by Bee Daniels
“Noah, is that you?”
Melanie looked behind her to see an older woman headed their way. She was way overdressed for a place like this in a pair of boots with tall heels. A fur shawl draped her shoulder, and everything she wore was designer. And Melanie smelled her fragrance before she made it to them.
The older woman unabashedly stared at Melanie with interest, and Melanie quirked a brow before looking at Noah. He had an exasperated expression on his face before placing on a forced smile.
“Hello, Mrs. Caldwell. How are you?” he greeted the older woman.
“I’m fine,” Mrs. Caldwell said, reluctantly taking her gaze off Melanie. Melanie wondered why she was so interested in her. “I just came down here for a little bit of relaxation, and then I saw you, but I wasn’t certain at first. You’re still in college, right?”
“Yeah, I’m just taking a short break right now,” Noah said.
Mrs. Caldwell gave a smile that gave false cheer before she turned her attention back on Melanie. Melanie had a bad feeling about this woman.
“And who is your friend?” Mrs. Caldwell asked, her sharp eyes taking in every inch of Melanie.
“This is Melanie,” Noah said and pointedly gave no further introduction. “Melanie, this is Mrs. Caldwell, one of my mother’s friends.”
Oh. Made sense. Melanie was trying to figure out why Noah so cordial with this woman when he clearly wasn't fond of her.
“Just friends? You seem like more than that to me,” Mrs. Caldwell said, her brown eyes bright with curiosity. Melanie wondered how long Mrs. Caldwell had been watching them in the restaurant to think they were more than friends. “So, it’s Melanie, right? Melanie…”
“Bryant,” Melanie said, offering her last name.
“Melanie Bryant,” Mrs. Caldwell repeated in a way as if she were trying to memorize the name. Weird. Before the situation could get more awkward, Noah cleared his throat.
“Well, we have to get out of here. We’re on a tight schedule. But it’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Caldwell.”
“Nice to see you again too, Noah.”
Melanie waved her goodbye and walked away with Noah. And though Melanie should have been relieved to get out of that obnoxious woman's presence, it was kind of hard to when Melanie still felt her heavy gaze follow her out the door. It gave her chills.
“She seems like fun,” Melanie said sarcastically, and Noah chuckled as he opened up the car door for her. Once she got inside, he closed the door behind her.
“Just another one of my mother’s nosy friends,” Noah said as he got in the truck. “They’re all so annoying. They’re like the old version of Gossip Girl.” Melanie laughed.
"Don't worry about that old bat, though. Let's go out and have some more fun," Noah told her as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed to another destination.
***
After spending the day together, Melanie and Noah laid together naked in front of the fireplace, tangled in each other’s arms. Melanie's eyes were heavy, spent from the sex she just had with Noah. She laid tucked against Noah's chest, her hands stroking his arm gently.
It was peaceful down here. Unlike Weston, there wasn't the sound of the city life. Honking cars weren't heard, and the sounds of closing doors from people coming and going were gone too. The only things that could be heard here were the fire crackling near them, and the gentle hum of the insects outside. Though Melanie had lived in the city her whole life and wasn't used to the quiet, she found that she didn't mind it too much. Right now, it gave her peace, time to think, and, more importantly, time to spend with Noah.
With Noah working so hard recently, staying late at practice, and having extra practice days on the weekends, it was hard for Melanie to spend quality time with him. Last semester, it had been different. She practically saw him every day, especially because he took her class. But now, everything was different. Melanie hated to sound clingy because she wasn't a clingy person. At least, she wasn't in her previous relationships. But sometimes, it was lonely without Noah there, and it could be frustrating looking forward to spending time with him, but at the last minute, having him cancel. Melanie was just glad that Noah had planned this short trip so they could spend time together.
Melanie glanced at Noah. A week old's scruff was on his chin from not shaving, and his long lashes were tangled together from his eyes being closed. He stroked her thigh languidly. Melanie brought her hand to his face and stroked his jaw, feeling the stubble beneath her fingertips. Noah was so handsome to her, though she could never admit that to someone as arrogant as him. But he truly was with his chiseled jaw and dimpled cheeks.
“What are you thinking about?” Noah asked her without opening his eyes.
“How do you know I’m thinking about something?” Melanie asked curiously.
“Because I can practically hear your thoughts,” Noah said as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before he readjusted himself, so they were lying side by side on the rug beneath them as they looked into each other’s eyes.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked her again, brushing her messy hair from her face. Melanie sighed, comforted by his touch. She wondered if she should be honest. She wasn’t the type of person who usually wore her heart on her sleeves, but maybe it was the mood of the night, or perhaps it was the way Noah was looking in her eyes like he saw deep inside of her that made her want to be honest.
“You,” Melanie admitted.
“What about me?”
“I was just thinking about how busy you’ve been, and that I’m glad we got to go on this trip together so I can spend time with you.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been busy, Melanie,” Noah said, sincerely, and Melanie quickly shook her head. She hadn’t said it because she wanted to make him feel guilty or wanted his sympathy. She understood why he was busy, and that hockey was important to him. At the point Noah was at in his career, hockey needed to be his main focus.
