“Yes, and no. For a while I wanted to be in the NBA, but I’d chosen athletic administration as a major even when I thought I’d go pro.” He paused a beat before continuing. “Then, senior year, I shattered my patella,” he watched as Melody winced, “and there went that dream. So, I finished school and got a coaching job. And I’ve been doing that ever since.”
“Was it hard? Giving up that dream?”
“Not as hard as I thought it would be. I took it to mean, cosmically I guess, that I wasn’t supposed to play pro, so after a quick bout of depression and some shit choices where women were concerned, I moved on. Besides, I feel like what I do now is worth something. I’m helping kids grow up. Not just teaching them the game, but teaching them discipline and hard work and how to be part of a team. So, I like where I am. I’m satisfied.”
Melody gave him a knowing smile. “Good speech, Parker.”
“Thanks, I practiced. What about you? What was your major?”
“Biology. Pre-med.”
Devin jerked his head back. “Really?”
“Yeah, for almost two years. I was going to be a surgeon. I didn’t know what type of surgeon, but I definitely knew I wanted to be one.” She exhaled on a soft laugh. “Then, I attempted to dissect my first pig in class and, well.” She smiled a bit, took a swig and sighed. “I sort of… threw up. Into the pig.”
Devin was silent for a beat. He attempted an understanding nod, but dissolved into laughter instead. Shoulders jerking, quietly wheezing, he slapped the table. Melody crossed her arms and attempted a dismissive yet annoyed look before dissolving into laughter herself. A tear leaked out of Devin’s eye, and he swiped at it before speaking.
“You vomited into a pig cadaver?”
“Yes.”
“In class?”
“Yes.”
“I take it you didn’t want to be a surgeon after that?”
“No, I didn’t.” She shook her head, still chuckling. “But I was wrapping up my sophomore year, so I switched to chemistry so that I could still finish my degree on time. Most of the requirements were the same, I just didn’t have to take any more of those labs. So chem it was.”
His laugh finally easing, he leaned toward her. “So, how’d you end up deciding to open a clothing store? That seems way left-field for someone with a science degree.”
“Yeah, it is. It’s kind of a weird story actually. I…”
“Coach Parker! Coach, is that you?”
Both Melody and Devin looked toward the voice, and a woman in a short grey dress and matching heels teetered over. She offered her hand to him, the polish on her perfectly manicured hands sparkling in the bar’s low light.
“I’m Lisa Cooke, remember? Bradley’s mother? I met you at his last game.”
Devin gave a slight nod and shook her hand. “Hello Mrs. Cooke. Good to see you again.”
“Miss.” She drawled, batting her eyes at him. Unwilling to let this interruption annoy her, Melody busied herself with her beer and dug her phone out of her bag.
“I’m sorry?” Devin asked.
“Miss.” She repeated. “Miss Cooke. Divorced.”
“Oh.” Devin said, glancing at Melody. “Alright then, Miss Cooke. This is my…” he paused. Melody looked up at him, raising a brow inquisitively. “Friend.” He finished. “Melody.”
Tossing her hair, she ignored Melody completely. “I just wanted to come over here and say that I’m so thankful,” She leaned toward him, tracing his shoulder with her finger. “that you’ve taken a special interest in Bradley. He’s really doing much better.”
He cleared his throat. “Not a problem. He’s a good kid.”
“Maybe I could buy you a drink sometime. I’d love to talk more about how he can improve, and maybe get to know a little more about you.” She cut her eyes toward Melody, who was now looking at her, smiling politely, if a tad evilly.
“That won’t be necessary, Miss Cooke, but thank you. Brad’s doing just fine.”
Lisa gave the slightest pout, then straightened up, almost in slow motion. Melody stifled an eye roll.
“Well, let me know if you change your mind.” She spared another glance towards Melody. “I’ll be around. Bye Coach.” She turned and sauntered away from the table.
Devin looked back at Melody, who raised an eyebrow. “Sorry about that.”
“Wow.” Mel said. “Does that happen often?”
