“It wasn’t your fault. I don’t know why people are such assholes sometimes.”
“Addy’s mother showed up with your mom, but they didn’t know Talia and I were in the back booth. Apparently, they requested to sit back there. We stayed hidden in the corner because we were embarrassed. They started talking and Mrs. Edington was appalled by my father—rightfully so.” He took another bite of his burger, as if he wanted any excuse to stop talking.
“That couldn’t have felt very good,” I said.
“It didn’t, but it wasn’t the first time I’d heard it that day. Hell, everyone in town was looking at us like we were trash. But your mom and I had always been so close.” He ran his hand up and down the back of his neck.
“My mom has always loved you, Ty. So has my dad.”
“Mrs. Edington asked your mom how she felt about us staying together. At that time, they thought I was going away to school with you. No one knew that he left us financially drained, and I doubt they ever found that out, because he borrowed money from his family and then somehow wound up back on his feet.”
My stomach twisted a little. He was holding something back from me. But he continued. “You don’t remember how bad things were, Ive. Even your mom, a woman I considered to be like a second mother to me… even she wanted me to go away.”
It felt as if all the blood had drained from my body as I narrowed my gaze. “That’s not true, Ty. My mother loves you.”
“I’m not saying she doesn’t. I’m saying she knew you could do better. I heard her tell Addy’s mom that she hoped I wouldn’t go to school with you. That she had always loved me, but that she wanted you to spread your wings. Meet new people. She didn’t want you tied to the drama that my father had caused in town. And she was right, Ive. She was. The next year was absolute hell. I was just trying to survive. You were off at college, exactly where you needed to be. Not drowning in my shit.”
I shook my head as the tears made it impossible to see. This boy had been hurting so bad and my own mother had turned her back on him. And I’d hated him for five years for breaking my heart.
When his heart had been breaking too.
Chapter Eight
Ty
“Never fall for the enemy.” Maura, one week after working for Crew Carlisle
I moved to the other side of the booth and pulled Ivy into my arms. For the first time in five years, I felt like I could breathe again.
Like I was home.
“I didn’t want to make you cry. I just wanted you to forgive me. To understand why I did what I did.”
She pulled back just a little bit to look up at me. “I’m sorry for hating you, Ty. I didn’t know you were going through so much. I thought you just changed your mind about me.”
I stroked her face and pulled her back in for a hug. “I could never change my mind about you.”
“Maybe the girls were right.” She chuckled through her tears.
“About what?”
“Maybe we both needed this closure. I don’t know about you, but it’s definitely been holding me back. Although you seemed to be just fine—you went off and became a big, famous country star.”
“Things aren’t always as they seem. It’s not all unicorns and rainbows in my world. And you went off and chased your dreams. You bought The Wedding Bells and opened your business. You bought a house all on your own. You’re the rock star, Ive. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. To be happy.”
“Okay, go back to your side of the booth, please. This closeness is making my head buzz,” she said, and I barked out a laugh. The girl never held back.
So fucking honest and real. That was what was lacking from my life right now.
I moved to the other side of the booth and faced her again. Mae came over and raised a brow.
“You barely ate,” she said, studying Ivy as she swiped at her tears.
“Mae, can you bring us two gin and tonics? And… you know what? How about two shots of tequila? I think I’m working a half-day today,” Ivy said.
Mae’s smile spread clear across her face. “I can do that. Happy to see you two speaking without a drink flying across the table.”
“Thanks, Mae,” I said before she hurried off. The Rusty Pelican was the only diner in town that offered a full bar, and they drew a pretty large dinner crowd because of it.
“I think it’s the least we can do considering we have five years to catch up on. But first and foremost, I want to know how your mama is doing. I sure miss her. Talia told me she has a new boyfriend?” she asked.
“My mom is doing well. She misses you too. She told me to try to patch up the hurt I left behind with you, because she’s looking forward to seeing you. She gets into town in a few days with her boyfriend Craig.”
“Awww… I can’t wait to see her. And how about you, Ty Greene? You went off and got famous. I don’t know anything about you anymore,” she said, and I could physically see her bracing herself for what I was going to say.
Mae set down two shots of tequila along with our two mixed drinks and we thanked her. Ivy held up the little shot glass and I did the same.
“Cheers to catfishing me,” she said, as she tipped her head back and I followed. The warm liquid slid right down my throat. I looked up at Ivy and her eyes danced with mischief. I’d missed out on the past five years, and I was getting a glimpse of this older, cool girl that I’d loved for as long as I could remember.
“What do you want to know?”
“Last girlfriend?” she asked as she picked up the gin and tonic and took a sip and grimaced. Ivy had never been much of a drinker back in the day, but clearly the bomb I’d just dropped had pushed her over the edge.
“Ivy Baron. Best girlfriend I ever had.”
She propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. “Bullshit. You’ve got girls all over you.”
I took a long pull from my drink. “I haven’t had a real girlfriend since you. You really want to do this?”
“I really do. I want to know who you are now.”
“All right. I’m a country singer who is thoroughly burned out. I’ve been touring hard for the past three years, trying to make a name for myself. My label insisted I start seeing a therapist because I haven’t been able to write anything in the past six months. I’ve got an amazing mother and sister and a pretty cool new little brother who I just met. He doesn’t have an athletic bone in his body, but I like the little dude.”
“Tell me more.”