow on his jacket. “You took some time to get to the door. I worried for a moment that he got to you before the team got him in custody.”
“What? Who?”
His smile falters. “The one sending the threats. It’s been resolved. That’s why I’m here.”
“Oh. Please, come in.” I lead the way back to the living room.
Brody is here now. The strong arms he wrapped around me last night are folded across his chest, muscles popping. His eyes sweep past me to focus on the sergeant.
“Good or bad news?” he demands.
“Good news, thankfully. We have the man in custody,” Crams says. “The sisters are free to return to Denver. Detective Callum asked me to accompany them back.”
“Did you know about this?” I ask.
“Yes.” He swaggers over to Crams. “Badge.”
Crams gives up his badge for Brody to inspect. Satisfied, he hands it back to him.
“I guess it’s time for you ladies to get ready,” Brody says.
My heart sinks as he still wouldn’t look at me.
“Oh, we are ready!” Iris hops to her feet and wraps her arms around my neck. “It’s over, Ivy. It’s truly over.”
I muster a smile as I hug my sister but as my eyes meet Brody’s my lips can’t retain their smile. I don’t expect joy from him but why does he have to look at me like this is somehow my fault? Isn’t this what we wanted in the first place?
Iris leaves my arms and beelines for Brody. She squeezes his torso in a hug. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”
She spins around in a circle. “Finally! It’s time to go home.” She runs up the stairs. “I’m sorry, Brody. Pine Peaks is awesome, but I’m finally going to be back in the city. Yes!” Her feet stomp the wooden floors. “What are you waiting for, Ivy? We’re going back to Denver.”
Her voice snaps me out of the many thoughts rolling through my head. I turn to Brody who stares back at me, his icy gray eyes giving nothing away.
He’d been so sweet last night, holding me in his arms, and talking to me more than he’d ever done. Every word he said is stuck in my brain. But I just need to hear something from him right now to make our departure feel alright.
“So,” I keep my tone light. “We are leaving.”
Sergeant Crams turns around and busies himself with studying the walls of the cabin. He must feel the strain in the air and wants no part of it.
I wish I could escape too. But I know it’ll follow me wherever I go. These last few moments I have with Brody feel inconclusive without hearing from him.
“You are,” he says.
“You don’t have anything to say?” I try to be bold about it but my voice breaks on the last word. It sounds like I’m pleading. I hate it because it’s true.
Give me a farewell I’ll remember fondly, Brody. Not this distance .
“Better not keep Sergeant Crams waiting.”
“Sergeant? Are you in a hurry?”
The man turns. “Nope. Take your time.” Whatever he sees on Brody’s face makes him shake his head. “Or don’t. Hurry up.”
I scoff. “It’s like you to intimidate to get the reaction you want, isn’t it?”
His lips are pressed into a flat line. I’m not getting anything more out of him.
So I turn to Crams. “Thank you for coming. I’ll go get ready.”
In thirty minutes, Iris and I have our suitcases packed. We head downstairs together. Crams breaks away from his conversation with Brody and collects Ivy’s bag. She follows after him, asking a boatload of questions.
Brody eyes me and then strides over. My breath stalls as I’m unsure what to expect. His hand closes around the box handle, brushing mine in the process. He sucks his teeth and pulls away like it hurt. Or rather, like it felt good. I know because I felt it too.
“You know what?” I close a hand around his bicep, pulling him to a halt. “I’m not going to leave with my tail stuck between my legs like I did something wrong because I didn’t.”
I expect Brody to yell at me but he only looks down to where I’m touching him. “I know.”
I withdraw my hand, my heart thudding. I didn’t have a plan beyond getting his attention. I didn’t know it would work.
“Um, I… I am leaving.” This isn’t an elegant goodbye speech. It’s barely anything. I’m just stating the obvious, which I’m sure Brody would love to highlight.
But his eyes meet mine, something vulnerable pushing past his mask of indifference to nip at me. “I know.”
“I won’t be seeing you again.”
“I know.”
My jaw trembles. Say something . “Well, it was fun while it lasted, right?” I try to sound light-hearted but manage to sound broken instead.
Brody’s jaw works as he looks away from me. “Let’s not keep Crams and Iris waiting out in the cold.” He grips the box handle gingerly and leads the way out of the cabin.
I stop at the door and run my eyes over the space. Despite our short stay, this cabin holds so many memories already. Memories I won’t be forgetting easily. I shut the door behind me and exhale.
That’s in the past now. I have to move on.
Iris is already in the back and Crams is in the driver’s seat. Brody holds the passenger door open for me.
I let go of my feelings—or try to—and give him a small smile. “Say thank you to everyone for me. Especially Cliff.”
He nods. “Stay safe, Ivy.”
My gaze lingers on him as I commit this moment to memory. “And yourself.”
The car door slams shut, enclosing me with Iris.
“Ready?” Crams meets my eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Ready,” I echo.
The engine roars to life and the car starts to move. All my built-up bravado begins to crumble.
I twist in my seat and look out the window. Brody stands in the cold in only a T-shirt and trousers, arms folded across his chest, face severe. He looks in our general direction but doesn’t look at me.
Crams lifts a hand to wave goodbye. He returns it sharply, and then he turns around and walks back inside. Even before we’ve rounded the bend he’s gone from sight.
I sit forward and draw in deep breaths while looking out at the passing terrain. This is good for me, for us. Where was that going anyway? Iris can't live out her days in a cabin on a picturesque resort, hiding from her fans. I have my life to get back to. My job. My cases.
I press my lips together to ease their trembling. I’m being ridiculous. Brody would have many more clients. Maybe some he would connect with like we did. And I’ll have...
I glance sideways. My sister’s eyes bore a hole straight through my temple. Her brows are furrowed, and her lips are pursed.
“What?” I chuckle but it comes out like a cough instead.
“I have cough drops in case you need them.” Crams rattles a bottle up front.
“No. I’m fine.” I eye Iris.
I’m fine . Maybe not right now but I’m getting there. I still need to understand the weird feelings bouncing around in my chest.
If I think about it right now, I’ll even create more reasons for Iris to be concerned. So I push the thoughts of Brody and Pine Peaks to the back of my mind as we leave.
Denver and the future is our focus.
“So, what do you want to do once we get back?” I glance over at my sister. “Have you thought about it?”
She sighs, sticking her hands between her knees. “I have thought about it, but I haven’t really come up with anything. Whatever it is, I know for a fact that I don’t want it to be in a place where I’d run into too many people.”
My mind works to bring up a thousand and one suggestions of an interim career she can pursue. We debate over them, considering some while throwing the others out. It’s enough to make me stop thinking about Brody. But the weight on my chest lingers still. And I know ignoring it will only work so long.
Brody has stamped himself on my heart whether I accept it or not. Forgetting him will be a task I will probably never excel at.