Page 35 of The Magical Tea Shop

“Stop it, both of you. You’re best friends.”

“Friends don’t serve allergic friends nuts!”

“You, idiot, I knew you wouldn’t eat them. I just wanted you to leave.”

“Leave? Why would I leave? I was on a date!”

“You don’t deserve Ivy. She’s too good for you.”

“She’s too good for all of us, jackass. It was my chance, and you ruined it.”

Ivy bit her lip. Dear lord, they weren’t fighting about the nuts at all. Two attractive, eligible men were fighting overher. It was surreal. Normally, she went unnoticed. How could a tin of cookies turn an entire baseball team into love-struck morons?

Ivy knew she was nothing special, had always known that. It was her sister who was unique. Holly came in first, and Ivy always came in second.

Or last.

Jaxon got his fighting teammates separated. He stood between them, arms outstretched, holding them apart even as they reached around, still trying to hurt each other.

“Please,” said Ivy, holding a barking Montgomery’s leash, “if you care for me at all, go home. Just go home.” The last came out on a wail, caught on the wind. Her words twined around them all.

They halted.

They stopped suddenly, like wind dying down. In eerie stillness they stepped back, away from Jaxon who dropped his arms with a long, drawn-out breath.

Pedro and Kyle shook themselves a little, still glaring at each other.

“You heard her,” said Jaxon. “Get out of here.” Montgomery was growling, straining against his leash now, but Ivy held on tight.

When they stepped farther back and were about four feet apart and out of punching distance, Ivy scooped up Montgomery and stepped closer into the street. The little dog shivered and twitched in her arms as she murmured and soothed him. Once he’d calmed a little, she raised her voice just enough to be heard. “Kyle, thank you. It was very thoughtful of you to take me out.” Kyle gave a curt nod in acknowledgement. Before he could toss a triumphant glance at Pedro, Ivy continued. “Pedro, you are truly talented. Dinner was exceptional—well”—Ivy glanced at Kyle—“except for the nuts.”

Kyle sucked in an indignant breath and turned to her, accusing, “You ate the nuts.”

“I…like nuts.” She gave an apologetic shrug.

“Now, I can’t kiss you good night.”

Everybody, even Montgomery, froze.

“I…I don’t mind.”

At Kyle devastated expression, Ivy could’ve hit her palm to her forehead.Oh dear, how could she let him down gently.

“Thank you both for a truly memorable evening.”

Jaxon snorted a laugh, and Dina, unable to contain herself, began to applaud. Ivy flashed a warning in her direction. She was so not helping.

Jaxon started guiding Kyle and Pedro away from her. He was speaking in a low and urgent tone, but she couldn’t hear what he was saying over Montgomery’s yips and whines as he wiggled to be put down. Whatever Jaxon said worked, because Pedro dashed back in the diner and Kyle walked to his tricked-out car.

Once they’d cleared out, Jaxon and Ivy trailed back to the bench where her clutch lay abandoned. Contrite at being the cause of a scene, she bit her lip. “Sorry about that.”

“Notyourfault they’re a couple of idiots.”

She ran her fingertips over the metal scrollwork of the bench. “Idiots over me, which makes no sense.”

“Oh? Makes sense to me.”

Ivy blinked up at him, and he gave her that totally Jaxon smile that made her knees wobbly. “Thanks for hearing me out tonight. Let me know when I can return the favor.”

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