He grimaced. “Not much, but it happens. And more often now than when I moved here. I think it’s that the women in this town know I’m single, and they feel like they have to fix that.”
“Wow.” Mel said again, this time more to herself than to him. “Have you dated many people since you moved here?”
“A few, but nothing serious. You know how it is. You meet up a few times and realize there’s nothing there, so it kind of fizzles.”
“Yeah, I get that.” Melody peered him, her head in a slight tilt. “So, and I’m not fishing here, just genuinely curious... Why are you bothering with me if there are women readily available and interested in dating you?” She heard a throaty laugh from behind her and turned to see that both Miss Cooke and another woman – a familiar looking one – were eyeing her from their booth.
Devin looked at them, and then back at Melody. “I don’t know, Mel. Something about you, I guess. You’re smart, you’re silly, you keep turning me down.” He waited as she smiled again. “I can’t explain it, but you’re beautiful and interesting and I like you. And, I gotta say, part of it is the chase.”
Melody’s smile faltered, her brow slowly furrowing. “The chase?”
Devin didn’t notice. He shrugged as he picked up a nacho, examining the cheese before he bit into it. “Yeah. I think so. Something about the fact that I can’t get you makes me want you more.”
Melody’s heart picked up its pace, and she could feel her skin began to prickle. The chase. Jesus.
Mothers and daughters must really be similar. She thought of her mother. Closing her eyes, she thought of the year after her father left. How sad she was. How much Bethany struggled. No. Not this, not again.
A bit abruptly, she stood, startling Devin. “Listen, it’s late. I should go.”
Devin glanced at his watch. “Are you sure? Game’s not even over yet.”
“Yep. I should leave.” She avoided eye contact with him, straightening her shirt and then searching for her keys in her bag.
“Well, let me walk you out. I’ll pay the tab.”
“No, Devin.” She met his eyes, smiling, though there was a wall behind her expression. “I don’t need anything from you.” She took a breath. “I’ll pay for my own. We’re just friends, anyway, right? This wasn’t a date.” She waited to let that sink in before tossing her bag over her shoulder. “See you around.”
Melody walked away from the table, paid, and was out the door before she released her next breath. She was angry, and quite honestly, a little hurt. She thought again of Lisa, leaning over Devin as if she was trying to feed herself to him. Of that woman, in the store she broke her back to build, leveling that look at her, tossing down her merchandise and stomping out. And of Devin. Enjoying the chase.
Well, she decided, using her key fob as she arrived at her car, they could have him and whatever damn games he was playing. She’d learned too much in her life thus far to be taken down by a man like that. So, she wouldn’t date Devin, and that was just fucking fine. They’d just be friends if they were anything at all. It was probably better to be nothing.
She slid behind the wheel and started her car, glancing up at the restaurant as she shifted into reverse. Devin was standing just outside the door, quietly handsome, his hands in his pockets, looking in her direction. From behind the windshield, she allowed herself a sigh. And just like that, she felt her eyes fill.
Chapter 9
The fol
lowing Friday, after an especially brutal workout at the park’s basketball court (alone, of course), Melody decided to give herself her first day off from work. The store had been open for two whole weeks now, and she figured this was as good a time as any to see if it could function without her. At eight, she called Leana and Crystal to let them know that she’d be spending the day at home and instructed them to call if there was any trouble.
Ambling into the kitchen, she turned on her Keurig and spun around to lean against the cool marble counter. She closed her eyes and listened to the subtle sounds of the morning, the peacefulness both familiar and new. In Houston, when she’d lived there, there had always been so much noise. Traffic, planes, sirens, the occasional torrential downpour. Here, the quiet was almost deafening. Opening her eyes again, she considered the fresh, taupe walls of her new kitchen and decided she would spend the day doing some more home improvement. This place could use a little noise.
Melody’s new home was a one-story craftsman near the center of town. It was painted a sunny yellow with crisp white trim, and she had fallen in love with it instantly. It had a small patio in the back overlooking a generous yard where she planned to eventually plant a garden. It had three bedrooms (the third was on the small side) and one very large bathroom with a clawfoot tub modified for a shower. The kitchen was tiny, but she’d sprung for new appliances, cabinets, and counters when she moved in. It was an old but gorgeous home. It just needed some love.