“It’s okay,” Melanie said, assuring him because she really meant it.
“It’s not okay,” he argued, shaking his head. He looked disappointed in himself, and Melanie felt bad for making him feel that way. “I’ll try not to be so busy so often, and I promise you I won't be late again. I don't want to be an ass like my father.”
Melanie quirked a brow with interest. She didn’t want to pry about his relationship with his father, but on the other hand, she didn’t want to seem uninterested by not asking either. Sometimes, people wanted to be open, but other times, some people wanted to keep certain things to themselves, even from their lovers. But as Melanie stroked Noah’s jaw, she felt like he wanted to talk.
“Is your father too busy for your family?” Melanie asked. She watched the frown form on his face, and Melanie quickly smoothed out the tension in his face, wanting him to relax. Clearly, his father was a sensitive topic.
“My father was never too busy for me,” Noah said, shaking his head. “But that’s because he was busy spending his time molding me since the moment I was born. My mother said he took me to an ice-skating rink after I was born, and she was so angry because she feared me getting sick.”
Melanie giggled at the thought. “Is that some type of voodoo to turn your son into a great hockey player?”
“He thought so,” Noah said with a snort as he flipped on his back, looking at the ceiling. “My parent’s relationship isn’t terrible. I’ve seen much worse with my friends. But I know that most of their problems were the result of me. My mother has always wanted different for me because she never liked being in the spotlight. On the other hand, my father was born to be a star. You think I’m arrogant, but he's worst.”
“Does your mother resent your father?” she asked, having a feeling that was the case. She didn't take married couples as clients because they weren't interesting to her. All of their issues were usually similar; childhood trauma and looking at your significant other as a healer, unrealistic expectations, and the sim
plest of all, miscommunication. Their issues weren’t any different from the common conflicts that most people had with each other. It was natural when you had two different people with two different mindsets. But the worst thing about couples, and why Melanie chose not to work with them was because of the redundant cycle. Two people fall in love, but when things go wrong, they neither know how to let go and move on or let go of their problems so their relationship can continue. Melanie would bet that Noah's parents weren't any different.
“My mother loves my father a lot. She just doesn’t like that he can be selfish. All he thinks about is himself and hockey, and then, his family. Even with me as his pet project, my feelings still come second to his desires for my hockey career.”
“Is that why you want to prove yourself?” Melanie asked. “Is it to the world or him?”
“Both,” he said. “In the beginning, I didn't take hockey seriously. It was just a hobby for me. I was good at it, and it got me the attention of all the girls.”
Melanie rolled her eyes. “Of course, that’s the reason.”
Noah chuckled. “That was my reason at first, but then the incident happened, and my father got caught trying to bribe me on teams. The world went crazy, and I felt stupid. I was so fucking hurt. It was like he had never believed in me at all. Then everyone started to doubt me. No one believed that I had gotten as far as I did because of my own skill. I was so angry at him for that. I still am.”
“Did you tell him that?” Melanie asked, knowing that for most people, it was important for them to get things off their chest to be at peace, and it was clear from the irritation in his tone, that what his father had done still bothered him.
“Like my father would listen,” Noah said sarcastically. “He was too worried about how the public viewed him to worry about my opinion. I realized then that I didn't want him to have anything to do with my career. I started taking it more seriously, and I did everything on my own from there. He's angry with me because I'm not following the future he planned for me, but I don't care.”
When Noah finished speaking, he sighed deeply. “Sorry, Mel. I'm probably boring you with my family drama.”
Melanie shook her head. “No, you aren’t. You can always talk to me about anything,” she said, and she meant it. To her, this didn’t feel like one of her sessions with her patients. It felt like she was talking to a friend, and she wanted to comfort him. “You know, you’re not the only person with family problems.”
Noah quirked a brow. “You have family problems?”
Melanie sat up, affronted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Noah sat up too, chuckling. “Nothing, it’s just surprising. You seem like you have everything all together.”
“I will admit,” Melanie said, “that my issues aren’t as dire, but I do have them.”
“What are those problems?” Noah asked, giving her a comforting smile. “You can tell me anything too. I’m your man, after all, right?”
Melanie snorted. “You like saying that, huh?”
“Yeah,” he admitted smirking. “I’m proud to say I’m your man. Do you know how hard it was to get you? You’re a pretty hard woman to chase, and even though I have you, I’m still chasing you.”
He tugged her to him, wrapping her in a hug as he placed her in his arms. He kissed her forehead, his hand stroking her thigh. “Tell me about your problems, baby.”
Melanie was melting, and it wasn’t from the flames in the fireplace, but from the fire Noah sparked in her. She felt cared for and adored. Noah always found some way to show her through his actions that the words he spoke to her were true, and not just lies so he could have her sexually. Every time she looked into his eyes, she knew. Every time he touched her, she felt it.
“Just the typical ones,” Melanie said with a shrug. “Not living up to family expectations. You know, I guess that’s what makes us different. You’re trying to avoid expectations, while I tried to exceed them.”
“Is that why you’re a perfectionist?”
“I wouldn’t call myself a perfectionist.” Noah gave her a look, and Melanie burst out in laughter, hitting him.
