Oh, she wanted. More than anything. She wanted to have more time with Jameson.
"I'll even scrub your back," he offered. Another sexy smile and wink aimed her way.
Melody closed and locked the door behind her as she stripped of her muddy clothes. He didn't have to ask a second time.
*****
Something about Melody brought out the kid in Jameson. Mud fights, teasing, laughing. It had been a long time since he'd had this much fun. The weight of the world seemed to have eased up from his shoulders, and he forgot about his troubles when he had those kind of moments with her. They had to restrain themselves in the shower, considering he didn't have any more protection on him, and it took all they both had to stop. He'd have to stop by the store later and grab something in case the need for them came up again. After that argument the other night, he didn't expect the things that went on today. Not that he was complaining.
He left his room, dressed and freshened up. He just needed to grab his guitar and he'd be ready. He couldn't wait for the concert. He loved the idea of having Melody up on stage with him, singing. The fact that the idea came from Avery would hopefully set Melody's mind at ease when it came to her, because he knew she still had some hesitance about the song. Though after today, he had a feeling she felt more sure about things.
He needed to stop getting ahead of himself. There was no guarantee of anything. He wasn't sure what Melody's plans were, even now. She still seemed set that she had to eventually leave.
The rain had eased up, only coming down in a light drizzle now. Melody was in the bathroom messing with her hair when he came back in from putting the guitar in the car. She'd dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a red top that showed off her curves and hugged her in just the right places. She noticed him staring and faced him. "Is this okay?" She brushed off her jeans and looked back at him.
"You look amazing," he said softly, admiring the view. She'd finally picked clothes that suited her and brought out her best features.
"Are you sure? It's not too little, not too much?"
Jameson took the brush from her hand and set it down on the counter. Then he held her face in his hands and kissed along her jaw until he made his way to her mouth. "This mouth of yours, it's sweet and sexy. But it keeps bringing out doubting words." He kissed her. "Don't do that. Okay? Please?" He dropped another kiss on her lips before letting her finish getting ready.
She blinked rapidly. "Okay. I'll try. For you." Then she looked away and focused on her hair. Jameson let her be, before he got himself in trouble again for wanting her and not being able to have her right now. "I never used to be so doubtful."
"So why now?"
"When you're treated like a queen for so long and find out someone had a hidden past, it makes you question everything. I hate that it happened like this, but I can't stop second guessing everything all the time." She slid a hand around his neck. "That includes you. For that, I'm sorry."
He couldn't blame her. He'd had his own self-doubting behavior for the longest time, too. "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't even think-" He stopped at the sound of a door slamming.
Blaine walked in the house with a holler. "I'm back! Are we ready to go yet?"
"What's this we you speak of?" Jameson let go of Melody. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall, laughing at his sister.
"I'm anxious. So, are we?" Blaine rolled her eyes.
"Yes, we're ready," Melody replied, laughing. "Did Jameson tell you I'm singing with them tonight?"
"No, but I knew Avery was going to ask you." Blaine grinned.
"I'm always the last to know," Melody grumbled with a smile. "Let me just grab my purse and I'll be ready."
When they arrived at Catered Whims, Blaine went off in the crowd. Jameson led Melody to the back, where the band usually hung around until show time. They still had forty five minutes to go.
"Mary! You look great." Avery waved from her spot on the chaise lounge. They were apparently the last to arrive. "Jameson, you asked her, right?"
"He did, Avery. I'm stoked and honored sing with you guys!" Melody gushed.
Jameson put the guitar case down and opened it, preparing to make sure the instrument was perfectly tuned and ready. He couldn't seem to wipe the grin off his face.
"I thought you might enjoy that. Here, let's go over the set. I have to do a little vocal practice, especially since I'm pregnant, to make sure I don't over do it. Why not work with me? You can sing on any of the songs that you feel comfortable enough knowing the words. Let's see how our harmony will come out."
As they started to practice, Jameson stopped and stared at the two. Avery's strong voice with Melody's in the background had the perfect blend of harmony. Randy, Marty, and Sean, the latest drummer replacement, stopped playing to listen.
"Whoa. I'm digging this sound," Randy said in a low voice next to Jameson.
He could only nod. The women were great together! Melody really seemed at ease. She even had her eyes open this time. The first few times she sang in front of the band, he remembered her closing them, or looking at him. This time, she had more confidence as she carried her tune.
Avery and Melody stopped singing after a few songs, and it was like they'd finally noticed everyone had their attention on them. "What?" Avery asked, looking around them.
"You two. That's what." Jameson whistled. "Your voices blend well together. Dynamic!" He clapped, leading everyone else into applause. "This is going to be an amazing night!" He rushed forward and swept Melody in his arms. "You are going to be a star up there."
Red filtered into her cheeks, but this time she didn't look away from him, nor did she protest his compliments. She just leaned into his hug.
"I hope you aren't starting this party without me." Lucas entered the room, making a beeline for Avery. He bent to kiss her. "Sorry I'm late. We had a little disturbance to deal with at the inn. What did I miss?"
"Wait. Stop right there. What's happening at the inn?" Avery put a hand on Lucas's arm.
