I meet up with Tysin and Madden early that afternoon for band practice. It’s rough; Tysin’s constantly checking his phone. Whatever he’s texting someone about can’t possibly be good, and the fact we’re both distracted puts Madden in a bad mood. We each have a lot on our minds, so we decide to call it an early night.
It’s Wednesday, which happens to be the night I know Ivy doesn’t usually work. Something about knowing she’ll be off tonight has me hoping she’ll finally stop the cat and mouse games and come home.
Home. Why the fuck am I thinking about it like we live here, together? Like this is more than what it is?
After band practice, we head over to the Shake Shop. Most of our friends hang out down by the beach during the summer. With the Shake Shop sitting off the pier, it makes it a hoppin’ place even on a weeknight.
The sun has started to set when we pull up. Tysin’s in the front seat across from me, Madden sitting in the truck bed of my ‘69 Chevy.
As soon as I put it in park, Tysin’s door is open, and Madden makes the jump over the side of the truck.
“You fuckers can’t even wait until I have the thing turned off, can you?”
Madden doesn’t even acknowledge me, and Tysin holds his middle finger over his head.
I’m not in the mood to eat. With my leg perched beneath me, I lean against the wall with my arms crossed in front of my chest. Sunglasses shield my eyes, watching the beachgoers pass by us along the boardwalk.
“Will you put on some clothes?” Madden barks.
Glancing over, I spot his sister approach with her friends following along behind her. She’s dressed in a yellow bikini top, and crop shorts rolled at her hips, showing off her sun-kissed skin. With her bright hair and swimsuit, there’s no missing her, and now I understand Madden’s comment.
Even if she’s Madden’s sister, she looks damn good, and I’d be a fucking liar if I said I didn’t look twice.
It doesn’t take long though before my eyes are trailing away from her to the brunette standing behind her. Ivy’s deep brown hair is down, pulled over her shoulder. The bright red swimsuit top with matching wrap sitting low on her hips.
When I say low, I mean fuckinglow, showing off her hip bone. Immediately, my mind trails to what she is covering beneath those small bikini bottoms and see-through sarong.
Once again, thoughts of Ivy seep into my mind like a fucking poison out to kill me slowly. I imagine what she’d look like spread out before me on my bed. Her wild hair fanning around her as I slip off her sexy-as-sin swimsuit and taste her.
The thought of how sweet she would be makes my mouth water. Dragging myself from the visions flashing through my mind to find the spotlight of my dreams standing in front of me.
I don’t take my eyes off her, even when she shoots daggers at me, remembering how she spoke to me the last time we saw each other.
At least until I notice Frankenstein standing behind her. I don’t know what it is she sees in this guy. Dude looks so tense walking next to her; you’d think he had a stick shoved far up his ass.
“Well, if it isn’t the three stooges,” Kyla jokes, rolling her eyes at her brother before peering back over at Tysin, holding his stare. I’m waiting for Madden to knock his head off with the way he’s gazing at his sister, biting his lip as he does.
“Did you see who’s with Kyla?” Tysin asks, elbowing me in the side, pointing at Ivy. As if she doesn’t see him.
“I’m not fucking blind.”
“Whatever happened to you having her eat out of the palm of your hand? Have you fucked your sister yet?” Tysin laughs.
For a second, I wonder if Ivy heard him, her eyes darting over to me.
“If you don’t shut the fuck up, you’ll be eating sand in two seconds. You fucking hear me?”
Holding his palms up, he takes a step back. Tysin swipes his shake cup off the counter, backing away from me, lifting the straw up to his mouth with a smirk on his face. When Ivy turns to talk to Frankenstein next to her, Tysin has the nerve to waggle his brows and nod his head toward them.
Steam is practically blowing out of my ears, and I’m ready to head out of here. My eyes find Ivy once again, trying to force myself to calm down, only now it looks like she’s cozied up next to him. Every so often, Ivy’s eyes flit back over to mine. A few times, I don’t even try to cover up the fact I’m staring back at her, too, but her eyes quickly dart away.
The moment I catch his arm draped around her waist, rubbing his thumb along the soft skin of her hip, it’s time for me to jet.
“I’m about to dip out of here. You guys want a ride?” I ask, looking between Tysin and Madden, motioning to the truck.
Madden is too busy chatting it up with some girl who walked by to even pay attention. With Madden’s mind in other places, Tysin’s sliding in trying to talk to Kyla. He clearly doesn’t want to leave now. Ivy peers over at me, surprised by my tone and abrupt decision to leave.
“Alright, I’m gonna head out,” I say, looking over at Ivy. Before turning to leave, I pause and say, “I’ll see you at home.”