He continued to stare at the baby as she slept and didn’t hear Melanie come up behind him. “Ready to go,” she whispered, putting her arms up around his waist.
Jason nodded not trusting himself to speak. He felt so emotional right now, he was sure his voice would break. And that would not do.
Melanie turned to him and straightened his collar, letting her hands linger on his arms. He straightened his back against the feelings her touch evoked.
They looked into each other’s eyes for what seemed an eternity.
He leaned forward and moved toward Melanie’s lips. He so wanted to kiss her like this. Instead he changed direction and kissed her on the forehead instead.
He heard her softly sigh.
He’d hurt her feelings. He knew he had, but there wasn’t a lot he could do about it right now. He had to go. He leaned down and lightly kissed Lily on the cheek.
“I don’t know what time I’ll be home,” he said, heading for the door.
Melanie lifted her hand to his cheek, where she let it linger. “Stay safe,” she said softly, as though she really meant it.
If only she did mean it. If only she truly cared.
Right now he was nothing but a meal ticket. Someone to look after her. How he wished that would change.
He wanted Melanie to love him. To truly love him the way he loved her.
He sat in his vehicle and slammed his fist on the steering wheel. He was a bloody fool. He was the one who never said the words. Who never told her how he felt.
And the one who never made the commitment like he’d intended.
That needed to change. Melanie had always been a woman of few words, and he totally understood why. Until they’d met, she’d been a drifter.
He’d found her on the side of the road one day, huddled in newspaper, waiting for the bus to arrive. With no family, and no friends, she had nowhere to stay.
He’d set her up in a local hostel and taken her under his wing. It hadn’t taken long before he’d realized he had feelings for her.
Naturally he’d fought those feelings. He was doing his job, looking after her. He’d found her during a routine check while he was out on patrol.
But he’d taken it further. He’d made sure she was okay. That she had somewhere to stay. Organized assistance for her, but he’d crossed the line.
He’d taken her to dinner, and even a movie or two. He’d told himself he was just looking out for her.
For months he’d denied how he felt. Until one day the feelings were so strong, he could no longer lie to himself.
They’d been dating for nearly a year when she suddenly disappeared. His heart was torn into a million pieces, but Jason put it down to her drifter tendencies.
Never in a million years did he think she would be pregnant with his baby. His beautiful Lily.
His throat closed over.
He had two choices. He could continue the way they were, and skirt around each other at home. Spend his time with Lily and only communicating with Melanie when he needed to, which was breaking his heart.
Or he could tell Melanie how he truly felt, and they could go back to being a couple. A real couple.
Sure, everyone in River Valley thought they were a couple, and they hadn’t said otherwise. But he wanted to put things right between them. He was in love with Melanie. Head over heels totally in love.
He wanted to marry her.
He took a deep breath.
Before she left, he’d already decided to propose. To finally tell her how much he loved her.
But she didn’t give him the opportunity. He woke up and she was gone.
Without a word.
Without so much as a note.
Nothing.
Nada.
Zilch.
His heart had shattered.
Sure he’d tried to find her, to find out what happened to her, but she was good at disappearing. She’d done it most of her life.
Jason sat in the carpark of the Sheriff’s Office, thinking about how he would ask her, when there was a knock on the side window.
“Jason, come on,” Sheriff Chase Callahan said. “We have a call. I need you now!”
He jumped out of the vehicle and ran inside for his weapon. He was back in just a few minutes.
“You drive, I’ll coordinate,” the sheriff said.
It was good to be back.
~~~
Lights and sirens flashed, and cars were everywhere. The police, fire department, and even ambulances were nearby.
A bank robbery gone wrong, which had turned into a hostage situation.
Jason’s heart was pounding. Adrenalin was pouring through his veins. It was good to be back, but all he could do was think of Melanie and Lily.
What if something happened and he never got to tell Melanie how he felt? Never got to see his little girl grow up?
They sat outside the bank for a little over two hours with no movement from inside. The negotiator worked hard to get the perpetrators to give themselves up. When they thought it would never happen, finally the door to the bank opened.
“Hands in the air!” The negotiator stepped forward, and the two masked men complied.
They all breathed a sigh of relief.
They were handcuffed without incidence and placed in a police vehicle.
“I wish they were all that easy,” Jason said, heading back to his police vehicle.
“Totally,” Chase replied.
They returned to the Sheriff’s Office in silence, both mentally exhausted from the morning’s encounter.
“Jason.” Chase indicated for him to follow the sheriff to his office. “Shut the door and sit down.”
Jason swallowed hard. He had no idea what this was about.
Chase leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head casually. “How are things at home?”
His relief was palpable, and Jason sighed. “Good,” he said without conviction. “We’re getting there.”
Chase silently stared at him, then put his arms down on the desk. He leaned forward and spoke quietly. “You need to sort this out, Jason.” He leaned back in his chair.
Jason nodded, but said nothing.
“It’s going to eat you up and tear you both apart. And...” He took a deep breath before continuing. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but that little girl needs both her parents.”