"Shelly's boyfriend had some problems. He was pretty angry, making a scene and yelling. There's something about that guy that really bothers me. It was bad enough that someone called the cops, and because Shelly wouldn't really admit anything was wrong, they didn't do anything but give him a warning to calm down and stop making a fuss. Alice freaked out about him being there, so I waited there awhile until things calmed down. He ended up storming out later, and I dropped Shelly off at the hospital so she could be with the baby. I couldn't get her to talk about it."
"Poor girl. She had to have been running from something big, and she probably got scared when she called him, never thinking he'd come down," Melody said softly. "She was so quiet and nervous on the bus, but I didn't get much out of her then, either. When he first showed up, I was the one that checked him in. He seemed nice enough at the time. I know that's never a true showing of a person though."
She must have known that from experience. Jameson bet she was referring to Anthony. He still needed to look into that.
"Yeah. I tried to reach out, but she zipped it. I didn't want to push too hard," Lucas said.
"Maybe I'll go talk to her tomorrow," Melody suggested. Jameson leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"Hey, you guys are on in fifteen minutes if you want to start stage set up." One of the managers appeared in the doorway.
"Ready for your first performance?" Jameson tugged on a strand of Melody's curls.
"I'm more excited than nervous. It surprises me." She let out a laugh.
"The stage is a magical place," Avery mused.
"And you own it, sweetheart." Lucas grinned.
"You missed it, Luke. These two have dynamite power together," Jameson bragged, giving Melody another hug before reaching for his guitar.
"Can't wait to hear it. Have fun you guys. Love you." He directed that at Avery, kissing her once more before heading out to sit in the crowd.
"Let's do it!" Jameson led the way to the stage, ready for the music, even
more ready for Melody to be a part of it.
Chapter Eighteen
"I want to introduce you to someone new!" Avery said into the microphone after the crowd calmed down. She'd launched into their first song, which had been upbeat, fun and had energized the audience. This being the first time seeing the band play live, Melody was even more amazed by them. Even pregnant, Avery took the stage with a mighty fierceness. Jameson on the guitar had been spectacular. Talk about intense! He played with even more power on the stage. It was electrifying.
Avery walked up next to her, the spotlight following. "This is Mary. She's singing backup with us tonight. Give her a warm welcome!" Avery tapped her shoulder, widening her grin.
Melody broke out in a sweat as the crowd thundered their approval. She couldn't completely tell, but she'd guess that there had to be about a hundred and fifty people here. Not wanting to seem timid or even rude, she waved and mustered up a smile.
"I hope you're having fun tonight," Avery said into the microphone. The crowd cheered again in response. "This may have to be our last show for awhile. As you can see, I'm getting close to bursting." Avery pointed to her belly. A round of laughter and cheers followed. The music started up again. Avery thrust her fist into the air and started to clap along with the beat.
Melody sang her heart out, each song getting more into the rhythm and aura of the stage. This was great! Just as she started getting used to it and feeling more confident, the time passed and the concert ended. The room lit up with normal lighting again, and one by one, the band left the stage. The crowd still cheered, clapped and shouted.
What a rush. An absolute rush!
Jameson put his guitar down, ran toward her and picked her up, twirling around with her in his arms. "That was amazing. You were perfect up there!"
Melody squealed, holding on to his neck, dizzy with emotion. "That was fun. So fun. Thank you all for letting me do that with you. I never knew how amazing that could be."
If only she could have shared the moment with her dad and brother.
Jameson, Blaine, Avery and Lucas had definitely become like a family, even though the only one that knew anything about her was Jameson. She'd been a part of their lives for the past month and a half, and couldn't imagine what things would be like without them. Somehow, Jameson managed to challenge her to new things. Would she have ever come out to sing like this before meeting him? She'd never know, but he gave her this amazing boost of confidence. Tears sprung in her eyes at the thought of missing Dad and Chris, but still happy for the times she had shared with everyone here.
He noticed her tears and set her down. "Why are you upset?" He brushed his thumb over her cheek, swiping the tear away.
"I got a little homesick. Missing my family," Melody replied.
Jameson pulled her to him again. "We need to see what we can do about that. I want to meet them. I want to know everything. Tonight, let's figure this out, okay? What do you say? Will you let me help?"
Heart swelling with feeling, she only nodded and let him lead her away to be with the rest of the band. "Thank you."
"Anything for you, sweet lady. Let's go celebrate with the band, and we'll talk more about this later. I'll help you figure out where your family is. I want you to be happy and at peace."
She knew he wanted other things, too. Jameson didn't press her about those. Since the night they argued on the roof, he'd been careful with what he said about her staying. She knew he still wanted her to, but he left the subject alone.
Blaine and Lucas met them as they were putting their instruments away.
"That was one hell of a show!" Blaine gushed as she ran around throwing hugs at every one of them. "I hope you make Mary a more permanent part of the show. You were amazing!"
"I have no objections about that at all." Avery smiled at Melody. "What do you say? Do you want to sing more often with Baby Stetson?"
