Page 103 of Holly versus Mr. Ivy
She squealed, jumping up and down. “Yes! Oh my fruitcake! This is the best news ever!” She threw her arms in the air. “Jack!” she hollered. “Jack, get out here. NOW!”
Oh, wow. Meg was…enthusiastic.
Jack burst through the door, a frantic look on his face. “What? What’s wrong?”
Meg pointed at me. “That’s Holly. She wants our help with Rhett.” She squealed again, throwing herself at Jack, wrapping her arms around his waist.
Jack’s arms went around Meg, but his gaze shot to mine.
How did I channel some of her energy? “Hi.” I offered a lame wave. “I know you probably don’t want to see me, but I really could use your help. I made a mistake and want to talk to Rhett about it, but he’s ignoring me. Will you help me?”
Jack’s brows rose, his eyes wide.
When he didn’t say anything, just continued to look at me, I blurted, “I love him.”
Meg patted Jack’s chest. “We have to help her.”
“You really love him?”
“More than anything.”
Jack nodded, seemingly satisfied with the truth I spoke. “Then let’s get to work.”
Chapter 36
Holly
RhettoncesaidIreminded him of Jack. After spending some time with him, I understood why. And it wasn’t a bad thing. Jack was my kind of person. Meg, on the other hand, had energy and charisma in spades. She reminded me of Skye. Her ready support to help me with Rhett endeared her to me instantly.
If things didn’t work out with Rhett and me, I wondered if he would be upset if I became friends with Jack and Meg anyway…probably.
Taking a steady breath, I grabbed the cleaning bucket and bag of food from my back seat and headed up to Rhett’s porch. Jack had texted Rhett, telling him he was coming over to hang out for lunch today, but surprise! It would be me instead.
Rhett might hate the switch-a-roo and slam the door in my face. But I prayed he didn’t.
Mid-knock, the door creaked open. Rhett stood, blinking rapidly. His wrinkled cotton pajama pants and white t-shirt hung loosely on his frame. His beautiful hair stood at crazy angles, like a kid who’d tossed and turned all night.
“Holly?” he croaked, rubbing a hand over his unshaven jaw. A jaw that my mouth had tasted every inch of, and not once had it been covered in scruff like it was now. My heart thumped in my chest.
The sight of him brought tears to my eyes. “Can I come in?”
“Uh. Yeah. I guess.”
He opened the door wider, and I stepped into his dark house. My eyes took a moment to adjust from the blinding sun reflecting off the snow to the cave where I now stood. A musty, stale scent lingered in the air. Jack warned me it would be like this, which was why I came armed with products to help Rhett’s house get back to its usual cleanliness.
Rhett flipped on a light switch and led me into the living room at the back of his house. I passed a gray and white kitchen, dirty with dishes, mail, food wrappers, and empty take-out containers littered over every available surface.
“Excuse the mess. I haven’t had time to clean.”
Liar.“It’s fine.”
We sat on his couch, a solid three feet of space between us. Rhett rubbed his eyes before finally looking at me. “Why are you here?”
Sniffling back the tears that pooled in my eyes, I held up the Styrofoam container, opening the lid. “Care to explain this?”
He shrugged. “It’s cake.”
It was way more than cake, and we both knew it. “Peanut butter and jelly cake.”
