My blood boiled. Compartmentalizing my anger had never been my strength. This man was trying to get under my skin, and he was succeeding. Because I did see it. The way she looked at him all adoringly.
And why didn’t he ever mention that Jo was a girl?
Probably because he’s been bumping and grinding with her, and the last laugh was on me.
No, sir.
They could all shove it where the sun don’t shine.
“I’ve had enough of this little pow-wow. So I think I’ll take my little feisty self and get the hell out of here.”
He chuckled. He’d outed Ty and Jo, and obviously that was the goal. I looked up to see Ty watching me through the glass as he sang some song about a dumb ol’ country girl that was probably really meant for his bandmate and not me. Or one of his groupies.
I’d been a complete sucker. Buying all the sappy crap Ty had been preaching. But I was nobody’s fool.
Not today, country star.
I flipped Ty the bird and glared at Zane before turning on my heels and getting the hell out of there. Gerard was sitting outside by the car, and I hurried over to him. Sure, I could walk, but I didn’t need Ty following me. Not that I thought he would with his girlfriend being right beside him.
But I sure as hell wouldn’t give him the chance if he did.
Everything was coming to a peak. I’d been feeling the tension since the wedding, counting down the days of Ty and me being together. Maybe it just needed to be over. Would that be easier? Is that what he’s thinking by bringing me here?
I think I’m going out of my mind.
“Can you give me a ride home real quick?”
“Of course.”
When we pulled away from the curb, I looked out the back window to see Ty coming out the door and into the parking lot.
See ya, sucker.
We pulled up in front of my house and I unbuckled and reached for the door. “Thanks, Gerard. See you later.”
“See you, Ivy,” he said.
I could feel the tears welling as I shut the car door and made my way inside the house. I did what any girl who’d been made to feel like a fool would do. I gathered all Ty’s clothes and chucked them right out the door. Some landed on the porch, some made it down the steps to the front yard. I was going back inside for his toiletries when I saw him jogging my way.
“What the hell are you doing, Ive?” he shouted as he crossed the street, heading toward me.
“Don’t you dare come here!” I shouted, as I hurried inside and slammed the door.
He banged on the other side of the door, and I leaned my back against it and crossed my arms over my chest.
“Have you lost your mind, woman?”
“Probably!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, making sure he could hear me on the other side of the door. “No thanks to you, you… lying, dirty, skanky, no-good-for-nothing turd-licker. I am nobody’s fool, Ty!”
There. That felt good. My heart was racing, and I tried to relax my hands that were already in little fists.
I heard hysterical laughter.
Seriously?
Was he hard of hearing? That would sure be challenging for a musician. I think the bastard found this funny.
“What’s going on, Ive?”
“What’s going on? I’d say you’ve lost your booty call. Take your stuff and go back to the hotel with your girlfriend,” I said, and I pushed back from the door and whipped it open. “In fact, you are trespassing on private property, Ty. You need to leave.”
He was sitting on the steps and pushed to his feet. “Baby, I don’t have a girlfriend. I mean, unless you want to make this official while I’m here, which I’m happy to do.”
“So, what is going on between you and Jo, then? Do not play me for a fool, Ty.” I raised a brow and dared him to lie to me.
Because he trampled on my heart once, and I’d be dammed if he would do it twice.
Not on my watch.
Chapter Twenty
Ty
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Well… first it makes the heart angry. Like, really angry. But then it definitely grows fonder.” Ivy, one week after Ty returned to Willow Springs
I moved toward her as she stood in her doorway, and she held up her hand. Warning me to stay back. I tried hard not to laugh because she was cute as hell when she was mad.
Always had been.
“Will you just come and sit down and let me talk to you, please?” I asked.
“Are you sleeping with Jo?” She held her ground. She obviously wasn’t budging till I answered the question.
“No. I’ve never so much as kissed Jo.”
“Swear it, Ty. Because if you lie to me, your penis is going to shrivel up and fall off. That’s karma.” She was crazy upset, and I knew she had nothing to worry about, but I needed to take this seriously because she sure as shit was.
“I swear on my penis. Please come sit down,” I said, using my hand to cover my mouth because it was difficult not to laugh.
She stomped out onto the porch and sat down on the top step, making sure she sat as far to one side as possible to put space between us.
“So, are you saying you didn’t sleep with her in the past, before she came here today? Because you certainly didn’t think to tell me that your bandmate was a woman, so I’m guessing you failed to mention that the two of you had bumped nasties? And that’s shady shit, Ty Greene. Even for you.” Her cheeks were pink, and I didn’t miss the anger in her eyes. Her last words stung, because I wasn’t perfect, but I wouldn’t consider myself shady. I’d been completely honest with her about everything in my past.
Including the part where I didn’t sleep with Jo.
“I just didn’t think to mention her sex. Just like I didn’t tell you that Smith and Zack were dudes. I forget that you didn’t follow us, Ive. Everyone knows that Jo is a woman.”
“Does everyone know you two have a sordid past? Because Zane sure thinks there’s something going on, and apparently the fans are going to be thrilled about it,” she hissed.
There it is. He’d feigned innocence when she’d run out of the studio, and I fucking knew he had something to do with it. He’d been pouting ever since I told him that I wanted to extend my stay in Willow Springs. Because it had very little to do with this town and everything to do with the girl living here.
“No, because Jo and I have never been together. But Zane likes to fuck with people, and I’m not completely shocked that he pulled this shit. Yes, there have been a few times fans have thought that we would be good together, based on nothing other than both being in the band. But there has never been anything between us, Ive.” I pulled out my phone and sent my location to Jo and asked her to get her ass over here.