by Elias Taylor
A real couple. Mel was going to have to wrap her head around that. So much of her and Tripp had been about sneaking around. Would he even still want her without the excitement that secrecy added to the equation?
She would still want him. It wasn’t the secrecy that had attracted her to him.
Mel looked behind Tripp at the building. She couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that it was going to belong to Tripp. This whole situation was mind-boggling. Things only worked out like this in movies and books. Mel was just a girl who had messed up by dating her friend’s older brother. She wasn’t supposed to get this kind of happy ending.
“Can I see inside?” she asked.
“Of course, I’ll give you the grand tour,” Tripp said. “But Mel, even if Wayne hadn’t offered LA, I still would have turned it down. I want you. You’re all that matters.”
Mel’s knees quaked as Tripp stepped closer to her. He kept his hands at his sides, but she longed for him to reach up and hold her. He wouldn’t, she realized, unless she gave him a sign to let him know it was ok, she still wanted him.
“Mel, I don’t want to just date you, and I don’t want it to be some shameful secret,” Tripp said. “I want all of you, and I’m ready to get serious, and I want to tell everyone.”
Mel couldn’t find the words. So instead, she hurled herself into his arms. She clung to his sturdy chest, and Tripp squeezed her close.
“I’m so sorry,” Mel said. “I know I freaked out, but I just got so scared, especially since Christina was always talking about how you play the field, but I should have trusted you a little more.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Tripp said. “I should have communicated better, I should have been more open with you.”
Mel leaned back to look up into his eyes. Tripp pushed a strand of hair away from her face. Nothing had ever felt better than his touch.
“I love you, Mel Reynolds,” Tripp said.
He leaned down and kissed her before she could answer.
Mel could feel all the intensity of his passion in his kiss. She could tell that the past few weeks had been just as difficult for him as they had been for her. Her entire world was spinning as Tripp crushed her against him and pressed his lips onto hers.
She still couldn’t believe he had passed up on New York for her. And then managed to find an option in LA. And it would be so close to where she was at school.
Everything she could have wanted, but didn’t dare believe in, was actually happening. She and Tripp could be together. And it wouldn’t be a secret.
Mel pulled away and gasped for air.
“I love you too,” Mel said. “I always will.”
Tripp kissed her once more, and he took his time with it. He nipped her lips and ran his tongue in sensual circles about her mouth. His hands wandered at a leisurely pace down her back. She gripped his T-shirt in her firsts.
They both knew that they didn’t need to miss each other anymore. They had nothing to fear. The two of them had all the time in the world.
When they pulled apart at last, Tripp grabbed Mel’s hand. Then he led her into the auto shop.
Together, they looked over the space and marveled at all the potential.
The whole time, Mel couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky she was to find a real happy ending.
Epilogue: One Year Later
Mel shifted her bag on her shoulder and trotted out of the school building and onto the sunny LA sidewalk. She always felt like skipping after her History of Fashion course. It had been her absolute favorite of the semester.
Every time they studied a new era of fashion, Mel felt inspired and filled to the brim with ideas and themes for future designs. And it had been through the professor that Mel had landed her apprenticeship this Fall at a highly esteemed line.
She smiled to herself as she remembered how Tripp had insisted they get a bottle of champagne to celebrate the day she got the offer.
Mel got in her car and tossed her bag full of notebooks and sketches into the back seat. She steered the car towards her apartment. She had selected a tiny studio near the campus for her first year, but she spent almost half her time at Tripp’s place.
She pondered the recent weeks. It was more than half of the time, she realized. She spent most nights with Tripp.
At first she had been cautious. She didn’t want to infringe on his space. She asked permission for every little thing. She didn’t want him to be annoyed about her leaving a toothbrush on his sink, or a change of clothes. It was his space after all.
Then one evening, Tripp had pulled Mel into his room and showed her three empty drawers in his dresser.
“Stop carrying your clothes around in a bag,” he said. “Put them in here.”
Mel had done just that. Over the months, she had moved more and more of her stuff into his place, all with Tripp’s blessing. He told her he wanted her there, so he would make room for her.
Everyone knew about their relationship. It hadn’t been nearly as dramatic as Mel thought it would be to announce it to the public. She felt a little silly. Christina had gotten over her shock in record time, and now made constant comments about Mel being her sister-in-law some day. The jokes made Mel blush, especially since she was only 20. It was way too soon to talk about marriage. Even if she was pretty sure she wanted to be with Tripp for the rest of her life.
The Reynolds were just as thrilled as Christina. They had always adored Mel, and thought of her as the sweet and responsible girl who kept Christina in check. They thought Tripp couldn’t have chosen better. It was easy for them to treat her as one of the family. She had already been part of their family for years; now things had just shifted a bit.
Mel made sure she still spent time with Christina. She could never forget how awful it was to not share every facet of her life with her friend for those brief weeks of secrecy. Christina didn’t even mind if Mel spoke of Tripp. Christina only requested that Mel never discuss anything too detailed when it came to their bedroom activities. Mel was just fine with that. She and Tripp didn’t have any issues in that area anyway.
