by Kay Lyons
Minutes later, Melissa was on her way, Ellen’s expression burned into her memory. She’d asked the woman not to say anything to her dad and Melissa knew Ellen hated being placed in that kind of situation.
At home, Melissa showered and changed, tossed some clothes into a suitcase and zipped it tight. She hurried through the living room, grabbed her purse and pulled the door open—gasping sharply when she saw someone standing on the other side.
Chapter 19
THE SOUND OF THE PHONE woke Bryan. He jerked upright, knowing instantly Melissa was gone. He grabbed the phone and prayed it was her. “Hello?”
“Bryan? It’s Ellen. I’m at the hospital—”
“What’s wrong? Is it the baby? Is your OB there?”
“I’m fine, it’s not me.”
“Did something happen to Melissa?” Bryan heard Ellen speaking to someone, her voice muffled, and fought his impatience, keeping his fear at bay by sheer will. Had Melissa had an accident? “Ellen?”
“Just a moment—yes, water is fine, just something cold, Hal, please. Thank you.” A moment passed, but he thought he heard the deep rumble of the chief’s voice. “Bryan, I’m sorry—it’s Anna again. We—I found her this morning outside your house. They gave her something to calm her because she was hysterical, but I wanted to let you know.”
“Thanks. I appreciate the call. I’ll—”
“Bryan, I saw Melissa this morning. She found Anna.”
He bit back a curse and shot out of the bed, paced as far as the phone cord would allow. “Was she… all right?”
“You’ve made some mistakes since you’ve moved here, but, Bryan, if you hurt that girl after I urged you to hire her—” A frustrated sound traveled through the phone. “How dare you put me in the middle of this given the circumstances of how you and Melissa began working together?”
“It’s not what you think. I love her, Ellen.” Bryan chuckled at her silence, used to seeing Ellen happy, sad or flustered, but never angry or speechless.
“What did you say?”
“She’s the one you warned me about,” he murmured drily. “The woman I want, the one I love who wants nothing to do with me. Last night— We slept together but we didn’t sleep together.”
“Oh. Oh, Bryan…I don’t… That must have been a novelty for you.”
“It was.”
“Are you sure about her feelings for you? Did she actually say that she didn’t want anything to do with you?”
“I obviously didn’t have to shake her out of my mattress this morning, did I?” He scrubbed his hand over his face, palming his eye to remove the grit. “Guess my ego was bigger than I thought. I convinced myself I could change her mind about… everything.”
“Maybe you still can. Hal’s heading my way so I have to hurry. Bryan, if you love her, do something. Don’t give up.”
“I don’t plan to,” he murmured, hanging up and hurrying to dress, knowing whichever doctor had admitted Anna would probably keep the girl on medication for a while. He’d drive back and see her later; he hoped with Melissa in tow.
It was only a matter of time before the whole town found out he’d spent the night at the hotel with Melissa, regardless of whether or not they’d made love.
A town as small as Taylorsville didn’t have a true secret. Everyone knew everything and made up what they didn’t. But if he had to, he planned to use that to his advantage. He was desperate. Desperate enough to brave Melissa’s anger if the end result meant getting her to see the truth.
Bryan cut the drive time to Melissa’s house by fifteen minutes. He drove around to the back and parked by her car, nervous and yet looking forward to the encounter.
It wasn’t until he headed for the door that he lifted his head and froze. The screen door was broken, hanging from its hinges, the back door open. Her comment about him being like her father when he’d told her to keep the door locked hit him and sent fear straight to his gut. She always locked the door. Always.
“Melissa!”
* * *
HAL STARED at the trashed house and tried to get a grip on his terror. He had to hold it together because the doc sure wasn’t. Booker paced, growled out curses and practically ripped his hair out by the roots every time he ran his fingers through it.
The bathroom floor was covered in shards of glass and blood, the bottles of Mel’s leftover cancer and pain meds scattered throughout the house like whoever found them had grabbed them all to take with him, then wound up popping the pills and tossing the bottles aside as he ransacked the place.
