The Ivy House

chapter 18

“So, she took the deal,” Noah said.

“She took the deal.” Chase took a sip of his beer. Chase had wandered over to Noah’s house after work, and now the two of them were holed up in the large garage behind it.

“Do you boys need anything else? I have to go out now.” Caitlyn came in and Chase watched as his friend’s whole face lit up.

“No, I think we’re good. We have beer and a boat. What more could we want?” Noah said, giving his wife a kiss as he pulled her close, his hand touching her still-flat belly.

Chase watched, wanting to turn away, but didn’t. Noah was so damn happy, married and soon to be a father that it was enough to make any other guy sick. Except that’s not what Chase was feeling. Not envy, for while Caitlyn was beautiful and accomplished, Chase knew he wasn’t jealous for her. Just of what she and Noah had together.

“Be careful, please. Let me know when you get there?” he whispered.

Caitlyn laughed. “It’s just a few miles away. How much trouble can I get in? It’s just dinner.”

“Call,” Noah said, his eyes narrowing, his voice serious.

“I’ll call. Of course. There’s some stuff in the fridge for dinner if you boys get hungry. Just be careful using those power tools.” She waved once more and let herself out and they heard the sound of her car leaving the driveway.

“Hey, Daddy, wipe the drool off,” Chase said to his best friend.

Noah just shook his head. “Wait until it happens to you. Won’t know what hit you.”

“That will be the day,” Chase said, but an image of Phoebe flashed through his mind as he said it. He could still feel the way the electricity had shot through him at her touch. He had hurried away from her, not because he wanted to, but because he so badly wanted not to.

“So you have a deal with the cool and collected Phoebe Ryan. What’s next?”

Chase checked his watch. “Well, my attorney’s drawing up some paperwork, and my marketing director is through the roof. Would think Phoebe was a movie star herself, she’s such a Savannah fan. Coming up with all sorts of ways to market the collection. So we’ll see. With any luck, we’ll be able to have it ready for the next catalog.”

“So you think this will help you get the house?” Noah asked, pulling back the tarp on the oddly shaped thing in front of them.

“The house?” It took a moment for Chase to figure out what his friend was talking about.

“Yeah, isn’t this why you’re wining and dining her? So you can get her house? At least that’s what you said the other day.” Noah’s eyes, shrewd, looked up at him.

“Sure, the house. I figure she’ll be so excited, she’ll have the place cleaned up and head back to Los Angeles in a couple of weeks. She’ll be the next big design star, and she’ll be so thankful to me that she’ll sell me the house. No agent’s fee or anything.”

The words came out easily, but Chase knew he had stopped thinking about the house or even his business deal sometime during drinks with her. She had been refreshingly candid about her life during their dinner. And, of course, there was the way she looked at him. He couldn’t quite get that out of his mind. She had wanted him to kiss her, he was almost sure of that. There had been that moment in the hall of Ivy House.

Chase shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, but he couldn’t. Her red-gold hair in a messy ponytail; her wide, sensual lips; her long, thin fingers—artist’s fingers. He had felt his body hunger for her and knew that something would need to be done about that. Especially if she was the least bit willing. Oh, yes, if Phoebe Ryan gave him that kind of opportunity, he just might take it.

“Well, just be careful. I don’t want to see it all backfire on you.” And with that, Noah pulled back the tarp to reveal a boat. It was all wood, the paint chipped and peeling, the varnish bubbling, and there was a large hole in the bottom.

“Wow. It’s a beauty,” Chase said, running his hands along the gunwale.

“I know. A Herreshoff America eighteen. Limited edition. Classic, yet easy to maneuver.”

“And this is your next great idea?” Chase asked. Since Noah had sold his tech company, he’d been working head down on his next one, something to do with a new clean energy source. Noah was cagey on the whole subject, but Chase had told him that there was a blank check waiting for him when he was ready for investors.

“Hey, it’s a wind-powered vehicle. Perfectly environmentally friendly.”

Chase looked at his friend, staring him down until Noah came out with the truth.

“I wanted to do it for the baby. You know, his first boat.”

“Do you even know it’s a boy?” Chase asked.

“No and it doesn’t matter, right? Girl or boy, it’s never too early to get them out on the water.”

Chase laughed. “I think they need to be able to walk first. But you’re right, it’s a beauty. It will be perfect when it’s restored.”