28. Sweet Dreams
SWEET DREAMS
Ivy
I had this mental downfall where I’d tell myself if I just pretended it was all fine, it would be. Problem solved.
The problem with that was it rarely worked in my favor.
Aspen was sitting beside me, head bobbing as she sang along to the music that played through my car. We’d grabbed coffees on our way to the rink. I had a skate lesson this morning with a few six-year-olds, and Aspen had decided she wanted to learn since she had some free time this morning.
So my class today was four six-year-olds and Aspen.
“Why aren’t you singing with me?” The song had ended, and she’d set her coffee back in the cup holder between us.
I shrugged. “Not in the singing mood this morning. Just tired, I guess.”
“Liar. Is this about the kiss still? You don’t still feel guilty, do you?”
I shrugged again, my go-to move when it came to talking about anything Oliver Carragan related.
Aspen let out a groan. “We’re leaving soon, and you’ll be stuck under one roof with him for the weekend. So maybe you should talk to him about it. Clear the air before the trip.”
I hummed a contemplating sound.
“Ugh, you’re being a shit. Don’t make me turn on my sad-girl music, Ivy. Might as well match your mood if you aren’t going to talk to me.” She sat back in her seat, her arms folded over her chest and the pout in her voice clear without me taking my eyes from the road.
“Wow. Is that how you get your way with Rowan? Cute.”
“No. And don’t think you can change the subject from one Carragan brother to another, either.”
I rolled my eyes, my head leaning back against the head rest.
“I’m not changing the subject. It was a valid question, given your interrogation methods.”
“My interrogation methods? Really?” I could hear the shock in her voice, and now I did want to change the subject. However, Aspen was like a hound dog with a scent when it came to what was going on in my brain. There was no stopping her until she found the source.
“Fuck’s sake. Fine. Okay. Fine. I was over there last night and he…
he cornered me in the kitchen and just…ugh!
I told him to stop being nice to me. To stop being all perfect, and he’s taking it…
to the extreme. Then he complimented my music!
I was ready for him to be annoyed. I had his son singing along to Sabrina Carpenter and instead he said he was enjoying it?
Enjoying it, Aspen? The man only listens to divorced dad rock.
The fuck does he mean, he’s enjoying it? ”
I could hear the chuckle, even though it was muffled behind her hand as she turned to look out the window.
“Spit it out, bitch,” I grumbled.
She blew out a breath, the laugh still clearly trying to die down. “Isn’t it obvious?”
I glanced over at her, the expression on my face clear that it was anything but obvious for me.
“He likes it because you like it. He enjoys when you’re happy and whatever it takes to make you so. Thought that was pretty obvious with the birthday gift.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. If you left your head for a moment, you’d see what is right in front of you, Ivy darling.”
I shook my head as I pulled into the ice rink parking lot. “Yeah, whatever. Love has made you wise and all-knowing. Let’s go so I can laugh when the six-year-olds are better than you.”
“Not a very best friendly thing to say, hoe!” she hollered as I grabbed my bag from the back seat and closed the door.
And maybe she was right. It wasn’t as if something like that was a common occurrence for me in my current—nope. I stopped myself before I started down the comparison road. It was a dangerous place to wander and the last place I needed to be.
My fuzzy fleece blanket was wrapped around my body as I laid in bed. Todd must’ve turned up the AC before he left, because I came back to the apartment being cold as hell for the beginning of summertime.
Copying the links, I sent them in one full text for Oliver to go over.
Okay. Final choices. These all have enough room for everyone and are in our price range. Let me know what you think so I can get it booked!
I set my phone to the side, unlocking my Kindle. I didn’t expect him to respond right away. It was late, and I knew he had to be up early, so I was eager to dive back into my romance of choice.
It was a dark omegaverse tonight. Shifting alphas and women who didn’t give a fuck about putting their men in their place. Something I seemed to be craving lately.
I’d made it two chapters through before my phone started vibrating beside me. By the third buzz, I realized it was a phone call and looked down to see Oliver’s name come across the screen. No photo, because, well…that was the last thing I needed.
I set down my Kindle and answered the phone, the nervous energy clear in my veins.
“Hello?”
“Figured you’d still be awake right now. Curled up with a good book?” His gravelly voice filled the phone speaker, and I swallowed down the filthy thoughts trying to infiltrate my subconscious.
“Um, yeah. Wolves. Sassy women. You know, normal stuff.” Fidgeting with a loose string on the corner of my blanket, I wondered what he was doing right now.
If he was sitting in his chair or across his bed. Maybe out on the back porch in the swing we’d sat on together.
“Sounds interesting. I do have a newfound appreciation for sassy women.” He cleared his throat, a slight creaking that told me he was on the back porch after all.
“I just wanted to call about the text. I think the second one would be best. Great view. Plenty of space for us to sleep. Plus the two queen beds have ocean views, so Wyatt and Rowan will be happy with the girls.”
The houses. Of course, that was why he was calling.
“Yeah. Second one. Good choice. I’ll, um, get it booked as soon as we hang up,” I mumbled, heat filling my cheeks at my insanity.
Why else would he be calling, Ivy?
“Good, good.” He was silent for a moment, and part of me wondered if he was thinking the same way I was.
If he wondered where I sat and what I was doing before he called.
If he wanted a reason to stay on the phone, or if it was all just bullshit I was reading into.
My own hopeless romantic self trying to find a connection that wasn’t there beyond the sexual need of it all.
“Well, is that all—” I began, but he cut me off.
“How was your day?”
A soft giggle left my mouth as I smiled. “It was good. Had a morning class that Aspen tagged along for. Should’ve seen her out there, trying to skate with the six-year-olds. It was both hilarious and inspiring all at once.”
He chuckled along with me. “She seems like the type to assume she can just hit the ice after watching a few times and figure it out herself.”
“That’s exactly what she did! I tried to help, but it took her falling on her ass twice before she’d let me give her some pointers. I figured maybe in Rowan’s chaos he would’ve gotten her to accept some help, but guess not.”
“Stubborn women seem to be a thing my brothers and I have in common,” he replied. I could hear the smirk in his voice without even seeing him.
“Ha! I’m not stubborn, so…” I realized too late what I’d implied, but Oliver Carragan didn’t miss a beat.
“You sayin’ you’re my woman, Ivy Tinsley?”
Silence ensued for a moment before I finally came to terms with the fact that I didn’t hate anything about that sentiment.
“I’m saying…It’s getting late, Oliver, and I should probably get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, baby doll. Sweet dreams,” he replied softly.
“Sweet dreams.”
I hung up, my eyes lingering longer than they should’ve on my phone while I contemplated that conversation and all the feelings I shouldn’t be feeling. But knowing that didn’t stop them from spiraling in my heart.