Page 24 of Moonlight & Matrimony (Oak Ridge #2)

Luca

? Moonlight - Ariana Grande

“ Y ou good?” Miles asks.

I’ve been hovering over the blueprints of the new addition we’re putting on one of the condos belonging to some rich asshole in Willow Valley, but my mind is elsewhere.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” It’s a lie and we both know it.

Miles leans against the desk, arms crossed like he’s preparing for an interrogation. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, dude.”

Feeling defensive, I lean back in the chair and glare at my boss. “Alright. I’ll make you a deal. You tell me what’s going on with you and Mags, and I’ll tell you my shit.”

“Don’t be a dick. I’m just trying to be a good friend.”

Fuck, I’m an ass.

“Sorry. Some shit went down with Austin, and I’m just worried about Ivy and Rylin.” I’ve spent the better part of six hours stewing over everything that happened this morning, from the look on Ivy’s face when she crashed into me in the hallway, to the run in with Austin’s sister.

The day had started off so promising. I wasn’t expecting to run into Ivy in the hallway, but I’m not complaining.

Just a glimpse of her gorgeous tits through her coffee soaked t-shirt was enough to have me rushing off to my room to fist my cock.

I could’ve sworn I heard the floor creak outside the door, but when I walked back out, Ivy was in the bathroom, and I’d convinced myself I was hearing things.

Then shit hit the fan and what started out as a damn good day quickly turned into a shit show of epic proportions. I explain the sequence of events to Miles, leaving out the part where I made myself come with Ivy’s name on my lips, and his expression gradually turns sour as the story goes on.

“We need to get some cameras installed at your place. Maybe then the cops will take things seriously. We can talk to Rosie and ask her to keep an eye out, too.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate the support.”

“Ivy’s a good girl. I hate that she’s going through this shit,” he says.

My face pulls into a scowl, and he doesn’t miss a beat.

Chuckling, he says, “Don’t worry, brother.

She’s all yours.” That signature goofy grin is back on his face as he claps me on the shoulder.

“Let’s head out early. We can grab some equipment and get those cameras installed. ”

“Are you sure? We still have an hour left.”

“I’m the boss, and I say this is more important.

” He signals to the rest of the crew to wrap it up, and I follow Miles out to the parking lot.

As I approach my truck, something prickles at the back of my neck, an awareness I can’t quite put my finger on, but I chalk it up to residual anxiety from the chaos of the day.

“Meet you at the hardware store,” Miles shouts through his open window from across the lot.

“That should do it.” Miles hands me back my phone where he’s installed the apps needed to run the new security system.

We placed three cameras along the front of the house facing the driveway and the street, and two more at the back, though I doubt he could do anything from back there.

The trees are dense and there’s no access road. Better safe than sorry.

The sun is setting, taking the scorching heat of the early August sun along with it.

I haven’t seen Ivy since I left for work, and while I’m grateful to Miles for all of his help, right now I have a single-minded goal to find my wife and make sure the rest of her day went smoothly.

“Thanks, man. I’ll see you at work tomorrow. ”

He nods and heads out, leaving me in the stark silence of the backyard.

I’m just about to walk through the French doors when I spot Ivy just on the other side.

She’s wearing her signature denim shorts that make her ass look incredible, her hair thrown up in a clip as she twirls a glass of wine.

Her elbows are resting on the kitchen island, shoulders slumped and eyes downcast. As much as I hate the haunted look on her face, she’s effortlessly beautiful, and she looks like she belongs here.

“How was the rest of your day?” She nearly jumps out of her skin at the sound of my voice, making me regret my silent approach. “Sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No, it’s fine,” she sighs. “It’s just been a long one.”

“Where’s Ry?”

“I took her to a sleepover with Evelyn. There’s something you should see.”

Ivy taps on her phone a few times, then turns it to face me. It’s Austin’s social media page with a photo of us taken from a distance, and the most unhinged bullshit caption I’ve ever seen.

“Jesus. Are you ok?”

“It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before, but I didn’t think I could handle being Mommy today, and Evelyn offered to give me a break. I feel like such a piece of shit. I can’t even be there for my kid.”