She set some coffee to brew before moving to the hallway to look at the dull white walls. She’d start small and paint the hallway first, then possibly change the light fixture over the entryway. Something neutral, she decided for the hallway. Maybe a subtle pop of color for accents, like picture frames or a vase. When she heard the coffee machine give its final gurgle, she swept back into the kitchen to grab her mug before going to her bedroom to change.
Two hours and a few hundred bucks later, Melody had returned from Dave’s Hardware. She’d purchased a gallon of paint, four brushes, a roller, painter’s tape, a doorbell that played a fun tune, and a fantastic mini-chandelier that she’d bought on a whim. She set up her hallway and began painting, singing and swaying to the Erykah Badu CD she had playing in the background. After completing all four walls, she belatedly realized that she’d need a ladder for the ceiling. She scuttled into the kitchen, picked up her cell phone and held down the ‘5’ key to activate her pre-programmed speed dial.
“Carynne’s Coffee, this is Carynne.”
“Hey. What are you up to?”
“Hey Mel. Nothing much, just slinging beans for cash.” She paused to yell out an order to the shop before speaking to her friend again. “What are you doing?”
“Painting my hallway. Can you do me a favor? I need my collapsible ladder from the store, and I’d go myself, but I’m covered in paint.”
“Will it fit in my car?”
“Yep. It’s one of those ridiculous ones that folds and stows.”
“Okay, sure. I’m heading out in half an hour, so I’ll be over soon.”
“Bring snacks!”
Carynne chuckled. “Fine. Bye.”
Carynne arrived later with a ladder and a giant to-go order of World-on-Fire buffalo wings from Walker’s. They ate, painted, tried and failed to replace the entry fixture with the mini-chandelier, called a repair guy to schedule an installation, switched the Erykah to Beyoncé to work off the wings, and then dropped to the living room floor, exhausted. Melody had intended to make her day full enough to keep Devin from her mind, and she’d almost done it. Her day was full and fun and productive, but he’d still managed to creep in somehow. She hated feeling this way about someone, especially someone she barely knew. She needed her control back. Her zen. She loved her zen. How dare he ruin her zen.
“Let’s do something fun tonight,” Mel said, a bit too abruptly. “I haven’t had a night out since I’ve been back.”
“Mkay,” Carynne mumbled, eyes closed. She was splayed out on the floor like a rag doll, absently raking her fingers through her hair. “Where do you want to go? Walker’s?”
“Nah. I’ve seen a bit too much of Walker’s lately.”
Carynne opened her eyes and turned her head towards Melody, an inquisitive look on her face. “That’s something I’ve literally never heard you say. Walker’s is like, your favorite place on earth.”
“I know, I’m just…I don’t know. Somewhere else?” Melody asked.
Carynne furrowed her brow. “How about a little camping? We could go to Canyon Lake.”
“Mm, less outdoorsy maybe.”
“Well, where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know, C! You’re the fun one. I just need to get out.”
After a beat, Carynne’s look of mild annoyance changed to understanding. “Sweetie, did you go out with Devin?”
“Yes! Yes, I did! And I’m never going out with him again.”
Carynne sat up. “Okay, hold on. What happened?”
Melody sighed. “This woman that came by our table to flirt with him was awful, and she and her friend – who I think was the same weirdo from the grand opening – were pissing me off, and then Devin said the worst thing.” She felt her eyes filling again and squeezed them shut to stop it. “I asked him why he was interested in me. And he said he enjoyed the chase.”
Carynne’s shoulders drooped. “Oh, Mel. Sweetie, I’m so sorry.”
“I’m fine.” She took a deep, calming breath, the way her mother used to when she stood in front of the kitchen sink and cried. “It wasn’t a date. One of us, although I’m not sure who at this point, made that clear. I left as soon as I could, and it’s fine.” Melody sighed. “I’m just thinking about him when I don’t want to, and I want to go out and dance.”
