“Melody?” he asked again, louder.
"Hi, Brandt. What are you doing here?" Vocal training had taught me to control my voice but I wasn't sure it was the right kind of training needed to hide embarrassment over observing someone's private moment. Against my better judgment to go home, I detoured to where he was standing at the well.
“Had to chat with the ol’ wishing well.” He openly admitted to using the well, cute.
“I heard about the magical well. Does it work?” Nice cover for wanting to ask him what he wished for.
“Folks say so.”
“Has it ever worked for you?”
Pursed his lips and a lowered gaze where quickly hidden by the brim of his hat. He kicked a rock and I noted he'd taken his spurs off but kept the boots. Why would my question bother him?
Between my eyes getting used to the dark, and the light from the moon, I could easily make out Brandt’s rugged features as he looked up when I drew closer, even under the faint shadow cast by his cowboy hat. My shooting star needed to get working on my wish. How fast did light travel? Maybe it hadn’t had time to process yet. I’d have to control myself around the cowboys with or without celestial help.
My fingers had itched to caress his facial hair in the artificial light of the grocery store, and that was nothing compared to what I wanted to do to him under the moonlight. The moon always got to me. I tried to deny it had anything to do with being a Cancer, but the moon emboldened me.
He took a deep breath and leaned against the circular stone body of the well. “Been a long time since I made a wish. Guess it depends how ya defined worked.”
“Let’s start with the simplest version. You asked for something. Did it happen?” I positioned myself facing him and leaned against the well. There was something romantic in the air, leaning on the wishing well in the moonlight, talking to a handsome stranger who happened to be a cowboy with a hat, jeans, drawl…the whole package. This moment would go into the song about his wish for sure. It would be a huge hit back in the city. Those people ate stuff like this up, but they’d never believe me if I told them it was real.
“Yes, ma’am—”
“As much as I love hearing ma’am in your accent, call me Melody.” I instinctively reached to touch his hand as I interrupted him, but my fingers suffered a moment of shock as my glove kept them from making contact with his skin. I could take it as a sign that I shouldn’t touch him, but what was he doing out here with no gloves on? And only a jacket, not a coat, yet he didn’t appear cold.
He brought my gloved hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss. “Nice to meet ya, Melody.”
My heart raced and I prayed he didn’t notice I stopped breathing. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if he’d kissed my bare skin. I fought my hormones to regroup. The shooting star was failing me. “Likewise, Brandt.”
He returned my hand to the edge of the wishing well but kept his wrapped around mine. “Yes, Melody, my wish came true.”
I reminded myself he was talking about his wish from long ago, not the one he just made, not implying that I fulfilled his wish. No. Because that would be crazy on multiple levels.
“If it came true, why aren’t you sure the wishing well worked?”
“What I asked for came true, but didn’t work out quite like I’d planned.” He stared into my eyes longer than normal conversation dictated then abruptly looked away. “But it was a long time ago, and kids don’t always understand what’s best for them.”
“When I was in fourth grade, I saw a shooting star and made a wish,” I offered.
“Fourth grade, is that the only time you’ve seen one?”
“One other time.”
“They’re nearly a dime a dozen in these parts.”
“We barely saw any stars at all in the city, nothing like here.”
“Did it come true?”
I laughed. “Thankfully, no. You’re right, kids don’t have the best foresight. I wished that I’d get married to a boy named Thad. Short for Thaddeus.”
“What happened to poor lil’ Thaddeus?”
“I had a crush on him because he wore a watch with hands and could tell time on it, but by the time he hit high school, he was dealing drugs. Not nearly as appealing as being able to tell time without a digital readout.”
“Ya find a replacement for Thad?” He pulled his hand away, shoving it in his pocket.
Coldness penetrated my glove instantly and I wished he would put his hand back. “I burned through a few…I mean, just dating in high school, nothing serious. College was about the same.”
“Sounds like the shooting star did you a favor.”