“Hey. Don’t you dare talk about my wife like that.” I walk over and pull her into my arms, breathing in her floral scent, as she wraps her slender arms around my waist. “You’re doing the best you can with the cards you’ve been dealt.”

“I was just about to sit out back with some wine.” She pulls out of my embrace, tilting her head to look up at me.

Where there would normally be this untamed fire behind her hazel irises, tonight it’s dull, almost lifeless — nothing like the woman who came barrelling into my life all those weeks ago.

“Join me?” the request is tentative, but I get the sense she doesn’t want to be alone right now, and she’s too proud to admit it.

“Sure.” I follow Ivy out to the back porch, wishing I could pull her into my arms and wash away the worries of the day.

The moon hangs low in the sky, casting a faint glow over the backyard.

Ivy leans against the wooden railing, her half empty wine glass twisting between her fingers.

Her eyes are fixed on the full moon, its light creating soft shadows across her features.

The worry etched there causes a sharp pang in my chest. I take a deep breath, letting the stillness of the moment seep into me.

Taking my place beside her, I don’t say anything or push her to speak, standing close enough that she can feel the warmth radiating from me in a silent offer of support.

After a prolonged silence, Ivy finally speaks — her voice soft, almost wistful.

“After my mom died, I used to sneak out of the house at night and lay in the grass, just staring up at the night sky. The moon and stars were the only things that made sense to me in a world where everything else felt so… wrong.”

She pauses, her fingers tracing the grooves in the weathered railing. Despite being married, we’ve never really talked about our pasts beyond surface level details, and I have a feeling this girl — my wife — has been through a lot in her twenty-five years.

“There’s something comforting about them, you know?” she continues. “They’re constant. No matter how things change or fall apart, the moon is always there, and the stars always come out at night.”

I turn to study her, searching her face for something, though I’m not sure what.

Leaning my elbow against the railing, I listen intently as she continues to speak, holding myself back from reaching out to touch her.

Everything about her calls to me — some instinctual need to protect and comfort her.

Her words are an echo of something I said to Rylin a few weeks ago, and the significance isn’t lost on me.

“When things with Austin started to spiral, I found myself looking up at the stars more often. Before she could even really understand me, I used to tell Rylin that the stars were like old friends watching over us, guiding us through the darkness. She loves them, too.” Her demeanor shifts as she talks about her daughter, her face lighting up with the soft smile she reserves only for her.

She meets my stare with a mixture of vulnerability and a quiet strength that captivates me.

“All I’ve ever wanted is to keep her safe and happy. But I feel like I’m failing.”

I gently place my hand over hers on the railing.

“You’re not failing,” I say, my voice firm but gentle.

“You’re an amazing mom. Rylin is damn lucky to have you.

” She gives me a soft smile, a flicker of light returning to her eyes, and I have to resist the urge to plant my lips on hers.

“You’re not alone in this anymore,” I whisper.

Ivy

Luca’s whispered words linger in the air between us like a promise, soothing my ragged nerves.

I glance up, taking in his handsome features illuminated in the dim light of the full moon.

Before I can think better of it, I reach out to sweep a lock of hair off his forehead.

He catches my hand and brings my fingers to his lips, placing a whisper of a kiss there.

My breath hitches, and he drops my hand like a hot iron.

“Sorry,” he says. “We should get to bed.”

I clear my throat. “Sure. Yeah. Of course.” Luca turns to walk back into the house, but I grasp his wrist, stopping him in his tracks. “Wait, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Yeah?” His expression is soft as he steps back into my space, but his impassive demeanor is betrayed by the intensity in his eyes. So I’m not the only one feeling this pull.

Truthfully, I’m not sure what I was thinking when I stopped him, but I know I don’t want him to go, so I think up a question on the spot. “I… need a desk for my studio. I was hoping you might be able to make one. I’d pay you, of course.”

“Absolutely not. Consider it a wedding gift.”

“It’s too much, Luca…” he places his finger on my lips to stop me from speaking, and we both just stare for a moment before he switches his index finger with his thumb, pulling down on my bottom lip. My heart threatens to beat out of my chest with each lingering touch.

“Fuck it.”