Jason opened his mouth to speak but Chase held up a finger to stop him.
“She deserves to have parents who love each other.”
“I know,” Jason said, looking down into his lap. “But I’m not sure how to make that happen.”
The sheriff stood and stared out the window, his back to Jason. “It’s none of my business, we both know that. But I’ve known you a long time and want you to be happy.” He turned to face Jason again.
“You’re one of my best officers. I don’t want to lose you because you’re too stubborn to tell Melanie you love her.”
Chase laughed a bitter laugh. “I’ve been down that track myself. It’s not worth it. Stop denying your feelings.”
Jason sat stunned and didn’t utter a word. Didn’t move, didn’t bat an eyelid.
“Yeah, yeah,” Chase said, waving his arms about. “None of my business, I know. But I need my staff to be happy and stable.”
The sheriff looked down as his pager went off. “Right,” he said. “Work to do.”
Jason nodded then left.
His brain was clicking over at a million miles an hour.
He left the Sheriff’s Office that night with a plan, and a huge weight off his shoulders.
~~~
Lizzie arrived right on time.
Lily had been fed and bathed, and Melanie was getting ready to put her down for the night. She was taken aback when she saw Lizzie sitting in their loungeroom. “Lizzie,” she said. “This is a surprise.” She frowned, and Lizzie smiled. Jason purposely hadn’t told Melanie about his plans.
She had the baby in her arms and had brought her fo
r Jason to say goodnight. He leaned in and kissed his precious girl on the forehead. “Goodnight, my darling,” he said softly.
“She’s such a dear,” Lizzie said.
“Would you like a cuddle before she goes to bed,” Melanie asked Lizzie, still clearly puzzled.
“Of course,” the older woman said. “I’ll take care of her while you get ready if you want.” Lizzie winked at Jason, while Melanie looked totally confused.
He closed the few steps between them and pulled Melanie to him. “It’s a surprise,” he whispered in her ear. “Lizzie offered to look after Lily, so we can go out.”
She pulled back to look at him, a huge smile on her face. “Really? Oh Lizzie, that’s so wonderful,” she said. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“I almost forgot,” Jason said. “Wait here.” He indicated for Melanie to wait, then left the room, coming back a short time later.
The look on her face was priceless. “These are for you,” he said, handing over a huge bunch of red roses. Red for love, Lizzie had told him.
He watched as Melanie blinked back tears, and her bottom lip quivered. “Thank you,” she almost whispered. “They’re beautiful.” She stepped forward and gave him a big hug.
Lizzie gave him the thumbs up. “Don’t worry about Lily,” she said. “You get yourself organised for your big date. I’ll sort this one out.” Melanie kissed the baby lightly on the cheek, then held Lizzie’s hand.
“You are so wonderful, Lizzie,” she said, conviction in her voice. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
As she left the room, Melanie turned again and mouthed thank you to Lizzie.
Jason could see her excitement bubbling up, barely controlled. “Thank you from me too, Lizzie,” he said. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
“I think I do,” she said, holding the baby close. “You and Melanie deserve all the happiness you can get.” She reached out with her free hand and took his, holding it tight. “You know what to do,” she said. “It could be your last chance.”
He nodded. “I know,” he said quietly. “I just hope I don’t blow it.”
Lizzie’s face softened. “You won’t,” she said. “Just tell her how you feel. Melanie will appreciate that. At least this way you’ll know where you stand.”
She squeezed his hand. “Go and spruce yourself up. It’s nearly time to leave.”
He nodded then left the room. So far, everything was going to plan.
~~~
“Where are we going?” Until now, Melanie had sat quietly in the passenger seat. “This doesn’t look like the way to a restaurant.” He smiled. Of course she would assume that.
“Not a restaurant. We are going to dinner, but first I wanted to take you up into the Montana Hills. To the lookout. I’ve never taken you there before.”
He glanced across at her. She didn’t sound convinced. “It’s a very special place,” he said softly, and she nodded. “We’re nearly there.”
About ten minutes later they pulled into the lookout carpark.
“It’s really dark,” she said, climbing out. “Scary even.”
He darted around to her side of the vehicle. “Don’t stress,” he said, taking her hand. “I won’t leave your side, I promise.”
They walked quietly to the lookout, and Jason pushed his hand into hers. Melanie let him.
“Here we are,” he said. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Melanie looked around, taking in the skyline, the homes that were littered about, and the tiny township.
“It is,” she said. “Stunning. Totally gorgeous.” She took a deep breath. “I had no idea this lookout was up here.” She turned to him and gently punched his arm. “Why haven’t you brought me here before?” She was genuinely curious.
“I don’t know,” he said, knowing it was a total lie. He’d intended bringing her here to propose, but she’d absconded before he could.
He swallowed hard and licked his lips. The memory shattered his composure, and he was on the verge of stomping on his plans for the evening. Bringing everything forward.
But he had to stick to the plan.
Melanie moved closer, and he pulled her to him, deciding to forge ahead. She looked up into his face and smiled. “It’s not so scary anymore,” she whispered. “I feel safe with you.”
