Conner had gone red and had started to breathe fast. It looked as if he was going to strike her.
“Melissa, I don’t want your help. I’m sorry if that sounds blunt. I can’t have everyone seeing that I run to my big sister every time I find myself in trouble. This isn’t something you have to worry about. You are, after all, a woman. Yes, an important woman to this house, but a woman that doesn’t need to bother herself in my problems. Now please, get out.”
Melissa counted to ten in her head and saw that her brother was being entirely serious. Before she knew what was happening, Melissa had reared back and slapped her brother across the face. It was hard to say who was more surprised by the action. Melissa turned on her heel and strode angrily from the room, to her own side of the house.
Her palm was still stinging from the slap. Melissa stormed into her room and locked the door. She lay down on her bed and let her furious thoughts run wild. Max was already settled into her subconscious, furious as well.
“I cannot believe he said that to you. Does he know how I raised you for the first five years of your life? I mean, really.”
Melissa watched her father pace her bedroom, a tiger prowling a cage.
“I really couldn’t believe it myself, Dad. After all, he was the one who asked for my help in the first place. Why would he all of a sudden turn like that? He sounded just like Mom. It was eerie.”
“Cut him a little slack. He is trying to save the family business. If it goes under, we literally lose everything. Your mother will arrange your marriage to the richest man she can find.” He laughed.
Footsteps sounded outside the door, and Melissa sat up quickly, breaking the connection. It hurt every time. There was a soft knock on the door and without waiting for an answer, Conner tried to open the door. She found herself taken back by how much tension filled the room as quickly as it did when Melissa opened the door. Conner sat down and threw his arms around her. For the first time in their memory, Melissa broke the embrace and moved away from her brother. His face, the utter shock and hurt that crossed it, sliced at her heart, but what just happened wasn’t something that could be forgiven easily. He lifted his eyes to her, pleading.
“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t believe what I just said to you, even as it was coming out of my own mouth. My own sister. I know for a fact I sounded just like mother and it horrified me. It froze all my insides and I couldn’t tell you to stop because my tongue was tied in shock. Honestly, I think I was looking for you to hit me. It knocked some sense into me. As soon as you left the library I felt ten times the fool. I am just so stressed out, Lissa.”
Melissa knew he was being sincere but she couldn’t bring herself to let go of the way the words had affected her.
“Why do you think I was trying to help you? We need to come up with a way to make Harry confess to what he did. We need a plan. Hell, Conner, we need a miracle. And you need to never say anything like that to me again. You’re lucky I used my open palm. I wanted to knee you in a more sensitive area.”
Conner winced at Melissa’s dry tone.
“Let me brainstorm with Edward and then the three of us can sit down and work out our miracle plan. In the meantime, you can tell me about this fling with one of my new business partners. I thought you had a thing for Christian? Just because his name was on the contracts, he’s guilty? Have you talked to him?”
Melissa rolled her eyes at her brother’s prying. “You’re starting to sound like mom again. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I am having a damn good time doing it. Joshua is wonderful and right now Christian looks guilty. What am I supposed to do?”
“You should sit down and talk to Christian. Don’t you roll your eyes at me. I’m surprised your eyeballs are still in your head, you roll them so much. It has been months since we found out, Melissa. You haven’t even given the man a chance to tell you his side of the story!”
Melissa really didn’t want to admit that her brother was right. She was going to have to sit down with Christian and the very thought of it made her sick.
“Okay, fine. I’ll talk to him. I don’t know what good it will do. That black ink might as well be blood. He ruined us, Conner, and had the gall to still make me fall in love with him.”
“Is that why you have thrown yourself in this relationship with Joshua? Because he is so different from Christian? You really need to make a decision. Make up with Christian or make things work with Joshua. Melissa, come on. You can’t string a guy on like that.”
“Like what, exactly?”
Conner and Melissa looked over at the door. Joshua was standing there, lounging against the doorjamb, his gaze riveted on Melissa. “Like going out with one man, listening to him make a fool of himself over you all while being hung up on another guy? That wouldn’t be what you mean, would it?” He stared at Melissa, waiting for her to respond.
“Eavesdropping is rude. I told you the first night we went to dinner that I was confused. You took me out anyway. Did you want me to say no?”
Joshua smiled and shook his head. “That’s very clever. Turn it all on me. You give me one cryptic sentence and suddenly I’m the bad guy because you have two guys on the hook. Tell me, were you planning on making things better with Christian and leaving me?
“I didn’t make any promises to you, Joshua. I don’t know why you are so upset. I wasn’t dating him in the same way I have been dating you. I don’t know if I’m going to talk to Christian ever again. Why are you so mad at? I have been with only you if you want it technically.” Joshua didn’t answer because Melissa was right. She really hadn’t done anything wrong. He was just mad that he might actually lose her to some prissy rich boy.
“You’re right. I have no reason to be mad at all.” Joshua turned away from the pain that had crossed Melissa’s face at his words. He needed to go and pound on something.
