day or night. Just let me
know.”
“Thank you.” She wrestled her hand away from him.
“No. Thank you .” Adam allowed Ivy her hand back and
retreated, slowing now and again to glance over his shoulder, probably to try
to catch Grant maligning his reputation.
He’d let Adam do that himself. He was his own worst enemy.
His photo might actually come up during an internet search of the same.
Ivy turned and bugged her eyes out at Grant. He chuckled.
She shook the circulation back into her fingertips and climbed his steps to the
porch. “What was that about?”
“You had him captivated.” He didn’t want to talk about Adam
or his kind. “Orange juice?”
“Yes, please.” She took a seat in the opposite porch chair.
The chair Molly had always sat in while they’d watch the
activity in the marsh in the early mornings, doing this very thing. Coffee and
conversation. At night it would be wine and conversation. Conversation often
led to cozy cuddling and then they’d move inside for some naked necking. His
stomach roiled with guilt over the yearning for Ivy he fought now.
“What do you think about some advertising in the Seattle and
Portland area?” she asked. “Newspapers. Regional magazines. Maybe a billboard.”
Grant poured her a glass of juice and, to avoid her inquiry,
he asked, “Where are your glasses?” She looked stunning, her eyes gleaming in a
greenish-blue tint that somehow matched both the grass and sky. Her chestnut hair
cascading along her shoulders shined in the daylight. If he had to describe her
appearance in one word it would be sunny. No, happy. Wait—glowing.
Ivy touched her fingers to her face. “I didn’t realize I’m
not wearing them.”
“Headache gone?” He’d suspected last night her headache
stemmed from wearing glasses she no longer needed to correct vision no longer
impaired.
“Actually, yes.” She sipped her juice. “I feel amazing.
Speaking of amazing, I was at the pool last night and I saw a wolf.” Her
declaration had the enthusiasm and wonderment of a small child.
“A wolf?” He exaggerated a frown. “Are you sure it wasn’t a
dog or a coyote?”
“Oh I’m sure. It was so surreal. He just sat there looking
at me from the other side of the fence.” She absently picked up the front page
of the newspaper. Next she stole a piece of toast from his plate. “He was
beautiful.”
Trying to hide his amusement, he asked, “How do you know it
was a he?”
Shrugging, she said, “I don’t know.” She took a bite of the
toast, still mulling over his paper. “I just do.”
He considered asking her if she’d like to just move in.
Grant could get used to Ivy and her scent. He enjoyed their little chats. Every
other man in town would envy him and hate him and vote to replace him as mayor.
Small price to pay. She’s not for you, Grant.
He couldn’t do that to Molly, Grant reminded himself. He had
sworn to her there’d never be another woman for him. Grant needed to fight the
animal within him. “Wolves don’t normally venture this close to civilization.”
They certainly shouldn’t. Reckless was the only way to describe the behavior.
“What do you think it means?” she asked.
I think it means I need to be near you. I have to watch
over you. I wanted to see you in your bathing suit. “Just looking for a
drink or food, I suppose.” Grant needed to distance himself from her before she
made him grow careless. More careless.
Her brow drew together. “Are the guests and staff safe?”
Always thinking like a manager . “We’ll put out some
capture traps,” Grant said to set her mind at ease.
She dropped the paper and clamped her hand on his wrist like
a cuff. “You won’t hurt him?”
“Of course not.” Grant patted her hand. “We release them in
a remote area.”
She put her hands together in prayer. “Can I please start
working today? Pretty please? Just a half day? After lunch I’ll go check out
more of Mystic.”
Luckily, he’d had
know.”
“Thank you.” She wrestled her hand away from him.
“No. Thank you .” Adam allowed Ivy her hand back and
retreated, slowing now and again to glance over his shoulder, probably to try
to catch Grant maligning his reputation.
He’d let Adam do that himself. He was his own worst enemy.
His photo might actually come up during an internet search of the same.
Ivy turned and bugged her eyes out at Grant. He chuckled.
She shook the circulation back into her fingertips and climbed his steps to the
porch. “What was that about?”
“You had him captivated.” He didn’t want to talk about Adam
or his kind. “Orange juice?”
“Yes, please.” She took a seat in the opposite porch chair.
The chair Molly had always sat in while they’d watch the
activity in the marsh in the early mornings, doing this very thing. Coffee and
conversation. At night it would be wine and conversation. Conversation often
led to cozy cuddling and then they’d move inside for some naked necking. His
stomach roiled with guilt over the yearning for Ivy he fought now.
“What do you think about some advertising in the Seattle and
Portland area?” she asked. “Newspapers. Regional magazines. Maybe a billboard.”
Grant poured her a glass of juice and, to avoid her inquiry,
he asked, “Where are your glasses?” She looked stunning, her eyes gleaming in a
greenish-blue tint that somehow matched both the grass and sky. Her chestnut hair
cascading along her shoulders shined in the daylight. If he had to describe her
appearance in one word it would be sunny. No, happy. Wait—glowing.
Ivy touched her fingers to her face. “I didn’t realize I’m
not wearing them.”
“Headache gone?” He’d suspected last night her headache
stemmed from wearing glasses she no longer needed to correct vision no longer
impaired.
“Actually, yes.” She sipped her juice. “I feel amazing.
Speaking of amazing, I was at the pool last night and I saw a wolf.” Her
declaration had the enthusiasm and wonderment of a small child.
“A wolf?” He exaggerated a frown. “Are you sure it wasn’t a
dog or a coyote?”
“Oh I’m sure. It was so surreal. He just sat there looking
at me from the other side of the fence.” She absently picked up the front page
of the newspaper. Next she stole a piece of toast from his plate. “He was
beautiful.”
Trying to hide his amusement, he asked, “How do you know it
was a he?”
Shrugging, she said, “I don’t know.” She took a bite of the
toast, still mulling over his paper. “I just do.”
He considered asking her if she’d like to just move in.
Grant could get used to Ivy and her scent. He enjoyed their little chats. Every
other man in town would envy him and hate him and vote to replace him as mayor.
Small price to pay. She’s not for you, Grant.
He couldn’t do that to Molly, Grant reminded himself. He had
sworn to her there’d never be another woman for him. Grant needed to fight the
animal within him. “Wolves don’t normally venture this close to civilization.”
They certainly shouldn’t. Reckless was the only way to describe the behavior.
“What do you think it means?” she asked.
I think it means I need to be near you. I have to watch
over you. I wanted to see you in your bathing suit. “Just looking for a
drink or food, I suppose.” Grant needed to distance himself from her before she
made him grow careless. More careless.
Her brow drew together. “Are the guests and staff safe?”
Always thinking like a manager . “We’ll put out some
capture traps,” Grant said to set her mind at ease.
She dropped the paper and clamped her hand on his wrist like
a cuff. “You won’t hurt him?”
“Of course not.” Grant patted her hand. “We release them in
a remote area.”
She put her hands together in prayer. “Can I please start
working today? Pretty please? Just a half day? After lunch I’ll go check out
more of Mystic.”
Luckily, he’d had
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