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“I’m not your mate, son.” He stepped forward and flexed his hands. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he dragged me up by the shoulders and showed me his opinion of me with his fists. But I was scrappier than I looked and wouldn’t back down from a fight.
Even if I had no clue why he was so angry. Yes, I hadn’t been back to see Ivy in a couple of months, but as long as she was okay…
“Is she all right?” I rose. “Look, I don’t have time for pissing matches with you, especially if there is something wrong with Ivy.”
“Oh, no, there is nothing wrong with my sister. She’s bright and beautiful and funny and far too good for the likes of you.”
I couldn’t argue with that. “You’re right.”
He crossed his arms again. “If I’m right, why the hell haven’t you stuck around? Sure you don’t have that other family or record I asked you about?”
“I live in California. For work. I do not have a wife or children or a police record. Other records, yes, there are many with my name listed as producer. I will agree that I could have done better by your sister. That’s why I’m here. To rectify things.” I exhaled and turned to head toward the front door. “Since I’m sure you won’t point me in her direction, I’ll find her myself. I should’ve tried the diner first anyway.”
“So, why didn’t you?”
Good question. It hadn’t even occurred to me. I’d been pulled toward her flat and clearly, that had been a mistake. I’d been lectured since I stepped onto the stoop.
Worst of all, I didn’t even know why.
“I don’t know,” I said finally, shifting back to face August. “Something told me to come here. Stupid, really, since it’s daytime and Ivy is always working.”
“You’re right, she is working, but not at the diner.” Before I could question that, he moved into my space. I held my ground and that seemed to soften some of the glint in his intense green eyes.
That could’ve been wishful thinking.
“My sister has a soft heart. Swing into town and give her a story about how you play guitars for a living and work with famous people, and her romantic heart probably kicked into gear. Not because she wants fame or money. She’d just see the artistic side of that and not the seedy fucking underbelly.”
“I didn’t give her a story about my work. In fact, I didn’t tell her a whit about what I do until my second trip to see her. Then I brought her to meet my friends at Happy Acres. She met them. Spent the day with them and their significant others. I can guarantee I’m not making up some farfetched nonsense to get into her panties.”
August’s jaw firmed. “No, you’ve done that already, haven’t you?”
Awkward. “Did Ivy tell you that?”
I didn’t know what it said if she’d told her brother we’d been intimate yet hadn’t mentioned my music career. Did that mean my prowess in bed was legendary? I’d always suspected I was better than the average bear, but I’d never had verification of the fact.
“Whatever she said, it’s all true,” I added, preening a little.
A muscle ticked in his temple. “Dude, I have no idea what’s spinning around in your head right now, but she?
?s my sister. Gross as fuck.”
“Oh. Right. Yes. Of course.”
“But even if I wasn’t her older brother, she definitely didn’t say anything complimentary about you. Short of you being a one-minute man. In and out. Wham. Bam. Done.”
I cocked my head. “I highly doubt she said that, since my staying power is—”
He pointed at the door. “Get out.”
“You’re a bloody rude sot.” I stopped in the doorway then turned to find August right behind me with blood in his eye. My blood. I could only imagine the vicious things he would do to me for daring to soil his beloved sister.
I couldn’t even blame him.
I also couldn’t let things stand on such awful terms. If Ivy didn’t plan on dumping me for some local yuppie with a Harvard business degree, I’d be seeing August again. He was her family, and they lived together. She obviously adored her brother, and from all I’d seen, Ivy had good judgment.
Most likely, August was a decent bloke under the bluster and brotherly threats of violence. Both implied and otherwise.
“Look, we got off on the wrong foot.” I held up my hands palms out. “I only came here to make things right with Ivy. I never meant to hurt her or cause her a moment’s unhappiness, but from your attitude, clearly, I must have.”
