“I know how you feel, bud.” Rob held out his finger and his bird landed on it, flicking his wings with disgust. “I didn’t lie about not sleeping with her ten years ago, but I should have told her the whole truth.”
The Ford pickup, equipped with snow tires and chains, chugged out of his snowy driveway, dragging his heart all the way back to San Francisco.
She’d never believe him again. Never give him another chance. He might as well pack up and go home, except she’d left her Toyota. He owed it to her to drive it back, or have someone help.
He called his brother. “Hey, Dec, where are you and Svetlana?”
“We moved to the lodge.” His brother’s hearty voice chortled. “How are the lovebirds?”
“They’re fine.” Rob sighed.
“I didn’t mean the bird birds. Did you and Melisa do the nasty? When’s the wedding?” Declan’s cheerful voice slammed Rob’s heart to the ground.
“I’m screwed.”
“Oh, ha, so, you hit the sheets and the slopes.” Declan chuckled. “What are you calling me for? Go, go, get her back in the saddle.”
“Uh, Dec. She’s gone, but she left her Toyota.”
“What? You effed up? What did you do, or should I say, not do? Mr. Squarepants.”
“It’s not funny. Can I ask you and Svetlana a favor?”
“Sure, shoot.”
“When were you planning on going back to the Bay Area? I need Svetlana to drive Melisa’s Toyota. You have your SUV and I have my car.”
“Sounds like you want to go right away.” Declan cleared his throat. “Well, heck, let’s go tonight.”
“You sure? Will Svetlana be upset?”
“No way.” Declan chuckled in that husky confident way of his. “I’ll tell you a secret with women. It all comes down to how good you give it to her. You keep her coming and coming, and she’ll be coming back for more.”
“I don’t think Melisa’s that type of girl.”
“Don’t believe that for a moment. All women are that type. God didn’t invent orgasms for nothing.”
“Uh, sure.” Rob wasn’t adverse to a little fun on the side, but Melisa was special. He’d been down that road before, and it hadn’t worked when the only thing they had in common was physical. “Thanks, bro. Too bad about cutting your vacation short.”
“Hey, there’s nothing short about me, dude. Svet and I’ll be off the slopes by four.”
“Meanwhile, I’ll be fitting Melisa’s Toyota with a set of chains. That should work.”
“Man, you got it bad. I’m telling you, women don’t like guys who cater to them. If she left you, I’d say screw her and let her car rot all winter. She’s got that big family of hers. They can take care of her.”
Which was exactly what he didn’t want them to do.
Chapter Thirteen
Melisa wished she were deaf and numb by the time the family arrived back in San Francisco. Larry greeted them at the family home, a stucco row house in one of the most desirable blocks. Theirs was a fanciful pink fairytale home with turrets and balconies and faux stone inlays at the entrances to give it a worn-away appearance.
Only she wasn’t feeling anything like a fairytale princess being escorted to a ball. Not when her heart had been sliced open by Rob’s evasions and lies.
Larry opened the back door of Connor’s extended cab pickup, helping her mother out. “Great, you found her and the bird too. Melisa, I would have come, but I was in Fremont investigating that romance writer with the two lovebirds on her book cover.”
“That’s okay, Larry. Thanks for helping.” Melisa flashed him a timid smile. He was always earnest and honest, although a bit overbearing. But then, so were her family. Honest and straightforward, sometimes brutally so.
After her mother alighted from the truck, Larry pulled Cassie’s cage from Melisa’s lap and held her good hand while she got out of the truck.
“Where’s your car?” he asked, scratching his head.
“I left it in the rush.” Melisa’s shoulders slumped. “Besides, I didn’t have snow chains.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Connor said. “We could have gotten you a pair. It’s not like there aren’t service stations along the way.”
Great. Rob had made it sound like a big deal not to have chains—that she would have had to wait until the snow melted before she could leave. Dishonest, evasive, manipulative.
