“She came out here because of you,” I said, feeling my blood quicken. “Why didn’t you tell her we aren’t like that?”

Her grip on the wheel tightened. “Because…” She took a soft breath and tucked her hair behind her ear. It was a nervous tic that I didn’t see very often. “Because I didn’t want to,” she said as she settled in behind a red Trans-Am doing fifteen over the posted limit.

Eyes worried, she looked at me, ignoring the green minivan that both the Trans-Am and we were roaring up on. “I’m not going to apologize, Rachel. The night you decide taking and giving blood isn’t sex, I’m going to be there. I’ll take what I can until you do.”

Horribly uncomfortable, I shifted in my seat. “Ivy…”

“Don’t,” she said lightly as she yanked the car to the right, hitting the gas to dart ahead of both of them. “I know how you feel about it. I can’t change your mind. You’re going to have to figure it out for yourself. Skimmer being here doesn’t change anything.” She slipped in front of the van, giving me a soft smile that convinced me even more that blood was sex. “And then you’ll spend the rest of your life kicking yourself for waiting so long to take that chance.”

Eighteen

The commercial cut in, the volume jarring me as I sat on the couch. Sighing, I pulled my knees to my chin and hugged my legs. It was early, just after two in the morning, and I was trying to find the gumption to go make something to eat. Ivy was still on her run, and even with the awkward conversation in the car, I was hoping she’d be home early enough so we could go out. Warming up a potpie and eating alone had all the appeal of pulling the skin off my shins.

Grabbing the remote, I muted the TV. This was depressing. I was sitting on the couch on a Friday night watching Die Hard, alone. Nick should have been there with me. I missed him. I think I missed him. I missed something. Maybe I just missed being held. Was I that shallow?

Tossing the remote down, I realized a voice was coming from the front of the church. I sat up; it was a man’s voice. Alarmed, I tapped the line out back. Between one breath and the next, my center filled. With the force of the line running through me, I gathered myself to rise, only to sink down when Jenks flew into the room at head height. The soft hum of his wings told me in an instant that whatever was up front wasn’t going to kill me or put money in my pocket.