Roping Melanie by Melissa Ellen

18

Nash

“What’s wrong with you, brother?” Rome asked. “I’ve never seen you ride that terrible.”

“Just trying to give you a chance,” I retorted as we walked toward the parking lot.

I hadn’t stayed on for the full eight seconds, ending my first night with a disqualified ride. But I wasn’t letting it get into my head. If I rode well tomorrow night, I could still recover, earning some prize money while keeping my hold in the rankings.

Not having a chance to train the last week showed. I was rusty was all. With everything that happened, time had come and gone fast. When I returned to Billingsley, I’d have to make sure to train between spending time with Avery.

“You want to grab a quick bite?” Rome asked.

“Nah. My sister and niece are in town,” I said, nodding my head toward where they already stood waiting by my rental car. “I’ll be hanging with them tonight.”

He nodded in understanding. “Enjoy,” he said and gave me a pat on the back, followed by a quick wave to my sister and niece before we parted ways.

As I neared, Sam took off in a sprint toward me. Meg lagged behind. I caught Sam as she leapt into my arms.

“Hey there, sweetheart. How ya been?” I asked, giving her a big bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Momma said we’re going to Texas, and I have a cousin named Avery!”

“Your momma wasn’t lying,” I said through a chuckle. “You excited?” I asked as if it weren’t obvious.

She bobbed her head up and down as Meg finally caught up. I set Sam back on her feet and gave my sister a hug.

“What was that out there?” Meg asked, her tone full of concern as we broke apart.

“Nothing. Just a little off my game is all. I’ll get it back by tomorrow.”

“That was more than off your game. It looked like the first time you ever rode.”

“Thanks for the confidence booster.”

“Just want to make sure your mind is right. With everything that’s happened—”

“I know, Meg,” I cut her off. “I promise my head is clear. You don’t need to worry.”

I was the last person she needed to lecture about getting in the chute with a raging bull while thinking about anything but riding. I’d seen many men get seriously injured and worse from not having their head on straight. When you were a professional bull rider, you learned to take things day by day, ride by ride, second by second. Blocking everything else out was part of the job.

“Does Rome know about Avery?” She glanced behind me where he was already pulling out of his parking space.

“Not yet. I’ll tell him after we both ride tomorrow night.”

Meg nodded.

“Uncle Nash, I’m hungry.” Sam tugged at my shirt.

“Then we best get you fed, don’t you think?” I squatted down for her to climb on my back and gave her a ride to the car.

“How’s Mom?” I asked Meg once we were settled in our booth at the local IHOP in Nampa and had placed our orders.

Sam had wanted pancakes for dinner. Neither Meg nor I had cared what we ate, so IHOP it was.

“She’s worried about you, of course. She’s jealous we’re here, and she’s not, I’m sure. She’s already told me I’m to call her every night to fill her in on all the details of our trip.”

“And by details of your trip, you mean dirt on Melanie.”

Meg grinned. “You know Mom.”

“Yeah. I do. But I promise you, you’re going to like her. You all will.”

“I guess I’ll be the judge of that.”

“Be nice,” I warned.

“You mean like how you’re always so kind to Alec?”

“That’s different,” I argued.

“How so?”

“You really want me to answer that?” I glanced over at Sam who was slurping down her milk while watching a show on the tablet in front of her.

Meg followed my gaze. “No.” She returned her stare to me. “But, sometimes love is blind. Trust me. I know.”

“Who said anything about love?”

“You didn’t have to,” Meg said and picked up her water to take a drink.

It was on the tip of my tongue to argue love wasn’t part of the equation when it came to Melanie and me, but before I could, the waitress arrived with our food, effectively distracting us both from our conversation.

“Well this is quaint,” Meg said, staring out the passenger window as I drove us in my truck through downtown Billingsley toward the motor lodge.

“Told you, you’d like it.”

Before I’d left for Nampa, I secured two rooms for the week. One for Meg and Sam and the other for me. Dolores had been kind enough to let me keep my same room and give me the key to the other so we could bypass a late check-in. Thank goodness she had, since I was drained from the rodeo and the flight back.