She sure knew how to pick them, or maybe it was because she’d been running her entire life from the stalwart, heroic men in her life—her firefighting family and the brotherhood of heroes.
“Connor and I can go back and get your car,” Larry volunteered.
“No, truly. I can’t do that to you two.” Melisa placed her hand on Larry’s forearm. “I’ll think of something.”
“It’s not a big deal. I was going to take you. Why’d you sneak off by yourself?” Larry asked, his eyebrows furrowing.
“Sneak off?” A surge of acid churned in her belly. “I’m not a child. Can’t I go where I want?”
“Not if you always need rescuing,” Connor said. “Come on, Larry, let’s go.”
“Wait, let me go instead,” Melisa said. “I can drive my car. Larry, I’m sure you have other things to do with your time.”
“Helping you is the best use of my time, my lady,” Larry said.
Connor stepped into the cab of his truck. “Melisa, you’re in no condition to deal with that trickster Rob. Preying on your heart like that.”
Fresh tears welled in Melisa’s eyes, and she turned away as they zoomed off.
Everything she’d always believed about Rob was laid waste. Her family had been right all along. What was she thinking to believe a guy who admitted to lying?
“Come on, Sis.” Cait tapped her shoulder. “Let’s go in and help Mom bake Christmas cookies. Now that Rob’s shown his true colors, you can finally move on and start dating. You’re not going to be young for long, and guys like Larry aren’t going to hang around forever.”
“I’m not asking him to hang around,” Melisa said. “I appreciate everything he’s doing for me, but truly, I’m not attracted to him.”
“Then why are you leading him on?” Cait’s green eyes narrowed.
“Leading him on? Are you serious? I’m trying to be nice and not hurt his feelings.” Melisa couldn’t believe how wrong her sister was. Did no one understand her? Other than Rob, but oh, she didn’t understand him. Not one bit.
“Yes, I’m serious,” her sister said. “You acting helpless and always needing to be rescued. Leaning on him and letting him take care of you. Larry thinks the more he does for you, the more credits he has to claim your heart.”
“I tried to stop him from going back to get my car.”
“True, but you sent him on a wild goose chase to investigate all the other bird owners, and you let him take you to the ER, and all the other times you depended on him.”
“What are you saying? That I have to marry him because I owe him?”
“That’s what’s going on in his mind.”
“Maybe you’re right. I’m going to have to rely on myself more.” Melisa picked up her bird cage. “I want to be alone right now.”
“Where are you going?” Cait arched an eyebrow as if saying, you don’t have a car.
“Home. By myself, with Cassie.” Melisa browsed for the phone number of the taxi company. “Thanks for coming and getting me.”
“Wait, I’ll ask Dad to drive you.”
“No, please, go in and bake cookies with Mom, and tell Dad I’m grateful, but I need to grieve in private.” Melisa’s head ached with the emotional wringer she was going through. “I’ve loved Rob since before I can remember, and now, I have to start over on my own.”
# # #
Rob ended up driving Melisa’s Toyota. Svetlana had taken one look at his sleek Infiniti convertible combined with a sunny afternoon, and she was glued to it.
He rolled up to Melisa’s Sunset district apartment
complex and parked in her marked spot. His heart was sodden and pounding hard, but all of this had been his fault. After beating himself up for being an idiot, he’d decided to come clean.
Melisa was too important, and while he wasn’t going to give away Elaine’s secret, he’d tell Melisa his side of the story. Even though there was no need to rehearse the truth, his nerves fired rapidly as he walked up the stairs to her door.
Bam. Bam. Bam. He swung the knocker. Her building was so old, it could be in a historical registry. The hallways were darker than he’d like for her, but she couldn’t afford a fancy building with gated security on her teacher’s salary.
“Rob, what do you want?” Melisa’s voice sounded exhausted and sad as she opened the door a crack with the chain still attached.
“I brought your car back.” He slipped the keys through the opening. “I feel bad about everything that happened.”
