by Mya O'Malley
“Good idea, thanks Cassie. Oh, and by the way, if Oliver stops by later tonight, please don’t tell him anything yet. I want to enjoy this before he starts pestering me about all of the details, and besides, I’m still mad at him,” Melody declared.
“Fine, but you should probably give the guy a break. I think he’s been in the dog house long enough. While I may not agree with his methods, his intentions are good, Mel.”
“I guess so, but he really doesn’t listen. I’ve told him time and time again to stop with all of this matchmaking business.” Melody sighed.
“Well, then when you finally decide to tell him about your feelings for Adrian, he should be over the moon.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Melody had wondered if he would truly be happy for her if she found someone she cared about. She still wasn’t completely convinced that the man didn’t harbor feelings for her.
“See you in a bit, Cassie.” Melody waved to her friend.
“Oh Melody,” Cassie began. “Don’t think that I’m not going to put this one through the ringer just because I’m glad to see you happy.” Cassie laughed.
“I’m sure you’ll work your charms on him just like every other one of my past dates.” Melody couldn’t help but giggle at the thought.
* * * *
“So tell me, how did you decide to become a teacher?” Melody had been sitting for hours, just talking to Adrian. They had shared a slice of chocolate cake and had a refill on their cappuccinos. Oliver would be so proud of her, enjoying herself on a date, she mused.
“I guess I just always loved children and watching my little sister learn all of the things that I had taught her, it seemed the natural decision.” He explained that his little sister was eight years younger than him, therefore he had the privilege of showing her the ropes and helping his mom to care for her.
“How about you?” Adrian leaned closer. “What made you decide to open your own bookstore?”
“I’ve always loved reading books, magazines, newspapers, anything I could get my hands on, so when I finished college I knew right away what I wanted to do. It was just getting the funds for it.” Melody beamed whenever she spoke of her business.
“So how did you finally figure it all out? Make it happen?” Adrian asked, stirring at his cappuccino.
Melody grew quiet and tense as she recalled how much Jack had been a part of the planning, how he had helped to raise money for her by remortgaging their home and taking a loan from his parents, which he worked hard to pay off within a year.
“Melody? Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?” He reached for her hand and she didn’t pull away.
“No, it’s fine, I’m fine.” Taking a deep breath, she decided that she would tell Adrian about Jack, but in her own time, not tonight, not here.
“Anyway, I’m glad that you opened the store, otherwise I would have never met you.” He squeezed her hand.
Grateful for the change in topic, Melody was growing hungry for some real food. “You wouldn’t want to continue this conversation at the pub next door, would you? I hear they’ve got great burgers and pizza.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth. This way.” Adrian rose to help Melody from her chair.
Heading out into the cold night, Melody pulled the collar of her jacket closer as she caught a chill in the air. Adrian slowly reached for her hand and held it as they walked to the pub next door. It was a nice feeling. She felt safe and warm, something she hadn’t felt in quite a while.
Christmas carols were playing on the jukebox of Morgan’s Pub. The mood of the place was festive, loud and alive. They snagged a table in the back where it was quieter and allowed for more privacy. Within seconds of their seating, a perky young waitress arrived to take their order. They settled on cheeseburgers and mozzarella sticks.
Adrian raised his glass of beer in a toast to Melody. “Here’s to getting to know you better, Melody.”
Melody lifted her own glass and matched his toast. “Here’s to getting to know you, Adrian. I’m looking forward to it.” Clinking glasses, Melody allowed the smooth liquid to fill her belly.
“Doing anything special for the holidays?” Adrian asked.
“I’m going to my brother’s house for Christmas. My parents will be there, and my nephew Joel. How about you?”
“My parents are having dinner on Christmas and I’m going up to my buddy’s cabin on New Year’s.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It is, usually. We try to get together every year for New Year’s, several of us, but this year everyone is kind of just doing their own thing, so it’s just going to be me and Lanie.”
Did Melody hear that correctly? Lanie? Her eyes dropped to the floor as she twirled her hair. She had assumed that he didn’t have somebody.
“Lanie?” she ventured.
“Yeah, she’s my dog.”
Relief flooded through Melody as she laughed out loud. “Your dog.”
“Yes, she’s great. Loves the outdoors. You should see her up there, running through the snow.” She could tell that Adrian loved his dog, it was sweet.
“I love dogs. How old is she?”
“Lanie’s just a little over two years old.”
“She sounds cute.” Melody crinkled her nose.
He reached out for her hand and softly placed a kiss on it. “I think you’re adorable.”
Taken aback, Melody pulled her hand free. She wasn’t expecting him to blurt that out. She wasn’t sure how it made her feel. Let me go, be happy. Jack’s message came to mind once more and she relaxed her shoulders a bit.
“I’m sorry if I startled you.” Adrian’s face dropped.
“No, no it’s fine, it’s just been a while, that’s all,” Melody confided to him.
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, it’s been a while for me too. I’ve been on my own since my divorce two years ago.”
“Oh, I had no idea. That must have been tough.” Melody was the one who reached out to him this time. Holding on to his hand from across the table, she listened as Adrian told of a failed marriage, one in which his ex-wife cheated on him with a co-worker.
