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And I was weakening like a chump.
Because he looked so earnest with everything he did to help me. Other than a grudging thank you every day, I’d barely spoken to him other than to give him some sort of direction.
It didn’t take much. He took ideas and ran with them. He was naturally creative in ways I hadn’t even imagined.
Especially with titles for the ice cream flavors. Kinleigh and I had come up with a ton of them, but his were even more clever. I knew I needed to give him more credit for all the work he was doing, but it felt like I was giving in.
Forgiving him.
And I didn’t want to forgive him. Because if I forgave him, I’d let him back in.
I slipped out of the back of the truck and around the side to where he was standing. The pure joy on his face made my chest hurt. He was wearing the rainbow hat. It was sprinkled in paint fingerprints and splatter. Even his scruffy face was smeared with mint paint.
He was stupidly adorable and I wanted nothing more than to go over there and hug him.
He pushed his hat back and looked up, his face split with a rare smile. “What do you think?”
I blinked at him for a moment. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him so happy. I followed his gaze. “What did you do to my truck?”
His grin slipped away. “I added speakers.”
“I see that.” The speakers were not on my itemized list of things I’d bought. “I didn’t buy them.”
“I did.”
“I didn’t ask you to.” My fingers were fisted and I was ready to swing.
His larger one came around mine. He brought it up to his mouth and kissed it lightly. “I wanted to. You’ve been working so hard—”
“I have. And I did it all on my own. Well, until you came to help, but I could have done it.”
“I’m not saying you couldn’t have, love.”
I hissed out a breath. “Don’t call me that.”
“I’m sorry. And I can take it down, but it’s a gift. Can’t you see that? I just wanted to—”
“What? My ideas aren’t good enough?”
“Dammit, Ivy. It’s not that.” He dropped my hand and paced away from me, tunneling his fingers under his hat and through his overgrown hair. “I was trying to do something for you. That’s all.”
“I don’t want you to.” My voice was loud enough that a few people twisted to look at us from Brewed Awakening’s outdoor tables. I brought it down an octave or three. “I’m fine with my plans. I’ve been building on them for years, Rory. Years.” Horrified by the wash of tears threatening, I twisted away from him.
His hands gripped my arms as he crowded behind me. “You’re amazing and this whole production is incredible. You have a rock-themed truck with no music. It just seemed like the perfect cherry on the sundae as it were.”
I f
roze up under his touch. We’d been so careful not to get into each other’s space this whole week. I knew it was a perfect touch. It was thoughtful and generous and all the things Rory could be when he wanted to. But it was too much. And it had been in my plans for the future, after I brought some money in and could allow the expense.
Building up my business, one step at a time.
He slid one arm around me, tentative fingers curving around the little bump I was sporting. “I’d do anything for you. For both of you.” He tipped his head to touch mine, his lips so close to my ear. “I don’t want to make you upset, a ghrá.”
Another one of those words I didn’t understand. It was rare, but even on that first night, they’d tumbled from his mouth at the oddest times. In my heart, I knew he was trying, that this was how he showed me he wanted to do something for me. But I didn’t want his money or his gifts.
I covered his hand on the side of my belly, squeezed lightly before slipping away from him. I crossed my arms and turned around. “You didn’t even ask.”
He looked down. “You’re right. I just got excited. You didn’t even look at them.”