“Interesting perspective. I saw another one a few minutes ago. We’ll see if my wish can pull through this time.”
“Could give the well a shot.” He nodded at the black depth next to us.
“Can’t hurt. I’ll bring a coin tomorrow.”
He dug in his pocket and extended a quarter to me.
Not wanting to fumble the coin, I pulled my glove off, stuck it in my pocket, and reached for his offering. As I took it between my fingers, he cupped my hand between his. The thrill of his skin on mine sent shivers through me. Firm, calloused hands solidified my suspicion he was a real-live hard-working cowboy. My giddiness escalated as I stared at his touch. Only it wasn’t giddiness, and it was settling low in my belly.
“They say you have to kiss it first,” he explained as our eyes locked again.
I prayed he couldn’t tell I was shaking. I could play it off as being cold even though I wasn’t.
He smiled and his fingers dragged off my hands, letting me move the coin to my lips. His gaze fixed as I licked my lips and puckered.
Eyes closed, I wished for a man like Brandt, minus the kid complication, to sweep me off my feet. And since it was a quarter, I added an extra wish that my feelings for Brandt would find someone else to latch onto. And for extra clarity, I wished to have a platonic relationship with him and help his daughter find an outlet for her amazing voice.
“Ya fall asleep?” Brandt asked.
I opened my eyes and smiled. “Decided I better make sure my wish was clear since the wishing well played games with you, and my shooting star was tricky.”
“Not a bad idea.”
We stared into the well as my coin flipped over and over, glinting moonlight as it descended into the abyss of wishes and dreams. The tiniest sound might have been the coin dropping into water, but I was lost in my very confused thought about wanting to settle down. What was it about Hopeful that was already changing what I wanted out of life? The simplicity? Brandt? I took a deep breath.
A long moment passed before Brandt broke the silence. “Ya give private lessons?”
What? My eyes grew wide as I turned to him.
“Not for me…” He waved his hand between the two of us.
“Oh, of course.” Not only had the shooting star not done its job of allowing me composure, but the wishing well was taking its time too. Something about Brandt captured my heart in a way no other had. I blamed it on the beard and cowboy hat. His playful nature at the grocery store, the way he was with Betty and his daughter, and the way he was with me…he’d created a toxic cocktail of Sex on the Haystack and I was drinking it by the pints.
“Hailey. She’s been taking lessons on the other side of Blue Mountain, but committing to every week is tough with the drive, especially when the roads ice over.”
“I gave lessons in college, but not much afterward. Honestly, most students didn’t have much dedication and some didn’t practice at all. It was frustrating how little they put into it when I spent hours a day working on my own skills. I wasn’t sure if I was a bad teacher or if I had a bad mix of students.”
“Hailey sings all the time. She’ll do ya right. I thought it was all fun and games ‘til she asked for a piano for Christmas several years ago. Turned into an expensive hobby, but not a day’s gone by she doesn’t sit at it and work on something.”
“Sounds like the ideal student, and her voice was beautiful when she sang along with me today. She’s talented, maybe even gifted.”
"Gifted. Same thing her teacher said, but what the hell does that mean? There's a whole choir full of people with pretty voices at church. Well, full might be the wrong word, a couple of the ladies could use a tune-up."
“Fair enough. Consider it this way. You heard me sing and offered me a free drink. Do you offer the ladies at church free drinks for their voices?”
“I’d put you a step above them. A big step. Can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something different.”
“That’s what I hear in Hailey, it’s not fully developed yet, but she’s well past where I’d expect a teen with sporadic lessons to be.”
"She works at the ice cream shop to pay for her lessons. Not that I don't support her, but I worry she's chasing a dream."
“What’s wrong with chasing a dream?”
“Don’t want her to be disappointed.”
“And yet, you tossed a coin into the well. What dream are you chasing?”
He diverted his eyes. “I get your point. I better get going. See you ‘round.”