“You don’t need to tell me any more if you don’t want to.” Melody felt bad that he was rehashing the past on their first date.
“I know that everybody says not to talk about exes on a first date, but somehow I feel like I’ve known you much longer.” Adrian smiled warmly at the waitress who came to bring their dinner.
Although Melody agreed that she felt comfortable with Adrian as well, she wanted to hear all about his past, but was still unwilling to speak of her own at this point. Adrian had told her that he had yet to find somebody that was right for him.
“I even went as far as to join this lame dating website,” Adrian confided, shaking his head.
“No.” Melody covered her mouth with her hands. “How was that? My friend Cassie was pushing me to try one a while back, but I just couldn’t go through with it.”
“Well, for a person looking for a decent relationship, this site was a joke. For somebody just looking for casual dating, I’d say it’s perfect. My last date never even showed, instead I ended up talking to a guy I met at the park who then tried to set me up with a friend of his.”
“No way, so what happened? Did you meet the woman?” She was curious.
“No, I said that I already had somebody special that I was holding out for.”
“When was this?” Melody figured that it must be a while back.
“Yesterday.” His eyes met hers, smoky eyes dark with emotion.
“Yesterday?” But that couldn’t be right. It didn’t make any sense.
“It’s you.” He didn’t falter.
“Oh.” She gulped loudly.
“There I go again. Look, Melody, the last thing I want to do is scare you away. I’m just trying to be honest with you here. I felt something between us, call it a spark, call it whatever you want, the very first time I saw you at your store.” Grabbing both
of her hands back, he pulled her forward and leaned closer.
He was going to kiss her. Right here, right now, in the back of a cozy, dark restaurant. She held her breath and closed her eyes, leaning forward slowly. His lips grazed hers at first and she felt her pulse quicken at his touch. He leaned in even closer and his mouth melted into hers. As if in a spell, Melody lost herself until reality came crashing back. The waitress cleared her throat and faced the couple.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt. Can I get you anything else?”
Melody was mortified, turning pink instantly. Adrian asked the waitress to bring them a check.
“Let’s get out of here. I want to show you something.”
Melody hadn’t spoken a word since their kiss; she was speechless. Nodding her head, she gathered her bag and jacket. Adrian reached for her hand and led Melody to the exit door.
Something akin to anticipation washed over Melody as she held onto Adrian’s hand. They went out the door and headed down the street toward the river. Melody shivered slightly as they made their way closer to the water. Adrian let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. The spot was secluded, a rocky area right near the shore. There was a sliver of beach exposing rocky sand.
“This is beautiful.” She sucked in her breath as a memory of another time came to mind. She and Jack had stumbled upon this spot years ago while walking. That was a long time ago. Melody did her very best to push her thoughts to the present. Glancing around, she took in the twinkling water and lights of the nearby bridge.
“Sit, please.” He helped her down to the ground, pulling off his scarf for her to sit on.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m fine.” But secretly, Melody was charmed. She didn’t feel vulnerable in the least as she sat here with Adrian on a little piece of beach in the middle of the winter.
“I keep hoping that it will snow soon.” Adrian’s head was lifted, searching the sky. “I love the first snow of the season.”
Jack had always said the same thing. Biting back the tears that were threatening, Melody forced her mind once again to the here and now. She wouldn’t ruin this, she was a big girl and she needed to move on. Jack was right and besides, she needed those dreams to stop. Waking up to the smell of his aftershave was almost too much to bear. It hurt too much. Lifting her face to his, she huddled closer and kissed him.
Adrian’s breathing quickened as she felt the undeniable pull between them. They shared a spark like no one else she had ever been with except for Jack. But it wasn’t Jack, it was Adrian, and the spark was intense, not better or worse than with Jack, just different. Melody didn’t want the night to end. They sat and talked, kissed and kissed some more.
She had practically fallen asleep. Groggily, she gazed up at Adrian who peered down at her with dark, hooded eyes. “I think I’d better get you home, gorgeous.” He ran his hands through her thick hair.
“I guess so.” She sat up straight, smoothing her pants. “I had a great time with you tonight. Look, I’m not even cold anymore.” She held up her hand, which was shivering slightly. Taking hold of her hand, he gently brought his lips to kiss it.
“You’re cold, let’s go.” Helping Melody to her feet, he stopped to look at her. “If I’m not careful, I could be in trouble here.”
“A good kind of trouble?” Melody chuckled through chattering lips.
“The best.” He kissed her, this time the intensity picked up as he pressed his body against her. “Melody.” Her name was a whisper escaping his lips, his voice was husky with need.
Melody had to pull away. The kiss was heating up so quickly it scared her. Adrian seemed to understand as he placed an arm around her and headed back up to the main road.
