“Whatever you need, brother.”
“Of course, anything to help,” Ivy says.
I look around and think of how her house reflects her love of gray, black, and white. “Think it might be time to update this place, too,” I say.
I hear Kace chuckle and turn to look at him. He holds up his hands, shaking his head. “Hey, I agree, this place is a shit hole.”
I laugh as I put the joint out. “Fuck you.”
“Can I suggest something?” Ivy asks. We both look at her and she chews her lip. I lift my chin for her to continue. “If you’re gonna update this place, I think you should ask Harper what she thinks. I mean, you’re doing it for her right? So, she feels like this is her place? I think she’d like to give some ideas, feel like she was a part of it. I know if it was me, I would want it that way.”
“Thanks Ivy, I’ll definitely do that. You’re a good friend,” I say.
“Yeah, she’s something special,” Kace says.
Both Ivy and I snap our heads toward him, but his attention is on her. He gives her a wink and I smile. Did I just witness the beginning of something? If Harper were out here, she’d bring it to everyone’s attention. I almost want to, just to make her laugh later, but I don’t. That’s her thing, not mine.
“I’m gonna have Riley come sit over here so we can go. I’d like to be back before she’s awake.”
Standing in Harper’s room while Ivy packs up her clothes, makes me think back to the last time I was here. I gather the ripped-up pictures of her mother, pissed that it’s another thing she’s had to endure. Knowing her father was the one that killed her mother, is just another scar Harper bears. All these years she was told it was a car accident, finding out the truth, I think it’s what really pushed Harper away from her club. If they were willing to support a president that killed an innocent woman, his wife, the mother of his child, they were as guilty as him.
I look at the pieces of these pictures, similar to how Harper must feel about her life right now. It’s in pieces, waiting to be put back together.
“Hey Ivy,” I say, getting her attention. She steps out of the closet and looks at me. “Do you know anyone who repairs pictures?”
She steps over to me and looks at the pieces in my hands. “No, but I can dig around and see what I can find out.” She lifts her eyes to mine and smiles. “It’s extremely sweet that you want to do that for her. I can see how much you love her, Zane.”
“Good,” I say, smiling at the compliment. “Can I ask what’s going on with you and Kace?”
“What are you a fucking chick now?” Kace says, walking into the room. He stands in front of me as Ivy rushes back into the closet. I laugh as he shakes his head. “Stay out of it, Z,” he hisses.
“Relax,” I say, hitting his chest. “Everything else in the van?”
He looks at the closet and back at me. “Yeah, Finn pretty much carried everything himself.”
“Good, now he can bring it all in for us too and go pick up food,” I say.
“Z, what are you trying to do?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow.
I grab a small box off her dresser and put the ripped pictures inside. “I’m trying to get Harper’s shit together and get home.”
“Don’t be an asshole, you know what I mean. You’ve been running that kid since the other day. I don’t even think he’s slept.”
“Good, maybe he’s learning how to stay the fuck awake.”
He doesn’t say anything else, just takes out the few bags on the floor, shaking his head. If and when, Finn proves himself to me, I’ll stop. But right now, he’s still on my shit list.
“That’s everything from the closet, Zane,” Ivy calls out from inside.
I walk over and lean against the door. “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” I say.
She goes to pick up the bag of clothes, but I grab it instead. “It’s fine.”
I look to make sure Kace isn’t in the room and block her in the closet. “If you want my advice, you should tell him how you feel. He needs to hear it from you first,” I whisper, giving her a wink.
I’ll stay out of it now, I just wanted to give her the little push that she needs. Kace has a lot of demons he needs to work out and his lack of trust is going to be the worst one. I’m not sure he’ll ever go for it, but her talking to him can’t hurt.
When we get back to my place, I leave Finn to carry everything in. Riley meets me at the door, finishing off his beer.