Roping Melanie by Melissa Ellen

22

Nash

I slid the card into the electronic slot. The light turned green. Easing the door open, I stepped quietly inside in an attempt to not wake any of the girls. The door clicked closed and the bedside lamp flicked on.

“How’d it go?” Meg said.

I glanced at the door between the rooms, seeing it was still mostly closed with only a crack in it. “Good.”

“Like good?” she said, blandly, “Or gooood?” She grinned.

I shook my head unable to fight the smile on my face. “I’m not talking about this with you.”

“So really good.”

I fell onto the bed beside her. Lying on my back, I tucked my hands behind my head and grinned so big, my cheeks hurt. “Better than good.”

“Oh God. Maybe I don’t want to know.”

I laughed. “What are you doing up still? Did I wake you?”

“No. I couldn’t sleep.”

A wave a guilt hit me for having left her.

“Don’t,” she warned, knowing what I was thinking. “I wanted you to go. It makes me happy to see you this happy.”

“I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

“You didn’t. The girls were here. And besides, you being here wasn’t going to make me fall asleep any faster. I’m just restless, thinking about everything I’ll need to do when I get back tomorrow.”

“So does Alec know?” I asked, turning my head to the side to look at her.

She shook her head. “But he has to assume it’s coming. I told him I knew about the affair.”

“What did he say?”

She scoffed. “That now wasn’t the time to have the conversation, and we’d talk when I got home.”

“Don’t let him change your mind.”

“I won’t. There’s nothing he could say that would.”

“What did Mom and Dad say?” I asked, assuming they already knew. There wasn’t much Meg didn’t tell my mom.

“Dad’s already got an attorney lined up for me. I meet with him the day after tomorrow.”

I nodded. There wouldn’t be anyone in my family sad to see Alec go. Only sad about the heartbreak Meg and Sam would have to suffer. But I had no doubt this was best for them both.

“You can always stay longer if you want.”

“I know. But I just want to get home and get this over with. You know?”

“Yeah. I get it. You want me to see if I can get a last-minute flight?” I offered.

The thought had crossed my mind more than once since she told me the news tonight. I wanted to go with her, so I could be there to help her through this the way she’d been here for me. It was strange how we were both going through huge life changes at the same time.

“No. You need to be here. Besides, you were right. I have plenty of support at home and you need to spend this time with Melanie and Avery.”

“I’m sure they’d understand.”

“That’s not the point. I need to do this alone. I need to know that I can.”

I didn’t like it. But I understood it.

After a few more beats of silence, I sat up. “I’m going to take a quick shower. You should try to get a little sleep before we have to leave for the airport.” I gave her thigh a squeeze through the covers, then stood from the bed.

Over the next couple weeks, Melanie and I snuck whatever private time we could together. It wasn’t easy. As much as I loved my daughter, she was kind of a cock-blocker. She could kill the mood faster than a cat on a mouse.

But in all honesty, I didn’t mind it. Every moment with her and Melanie were some of the best in my life. It’s why I’d offered to take my girls out for a little lunch date of their choice before I left town to head to another rodeo. Avery, of course, voted for Kathy’s, no doubt for the milkshake alone.

The place was hopping for a Wednesday afternoon. We were lucky to find a booth near the back. Melanie and Avery slid into one bench seat while I took the other.

“Ms. Debbie, how ya been?” I asked the moment she approached our table. The two of us had become friends of a sort, since our first meeting.

“Busier than a one-legged cat in a sandbox,” she answered as she pulled the note pad from the front pocket of her apron and pencil from behind her ear. “What are we having today?”

“A milkshake!” Avery blurted.

Ms. Debbie’s smile grew wide as she focused all her attention on Avery. “You know I’ve already got your number, little lady. I’ve got Sarah working on it as we speak.”

“But only after you’ve had some lunch,” Melanie interjected with a pointed look at Avery.

Ms. Debbie flitted a hand, shushing Melanie, then lifted the pad of paper to the side of her mouth, shielding it from Melanie’s view. “There will be a fresh brownie from the oven with your name on it too when you’re done with your lunch, darlin’.”

Avery grinned and Melanie shook her head in feigned dismay, barely containing her smile.

I chuckled, then said. “Just a burger and fries for me.”

“I’ll have the same and the kid’s chicken strips for Avery,” Melanie said. “Oh. And I plan to settle up my tab too while I’m here.”

