Ty handed his card to the server as I pushed to my feet. I heard Scotty Pepper going on and on in thanks for the best night ever to Ty. I waved at Jett before storming toward the door.
“You’re leaving without your date?” Jenna asked.
“I sure am. He’s on his own.”
“Just a little heads-up,” Jenna said as she looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was coming. “Ty called here and asked what time you and Dr. Dreamy were coming and requested that table beside you.”
I’d figured as much but hearing her say it only made me more aggravated. “Thanks, Jenna.”
Downtown was still busy as I started my walk home. My feet were throbbing in my heels, and I wished I’d brought some flip-flops in my purse.
“Hold up, Ive.”
I did not turn around when I heard Ty’s voice. I kept walking briskly toward home. It was just getting dark outside as the summer months always allowed for daylight to last longer than usual.
“Hey, I wanted to walk you home,” he said.
I came to a stop and put my hands on my hips when I turned to face him. “What do you want from me? You ruined my date already.”
“Come on. That date was going nowhere. That dude is batshit crazy.”
“Well, you didn’t help the situation,” I said as a few women walked by and gawked at the country star. “I can walk myself home, Ty. I’ve been doing it for a long time.”
I took a few more steps and stopped to hold on to the wall because my feet were literally throbbing now. I pulled off one heel and sighed as I contemplated walking home barefoot. That wasn’t an option, so I slipped the shoe back on. Before I could process what was happening, I was hauled up in the air and over Ty’s shoulder, fireman-style.
“What in the absolute hell do you think you’re doing, Ty Greene!” I wailed before slapping his back.
“Come on, you know it feels better not to walk. I used to carry you like this all the time when I wanted to get you in the lake when the water was too cold.”
I pushed up and saw some friends of my parents. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Millman. Have a good night.”
They both smiled and looked at me like I had three heads.
Ty laughed and I did too because I looked ridiculous. But damn if my feet weren’t completely relieved.
But my heart was another story.
Chapter Six
Ty
“Hoes before bros. Magic Willows for life.” Coco, 10th grade
“Where am I going?” I asked as she hung over my shoulder. She’d swatted me a few times before realizing that being carried wasn’t so bad. The smell of lilies and jasmine wafted around me as I breathed her in.
It reminded me of home.
Of Ivy.
Of goodness.
Of a time when everything was different. When I was truly happy. Before the shit hit the fan.
“Take a left at the corner. I live in the Wellers’ old house on Main Street,” she said over a chuckle, which I assumed was due to the fact that she was upside down as she spoke. “You know, this isn’t such a bad form of transportation. And it’s cheaper than Uber.”
I laughed as I turned the corner and walked up the paved path to her front porch. Once I made my way up the three steps, I set her down. She patted her hair into place and adjusted her white blazer. She was fucking stunning. Long auburn waves that I yearned to run my fingers through. Beautiful green eyes with pops of gold and amber where the porch light shined down on her.
Ivy Baron was it for me. Always had been. Always would be. But life wasn’t always that simple. I was living proof of that.
“Have you really never listened to my music?” I asked, as I reached over and pulled a small leaf from her wild hair and lingered there longer than necessary. She froze for a minute until I pulled my hand away and dropped the leaf to the ground.
“No, Ty. I have never listened to your music. I wouldn’t want to hear you crooning over all the girls you’re meeting. I’m not a masochist.” She raised a brow in challenge. I glanced over to see my driver pull up at the curb. He must have followed us, and he turned his headlights off to stay inconspicuous.
“I think if you listened to my music, you’d realize I’ve always written my songs for you.” It was the truth. She’d been the inspiration behind every lyric I’d ever written. Until I couldn’t write anymore.
Which was part of the reason I was here. Making peace with Ivy was something I needed to do.
“I don’t believe you. What are you trying to do here? You came to mess up my date. You’re telling me you wrote songs for me? What do you want from me, Ty?” Her words stung. But what the fuck was I doing? I came here hoping to make amends with Ivy. But being around her again, after all these years of thinking of her, was messing with my head.
She wanted to spend her life in Willow Springs. I fucking hated it here. Ivy deserved the white picket fence and the fairy tale. And I wasn’t that guy.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Just listen to the lyrics, Ive. It’s my peace offering.”
“I don’t need a peace offering from you, Ty. I’m over it. I’m doing just fine without you.” She shrugged.
“Is that why you threw a milkshake in my face? Because you’re over it?”
“That was my form of closure. Now I’m over it,” she said, but her lips turned up in the corners and I ached to pull her closer. What the fuck was happening to me? I hadn’t ached for anyone in a long time.
In five years, to be exact.
Sure, I lived the life of a musician. I’d slept with my fair share of women over the years, but never anyone more than once. I wasn’t proud of who I’d become. Maybe the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, and I was a piece of shit just like my old man.
“Have dinner with me. I just want to talk. Catch up. Hear what you’re doing.”
She narrowed her gaze at me, and her chin lifted just enough to let me know that she was going to shut me down. “Absolutely not. If you’re looking for a romp in the hay on your way through town, I suggest you look elsewhere.”
With that, she whipped around, her long hair hitting me in the face as she dug her key out of her purse and put it in the door.
“Hell, I never said anything about sex. That was all you, Ive.” My tone was all tease, but my dick twitched at the thought as I walked backward down the three steps leading up to her porch.
“Don’t flatter yourself. That’s the last thing I’m thinking about.” She glared at me, but I didn’t miss the heat in her eyes. Damn, I missed this girl something fierce.