Page 32 of Collide

“You’re making it worse for her,” Jared comments. We already hashed out his apprehension about my involvement with Ivy last night. I heard what he said, but I’m not listening to his advice. I keep my eyes on Ivy.

“Tell me I’m making it worse, and I’ll step back right now. I’ll make a statement to clarify. Congratulations or something. But keep me close, and I swear I’ll take care of you both.”

“What are you doing?” Ivy stares at me, uncertainty and fear filling her eyes. The look unsettles me because it’s so different from the sadness I’ve previously witnessed. I don’t like any of these negative emotions in her sapphire gems. I only want to see her give in to me.

“I’m making a declaration.” Her hands remain on my shoulders although she’s no longer pressing against them. I hold my breath, preparing for her to shove me away when she surprises me. She slips her hands up my neck, and her fingers curl into the back of my hair. She gently tugs, and a slow smile curls her lips.

“You better know what you’re doing,” Tommy hisses although I don’t know who he’s addressing. I’m too wrapped up in the touch of her fingers and the curve of her cautious lips.

“I’m going to kiss you,” I murmur, leaning forward, but a hand to my shoulder stops me.

“You and I need to talk. Now.” The sharpness in Tommy’s tone leaves no argument. Ivy doesn’t even intercede with her uncle, fear returning to her eyes as she keeps them on mine. I cup her cheeks.

“I’ll be right back.” I state each word with added emphasis. No matter what Tommy says, I’m not going anywhere.

I follow him over to the bar, which isn’t exactly private, but it also doesn’t make it look like we’re headed to a back alley to beat each other up.

Tommy orders a whiskey and then turns to me. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Be our manager and help us figure it out.” I cut him off, knowing he’s winding up for more.

“Manager?” he scoffs. “You need a swift knock in the head, a babysitter, and a damn good publicist after this. This is going to be a shitstorm on social media.”

“Since when do you care about social media?”

“Since my niece just got dragged into your bullshit.” Tommy pauses and lowers his voice. “In her condition, she doesn’t need stress in her life.”

“I’m not playing social media games. I don’t want her misunderstanding what she sees about me. People want to take pictures, then I’m giving them something to post about. I want her.”

Tommy’s eyes widen. “It isn’t just her.”

“I want all of her, which means baby and all.”

He shakes his head and takes a sip of his drink. He’s not looking at me as he speaks. “Let her go, and I’ll be your manager.”

My stomach drops. He can’t be serious. I almost proposed to his niece poolside, and he thinks I’ll take it back for him.

“Tell us how to act. What to do. Where to go. Open doors for us, and we won’t disappoint, but don’t. Do. Not. Ask me to give her up. For her as well as me.”

“I’d say I’m going to enjoy you fucking this up, but then again, my niece is involved. She’s like a daughter to me, which is why I can’t help you string her along. Find someone else, kid, before you lose it all.”

He walks away, and I don’t know if he means another girl or another manager but giving up Ivy isn’t an option. A different manager it will be, then.

15

IVY

We spend the rest of the day at the pool although the tension is deeper than the ocean. Eventually, Petty and Jared decide to try sneaking into another resort for their poolside bar. Tommy’s taken off with the two women who lingered by our chairs earlier. Gage invites me to dinner.

We go to a small seafood place. It’s casual with red and white checkered tablecloths and wooden mallets in galvanized buckets for breaking crab legs. Gage orders a beer and a sparkling water with a lime for me.

“How did you know I’d like that?” I ask, surprised.

“You had one the other day.” He shrugs like it’s not a big deal that he’s been paying attention to details. We’ve been quiet most of the afternoon, each lingering with our own thoughts.

“Is this a game to you?” I ask, no longer able to hold back the question.

“What?” His head shoots up.