Roping Melanie by Melissa Ellen

23

Melanie

“Rumor has it, there’s a new hottie in town, and he’s only got eyes for you,” Conley said as she sipped on her lemon water at the bar.

She was here for Thursday night trivia with her group of friends.

Keeping my expression bored, I picked up one of the damp highball glasses I’d just washed, then dried it with a towel. “You know how gossip around here can be,” I said dully.

“You’re saying it ain’t true?”

I tried my best to hide the smile wanting to form on my face with the mere mention of Nash. But the blush on my cheeks was a dead giveaway. “I’m sayin’ it’s nobody’s business.” I set the now dry glass on the shelf with all the others and picked up the next newly cleaned one, proceeding to dry it too.

“But mine,” she argued. “You better dish, girl. You were the first to know about Tim and me. It’s only fair.”

“Maybe, but it wasn’t because you told me. I just figured it out.”

“Same difference. Tomato, potato.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not how that saying goes.”

Conley flicked her wrist at me. “Will you just spill it already. I pinky swear I won’t tell a soul.”

I knew I could trust Conley, but I wasn’t sure what to even admit to her. Nash and I were . . . something. But we were still figuring that out. Olivia was the only person I’d mentioned to about Nash and me seeing each other in secret. I’d thought she’d be thrilled, but she was less enthusiastic about it than expected. Her reaction had only made me more hesitant to tell anyone else.

At this point, the only thing I was sure of when it came to Nash Evans was that I missed him like crazy.

More than I ever imagined I’d miss anyone.

I was so ready for him to get back. He’d kept his promise to call and swore he would return in time for our camping trip with Avery, but I still worried that when he returned to his rodeo life, he might change his mind about everything. He’d tried to hide it, but I could tell he was feeling restless and a little stressed before he left to go on the road. He wasn’t used to being in one place for too long. He wasn’t used to having the responsibility of a child.

“What are we gossiping about?” Devin asked, sliding into the seat next to Conley. Devin was another frequent face around Dudley’s. She was married to Wes Monroe, one of Tim’s best friends and Tucker’s older brother.

“Nothing,” I said quickly.

“Oh, it’s something,” Conley said.

“What happened to you not telling a soul?”

Conley shrugged. “You haven’t exactly told me anything, now have you?”

“I want in,” Devin said as if she placed a bid on a poker game.

I rolled my eyes and dried the last glass. “You two are incorrigible. And you’re worse when you’re together. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have work to do,” I said the moment Hank returned to the bar, carrying a case of beer bottles to restock the fridge.

I’d been covering for him while he did. And after the inquisition from Conley, I was anxious to return to the back office to get away.

More days passed, and I started to worry that Nash may never come back. His calls had become less frequent. He tried to make up the lack of verbal communication by sending us texts. Some were quick hellos, letting us know what city he was in, and others just images of his travels around the country or one of the bulls he’d ridden.

The more distance and time put between us, the more difficult it was to convince myself that what I’d felt before was as real for him as much as it was still for me. He’d explained to me the focus he had to have and the number of hours he was spending training. I understood it. I didn’t want him ever to put his life at risk, but it was still a hard thing to get used to. I tried to think positive, if not just for me, but Avery. On the nights he wasn’t able to call, it broke my heart to see her disappointed expression as she crawled into her bed with no word from her father.

It was much harder to explain to her why he hadn’t called. I was constantly reminding her this was how it had always been. But it hadn’t always been this way, before was different. She didn’t know him, hadn’t bonded with him. He hadn’t known her.

“Still no word?” Olivia asked as I checked my cell phone once again.

I set it on the backbar and shook my head. “Nothing in the last few days.”

She frowned, placing a small vase of beautiful flowers on the bar with the rest of the arrangements that were artfully placed throughout the entire building of Dudley’s. The place had been transformed with flowers, lights, round tables draped in white linens, and Chiavari chairs, turning it into a gorgeous venue for Roger and Tina’s wedding reception.

While everyone was currently at the wedding on the Monroe Farm, watching them exchange their nuptials, Olivia and I, along with most of the Dudley’s staff, were here preparing last-minute details for the celebration this evening.

The guest list was huge, practically the whole town and half of Greene County had been invited. Tim had insisted I be there for it too, but I told him I was needed more here and he could tell me all about it later. The relief in his eyes was enough for me to know I’d made the right decision. With one of his best friends getting married, he didn’t need to be worried about things here.

“I can’t find the last three cases of champagne,” Hank said, walking out of the stock room with his arms full of boxes.

“They should’ve been in the back with the others.”

Hank set the two boxes he had down with the other stack we were getting ready to ice down. “I looked. They aren’t there.”

“Great,” I said and sighed, already heading in that direction to look myself. I scanned my eyes around the storage room, looking for the boxes. Hank wasn’t mistaken. They weren’t here. I walked to the office and snatched up my purse from the bottom desk drawer before heading back out front.

“They aren’t there,” I confirmed aloud to Olivia as I walked back into the bar area.

“Told ya,” Hank said as he worked on opening each box and cooling down the champagne bottles in ice.

“What are you going to do?”

“Head to Dave’s Liquor and pray they aren’t closed down and at the wedding with the rest of the town,” I said, digging my keys from my purse. “You mind keeping an eye on things here for me?”

“Of course not,” Oliva said. “Call me if you need me.”

I nodded and headed for the door. I didn’t have much time to drive to town and get back before the wedding guests were due to arrive.