“Okay, okay. How about this?” Carynne pursed her lips as if thinking. “Let’s go to San Antonio, or Austin, and spend the evening downtown. I’ll drive. We’ll get a hotel room or something, drink wine, and you can tell me all about it or tell me nothing at all, up to you. And then we’ll get dressed up, go out and party. We’ll drink too much, sleep there, and then have brunch before we head back. Make it a quick girls’ trip. Okay?” When Mel said nothing, she nudged her. “Okay?”
After a beat, Mel returned it, smiling sadly at her friend. “Okay.”
Carynne scooted closer to her best friend and hugged her. “You’re cranky.”
Mel snorted. “You’re such a terrible friend.”
Carynne laughed. “Liar. I’m the best. Come on. Let’s go raid closets.”
That night, the two of them headed to San Antonio in Melody’s Wrangler after deciding that Carynne’s VW was too small. They stopped at the River Walk for dinner, checked into a four-star hotel downtown, and drank and talked while they prepped for their night out. Later, they began the short walk to a row of nightclubs for drinks and dancing. Filing into a dark, thumping room, they stood for a moment assessing the sights.
The room was large and mostly dark but for the low ruby lights near the bar. Dozens of gyrating bodies packed the center on the dance floor, there was an elevated DJ booth near the front, and a long, fully-staffed bar along the right side. Against all the remaining walls sat lounge chairs and sofas with lit bottle service tables and standing ice buckets.
“I’ll get a bottle!” Carynne yelled over the music before hightailing away to the bar. Male eyes followed her as she walked. Wonderful, fun Carynne, Melody mused. She’d have told Devin where he could shove it. Mel wished she had done the same.
After Carynne returned with a bottle of champagne, they moved to find an empty sofa near the wall.
Melody spent the next hour having a fantastic time. Out with her closest friend, sipping wine and getting up to dance to the occasional club anthem, she was having a good time. And things in her life, in general, were good. According to Crystal, who she’d called on the way into Sa
n Antonio, the day at the shop had gone seamlessly. She’d painted her new hallway in her new house, and she was in a club with her best friend feeling young and fun and a little tipsy. There was no reason whatsoever for her to be in a mood. Devin was just a guy. She’d been foolish to let their non-date affect her. She caught Carynne eying her, attempting to assess her state.
“You okay?”
“I’m good.” Melody smiled at Carynne. Seeing that the champagne was getting low, she considered making a trip to the bar. Scooting to get up, she saw a familiar face and froze.
“Oh my God!” Mel shrieked after a moment, and Carynne whipped her head to look at her.
“What?” Carynne asked. “What’s wrong?!”
“That’s… There’s…. That’s Danny Green!” Melody pointed into the crowd of people at the bar, aiming at the head above the crowd.
“Who?” Carynne angled her head to look.
“The player! The Spurs? Small forward?”
“Yeah, I don’t know who that is.” Carynne sat back against the chair she was in. “I know Tony Parker. Is Tony Parker over there?”
Mel rolled her eyes. “I’ll be right back,” Mel said, standing up to approach him. “Gimme my phone; I want a picture.”
Later that evening, the two women trudged back to the hotel.
“My feet are screaming.” Carynne said, leaning against the elevator door on the way up to their room. “And I’m starving. I want tacos. Hey, do you think room service has tacos?”
Mel chuckled as she searched her bag for the hotel key. Tacos sounded like a good end to a great night.
Chapter 10
On the following Thursday night, Devin slogged into his place, dropped his duffel on the floor and plopped down on his sofa, still on a high from the game. The Spring Branch varsity basketball team had just beat New Braunfels High 87 to 62, officially moving them into the playoffs. The boys really played, and their star player and point guard, Bradley Cooke, had won the admiration of the Rutgers recruiter that Devin had spoken to last week. It was a good decision, he thought, not telling Brad about the recruiter until minutes before the game. He didn’t want to give him the time to get too nervous, and he knew that Rutgers was Brad’s first choice. It worked out. According to the recruiter, Bradley would likely have an offer by next month. Now, Devin thought, all he’d have to do was keep his grades up.
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