Staring at the red splatters of blood and smears on the floor, he prayed hard. God, please.
Whose blood was it?
And where was his little girl?
* * *
DON’T MESS with Bryan’s head.”
Ashley snickered from where she stood at the kitchen sink, washing the breakfast dishes too big to be placed in the dishwasher. “I think it’s a bit late for that warning.”
Melissa blushed. “Ashley.”
“I meant his brain,” Joe countered, sending an unamused look toward his wife.
Melissa sat at the Brodys’ kitchen table, an untouched plate of food in front of her. Seeing Ashley on the other side of her back door an hour ago had given her a start, but that was nothing compared to how surprised she’d been to find out the couple had seen her and Bryan entering his hotel suite last night, and Ashley had insisted Joe let her check on Melissa on their way home.
“So…you slept with Bryan, enjoyed yourself, but now you want to end things?” Ashley’s shook her head. “Have to tell you, sweetie, that’s usually not the way things work with him.”
She rolled her eyes. “Believe me, I know. But it wasn’t entirely like that. I mean—” Given Bryan’s reputation would they even believe her if she told them she hadn’t slept with him?
“You could do worse.”
“What a recommendation,” Melissa muttered. “Look, Joe, I know you’re trying to help, but—”
“But why don’t you let us girls have a talk?” Ashley asked pointedly, softening her words with a grin. “Maybe go give Wilson and your dad a break and take Max out for that ice cream you promised him?”
“You won’t get away from him easily, Mel. Bryan’s not like that with you.” With that warning, Joe shoved himself off the counter where he leaned and headed for the rooms his dad and Wilson shared.
“He’s right, you know. Bryan looks at you and heats up like a flash fire. Now, what’s this really about?” Ashley demanded.
Giving in, Melissa told Ashley about Bryan’s past. “So even if he wants a relationship, I can’t. Bryan deserves more than to go through that again.”
“Oh, Melissa, who says he’d have to? I’m going to agree with your dad and Bryan here, hon. You have to think positive. What good will it do you to prepare for something that might never happen?” Ashley smiled at her, her eyes searching. “Melissa, you told me months ago that you couldn’t be with Bryan because of your scars. Well, obviously that isn’t a factor for him.”
“We didn’t have sex. We made out a-and stuff but we didn’t— It could still be a factor.”
“You spent the night with him. Trust me, it’s not. But now you’ve come up with another excuse—”
“It’s a legitimate reason.”
“You’re splitting hairs.”
“Even if I could ignore the women throwing themselves at him on a daily basis—”
“He hasn’t been with anyone except you in quite a while now. He’s lost interest. Think there isn’t a reason for that?”
“But—”
“Ashley?” Dara entered the kitchen carrying a fussing Isabella. “I hate to do this to you after telling you I could work today, but I just called home to check on Mom and she’s not answering. I need to go see about her, but I promise I’ll be right back if she’s okay.”
“No problem. I slept in this morning so I’m feeling much better today. Joe’s surprise was just what I ne
eded. Thank you for staying last night and keeping Issy and Max.”
“My pleasure. They were both little angels and I was glad to help out.” A smile replaced her harried frown. “How romantic that Joe took you away like that. Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a man to plan a romantic night for me.”
Ashley shot Melissa a knowing look before she took Isabella from Dara. “Come’ere, baby girl. Oh, time to eat, huh?”
“I’ve gotta run. Mom fell last month and she’s pretty unsteady, and the home-care nurse won’t come again until tomorrow.”
“Keep us posted?” Ashley urged.
“Sure. Thanks again.” With a final wave and nod, Dara exited the kitchen.
“It is a romantic gesture for a man to make, isn’t it?” Ashley asked once they were alone.
“I need to get moving,” Melissa said, pushing the plate away before getting to her feet. “I’ll use your car to drive myself back to the house and lock the keys inside so you and Joe can pick it up later.”