Of all the times in the world, my car chose this one to break down. The one time I was on an urgent errand.

And the one time, I’d forgotten my phone.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I fisted the steering wheel with gritted teeth as my car puttered and rolled to a stop just outside of town. I was already miles from Dudley’s but hadn’t quite reached the city limits, but could see the welcome sign in the distance.

I pulled the lever to unlock the hood of my car and opened my door. I stepped out, shielding my eyes from the hot summer sun as it blazed down on me. The floral, spaghetti strap dress I wore for the occasion stuck to my sweaty skin as I popped the hood fully open. Smoke billowed from the engine and I stepped backward, tempted to cry. But I wouldn’t. I’d been faced with tougher obstacles than this. Now wasn’t the time to give up. Crying solved nothing as Gran would say.

Shielding my eyes once again, I looked in both directions down the highway. Not a car in sight.

“Okay then,” I said to myself. “Guess I’m walking to the liquor store.”

I was only a few minutes into my trek when I spotted a car driving toward me. I stopped and waved my arms over my head to flag it down. The car slowed its approach, pulling to the shoulder in front of me before stopping completely. The car door opened and Dr. Josh Martinez stepped halfway out, standing with one foot on the ground.

“Melanie? Everything okay?” He was dressed in a suit and tie, and though he was always dressed nice, I had no doubt he was headed to the wedding.

“Oh my gosh, am I glad to see you.” I smiled and hurried the few steps to his car. “My car broke down and I forgot my phone back at Dudley’s.”

“Do you need me to call a tow or drop you at Dudley’s?”

“No. I don’t have time to mess with it. I can deal with it later. I need to get to the liquor store to grab more bottles of champagne before everyone arrives at the reception. I hate to ask, but do you mind giving me a ride?”

Josh’s grin widened. “Hop in.”

“Thank you,” I said, jogging to the passenger side.

Once I was inside and buckled up, Josh flipped his car around, turning it back in the direction of town.

“Thank you so much,” I said again. “I thought I was going to be walking all the way back into town. I can’t believe my lack of luck today.”

“Seems like maybe it’s all landed on my plate.” His eyes flashed to me with a small smile.

My stomach dipped a little at his flirty comment, unsure how to respond. The last thing I wanted to do was offend the man that had just saved me from a hot walk to town. It’s why I decided to pretend he hadn’t said it at all. “Were you on your way to the wedding?” I asked as if I didn’t already know the answer.

“Yeah.”

“Sorry. This is probably going to make you late.” If not miss it completely.

He shrugged as he turned the corner onto the first street. “It’s no problem. I’m not a big fan of weddings, anyway. Plus, I was already running late from a last-minute house call.”

I nodded as he pulled into the parking lot of Dave’s Liquor. My gaze immediately went to the illuminated open sign. I exhaled my relief and opened the car door as soon as Josh had stopped the car. “I’ll just be a minute if you don’t mind waiting?”

He shook his head. “Do you need help? I can come in with you.”

“No. I got it,” I said with a brief smile before closing the door and rushing inside.

The bell overhead jingled and jangled and the clerk walked out from the back.

“Please tell me you have three cases of Perrier Jouet,” I said as soon as my eyes had landed on him.

He nodded. “Oddly, yes. There are three in the back. Not sure why Dave has them, since he doesn’t usually stock that kind of champagne.”

“They’re for me. Well, for Dudley’s for the wedding tonight,” I clarified. “He must have forgotten to load them on the delivery truck.”

The young clerk looked at me curiously. “I’m going to have to call Dave and double check. I can’t just let you walk out of here with them without him giving me the okay.”

“I understand, but can you make it quick? The last thing I want to do is ruin the bride’s request for her wedding day to have that champagne served.”

He nodded and headed for the back room to make the call to Dave. I strummed my nails on the counter as I waited, my skin still sticky and hot from my short walk.

It felt like an eternity by the time he returned, wheeling a stack of boxes on a dolly. “He said to tell you he was sorry.”

“Don’t mention it,” I replied and led the way out to the car, holding the front door open for him.

Josh jumped out from the driver’s seat, rushing around to pop his trunk and help load the boxes inside.

A few moments later and we were on the road to Dudley’s. I checked the time on the clock. My nerves were on end knowing at this point, guests were likely already arriving.

“It’ll be okay. The bride and groom will be none the wiser,” Josh said reassuringly, his hand lightly squeezing my thigh.

My eyes fell at the contact and he quickly removed it. I cleared my throat and adjusted my dress, pulling at the bottom hem. “I really can’t thank you enough.”

Once again I tried to ignore his subtle advances and justify them as only friendly ones. He likely saw how stressed I was and was only trying to comfort me. As a friend.

“If you really want to make it up to me, you can save me a dance tonight,” he said as he rolled into the parking lot. It was already filling with cars as guests poured in.

“Unfortunately, I’ll be working all night.” I forced a smile and then directed, “You can park near the back.”

“I’m sure Tim won’t mind if you take a small break,” he replied while following my instructions.

“We’ll see,” I said, giving him a non-committal answer. As much as I wanted to tell him about Nash, I couldn’t. Besides, I didn’t even know if Nash was still in the picture.

Hank met us outside and carried the boxes through the back door while Josh ushered me inside with his had at the small of my back.

My heart stopped the moment I stepped through the door with Josh at my side.

Nash was still in the picture.

In fact, he was in Dudley’s. His eyes bored into me and then onto the hand at my back.