He looked down into her eyes in the darkness. They glittered from the moonlight, and he swore he could see her soul. “Melanie,” he whispered, as though there were eavesdroppers around them.
The expression on her face was pure innocence mixed with... What?
He wasn’t sure. But he hoped what he was seeing was at the very least, adoration. What he really wanted to see was love. He wasn’t sure whether he was or not.
As he continued to stare, she licked her lips. Her arms went up around his neck, and she pulled him to her. “Jason,” she whispered. “Shut up and kiss me.”
He closed the distance between them, and gently kissed her lips. Her eyes were closed, and she was totally relaxed. Her body fell against his, and he reveled in her nearness.
He brushed his lips softly along hers and waited for her reaction. He felt her pull him closer still. Suddenly her lips covered his. Her arms moved down his back, and he liked the way it felt.
“Melanie,” he whispered reluctantly. “I have a table booked. We have to go.”
Her saw the silhouette of her nodding in the darkness, then she pulled her hands away. He felt bereft without the warmth of her touch. He took both her hands in his. “I’m sorry,” he said, and meant it.
It was all well and good to have a plan, but sometimes the best laid plans went awry. Tonight though, everything needed to go like clockwork.
She studied his face in the darkness. “Don’t be sorry,” she said, the moon dancing in her eyes. “This place is beautiful. I’m really glad you brought me here.”
He opened the door for her and felt as though he was beginning to break down the barrier between them. “We’ll come back another time,” he promised, before making his way to the driver’s side.
“Jason,” she said, placing her hand on his knee as he drove. “Thanks for tonight. It was a lovely surprise.”
Warmth spread from his knee to his entire body. He couldn’t stop the grin that began to form. “You are very welcome,” he said, chancing a quick glance her way before turning back to the road.
It wasn’t long before they pulled up out the front of Aunt Lizzie’s Kitchen.
Melanie looked confused. “Ah, you do know they’re not open tonight?” She glanced at him, a frown forming. “I mean, Lizzie is at our place. How...”
He chuckled. “Just wait and see.”
She still looked confused as he helped her out and led her toward the entrance. The blinds were all pulled down, but they could see soft light coming from beneath them.
Jason knocked, and Charlotte Dolan answered the door. She waved them in and locked the door behind them.
“You know Charlotte, don’t you, Melanie?” When she shook her head, Jason introduced them. “Charlotte is married to Officer Chris Dolan. You know Chris, right?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “This is Melanie Bishop,” he told Charlotte, and the two women shook hands.
Lizzie had promised it would be spectacular and it was.
The light was muted, and she’d pulled most of the tables back against the wall until there was only one table in the center of the room.
The table was decorated formally and had two candles burning in the middle of it. It was very romantic with the shadow of the candlelight flickering on the walls.
Charlotte led them to their table and seated them both. She winked at Jason, then left them alone, heading for the kitchen.
Soft music played in the background, and Jason reached over and covered Melanie’s hand with his own. A thrill went through his hand and ran all the way up his arm. Warmth spread through him.
He loved the feeling he got when he touched Melanie, and when he was w
ith her. She was his soulmate. He was more sure of that than anything else in his life.
“You continue to surprise me,” Melanie said. “I didn’t think you had a romantic bone in your body.”
He wasn’t sure if he should be offended or happy. With help from dear Lizzie, he’d gone all out for Melanie tonight and certainly hoped it came across as romantic.
Charlotte came out a short time later with their entrée; cheese and salmon puffs.
“Tuck in,” she said, then disappeared again, returning almost immediately with a decanter of iced water, which she poured into glasses.
“This is amazing,” Melanie told Charlotte, who smiled at the compliment.
Jason sang Charlotte’s praises. “She’s a fully qualified chef,” he told her. “Charlotte runs the business with Lizzie now.”
Charlotte quickly disappeared and left them to their own devices.
They finished their entrées and Melanie wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I wonder if Lily is asleep,” she said quietly.
Jason flashed her a smile. “Lizzie will call if there’s a problem,” he said, not wanting anything to distract them from their special night. Besides, he knew Lizzie would only call if it was an emergency.
Charlotte arrived with the next course, coq au vin. It was beautifully presented, with the chicken dish placed on a bed of mash, and fresh beans on the side.
She’d already placed a basket of freshly baked bread rolls in the center of the table.
Jason’s mouth was watering, but he couldn’t lose focus of the evening’s purpose.
“Oh my.” Melanie was impressed. He knew it from the moment they entered the little café. He’d do anything to make her happy, and he prayed she was beginning to understand that.
“How did you organise this,” she asked, waving her hands about. “It’s amazing. Thank you,” she said, and Jason’s heart felt happy.
“Anything for you,” he said, and she smiled coyly before taking a mouthful of food.
“Mmmmmmm. This is… I have no words to describe it,” she continued.
Jason grinned at her. “I know, right?” He’d been fortunate enough to have sampled Charlotte’s food on several occasions.
When they finished eating, Charlotte cleared their dishes away and retreated to the kitchen again, leaving them to talk.
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