Even her own parents had been fine with their relationship. Her mother had wondered aloud if Tripp was really the type to commit, and her dad had given a small lecture on making wise choices, but in the end, they declared that as long as she was happy, they supported it.
When Mel got back to her apartment, she tossed her bag on her desk and changed from her jeans and t-shirt into loose light blue linen pants and a crop top. She shook out her hair. Tripp was supposed to pick her up in five minutes, but she had no clue where he was taking her. He liked to surprise her with his restaurant choices.
Mel smiled at the picture that hung above her desk. It was one of Tripp’s designs. She had begged him to let her have a copy so she could frame it.
His shop had been an instant success, just as Mel knew it would be. Wayne said it was one of the best opening years he had ever witnessed. Bike enthusiasts were willing to pay good money for Tripp’s custom designs, and he already had a massive wait-list.
Mel brimmed with pride every time she saw him at work.
Her phone buzzed with a text from Tripp announcing that he was outside. Mel grabbed her purse and dashed out to meet him.
As soon as she had slipped into the car, he captured her mouth in a kiss. He sprinkled kisses all along her jawline and onto her neck, as if he hadn’t seen her for a month. In reality, they had only parted ways that morning.
“How was class?” he asked.
“Amazing,” Mel said. “The French styles of the 1920s make me want to cry, they’re so good.”
Tripp laughed out loud as he steered the car towards the highway.
“How was your day?” she asked.
“Good, the client up in San Francisco came by to drive the new bike,” Tripp said. “He loved it.”
“Of course he did,” Mel said. “That thing was amazing.”
Tripp shrugged. Even after a year, Mel couldn’t get over how casual
he could be about his talent.
“So where are we eating?” she asked.
“I have to stop by a friend’s place and drop something off first,” he said. “And then I’ll tell you.”
Mel leaned back in the passenger seat. This is what she liked best of all sometimes. Just existing with Tripp. Driving places and talking about their days.
Tripp drove down a nice street with big houses, and Mel looked around with interest. She was familiar with the neighborhood since it was close to both her classes and Tripp’s shop. There was a coffee place nearby where she loved to spend afternoons working or reading.
“Which friend?” she asked.
“Mechanic at the shop,” Tripp said. “Don’t think you’ve met him.”
Mel wrinkled her brow in puzzlement. She was at the shop fairly often. She thought she had met pretty much everyone Tripp worked with.
Tripp pulled up and parked in front of a big two-story house. It was a little bit back from the road and the front was hidden by trees. People in LA valued their privacy, and Mel liked how some houses were tucked away in the hills.
“Come on out,” Tripp said. “This will just take a second.”
Mel hopped out of the car and followed Tripp up the driveway.
The front of the house had massive windows, and she could see around the corner to a back patio with the perfect amount of space for a table and lounge chairs. But there was nothing. The patio was totally empty.
Mel figured that Tripp’s friend had just moved in. She had to wonder what kind of mechanic owned a house this big.
Mel’s confusion only grew as Tripp walked right up to the door and opened it.
“Shouldn’t you knock or something?” Mel asked.
Tripp gave her a cryptic smile and shrugged. Mel followed him into the foyer.
The house was simple yet elegant. The front room was one big open space, with a large kitchen on one end and room for couches and tables on the other. A set of stairs led to the second floor. It felt like a home. Or it could feel like a home if it had proper furnishings.
The entire house was empty. There wasn’t a single chair or couch, and the walls were totally bare.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Mel asked.
“Yes,” Tripp said.
Mel took a few steps into the living room and turned to face Tripp. He was standing perfectly still, and he wore a strange and secretive smile.
“You look good right there,” Tripp said.
Mel cocked her head.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Tripp stepped forward and pulled something out of his pocket.
“Hold out your hand,” he said.
Mel couldn’t breathe as she stretched her palm toward him.
She was even more confused when he dropped a small key into her hand. Her mind was going a million miles an hour, but she couldn’t come up with one coherent thought.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “What is this?”
“It’s a key,” Tripp said. “To this house.”
Mel shook her head and looked around. She still didn’t understand.
“I have one too,” Tripp said.
Mel’s eyes were so wide she felt they might pop out of her head. Tripp chuckled at her shocked expression.
“I bought it,” Tripp said. “I bought this house for us.”
Mel shook her head, even as her fist closed around the keys. It was a gorgeous home. She wanted to live here with Tripp, she wanted it so bad.
“It’s too much,” she said.
Tripp was by her side in an instant. He grabbed her shoulders in a gentle grip and looked into her eyes.
“It’s not,” Tripp said. “I want to live with you, and I want to live here with you. The money the business has been raking in, I could buy a house three times this size without breaking a sweat, but I wanted this one.”
Tears sprang to Mel’s eyes. It was too perfect. She didn’t deserve something this perfect. But even as she felt the denial, a million ideas on how to decorate the house sprung to her head. A big comfy leather couch over there, somewhere they could curl up in the evenings. And a long table with big wooden chairs right in the middle of the room, for big dinners with friends.