“I’m not,” she exclaimed. “I just like to get things done right and on time. But I guess I did get that from my parents. My father was a district attorney lawyer, but he’s retired now. And my mother is a gynecologist, so needless to say, they had high expectations for me when they had me.”
“They expected you to be a doctor or a lawyer?”
“Yep, or as my father would say, ‘something that contributes to the world.’” Melanie snorted, thinking back on the times her father had told her that. “Imagine his surprise when I came back home and told him I wanted to be a psychologist.”
“What's wrong with that? With a doctorate, wouldn’t you be considered a doctor?”
“Explain that to my mother,” Melanie said, shaking her head. “Neither of them was happy with my choice. My mother has come to accept it, but my father is still a little touchy on the subject. So, sometimes, I try to avoid the holidays with them because it can be draining.”
Living up to her parents' expectations had always been a sore spot for Melanie because most of her life, she had been attempting to do so. And though she had completely diverged from a career path that her parents would find acceptable, the little girl inside of her still wanted her parents' approval. That’s how she knew that Noah wanted his father’s approval even if he hadn’t quite figured that out yet.
“I think you picked the right career,” Noah said, and Melanie smiled, glad that someone agreed with her choice besides Abi.
“Why is that?”
“If you were a lawyer or a doctor, how would we have met?” Noah said, and Melanie punched his shoulder. Noah laughed. “I’m serious. All the cards landed right. You were meant to teach psychology so you could meet me, your favorite student. You were meant to be here in my arms. And soon, everything is going to get better and better.”
“How so?” Melanie asked curiously as she glanced up at him.
“We’re going to the final four now,” he told her. “And I promise you this, Weston will win the championship. I already put my name in the draft last year around the holidays. When I get drafted, hopefully, the Aces will pick me.”
“What team is that?” Melanie asked, never having heard of it.
Noah gave her an incredulous look before pinching her.
“Ouch!”
“That’s for not knowing the team, Melanie. How could you not know? The Massachusetts Aces? Do you live under a rock?”
“Well, I know now,” Melanie said, defensively. “You know I don’t know anything about hockey.”
“You need to know,” Noah told her seriously. “Because you’re going to be right there next to me.”
Melanie stared at Noah, unsure of what his words meant. Next to him? What did he mean by that?
“I’m going to the NHL regardless of whether I win the championship or not, but I want to win the championship, and I’m going to win. And whatever team takes me, I want you to be right there next to me. I want you to be next to me when I get drafted. And I want us to move in together.”
It was too much to process all at once. Melanie was so overwhelmed that she removed herself from his arms, sitting up as she stared into the fire. Moving in together? That’s what Noah wanted with her?
“What’s wrong, Mel?” Noah asked her.
What was wrong? What was wrong was that it felt like her heart wanted to beat out of her chest. What was wrong was that she felt like a bomb had been dropped on her with this new information. With Noah being so young, it never occurred to her that he wanted these things. Their relationship had just started, and Melanie was still processing the fact that they were dating.
“You want us to have a place together?” Melanie asked him in disbelief. When Melanie looked back at him, Noah's blue eyes looked deep into her own, and Melanie shivered. That was all the ans
wer she needed. He was serious. Noah wasn’t the type of person to say something just to say it. He meant it.
“Melanie,” Noah called, palming her cheek, turning her so she could face him directly. “I'm in love you.”
Melanie’s heart burst from Noah's confession. She wanted to deny it. She wanted to tell him that he was caught in the ‘honeymoon phase’ of their relationship, the part where you saw everything with rose-tinted glasses, and you loved everything about your partner, even the things you should hate.
But the truth was that Melanie loved Noah too. She had felt it for a while now, and she didn’t know when it quite started, but she knew she had never felt this way towards anyone else before.
But though Melanie loved him, Noah fit into none of her plans. Since she had been young, Melanie knew the rule of succeeding in life was setting goals to follow and then creating rules to achieve them. This applied to everything, even relationships. Most marriages failed because people married for love alone. They didn't think about anything else. But Melanie thought about all of these things. She didn't want to waste her time on relationships that would head nowhere, so she created a list so she would find the best person suited for her that she could create a long-lasting marriage with. But the problem with Noah was that he fit none of her requirements.
He was a college hockey player that would soon go pro. She was positive her parents wouldn’t like him. If they thought her job didn’t contribute to anything, they definitely wouldn't think Noah's hockey-playing did. He was younger than her, and his profession was a career that was risky and wasn't long-lasting. One wrong move on the ice and his career could be over before it even started.
“Noah, I—”
Noah kissed her deeply, and though Melanie knew he was doing it so she wouldn’t think, doing it because he wanted her to feel his emotions, Melanie kissed him back because she wanted the same thing.
She wished she could turn her brain off and not think about the future. She wished she could turn her brain off and not think about how their plans didn’t align. Melanie wanted to get married and have children, and she wasn’t getting any younger. She was twenty-seven years old, and she had already pushed her plans back because she hadn’t found the person she wanted to be with forever. But Noah was still young. He still had things to do and things to accomplish. He would soon be on the road, traveling throughout the country to play hockey. He would be busy, and he wouldn’t have time for kids or marriage.