“You’re not going anywhere.” Ashley donned her most maternal expression and pointed toward the ceiling. “Melissa, you’re upset. Scared. And there are nine bedrooms up there in the guest section. If you need a place to hide out and think, at least do it where we know you’re okay. We’re the only ones here right now. Pick a room and lock the door if it makes you feel better, but no one will even know you’re there unless you tell them. Who knows, maybe while you’re here you can think of all the reasons you and Bryan would make the perfect couple.”
Melissa smiled sadly. “Or all the reasons we wouldn’t?”
* * *
BRYAN WAS STANDING outside Melissa’s house when he saw Wilson’s battered old pickup truck crawl through the four-way stop at the corner and then turn at the last minute and head their way.
He left the yard and jogged over to the truck.
“What happened?” Joe asked, leaning forward to see overtop his son’s car seat.
“Someone broke in and tore the place up,” he explained hurriedly. “Melissa’s gone and there’s blood all through the house. Joe, if something’s happened to—”
“She’s fine. Mel’s with Ashley at the— Bryan, wait!”
* * *
MELISSA STARED at the ceiling and ignored the tears trickling into her ears. What a mess. Bryan had to be awake by now, would know she’d sneaked out. Would he be angry? Or would he even care at all? She ran a hand under her nose and moaned. What to do?
Step one was to take the job at the hospital, but step two?
Anna’s image entered her head and Melissa shut her eyes in pain. How could anyone stand to be abused like that? Why didn’t she leave? Why didn’t Anna believe in herself enough to know love wasn’t ugly?
Ashley’s raised voice reached her ears, followed by a ruckus. Her name? She sat up and had just touched her toes to the floor when she heard someone running down the hall toward her bedroom.
“Melissa? Open up or I’ll break it down.” Bryan’s voice was so loud he might as well have been in the room with her.
“Bryan, calm down,” Ashley ordered. “She’s fine, I told you that.”
“I want to see her myself. There was blood on the floor.”
“Not hers! Joe and I picked her up before the break-in. Once we saw how upset she was, we made her come with us.”
Break-in? Melissa jumped off the bed and fumbled with the old-fashioned latch, barely getting out of the way before Bryan pushed his way inside and wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug.
“Thank you, God. Sweetheart—thank God you’re all right.”
She breathed deeply, closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the feel of him. “I’m fine,” she murmured, her voice muffled against his shirt. “Bryan, what—”
His mouth settled over hers, the kiss one of desperation and hunger. “Never do that again,” he ordered against her lips. “Do you hear me? Melissa, when I woke up and you were gone—then at the house. Don’t leave me like that. When I saw the blood—”
“What blood? What break-in?”
“Someone broke into your house and cleaned out the medicine cabinet.”
“Oh, no.” She tried to get free. “I need to—”
“Your dad’s there now, and you’re not going anywhere except with me.” His expression changed before her eyes, turned from one of relief to anger to— “I love you, Melissa.” He palmed her face in his hands, holding her still. “I love you. I love your body—”
“B-Bryan, please. There’s no comparison to yours or other women’s and I know it.”
“You’re right, there’s not.”
Her mouth parted at his bluntness.
“I’m surrounded by women, and I’ve had more than my share, but none of them have ever made me feel what you do. I’ve never looked at them from across a crowded ballroom and gotten weak at the knees, or watched them run and—”
Melissa pulled away from him. “No. No.”
He shook his head. “Yes. I’m not giving up. I’m determined to make you see how good we could be together.”
“You’d grow bored with me and run around and it would—”
“Weren’t you listening? Melissa, I don’t want them, I want you. No one else ties me up in knots or makes me crazy the way you do.”
She wasn’t sure that was a compliment. “And my cancer?”
“You don’t have cancer.”
“But I did,” she said, establishing more distance between them. “And the odds are I will again.”