A photo up on that wall, some of Tripp’s framed designs along another wall. A space for some of her own designs once she got her work out there. And a desk in one corner, where she could do her school work and sketches. There was room for all of it, and the images ran through Mel’s mind in a slideshow tinged with joy.
She looked up at Tripp. It could be so wonderful to live here with him. Just the thought of coming home to this beautiful place every night and seeing him made her heart sing.
“Tripp, are you sure?” Mel asked.
“I know what I want, Mel,” Tripp said. “As long as you want it too.”
“It’s such a big step,” Mel admitted.
She saw Tripp’s face fall at her words. But he started to nod. He would accept whatever choice she made. That was comforting.
“But I do want to live with you,” Mel said. “To live here with you.”
Tripp’s expression of pure ecstasy made Mel laugh out loud. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and Tripp lifted her off the ground and whirled in a circle.
When he finally set her down, he kissed her, long and deep.
Mel thought she might never get tired of his kisses.
“Ok, show me the whole thing,” Mel said.
Tripp led her through the entire house. The second floor was perfect. It had a master bedroom and then two additional rooms. Christina could visit whenever she wanted.
It began to sink in that they were going to make a life here. A real life. An amazing life.
They sat down on the living room floor and grinned at each other like kids.
“So, what do you want for dinner?” Tripp asked.
“I never want to leave this house,” Mel said.
“I’ll order food then,” Tripp said. “How about Thai?”
“Perfect,” Mel said.
As Tripp called a nearby restaurant and placed the order, Mel just soaked it all in. They were going to share their first meal in a new house. It was going to belong to both of them.
When Tripp was off the phone, Mel crawled over and wrapped herself around him.
“I love you,” she said. “Thank you for everything. The house, this life, all of it.”
“No, I owe you so much,” Tripp said. “I wouldn’t have achieved any of it without you.”
They embraced, and Mel knew she would be happy to remain in his arms forever.
Book 3: Tristan
An MC Romance
Chapter One: The Plan
Kayla Carpenter adjusted her mug atop her desk. It was her work mug. Big enough to fit a healthy amount of coffee, and a serious dark blue. All business, and much different than her Sunday morning mug, which was covered in cheerful flowers.
Kayla believed in things like that. Ever since starting work at her accounting firm, three years ago and right out of school, she had dressed the part, every single day. Never once did she show up in a wrinkled shirt or an ill-fitting blazer. Her desk was always immaculate with a pristine calendar on full display. How was she supposed to impress big clients if she didn’t look neat as a pin? That’s what people wanted from an accountant. Organization, attention to detail. A born planner.
She sighed in contentment and gazed around the office. The clicking of a co-worker’s heels on the floor, the hum of the computers, and the buzz of the printer. All the sounds of her office brought her great comfort, especially on a day like this one. Kayla had just landed a massive account.
Kayla had done all the work on this one. She had researched the account and familiarized herself with the details. She had crunched all the numbers and drawn out plans to show to them. When the client agreed to work with the accounting firm, they had only one condition: Kayla was to be the lead for them.
Kay
la pushed her dark hair over her shoulder and pulled out her phone. She had texted her friend, Cleo Carlisle, as soon as she got the news. As a rule, Kayla didn’t often text at work, but she had allowed herself this indulgence just this once. Cleo was already planning a nice dinner that very night to celebrate Kayla’s big win.
Cleo was suggesting via text a bunch of wild ideas for after dinner, but Kayla knew that was just Cleo. If she had it her way, they would be up until 4 a.m. dancing in a club.
Kayla didn’t have time for that. She hadn’t gotten to where she was at the firm by going crazy over every single little accomplishment. She allowed herself brief moments of celebration, she gave herself the credit, then she got back to work. Anything more was a distraction.
Having her phone out at work was also a distraction. Kayla slid the phone back into her drawer and stood up. Her boss, Clifford, was done with his meetings for the day, and it was time for Kayla to give him the good news.
She straightened the hem of her practical and no-nonsense grey skirt and headed towards Clifford’s door.
When Kayla knocked, Clifford ushered her in and she took a seat. Clifford Brentwood was a talented accountant, and he built his firm from the ground up. When she graduated from her accounting course, Kayla had done hours of research to decide which firm would best suit her short-term and long-term career goals. She was grateful she had done the research. Clifford’s firm wasn’t the biggest, and it was closer to Lyndon, the small town Kayla had grown up in, than it was to the bigger cities of San Diego and LA, but Kayla could see that the firm offered tremendous growth opportunities. Three years later, and Kayla’s ascent through the ranks showed no sign of slowing down.
“I know you’ve got good news, Kayla,” Clifford said. “You only ever have good news.”
“Oh, I get bad news too, I just take care of it before it reaches your ears,” Kayla said.
“That’s why I keep promoting you,” Clifford said. “You keep the stress off my plate.”