When Joshua was gone, Conner turned to speak to Melissa but she just shook her head and buried her face into her pillows, letting tears come. Tears that confused her, and in some way, angered her. She had done nothing. She hadn’t even said the sentence that made Joshua mad. It had come out of Conner’s mouth. Now she was too upset to talk to Joshua and Joshua was too mad to even look at her.
Suddenly, she heard rushed footsteps coming up the stairs. Not at all in the mood to deal with her mother, Melissa started to climb out her window.
“Freeze. Why did that gorgeous man just walk out of here looking like he could eat nails? What did you do? It was like he was given to you on a platter. All you had to do was invoke the training I have been pounding into your thick skull and I could be planning a wedding. GO after him.”
Melissa looked miserably at her mother. “Joshua doesn’t want to see me, Mother. He was eavesdropping on the conversation between Conner and me and he didn’t like what he heard. He needs to cool down before I talk to him again.”
“Were you talking business? I’ve been trying to tell you for years that men don’t like to hear women know more about business affairs then they do. When will you learn?”
“I guess never, Mother. If I haven’t grasped it after this long, what says I ever will? I mean, really. There is no need for you to be hounding me. So Joshua doesn’t like me anymore. Oh well.”
Little pink spots of angry color popped out on Anna’s cheeks as she listened to her brush aside the chance at a future with a man.
“Do you really want to be alone for your entire life? To live your thirties wishing you had a baby to hold, a husband who comes home and shares a life with you?”
“Why don’t you just get married again, Mother? The appropriate mourning time has passed. Go catch yourself a man and stay out of my love life.”
The angry color on Anna’s face deepened. “I loved your father every day of my life and I would never disrespect his memory by getting married so fast again. I ha
ve the experience to be able to get a man. You have never had a husband so don’t be so patronizing. You try losing someone who made your life complete when it wasn’t his time. Work can’t be everything you have, Melissa. Life’s too hard to do it alone.”
“If you haven’t noticed, I have been doing it alone for twenty-nine years. I don’t want a man to share everything. I have friends and family and I’m content with that.”
“You won’t be. Not for long. When you get out on your own, you’ll see how harsh life can be unless you have a partner to lean on. But you’re too independent to ever need a man. I’m going to lie down.” Ann walked from the room, and Melissa sat on her window bench. Why were people taking such offense to the things she was saying, or actually not saying?
Joshua had gotten outrageously angry from Conner’s comment on her stringing him along. How could he think that? She stared out the window as if all the answers would form themselves on her window. She leaned back. Answers? What did she need answers to? Her life had been lived exactly as she wanted to and now suddenly she had all these questions. Could she make up with Christian? Would Joshua ever speak to her again? Would she get to the point of having to choose between the two of them?
Choosing between the two of them? Melissa got up to pace. How had she gotten to this point? Her very independently lived life was suddenly at the point of Melissa wanting to choose between two men . . . forever? Right then, Grace walked in, distracting her from thoughts of matrimony. Followed by no more than a few steps by Liz.
“And to add my own two cents, I agree with your brother, you should go and talk to Christian. Let him explain his side of things. You never know, Lissa. He could have a really good reason.”
Melissa looked at Grace with amusement and a little surprise.
“You know, I never would have taken you for eavesdropping. Is there any place to have a private conversation in this house?”
Grace shook her head no and left the room.
“For starters, the only place to have a private conversation is in your tree. You didn’t want to take Conner there so it’s your own fault that you had three people listening to what you were saying. Mel, I saw Joshua’s face as you were talking about Christian. He looked really broken up about possibly losing any type of chance with you. Maybe Christian’s already lost his chance?”
Melissa looked over at Liz and wondered if she was right.
When she came back into the room, Grace was smiling. She handed Melissa a folded piece of paper. “Apparently the months of silence haven’t deterred him.”
“You know, you could look a little less cocky, Grace. I still don’t know if I can stomach listening to him. What if he lies to me?”
“That’s why you give him the benefit of the doubt and let him explain. I don’t think he’d lie to you, Lissa. I saw it when he gave me the note before this one. He’s got feelings for you. I know you return them. Go with your mind and heart open. You may be surprised.”
“When did you get so wise? Give me the note and let’s come up with a reply. Do you know where Conner is? I need to talk to him as well.”
“I haven’t seen Conner. Best bet is to check the library or the study. Those have been the two rooms he lives in. I wouldn’t be surprised if a bed was put in one of them.”
“Actually, Father’s study has a bed that’s built into the wall. I don’t think Conner knows about it. Now go, let me think.”
Grace shrugged and left the room. Liz hadn’t moved, and Grace gave her the if she doesn’t do what we think is best then we’ll do it for her look. Liz nodded and returned her watchful eye back to Melissa.
