Page 21 of Worth the Rush
“I’m good. It was a long day, but I got a lot done.” I smile as I’m speaking to her, then follow up by asking her the same.
“How are things at your bakery? I’m not sure if I told you, but I’ve had dreams about that latte, and I loved visiting. I’ll probably be a frequent flier,” I joke.
She beams. “Thank you so much for saying that! I hope you’ll be back as often as you can. I’m glad you decided to come out tonight.” She smiles as she says it, and she’s making me feel marginally better about my decision.
“I’m glad too,” I tell her honestly. “So when does the live music start?” I ask.
Winnie looks at Alder and grins. “The first act starts in five minutes,” she answers, and I look over and catch his eye roll. I’m feeling like I may be in the dark about something.
“Okay, what am I missing?” I ask, looking between them, but before I get an answer, a blonde woman in green scrubs hugs Winnie from behind, and they both squeal.
“Mare! You made it!” Winnie yells. “I thought you were stuck at the hospital tonight.”
“Grant covered for me so I could come to see the show.”
“Oh, it’s Grant now? Not Mr. Steal Your Food?” she asks, and I look up at the scoff that comes from across the table. The man with the wild eyes is who the sound came from. He pushes his chair back and stands.
“I’m getting another pitcher,” he says under his breath and leaves. Mare continues like she didn’t hear him.
“That was months ago. We’re past that now. He apologized for all that,” she says, waving her hand in the air.
“No, I remember the phone call about the apology. I just don’t remember the name update,” Winnie tells her friend. “Speaking of names,” she starts and motions toward me. “This is Ivy. Ivy, this is Marigold.”
“Hi, Ivy. It’s so nice to meet you. God, you’re gorgeous.” I laugh, this coming from the actual angel before me. Sapphire-blue eyes and blonde hair combined with her delicate nose and berry-pink lips. The woman is an oil painting. I’m not the biggest history buff, but the sayingthe face that launch’d a thousand shipscomes to mind. Her smile turns just a little strained, and I fear I’ve been quiet too long, so I rush to fill the silence.
“Hi, Marigold. It’s nice to meet you too.”
“So how did you end up out with these guys?” she asks, and Winnie answers.
“She came into the bakery a couple of days ago, and we hit it off.” My chest warms a little at the casual way she says it, and I’m fighting a blush. It’s very unlike me. “And then I found out that she works with Alder at The Edgemont,” she finishes.
“You mean you’re stuck up on that mountain with him?” She nods at Alder, who I hadn’t noticed leave our table. He’s walking over to the small stage in the corner that I assumed was for the live entertainment tonight.
“Yeah. Uh, what’s he doing?” I ask, and Rhett answers.
“You’re in for a real treat tonight, Ivy. The official welcome to Silverthorne, if you will,” he tells me, sitting back in his chair and curling his arm around the back of Winnie’s.
“Truly,” Winnie comments with a laugh. “This is The Holloway men's bread and butter.”
Mare takes the vacant seat, and then the lightsflicker, signaling that the show is about to begin. Oh Lord, I don’t think I’m ready for what’s about to happen. The lights dim, and the crowd quiets. I look around, trying to get a good look at what’s going on, then a lone light shines down above the stage. When Alder’s profile comes into view, the crowd goes wild. Oh, god.
The first few notes of an ’80s power ballad start, and he tips his head into the spotlight, bringing the mic to his lips. He starts singing in a low but building voice. In a smooth and practiced motion, he starts tapping his heel to the beat, which draws my eyes to his very tight rear end covered by very-fitted blue jeans. Oh my lord. The tips of my ears are hot. I tuck my hair behind my left ear and hear “I’m not like the other girls” in my head. Now my cheeks turn hot as well.
Alder is giving the crowd what they want. He’s swaying his hips and scanning his eyes over all of us as he sings. He stops when he meets my eyes and sings a particularly sexual line, gotta love the ’80s. He keeps his gaze trained on me. The dimple that I’ve thought about too many times since arriving in town is on full display. He knows he’s hot, and he knows I think so. I get the feeling of eyes on me. More than those of the man up on the stage, and I avert mine to the side to find most of the faces in this bar turned to mine. The warmth in my ears and face has now spread to my neck.
Attention in any form can be dangerous, but attention from Alder Holloway may be catastrophic. I’m used to being watched. I’ve always liked attention. In therapy, we talked a lot about that. I guess it’s something I didn’t get from the right people in my life growing up. It’s that Daddy-didn’t-notice-me effect. I’ve sought it out in different ways, mostly self-destructive. Exhibit A: my marriage to someone thirteen years older than me at twenty.Are you there, Daddy Issues? It’s me, Ivy.Ibegin to relax as the show goes on. I’m encouraged to let loose by all the cheering that’s happening around the room. The people can’t get enough. I count myself in that group.
Alder’s song comes to an end and someone else gets up on the stage after. I’m smiling so big that my cheeks are starting to hurt. My sides burn with each wave of laughter. Marigold leans across the table to lay her hand on my arm, and Winnie is leaning into my side. I’ve had a great evening with these people who I barely know who have made such an effort to make me feel included. I’ll think about this later and how it’s a little sad that I haven’t had this much fun with anyone else in a long time. For now, I let their laughter and casual affection keep my chest warm and the smile on my face.
I look at Alder then at the man he’s laughing with. The man who keeps bringing us pitchers of beer. I’ve discovered his name is Colt through his conversation with everyone at the table with me, and he’s Winnie’s brother. He looks up and winks at me. Although I typically find men winking at me grounds for letting my bitch flag fly, when he does it, it’s incredibly charming. So is the friendly smile he wears. I smile back at him. I hear a throat clear and slide my eyes back to Alder’s icy-blue ones. I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen him annoyed. Or is that jealousy I see?
“So, Ivy. How long are you here for?” Colt asks.
“Too long for you, Colt,” Alder answers him without breaking our eye contact. Colt makes a sound half-snort and half-laugh. “Are you ready to head out yet?” he asks me.
“I drove myself. So you don’t need to worry about when I’m ready,” I tell him.
“The roads may be slick again, and it would be easier for me to follow you now than have to find you on theside of the road later,” he tells me with a smug smile. My cheeks heat. Lover Boy has some bite to him after all. Let’s play then. I bite the corner of my bottom lip and give him a confused look.