“You don’t know that, but if it happens, then we’ll—”
“No! No, we won’t. What are you doing, Bryan? Huh? Think! Do you know what you’re saying?” She stared at him, incredulous. “One night is all you ever wanted with those other women. We didn’t even do anything but— Why isn’t that enough now?”
His smile turned her stomach to mush. “Because you’re not them. Because I love you and I want more—a lot more—from you.”
She shook her head slowly, unable to handle the responsibility his assertion brought with it. “I can’t give you that.”
“Yes, you can.” He stepped closer but stopped when she backed away. “Melissa, I want to marry you, to spend my life with y—”
“What life? A life of tests and MRIs? Cancer scans? A life with no children?”
“All I need is a life with you.”
Her laugh lacked humor. “Bryan, it wouldn’t be a life! When are you and everyone else going to get it? A life with me isn’t worth the burden you’d carry with you on a daily basis!”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because you don’t deserve to bury another woman you—” She broke off, unwilling to admit she saw the naked truth in his eyes, his expression. A truth she couldn’t allow herself to see or feel because if she did, if she dared hope it was true…
“Love? That’s right, come on, say it,” he dared. “Believe it, Melissa. I love you. I love you. Say it.”
She shook her head, mute. How could he possibly love her?
“Afraid?” Bryan moved toward her, following her as she retreated into a corner of the pretty bedroom, her back to the wall, and Bryan looking hard as the proverbial rock in front of her. “I understand that, sweetheart. But listen to me and listen good, okay? Because I say loving you is worth whatever trials and tests we face. I’ll gladly, thankfully, take a life with someone I love, over one without you in it. I’ve been without, Melissa. I’ve tried to pretend being with those women was enough, but it wasn’t. And the fact of the matter is sometimes life isn’t pretty and neither is what we’ll face if your cancer returns.”
“You shouldn’t want—”
“You? But I do. I want you. I want whatever I can have with you. Why would you choose being alone when you know that you could have love with someone who loves you in return?”
“I never said I loved you.”
“But you do, don’t you? Otherwise you’d be laughing at me instead of looking at me like you are.”
&n
bsp; She lifted her chin, emotion swelling inside her chest, making her fight for each breath. “I’m taking a j-job at the hospital. Mr.—they asked me last night. I’m q-quitting.”
“You’re running away, but it won’t work. It won’t stop how you feel, sweetheart. I tried to deny my feelings for you in the beginning, too, but it didn’t work.”
“Make it work. I’m leaving.”
His expression softened. “Melissa, there’s no need to be afraid anymore. Together, we can face anything.”
“No. No, because you’ll get tired of fighting the inevitable and want someone else. Someone not like me. Someone—”
“Try me,” he dared, stepping closer. “Take a chance at living, Melissa. With me. Who else has the guts to keep me in line? Who else can match my stride?” He nudged her chin up with his hand. “I love you. I need you. Be with me, stay with me. Marry me.”
Tears flooded her, uncontrollable, a bottomless pit rushing up from the depths of her and swallowing her whole. Bryan’s words were the sweetest, most amazing thing anyone had ever said to her. The most loving. She saw his sincerity, his passion. But it contained too much love. And if it was true, real, then how could she let him risk so much? She had to protect Bryan because he wasn’t protecting himself. She loved him enough to do that.
“Melissa—”
“No.” The word emerged on a gasp, not strong enough to be heard. Lifting her chin, she forced herself to look him in the eyes and say it again. “No, I won’t marry you. I want you to leave.”
“Melissa—”
“Don’t ask me again. I said no, my answer is no.”
Bryan’s expression turned to stone, but before it did she saw the hurt. The pain. Pain she’d caused, but less pain now than there would be later. He should know that. Why didn’t he know that?
He stood for a long moment, his chest rising and falling with angry breaths, his eyes searching hers. It took all her strength and courage not to look away. She had to make it clear she meant what she said. She did mean it.