“Tell Hailey I’d be happy to give her a few lessons to see if we’re a fit for each other.”
He put his fingers to the brim of his hat and tipped it.
I opened my mouth to invite him over but snapped it shut as I reminded myself about my wish. Platonic. I couldn't risk getting a reputation for rolling in the hay as fast as I rolled into town. I nodded, "Goodnight."
After I took a few steps, he called out, “Where’s your car?”
“I live right there.” I pointed to my house.
“No need to offer you a ride then.”
I wasn’t going to accept any sort of ride from him for fear of giving the wrong impression. Brandt was a nice guy. I might start teaching his daughter privately. I had to keep a firm line. That should be the only private thing between us.
But that’s not what I wanted. And I had a history of going for what I wanted.
Chapter 3
Brandt
It wasn’t like Hailey to be late. She’d fallen in love with Melody over the last two weeks and planned for her to come over for dinner and talk about her life as a gig musician. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Turns out Melody played piano as well as sang, and had lived off performing for a couple of years before taking the teaching position in Hopeful. Pretty much what Hailey dreamed of doing. Pretty much a nightmare to me.
I called Hailey but it went straight to voicemail. She might have been in the dead zone on the highway outside of town. No need to worry, except that’s what dads do best when they can’t get hold of their daughters.
I’d made every effort to run into Melody, just hoping for chances to see her, even walking Hailey to her door for her first private lesson, under the guise of making sure everything was set. The efforts weren’t reciprocated. She hadn’t outright avoided me. We’d chatted. Learned tidbits about each other. But she’d held me at arm’s length. Was she smarter than me?
One minute until she was supposed to arrive. I was the only one home. A tinge of worry, but I told myself not to panic.
A knock on the door. As I feared, Melody arrived before Hailey. Damn. My hands got jittery. I opened it, worried how it would look having her at my house alone. If my thoughts hadn’t been in all the wrong places, it wouldn’t have been so bad. “I should warn you Hailey’s not home yet.”
“Hello to you too. Am I early?”
“Sorry, no. She’s late.”
“Should I come back later?”
“You’re welcome to come in. I’m sure she’ll be here any minute, as long as you don’t mind being here alone with me.”
A smile tickled the corner of her lips and she raised her eyebrows. “Alone? You make it sound dangerous.”
“I don’t mean to imply anything. But you’re a woman and I’m a man, and people might say…” I stepped aside, not meeting her gaze, as my voice trailed off.
“Umm, I’m not sure I do. Are you worried about being alone with me?”
“I’ll be a gentleman.”
“You’re serious?”
“Lots of people believe a man and a woman shouldn’t be alone unless they’re married.”
“Is that a country thing?”
I nodded. “Just how some people are around here. Guess you’re not one of those who worries about it.”
“No. I’ve had male friends and we’ve hung out, no problems. I’m trustworthy.” She winked and walked past me.
The sweet scent of her perfume or shampoo or something intoxicated me. I hadn’t been around women enough to sort it out. It had been faint at the park when we’d met and I’d memorized it. As she walked past, the scent consumed me and I prayed it would linger in my house.
The curve of her ass caught my attention. She did her jeans a favor. Most women couldn’t fill out jeans the way she did. I reminded myself she wasn’t at my house to see me. “You can hang your hoodie here if you want to take it off?”
"I'm fine. Thanks." She studied my arms, probably noticing my short sleeves. I didn't always wear long sleeve button-ups, but that might have been all she'd seen me in so far. I took the lingering glance as a compliment then detoured my mind back to why she was at my house.
How old was she? Old enough to have gotten through school and a couple of years on her own. I’d have to work the question in and try not to sound weird about it. I had to be around ten years older than her, not that it mattered, I reassured myself.
“You can have a seat in the living room. Want something to wet your whistle?” I motioned toward the couch.
“I’m fine for now.” She sat and surveyed the room.