My face fell. Ms. Debbie’s eyes flicked to mine briefly, and I wondered if she would sell me out. “I believe it’s already been settled.”

Melanie shook her head, her expression pinched in confusion. “I still owe you for the last few to-go orders.”

“Not in my book. I’m showing you’re paid in full.”

“How? There must be a mistake.”

“You sayin’ I don’t know how to keep track of my own books?” Ms. Debbie asked, casting her eyes downward in that same way Melanie often did when warning Avery to tread carefully.

“No, ma’m. I just swore I still owed you.”

“Well, you don’t. Enough said. I better be gettin’ this order in,” she said with finality before marching away.

I released the breath I hadn’t even noticed I’d been holding as I watched the two of them like an intense game of tennis.

Game. Set. Match. Ms. Debbie takes the win.

Melanie still looked dumbfounded as she watched the older woman leave.

“What just happened?” she asked, looking over at me.

I shrugged as if I hadn’t had a clue. What I did know was Ms. Debbie would be getting one hefty tip from me tonight. I just hoped Melanie didn’t put the pieces together.

A few seconds later, Sarah, one of the servers who worked at Kathy’s, arrived with Avery’s milkshake. Avery and Melanie thanked her, despite the tiniest bit of annoyance on Melanie’s face. It was obvious she wanted to object, but didn’t want to be the buzz kill. It’s why I decided to step in.

Meg had once vented to me about how she wished Alec would act more like a parent and not always make her out to be the bad guy. It wasn’t fair to Meg, and it wasn’t fair to Melanie. She had shouldered a lot being a single parent the last six years. If I wanted to be a good father figure to Avery, it was time I started to act like one.

Plus, if Melanie did find out I’d paid off her tab—indefinitely—I’d need the bonus points.

“Avery,” I said firmly. “How about you take one sip of the milkshake and then set it aside until your lunch arrives?”

Avery frowned. “But, Ms. Debbie said—”

“I heard what Ms. Debbie said, but we want to make sure you’re getting a good meal first. You eat all your lunch, then you can have the milkshake and the brownie.”

Avery exaggerated a sigh. “Okay,” she reluctantly agreed and took one sip before pushing the glass aside.

Melanie looked over at me, mouthing a silent thank you. I reached under the table and squeezed just above her knee.

After we left Kathy’s, we decided to take a short side trip before heading to the house to give Avery a chance to burn a little energy.

“Thank you for lunch,” Melanie said as we walked through the park toward the playground with Avery running ahead of us.

“It was nothing.”

“No, I mean it. It meant a lot to me. You don’t know how many times I wish I could just say screw it and let Avery do whatever her little heart desires.”

I fought against the urge to take Melanie’s hand in mine. It was the only bad part about all this. So many times I wanted to hold her hand, put my arm around her, or kiss her when we were together, but couldn’t.

“You don’t have to go it alone anymore, Mel. Whatever you two need, I’m here.”

She gave me a soft smile. “It’s hard to depend on someone else,” she admitted. “Besides occasional help from my parents and Olivia, it’s always been up to me. If you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of a control freak.”

“I hadn’t noticed at all,” I lied through a grin.

She smacked me lightly on the arm.

She may have been a control freak, but it’s what helped her excel as a single mother. That and the obvious overwhelming love she had for our daughter. She killed it, day in, day out. She may not need anyone’s help, but I wanted her to accept mine. I wanted to be there for Avery and her in the same way.

“Meg was right, you’re a real pain in the ass,” she retorted.

A laugh tore from my chest. This time, I didn’t fight the urge. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her to me to drop a kiss on her head. She smiled up at me before quickly breaking us apart. Melanie moved slightly ahead of me a few steps, leading the way to a park bench on the outskirts of the playground. We both took a seat as we watched our daughter run and play with a few other kids.

“How long will you be gone?” Melanie asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

“A couple weeks at least.”

As much as I hated to leave them for that long of a period, I had to. I’d missed too many rodeos and was now in third place in the rankings behind Jose Pacheco and Rome. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t come back from if I drew the right bull and rode well. But I couldn’t miss another event.

Melanie nodded without a word. The somberness on her face said it all.

I slid my hand across the bench seat, using my thumb to stroke the side of hers. “Hey?”

She turned her head to look at me.

“I’ll call you two every day I’m on the road. I promise.”

Melanie gave me a weak smile in response. She was shutting me out, throwing up her guard. I hated it. But there wasn’t much I could do or say to stop it as long as we had an audience.