Chapter Eleven
Where was she? It wasn’t like Melody to cut out early from work. He had come over right at closing time, just as Cassie had her foot out the door. Cassie had pretended that she had no idea where Melody was. She thought perhaps she had gone Christmas shopping. Oliver knew that she was lying, but didn’t press. Could she be out on a date? Why wouldn’t Cassie just tell him? Well, Melody was still mad at him, perhaps she was shutting him out. If Melody was indeed on a date, he hoped that she was careful. Did she know not to bring a strange man back to her place? Mixed emotions coursed through his veins. Was it worry or jealousy? Was that her car parked up the street? Yes, it was. It meant that she wasn’t home yet. He could wait. Sitting on a rock hidden from view, he waited and waited and waited. Where was she? She had been gone for hours now.
Pulling up to Melody’s car, he spotted a black jeep. It appeared that a woman and man were inside. He couldn’t tell if it was Melody, but he could see that the couple was kissing. The kiss lasted for several minutes before the door opened and Melody appeared. Melody! Who was that man that she was with? She let herself into her car and waved as the man pulled away. Oliver tried his best to see who the man was, but it was too dark and there was a glare on the side window. How could she do that? Kiss another man with such intensity? Heartache slammed him, hitting him with force. He reached out to grab anything that was nearby. Finding a small rock, he threw it as hard as he could, without caring where it landed. The sound of a window shattering echoed his own heart.
* * * *
Sleep evaded her that night, teasing her but never finding her. The night with Adrian was amazing. She felt alive like she hadn’t since Jack. Jack had promised that he would be okay with this, but would he? Why did it feel like she was cheating on him? It was if he were close by spying on her every move. The feeling crept up on her all the time lately. If he wanted her to get on with her life, why couldn’t he just let her be? The one person who seemed to understand her was Oliver. She wanted to speak with him, but didn’t dare call his hotel room so late. She had to accept that Oliver was Oliver and stop being so mad at him all the time.
“What was that?” She shot up like a rocket, hearing the slight creak. Did it come from this room? Looking around, she saw nothing out of place. There was that smell again, faint, but it was there.
“Is someone there? Cassie?” she called again, louder this time. Nothing. Gathering her blankets, she pulled them tightly around her. The smell was unmistakable. Was it possible? Could Jack be here, right now, or was it her mind playing tricks on her again? She did not believe in ghosts or anything paranormal, for that matter. Feeling foolish, she slid out of bed and wandered down the hallway to Cassie’s bedroom. Opening the door carefully, she spied Cassie sound asleep. It wasn’t her friend creeping around. Deciding that she wouldn’t get back to sleep anytime soon, she went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of decaf lemon tea. Her mind wandered back to this evening. She found that she was definitely attracted to Adrian; he made her laugh and he was smart. Yes, she admitted to herself that she would go out with again if he asked. She hoped that he would ask. Adrian had asked for her number, so she had no reason to believe otherwise.
That smell. Now she smelled the aftershave in the kitchen. “Jack, if you really want me to get on with my life, let me go.” In her dreams he was always asking her to do the same. Knowing that she was silly talking to spirits that weren’t there, she sighed and hugged her arms to her chest. It was going to be a long night.
* * * *
Let me go. She had asked, plain and simple. He had wanted this, but now, after seeing her with that man he couldn’t be sure. He had never been a selfish person before, but then again, he had never been in a situation quite like this. Following Melody around the house, watching her, only made him feel worse. He had to decide, did he want to help her or leave her alone? Even though it hurt like crazy, he knew that he would, in the end, help her, of course. What was this nonsense of her dating a guy that he knew nothing about? If this was going to happen, he needed to be the one to pick the right man for his Melody, at least then he would be assured that she would be well cared for and happy. Brushing negative thoughts aside, he knew that his track record wasn’t so hot with his prior se
lections. But there was that man by the park, yes, he had a feeling about that man like he hadn’t with the others. This was the one, he was sure of it. How would he arrange their meeting, though? He couldn’t physically push them toward one another, but he could try to get them to cross paths. A plan was forming in his mind. He rubbed his hands together and decided to let Melody get some rest. Looking at her sipping her tea, he blew her a kiss, and told her that he loved her, always.
* * * *
He had been waiting, walking around for about an hour now. Yesterday, the same thing. Just when he was about to turn and leave, he saw the man arrive with his dog. Oliver had counted on meeting the man here, and his intuition had paid off. Playing it cool, Oliver casually strolled over to the man and his boxer. The man was hustling to keep warm, as the frigid air had picked up, but still, no snow in the forecast. Oliver had been hoping to see the first snow of the season before he needed to leave.
The man passed him without much more than a nod. That was no good, Oliver had hoped that the man would remember him and stop for small talk.
“Hey!” Oliver called to the man’s back. The man spun around and squinted at him, as if trying to place him.
“Hi. Oh, hey, you’re that guy from the other day.” Recognition set in as the man walked toward him, smiling.
“Yeah, how’s it going, man?” Oliver stuck his hand out.
“Good man, it’s all good.” The boxer jumped up, went to lick him and then hesitated, pulling back while whimpering.
“What’s gotten into you?” the man wondered aloud. “She’s never like that, she’s always friendly with people.” The dog backed up, continuing to whimper. Oliver supposed it was true that dogs had a sixth sense about things like this. In life, dogs had never been afraid of him. Calling the dog over, it slowly approached, then, as if it sensed that Oliver was okay, she allowed him to come to her.