The piano took up one wall, the couch another, TV and shelves with photos and books on a third, and then the open area to the kitchen. I sat in a chair on the open end of the room to create distance between Melody and myself.
She glanced at me and smiled but quickly looked away. Awkwardness stilled the air. For all she’d been trying to avoid me she was suddenly trapped.
“I’m sure she’ll be here soon,” I said.
“Yeah. No problem. Mind if I check out your pictures?” She was already up and walking to the shelves Hailey kept stocked with her most recent favorites.
“Go right ahead.” I stood out of respect. Not many women expected that but it’s how I was raised. I headed over to offer explanations, a natural gesture, but really I was hoping for a reason to be close to her.
“Who’s this?” Melody asked. I stepped beside her to see who she was pointing at but at the same moment, she took a step toward me.
Too close. I was reaching for the picture as she moved. It happened too fast. My hands brushed the picture frame she was holding and sent it crashing into the corner of the shelf. The glass shattered on impact and the frame tumbled to the ground.
I tried to regroup. To steady her? To touch her?
Both of us flailed, our hands bumping into each other as she finished the step she was taking and fell into my chest.
My arms wrapped around her as I tried to keep her from touching the broken glass. I wanted to hold her there and savor the softness of her body. I knew it was wrong. All I could offer was a small question to justify my actions, “Ya okay?”
“I’m sorry,” she said tilting her head to assess the damage but not freeing herself from my grip. Her palms had pressed into my chest as she fell and they were trapped.
The press of each finger was burning an imprint into me. I needed them on my skin, no shirt, nothing between us. Was she hesitating because that’s what she wanted too? Now wasn’t the time. And Hailey would hate me if I screwed things up for her. “It’s only a picture. Ya didn’t get cut did you?”
“No, just embarrassed. I’ll buy a new frame.”
We held the pose in what I hoped would become a normal event, a great way to start every day. No sense gettin
g my hopes up for someone who didn’t plan on staying longer than a semester. But hell, it felt good to hold a woman. My cock presumed holding wasn’t the only thing that would feel good.
Her hands moved as if she was pushing away but her fingers trailed on my chest, more than an attempt to shove away. A hint?
Instead of settling, my breath became ragged.
She craned her neck up and our eyes met. Her lips parted.
“I hate Mom!” Hailey screamed as she burst through the door.
Melody and I scrambled to untangle ourselves but were in direct sight of where Hailey entered.
“What the heck?” she stammered as we scooted several feet apart.
I rushed to Hailey. “What happened?”
At the same time, Melody started apologizing profusely.
“Were you two…” her mouth fell open and she stopped in her tracks.
“No, nothing like that.” I motioned between Melody and me while she’d bent to pick up the mess. I didn’t want her to get cut. “Wait, Melody. I’ll get the shop vac.”
She sat back on her heels holding the frame and picture. It was Hailey and her mom. If any picture was getting destroyed, I was glad it was that one.
I rushed past Hailey to the garage and she raised her eyebrows at me. Not upset? One problem averted.
In a second I was back with the vacuum and Hailey helped plug it in.
Melody was in the middle of explaining she was asking about the picture and we bumped into each other causing it to fall and break.
“I’m really sorry. The picture tore. If you can get a reprint, I’ll get you a new frame.” Melody extended the damaged frame and picture but Hailey put her hands up.
“Don’t bother.”
“Hailey, what’s wrong?” I led her to sit on the couch.
"Mom called to talk about the plan for me to fly out and see her. It was all set then I told her about Melody, and that she was giving me lessons because she's amazing, and I might have mentioned she's pretty too, and Mom flipped out. Started telling me not to get my hopes up. Not to let daydreamers fill my head. And being pretty had nothing to do with being successful. She doesn't get it. None of it. And I was about to tell her to cancel my plane ticket but my phone died and I didn't have a charger in the car. That's why I'm late and didn't call. I'm really sorry, but she was yelling at me, and I got upset…"
Passionate Wishes Page 2