Obsessed(24)

"What? Who?" This is the first I've heard of Liz being in love with anyone.

"She didn't say."

"I'm baffled." I run every man Liz has dated the last few years through my mind. I can't imagine who Brighton is referring to.

"Back to the favor, Ivy."

"Yes." I look directly at him. "What is it?"

"Put in a good word for me with her," he says with a mischievous smirk. "You know, extol all my wonderful virtues."

I nod even though I'm caught at the point in the conversation when he told me Liz was in love. We've always shared everything and now a virtual stranger is telling me she's crazy about some invisible man.

"Of course." I smile back. "I'm supposed to be doing the same with you except in an artistic way."

"What do you mean?"

"The placement. Liz is very hopeful she'll get it."

"She will," he assures me. "I'd like to tell her myself in the next few days. Can you keep it a secret?"

"Absolutely," I say excitedly.

***



"Who is he?" I say the moment Liz opens the door of her apartment.

"What are you doing here so late?"

Judging by Liz's lack of makeup and her sweat pants it seems a call ahead might have been in order.

"You don't sleep anyways, remember?"

"It's midnight." Liz moves aside so I can step in. "What is it?"

"Who is he?" I repeat.

"Who?" Liz shrugs her shoulders before turning to walk into the kitchen to turn on the espresso machine.

"The man you're in love with."

Liz's face turns ashen. "Who told you?"

"Brighton," I say, reaching to grab a cookie off a plate sitting on the counter.

"What did he say?" her voice is trembling.

"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."

My heart instantly starts pounding. "I'm really confused."

Ivy." Brighton reaches for both my hands cradling them in his. "My brother…he's…well…to put it mildly…he's obsessed with you."