“So do I. Well, thanks.” She took the keys but didn’t unlatch the chain. “I have to call Larry and Connor. They headed over to your place to get my car.”
“Oh, well, I should have called, but I wasn’t sure if you’d pick up.”
Her gaze pierced him and her lips were tight. “You could have texted.”
“So, how are you feeling?”
“How do you think?” She blinked hard. “I want to be alone.”
She moved to close the door, so he removed his hand. “I want to tell you the truth.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” The door thudded and the lock clicked inside.
Rob knocked his forehead against the door. He wasn’t going to play the irate boyfriend and beat against the door, but he needed to talk to her. She was right. He should have texted to let her know he was coming. Of course, he’d been hoping to use the car as an opportunity to speak to her. To explain. To make excuses when there were none.
He extracted his phone and texted.
Rob: The truth is I dated Elaine in medical school, but I never even kissed her while she was Connor’s girlfriend. I was wrong to go along with the pretend thing. Both Elaine and I thought it was to keep Connor from doing something he’d regret. But it’s no excuse. I joined in the lie.
He slid to the floor and sat down to wait.
After a few minutes, she texted.
Melisa: What was the stupid thing he was going to do?
Rob: Marry Elaine and drop out of Fire Academy.
The door opened and Melisa said. “Is that true? Connor would never give up firefighting.”
“He was going to give it up for Elaine.”
“But why? They needed firemen in Boston where you and Elaine were going to college. What’s the big deal?”
“You should ask Connor, can I come in and talk?” He pointed to the chain.
“No, and don’t try to weasel your way into my heart. You did date Elaine. You admit to it. You didn’t have a crush on me all these years like you told me. Go away.”
She slammed the door in his face.
Chapter Fourteen
Melisa had never been more miserable in the days leading up to Christmas, her favorite holiday. She’d missed her family’s tree trimming party, skipped the Christmas pageant at her church, and regretfully declined Larry’s invitation to be his date at the Fight the Fire Christmas Ball.
Cassie, her lovebird, was also quieter than usual. She still played with her food and hopped around the table, flicking bottle caps and forks, but every so often, she’d stop and say, “Casee, Casee?”
“Kissee, kissee,” Melisa made smooching sounds. “It’s just me and you, girl. What do you want for Christmas?”
Cassie flapped her wings and shook her feathers. “Casee, Casee.”
“Casey’s not going to be playing with you anymore,” Melisa sighed. “Come sit with Mama while I surf the internet.”
She bent under her table to plug in her laptop charger.
Flutter. Flutter. Flutter. Cassie flapped from the desk to the floor next to her.
“Oh, baby, you fell?” Melisa picked her up and put her back on the desk.
“Casee, Casee,” Cassie chortled and flapped her wings. She jumped off the desk and fluttered to the floor.
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot to get your wings clipped. You want to go with me to the bird store?” She picked up Cassie and placed her on her shoulder. “Let’s check their hours.”
Cassie jumped and fluttered from Melisa’s shoulder, landing on the table. She spread her wings and chirped and whistled loudly.
“Oh, I see. You’re trying to be like Casey,” Melisa said. “Only thing, he’s an experienced flyer, and you’re not. You’re liable to get hurt.”
She browsed to the Fly or No Fly Zone forum. Wait. It was closed to new comments. The last message was from the moderator, Lovebone.
I’m closing the debate about whether we should let our parrots fly, because both sides have become acrimonious. Can we all agree that we love our parrots and trust each of us to make the best decisions for our pets? While it’s true that there are a lot of dangers from flying, i.e. ceiling fans, frying pans, and crashes into windows and mirrors, it’s up to the individual owner to weigh the benefits of flying versus not flying at his or her own comfort level. Birds that fly are not being neglected, and birds that do not fly are not being abused to the point of plucking feathers or screaming for attention. Unless we can have a respectful discussion about safety and care for our birds, I’m closing this forum. Signed, Lovebone.
