Obsessed

"He said you're head over heels for some mystery guy."

She stares at me, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. "No."

"No?"

"I'm sorry, Ivy." She turns and runs down the hallway, slamming the bathroom door behind her.

I knock softly. "Liz, please come out. I didn't mean to ambush you. I was just confused." I hear water running and the sound of Liz blowing her nose.

"I'll be right out."

I sit back in the kitchen nursing my cup of espresso and second almond cookie.

"I'm sorry." Liz appears around the corner, no trace of tears left.

"No. I'm sorry I upset you."

"You didn't, sugar." Liz sits across from me. "I told Brighton that so he'd stop pursuing me. I'm not fond of mixing business with pleasure."

"Ah. That makes perfect sense."

She nods her head.

"Why did you get so upset when I mentioned it?"

She sighs heavily before answering. "I just wish a man really loved me, I guess."

"Me too," I say, my mind jumping instantly to Jax.

"It's been a long day."

"You don't have to tell me to get lost twice." I wink at her before giving her a quick hug and heading to the door.

Chapter 11

"Ivy, you look good enough to eat." Brighton's voice greets me as I step out the front door of my building.

"I'm not your type, remember?" I tease.

"Ouch." Brighton feigns grabbing his heart.

"You look wonderful too." I take in the sight of him wearing a tailored gray suit, black shirt and silver tie.

"Red really is your color, Ivy." His gaze follows the neckline of my dress which precariously hovers in a deep v just above my navel. "You brought out the big guns tonight, I see."

I giggle. "I brought out the double-sided tape." I adjust the hem of the dress, which falls just below my knee.

"The car awaits." He motions his hand towards the street.

As we walk in that direction, I decide that now is as good a time as any to revisit the conversation we almost had about Jax and the great lengths he's gone to. I'm still not sure what Brighton meant but some clarification is definitely in order before I see his brother again.

"The other day you mentioned Jax going to great lengths...um...something about him and I?" I fumble for the right words as Brighton and I reach the car.

"You first." He gestures for me to get in the backseat as the driver holds the door open.

"Thank you," I mumble hoping that the conversation isn't going to get sidetracked again.

"Give us a minute," Brighton says to the driver before closing the door. "After I tell you this you may decide you don't want to see me or my brother again."