Melissa sat down on the bed and unfolded Christian’s note. It was longer than usual. A heartfelt plea to please see him so he could talk to her. It was clear he didn’t know why she wasn’t speaking to him anymore. Maybe she should enlighten him. She sat at her desk and formulated a response. She was going to come to his house and listen to him. Make it non-threatening, on his turf. She hoped what he had to say jibed with her father’s story, for her heart’s sake.
“Man, whatever you just wrote put a bad taste in your mouth.”
Melissa looked over at Liz and laughed a little. “In all this craziness, how is it that you can make me laugh? I just wrote that I will come to listen, on his turf, and hear him out, but I won’t be making any decisions about anything. I’m reserving judgment, because Jesus, Liz, if my heart bleeds anymore I’ll actually be dead myself.”
Liz patted the bed next to her.
Melissa sighed and walked over to drop down beside her best friend. Liz gestured to her shoulder. Melissa smiled and gently placed her head on Liz’s shoulder. Liz stroked Melissa’s head and smirked a little.
“I guess it does feel nice to lean on someone else for a change. I just feel like I have to hold everything up on my own. I can’t let Conner down, I have already let Mother down, and I feel like my father is slipping away. What do I do?”
“Mel? You need to take a really deep breath and let all your crap go as you let it out. Deep yoga breath. You’re keeping too much bottled up in that head of yours and it’s going to explode really soon.”
Melissa nodded and started to take deep breaths. They slid into love talk. Liz demanded all the details about her new romance with Joshua. Melissa got into the spirit of things. She told Liz her deepest secret. After all her hard work to stay detached, Melissa was in love with two men.
Chapter 7
Two days later, Melissa slid her sports car into park in front of Christian’s house and walked up to the front door. She took a deep breath and knocked. He opened the door and just stood looking at her. Then he surprised her. He grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her tight, as if she was an apparition that would vanish at any moment.
Melissa stood, feeling awkward. She kept the wall around her heart, not trusting that particular organ to make any type of a decent decision. Without pulling back, Christian spoke against her neck.
“You have ignored me for months. What the hell is going on, Mel? Did I do something?”
Melissa shoved Christian back and searched his face for a sign that he really didn’t know that she knew everything that was going on with the company. Melissa was trying to look into his soul, to see if he was someone that would betray her and her family. She only saw the guy she had been steadily falling in love with for the past four years. She sighed. He shook his head at her expression and stepped back to let her in the house.
She hadn’t even crossed the threshold when he whirled her around and kissed her. Melissa struggled for a minute, wanting to resist Christian just to show him that she could resist. Then she melted into the kiss. Pouring everything that was in her soul into it. He released her, shocked. Never had there been so much emotion from Melissa.
Melissa prowled the room, trying to find the place to start. Christian kept quiet so she could get whatever was on her mind out in the open.
“On Conner’s first day in taking over the office, he found a stack of contracts in Father’s desk. They have your signature on them, Christian. These contracts will ruin our company. Now I have information that does not have you involved in any of this, but I have no idea what exactly to believe. I couldn’t stomach the sight of you because of the fear you had actually betrayed us. Betrayed me.” Melissa watched Christian’s face and was surprised at the myriad of emotions that crossed his face. She turned away at the anger that settled there.
“God, Mel, do you really think I could have done that to you? I had nothing to do with those contracts. I saw that pile and almost had a heart attack. I had no logical idea how to handle the situation or bring it to Conner’s attention. I found out about Harry just after Max died. How was I supposed to bring your brother into this? ‘Hey, sorry your father’s company is going to be in ruins now that you’re in charge, good luck.’ Would you lo
ok at me?”
Melissa turned around and faced the pain etched on Christian’s face. She banked the hope that was spreading in her and sat down and waited.
Christian took a deep breath and sat down next to her. “Harry is a bastard, plain and simple. He got a portion of all the money that came in from these contracts and did not care a bit if it would destroy us. I found him out and confronted him. He joyfully admitted everything. He also boasted I had no proof.”
Christian gave the wait here signal and walked upstairs, leaving Melissa to absorb everything. He hadn’t done it. Everything her father had told her was true. When he came back in the room, he handed over a tape recorder. Melissa blinked and then laughed. The first real laugh she had had in months.
“You little spy. You recorded everything he said, didn’t you?”
Christian nodded and stood up. He took the recorder and hit play.
“Look at the bright side, Christian, it won’t be your fault that Yards Holdings, Inc. goes to hell. And no one will have any proof I did it. So you can get another job and I will enjoy living in Jamaica with all my embezzled funds.”
Harry’s voice made the hairs on Melissa’s arms stand up. It sounded almost snake-like, a hissing undertone that was purely evil.
Melissa was impressed that Christian would have had the clear head needed to remember the recorder. She would have been to mad.
“Conner will be in the clear. With this information, we can buy the time we need to fill the avalanche of work that is making our employees threaten a strike. We also hired a hundred new people. I just convinced Conner to do it. The company will be fine. Now, I want to know what is going on with us. You’ve been ignoring me and I do not appreciate it. The least you could have done was ask me for an explanation.”
Heartbeat Echoes Page 10