“That’s exactly right,” Melisa said to Cassie. “Flying can be fun, but also dangerous. But then, so is everything else, like snowmobiling, and—” Gulp. Even falling in love.
“Chee, chirrup, tweet, squee.” Cassie flapped her wings and jumped from the tabletop to the back of the chair.
Wait. She’d never been able to do that before. Had she watched Casey and learned something? It sure added to her ability to move places without having to depend on Melisa to pick her up and be her transportation.
“You want to fly?” Melisa had Cassie step onto her finger. She held her above the tabletop and tapped on a bottle cap, one of Cassie’s favorite toys.
Cassie leaned over and turned her eye at the shiny bottle cap. Her wings shook and then she jumped, flapping to the tabletop. She picked up the bottle cap and threw it, then chased after it. She was now accompanying her jumps with wing flaps, and lifting off, although still clumsy.
Wow. Maybe Melisa should tell Lovebone about this latest development. She didn’t know who he was, but his last note sounded more reasonable than his ranting and raving about wing clipping and leg chopping, accusing clipping owners of crippling their birds.
She pulled up her messages. He’d left one asking her what kind of bird she had and whether she was interested in teaching her bird to fly.
She typed him a message.
To: Lovebone
From: HaveAHart
Re: Flying
I’m getting back to you about my bird. Her name is Cassie, and she’s a lovebird. Anyway, it turns out I was too busy to get her wings trimmed and she’s taking short flights from the table top to the floor. She still needs me to pick her up off the floor, but she seems to enjoy it, quite a change from when she was stuck on top of that light fixture.
Here’s a picture of her. What kind of bird do you have?
HaveAHart
Melisa attached a picture of Cassie playing with a pinecone she’d taken from outside Rob’s cabin. “I bet you miss Casey too, don’t you?”
“Casee, Casee.” Cassie pecked at the bottle cap She was back to her hyperactive self.
A message appeared in Melisa’s inbox. Great. Lovebone was online.
To: HaveAHart
From: Lovebone
Re: Flying
Your bird is adorable. She looks happy and healthy too. I also have a lovebird. Even though he’s a proficient flyer, I’m rethinking whether to let him fly outdoors. I read all your messages about the dangers, and it would break my heart if I lost my bird to a
hawk. However, indoors, he’s the king of flying. Have you drawn your shades and curtains so she doesn’t crash into a window?
Yours, Lovebone
His note brought a smile to her face. Even though she’d never met him, she’d gotten him to rethink the wisdom or foolishness of letting his bird fly free outdoors. There were too many variables out of his control.
To: Lovebone
From: HaveAHart
Re: Flying
That’s cool we both have lovebirds. Aren’t they the sweetest little creatures ever? Mine loves to get her head scratched. Oh, here she comes. Ha, ha, she jumps on my wrist while I’m typing and bounces along with it. Yes. My shades are drawn. Don’t worry. My apartment’s pretty bare and I don’t have ceiling fans or chandeliers. I’m going to let her do what comes naturally. If she wants to fly, I’ll make sure she’s safe, but I’m not going to push her to fly if she’s not comfortable. How well does your bird fly?
Oops, gotta go. The princess demands head scratches.
HaveAHart
Melisa gave Cassie plenty of head scratches, but of course her eyes were on the screen. Soon enough, she had another message.
To: HaveAHart
From: Lovebone
Re: Flying
My bird doesn’t like to be touched. He’s super energetic. He’s a very proficient flyer, able to change direction in midair. He also flies to me on command and loves showing off, flying high in my vaulted ceiling and perching on my wrought iron mission style chandelier.
I guess they’re right when they say the girls are the sweetest. I think your attitude’s the best. Let her do what’s natural and don’t push.
Yours, Lovebone
“Hey, Cassie, maybe you can learn something from Lovebone’s bird.” Melisa started typing, but Cassie kept squeaking and kissing her hand, wanting more scratches.
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