“What the hell is going on here?” he grits, his voice low. “You don’t come home from work, and this is how I find you barely a week later?”
My brows climb high up my forehead. “I didn’t come home from work?” I repeat, my voice this wild, high-pitched mess as I take another step in his direction. “Oh, I came home from work, you cheating bastard! I just chose not to stay when I saw you fucking Rebecca Hart!”
Xander steps to my side, his hand settling on my hip, and it instantly brings me calm. Evan’s eyes fall to the motion, but he rightly doesn’t say a word. “How did you know Ivy was here if you didn’t even know you were caught?”
While all this is going on, Tessa stays quiet, picking at her blood red nails. Xander doesn’t give her a second glance, either. His concern is solely on me, and it’s his presence that gives me the strength to stand in the face of my failed relationship.
“After calling Mrs. Clarke and learning you’d left work, I moved to your friends.” Oh, no. Susanna and Lydia are probably going to strangle me. “I was a mess.” His expression is sad and apologetic, yet I feel nothing. “Annabelle finally told me the next day that she’d seen you and you needed to get away. She said you were safe, so I let it slide for a few days, until I realized we were about to miss Christmas together.”
“You mean,” I say, lifting a brow, “you continued to fuck Rebecca until you realized that something must be terribly wrong.” His eyes fall to the floor. “Get. Out!” I point to the door, and his wide eyes jump to mine. “No! Leave now, Evan. We’re done.”
He reaches for me, and two things happen simultaneously. I take a step back and Xander moves in front of me. “You heard her.”
A sigh comes from the previously silent Tessa, and we all look to her. “We rode in with the plow. He has no way to leave.”
“Didn’t you compare notes on the ride up? Wasn’t it obvious there were two people up here?” Xander chuckles, glancing between them. “If you were hoping being trapped here was going to somehow magically make things okay, it won’t.” He looks to me then, winking. “Not for you two, anyway.”
My heart swells, and I hobble the few feet to the entryway table. “Here you go,” I say, turning with the rental keys in my hand. “Use these. Return it to Enterprise when you’re done.” I grab Evan’s listless hand and place the keys in his palm. “I’m sorry you had to see this, but I’m not sorry it’s happening.”
He catches my wrist, the bracelet sparking as he twists it for a closer look before slowly lifting his eyes to mine. “Who are you, and what have you done with my Ivy?”
Xander chuckles, and it trails off into this nasty, snide sound. “She’s Ivy 2.0. It’s amazing the confidence a considerate man can bring out in a beautiful woman.”
“What he said.” I step back to Xander’s side, and he welcomes me with an open arm. “Now go.”
“Don’t come back,” Xander says, sending Tessa a cool glare.
She purses her oversized red lips. “Have your fun. I’ll see you when you get home.” Her hair flings out as she turns and takes Evan’s elbow. “Drive a girl to the airport, and don’t you worry. She’ll be begging you back soon enough.”
“Don’t count on it,” Xander calls to their retreating backs.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Doors slam and the engine cranks, but I wait until I hear the distinct sound of tires crunching against snow before I turn to Xander. “I’m sorry I did that,” I say, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “I hope you don’t mind running me to the airport tomorrow. I suppose I’ll fly home now.”
“I’m not sorry.” Xander smirks, dropping his throw right there onto the floor and opening my blanket so he can step inside. “My only question is does it have to be tomorrow?”
My brows fly up on my forehead. “You want me to stay longer?”
“Ivy,” he says, and he sounds slightly frustrated. “Of course I want you to stay. Why would you think otherwise?”
I shrug, all of a sudden finding his neck very interesting. “I crashed your party of one and my planned week is over.”
He places his finger beneath my chin and tilts it upward. “You didn’t crash anything. But beyond that, I’m not ready to say goodbye.”
“Me neither,” I admit, licking my lips. “I know we agreed …”
His brows are puckered. “Agreed … ”
“Never mind,” I say, chickening out. “I’ll stay for a few more days, but only if you’re sure?”
His expression remains thoughtful, and he steps out of the blanket, guiding me by the shoulders. “Come on.”
I don’t question him, instead following wherever he guides, which is into the bedroom. I watch as he slips on a pair of briefs, basketball shorts, and a T-shirt before moving to the drawers where my clothes are stored. He pulls out a pair of panties, sweatpants, and a tank.
Holding them out, he says, “Get dressed.”
I take them cautiously, unsure where this is going. Once I’m dressed, he takes my hand again without a word and leads me to the sofa. He sits and pats the space beside him. Once we’re settled, he turns to me.
“I think …” He stops, shaking his head. “No. I don’t think.” He huffs a breath. “The impression I gave you initially was so far off base,” he says, his thoughtful expression remaining. “I mean, at the time I thought what I was saying was the truth, but the reality is, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.”
“I … I don’t understand.”
“I imagine not.” He huffs a laugh. “I barely do.”
“Okay,” I say, dragging it out. “Let’s start at the beginning. What are we talking about here?”
“Everything,” he replies, still being too vague for my liking.
I roll my eyes, unable to stop myself. “I’m not a mind reader, Xander,” I say, getting anxious. Our week is ending, so it wouldn’t be unusual to start putting some distance between us. “You took me to our room, tossed clothes at me, and then brought me back out here. You obviously have something to say, so I wish you’d get it off your chest.”
“Our,” he replies slowly. “You said our.”
“Uh …” I pause, replaying my words.
“Our room.” He’s still smiling like he knows something I don’t.
“Yeah, so?” My anxiety is turning into annoyance. I don’t like games, and I suddenly feel like I’m being strung along for one giant letdown.
“Ivy,” he says, sighing as he lifts one of my hands and closes it between his. “I lied to you that first day, only I didn’t realize it was a lie. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t a lie in the way you might think. I didn’t know it was a li—”
I pull my hand from his grasp and stand, ready to flee, unsure if I’m ready for him to say the words. “You’re driving me crazy here.” I toss my hands in the air. “You’ve been babbling on and on without saying anything, and it’s freaking me out.”