Eager faces stared at her from around the room. "For as long as I'm still here, I'd love to sing with you," she finally said. Everyone cheered. It felt great to belong.
"I think next practice, you and Jameson need to have your song finished. That way we can work that into a set." Avery's eyes glittered with intrigue and excitement.
"I agree." Jameson grinned, giving Melody a squeeze. "What do you say? Let's get that tune finished."
"That sounds like a dream come true." Melody melted at his touch. He ran a hand down her arm. He had no intentions of letting her go, which was fine with her.
"More reason to finish it." Jameson nuzzled her neck. Melody shivered. "I'm going to put my guitar in the car, and I'll be right back."
She watched Jameson disappear, For awhile, everything she feared and worried about faded into the background. She'd been on top of the world when singing on stage. The band, the music, the crowd, they all blended perfectly for a wonderful night.
"Mary?"
Avery had come up beside her. Melody looked up to see her frowning. "What's up?"
"I don't know what your plan is for the future, but I do know Jameson has a lot of feelings for you," Avery said softly.
"I know he does." And I have feelings for Jameson, too.
"You can tell me to go to hell and mind my own business, but I need to say something."
Melody stayed silent.
Avery took in a deep breath. "Don't hurt him. Please. I don't know what you're running from, but I haven't seen Jameson this happy since before his dad passed away. He's been through a lot, and I'm glad to see him back to his old self. Please keep that in mind when you make your plans." She blinked. "Like I said, you can tell me-"
"I get it, Avery. Believe me. I've taken everything into consideration. It wasn't supposed to happen like this." Melody chose her words carefully. "I know what Jameson means to you, and I don't want to hurt him. It's the last thing I want. All of you have been great to me the past month, and it's appreciated."
"I just worry about him."
"I know you do. Jameson is lucky to have a good friend like you," Melody assured her. "And he knows that."
"You're not annoyed at me for coming and talking to you like this?" Avery bit her lip.
Melody laughed. "Of course not. It shows you have a big heart, and you won't take anyone's crap messing with those you care about. I respect that. You're honest."
"Are you ready to go home, my singing sensation?" Lucas came up behind Avery and slid an arm around her waist. "Or are you two having girl talk that probably gets one of us guys in trouble? Who is it this time, and how do we get out of your secretive girl talk?" He teased, smiling.
"Don't tell Jameson, but it was about him again." Melody giggled.
"Don't tell Jameson what? Oh no, are you two at it again?" Jameson groaned, hurrying to them. He stood between Avery and Melody, arms crossed over his chest. "Hey, we had a deal about the stories, remember?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"Chill out, Jameson." Avery bumped his arm. "We're not telling more childhood stories, so you hush. Good night, you guys. Great show. Drive safe. It's getting slick out there." She hugged Melody and Jameson before saying goodbye to the rest of the band.
"How much torture do you have to sustain to get it out of you, huh?" Jameson took her hand in his and started tracing his fingertips up her arm, wearing a sly grin.
"Damn Jameson, you just want to know everything, don't you?" Melody teased, attempting to pull her arm away.
"Yup. Spill. Come on," he continued.
"You two are starting to make me sick," Blaine commented. "Let's go, and none of that wishy washy happy stuff in my car."
"I knew we should have taken Lucas's car and ditched you." Jameson laughed.
"Ha ha. Get in the car before I kick your butt."
"I feel the love around here." Jameson feigned a wounded look. "Save me!" He put a hand over his heart and shot a look at Melody.
Blaine rolled her eyes. "I feel sorry for you. You got yourself attached to his weird self."
They left the bar laughing.
There were two more from Anthony. They were a jumble of anger, fear, pretending to care, and all around threatening. But at least there were no strange yells or loud popping sounds in that background. He was on edge, and she could tell he didn't like the idea that she was out there somewhere with information that would bring him down. He tried everything, from pleading to making obscene comments. How had she never noticed this kind of behavior before? Could someone really live a double life without giving any clues? She had a hard enough time not spilling information about herself without having to backtrack. How had she dated Anthony for a year without knowing?
At the last message, she stopped cold. She wanted to cry, laugh and rejoice at the same time at the sound of her brother's voice.
"Mel … I know I shouldn't be calling your cell. I don't even know where the hell you are. I know you didn't make it to Georgia, which turns out to be a good thing, as somehow Anthony figured out that's where you were headed and … Well, I don't want to get into that. God, baby sis, I hope you're okay. I should have thought this out better. It's all a mess. I don't know where Dad is. The house is gone. I won't say where I am, although I wish I could. Just know that I'm safe, baby girl. I wish I knew the same for you. Look, it's going to take some time, but I think we're on the right track to getting Anthony put away. Maybe we should have gone that first night and let the authorities protect both of us. But what's done is done. I'm paying your phone, so that way I can hear your voice on the machine. I'll keep sending you messages this way as long as I can and hopefully, if you're listening, you'll know how things are as I find them. I hope you're safe. I love you, Melody. I'm sorry about all this trouble. Take care of yourself." His voice cracked at the end of the message.
The Melody In My Head (Love and Music in Texas Book 2) Page 21