I’d ended up pulling off one of my best rides in my final go last night, giving me a score of ninety-one. Luckily, I’d drawn a bull I’d ridden before. It wasn’t enough to hold my rank, but it earned me second place in the event behind Rome.

As we continued to drive, I pointed out things to Meg and Sam, who was riding in the car seat in the backseat of my truck. I’d bought it before I’d left town, figuring it would come in handy to have for Avery when the time came. It even converted into a booster seat if she preferred.

“When do we get to meet Avery and Melanie?” Meg asked as I turned into the parking lot of the motel.

“Melanie offered to cook us dinner tomorrow night,” I said, rolling the truck to a stop and shifting it into park.

Melanie had originally suggested doing it tonight when we spoke on the phone this weekend. Tonight would’ve been better since she was already off Sunday evenings from Dudley’s, but our flight was arriving too late for that to work. Instead, she’d switched shifts with Tim for later in the week, so she could have Monday evening off.

While Meg helped Sam from the car seat, I retrieved our bags from the back of the truck.

“Should we pick up anything from the store?” Meg asked as I carried their luggage to their room. Dolores had given them the one adjacent to me that had an interior door, connecting the two rooms.

I shook my head. “She said she had it covered.” Meg unlocked the door and held it open. I entered their room and set their bags just inside the entrance.

“We’ll bring some dessert and wine, then,” Meg decided, disregarding my response as expected. Mom raised us to always bring at least dessert or a beverage when showing up to someone’s home for dinner. “Does she like wine?”

I shrugged. “I think so.” We’d had a beer the night we talked on her porch, but I remembered seeing a bottle of merlot on the counter.

“I thought you two were getting to know each other better.”

“I’m working on it, sis. We didn’t get to drinking preferences.”

Meg rolled her eyes. “I’ll grab a few different kinds then.”

“You don’t have to pretend it’s all for Melanie,” I teased. “I know how you like to hit the bottle.” I smirked.

“Hush. There are young ears present,” she reprimanded, punching me lightly in the arm.

“She knows too. Don’t ya, little foot?” I asked Sam.

“Yep!” Sam jumped onto the bed, bouncing up and down on the mattress like it was a trampoline.

“Now I remember why you two get along so well,” Meg said snidely. “You have the maturity of a six-year-old.”

I laughed and leapt onto the bed, tackling Sam to the mattress. She giggled as I tickled her relentlessly before I final said, “Night, kiddo. See you in the morning.” I gave her a kiss and a hug before getting to my feet.

“Sleep well, sis.” I kissed Meg’s cheek as I made my way to the door. “And try to keep the snoring down. These walls are thin.”

“Get out of here, you turd.” She shoved at my arm.

“Momma, you said turd!” Sam cackled.

I chuckled, closing the door behind me.

Once I was settled in my own room, I lay back in the bed and sent a text to Melanie as promised.

Nash: We made it here.

Being as late as it was, I hadn’t expected her to respond. But the three little dots popped up. I was learning Mel was a night owl. It likely stemmed from years of working late shifts at the bar. The last few evenings I’d find some excuse to contact her, the same way I always found ways to touch her when I was around her.

Mel: Glad you guys made it back safe.

Mel: Sooo . . . I hope you don’t mind, but my parents kind of invited themselves since they didn’t get a chance to meet you last week.

Nash: I don’t mind at all.

Mel: Good. Because they’re coming either way.

I chuckled.

Nash: Like my mom always says, the more the merrier.

Mel: Sounds like something my gran would say.

Nash: How was your night?

Mel: Avery has been so excited for tomorrow, it took me forever to get her to bed.

Nash: So a typical night, then?

Mel: Ha! Pretty much. With it being summer, she thinks she should get an extra hour now.

Nash: She must be a night owl like her mom.

Mel: Or more of a rebel like her dad.

Nash: Probably a little of both . . . before I forget and my sister murders me for my lack of knowledge on the subject, what kind of wine do you like?

Mel: Anything red, but not too sweet. :)

Nash: Noted. Now get some rest.

Mel: You too.

Nash: Night, Mel.

Mel: Night.

I set my phone on the nightstand and stared at the ceiling with the biggest smile on my face.