Fourteen

“DO YOU HAVE any idea how hard it was to leave Sienna there?” Melanie wiped her nose with a tissue and listened to Emmeline reassure her she did the right thing.

“After everything that happened, she asked to stay?” Emme said with disbelief.

“Yes. I was shocked, too. The truth eventually slipped out. Sienna was at the park meeting with some other kids to play volleyball and she said a boy there was really into her.”

“Oh, Melanie. I’m sorry.”

“She’s so young. Too young to start this. I’m not ready for the infatuation with a boy stage.”

“Who’s the boy?” Emmeline asked.

“His name is Jaxson or Jax for short. He goes to a private school, loves swimming and dogs, and they like all the same music and movies. Once I got the reason out of her why she suddenly changed her mind about staying at her dad’s, I heard every detail. I’m not sure how I stopped myself from making her come home. First, she begs to come back to California. I say no. Then I almost begged her to come home.”

“You can’t stop this from happening.”

“I know, but I hate it.” The pleading tone was close to being pathetic, but she didn’t care. Her daughter chose to stay more than two thousand miles away from her mom for the chance to get to know a boy better.

“Don’t worry. Sienna will obsess about a new boy after she returns home.” Emmeline snickered on the other end of the line, finding herself amusing. “She’s younger than you were when you started gushing about boys, but she’s not that young. I had a boyfriend in fourth grade and I was totally in love with him.”

“She takes after you, then. I didn’t care about boys until high school and even then there was only one who ever made a lasting impression.” Melanie glanced outside to the house next door.

“Speaking of Braden. How did it go? Did you sleep with him again?”

“I see you’re practicing how to be subtle.” Melanie forced herself to look away. She wouldn’t obsess about him. Sure, he was the most incredible man she knew, but most of the men she knew were family members or people from work.

After their red-eye flight the night before, Braden dropped her off at home, kissed her forehead, and told her he’d talk to her later. It was now later and they hadn’t talked. She had a lot of catching up to do, including rescuing Tweeny from the boarding kennel. Melanie and Tweeny returned home to wash dirty laundry, clean out the refrigerator, and catch up on phone calls and emails. Melanie had lessons and coaching in the afternoon, and she had to finish up the final touches on the armoire for her less than favorite client.

“Just tell me. I know you’re going to anyway. You’re like Sienna. Hesitant in the beginning but once you get going, you tell all.”

“Thanks a lot,” she said, but couldn’t disagree with her sister. “Remind me why I called.”

“Because you need your all-knowing favorite sister’s advice. And you need a sounding board to vent to.”

“Right. I do need an ear to bend. I’m not sure about you being my favorite sister. It’s a tossup between you and Clara. She’s a lot less judgmental than you.”

“I know you wound my fragile heart with love. Now tell me everything that happened between you and your hunky boyfriend,” Emmeline said. “And do it fast. I have to take the boys to baseball practice.”

“And I have to get ready for work,” Melanie said with a glance at the clock. “We didn’t sleep together, but I’m sure we could have if I wanted to. He’s amazing. He respects my boundaries even when he kisses me senseless. I’m more confused now than before we left.”

“Boundaries are good,” Emmeline said.

“Treasure said I should let the sexual tension build until I’m about to explode. She said the sex will be even more incredible if I let things play out for a while—but not to wait too long because he goes elsewhere in the meantime.”

“You told Treasure before you told me. Now my feelings really are hurt,” Emmeline said.

“Whatever,” Melanie said, dismissing Emme’s teasing. “Treasure called while I was picking up Tweeny. You know you’re my go-to person for almost everything.”

“Almost? Wow, I’m plummeting down your priorities list...and I’m just kidding,” Emmeline said with humor in her voice. “Did Treasure give you any other advice not related to your orgasms?”

“Emmeline! Yikes. I’m not as comfortable talking about this stuff like Treasure is, and apparently you, too.”

“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just that Treasure’s bluntness is kind of contagious.”

“No. No, it’s not,” Melanie said with a giggle. “Okay, maybe it is. And no. She doesn’t give relationship advice. She only knows how to pick up men and dump them when things get serious. Those are her words, not mine.”

“I think you should continue to respect your decision to take the summer and learn about yourself. You’ll regret it in the future if you don’t take this opportunity when you’re able to.”

“Yeah. I keep telling myself the same thing. In the meantime, all I want to do is be with him. He’s incredible, Emme. It’s really weird, but I don’t think part of myself ever stopped loving him. Even after all these years. Does that sound immature? Maybe I am like Sienna. All infatuation and hormones. I feel like a crazy person admitting that aloud.”

“You’re not crazy. But you are inexperienced. Don’t rush anything. That’s my best advice. And it sounds like Braden isn’t rushing you either. Enjoy the craziness for a while. It’s good for you.”

“It’s good for me,” Melanie repeated with sincere doubt. “Right.” She added an extra dose of skepticism for good measure.

“Carson can make me crazier than anyone else on this planet, but I also love him more than I thought humanly possible,” Emmeline added.

“You two aren’t like normal couples,” Melanie said as she transferred wet laundry from the washer to the dryer.

“My soul recognized his when I met him. That was the beginning and the end of our love story.”

“I know. I’ve heard it before.” Melanie sighed and slammed the dryer door with more force than she intended.

“Maybe Braden is your Carson,” Emmeline said.

“We’re not going there, remember? Boundaries.”

“Yes. You’re right. I get caught up in the romance of it all. Sorry.” She laughed then cleared her throat. “Boundaries are going to allow you to find yourself first. I mean, if you don’t know who you are as a woman in the twenty-first century, then he’ll never know who you truly are either. You don’t want Braden falling for the wrong Melanie. I think that was part of why you and Dylan didn’t last. You were both kids when you got pregnant. Kids raising a kid. You grew up and turned into an amazing mom. Dylan grew up and turned into a—”

“Let’s not talk about my ex. I know we made mistakes and we were young and naive. He did the best he could.”

“So did you. Don’t forget it,” Emmeline said with her best motherly voice.

“I’m still trying to do my best. Is there ever a break from this learning as I go business? Why can’t I gain a little wisdom without the tough life lessons?”

“It doesn’t work that way.”

“Fudge nuggets,” Melanie said.

“Yeah. Your expletives could use more color,” Emmeline said. “It’s okay to say that the injustices of the world are fucking crap. And you know what else?”

“What?” Melanie asked.

“You got this.”

“I do?”

“Yep, you do. Don’t leave me out of the loop, okay?” Emmeline said.

“I won’t,” Melanie promised, and hung up feeling better after talking to her sister. It was the catharsis she needed. It was also time to leave for the rec center.

Lessons and coaching kept her physically and mentally distracted for the rest of the afternoon. By the time she left, she was hungry, tired, and ready for bed. The unexpected days spent traveling left her sleep deprived and worn out. She spoke to Sienna on the phone while she cooked a simple dinner consisting of a veggie omelet with gluten-free toast. After drinking a protein and vitamin smoothie to help with the exhaustion and depleted electrolytes, she climbed into bed and passed out.

Morning returned all too soon and she lingered beneath the covers. There was a message waiting for her and she was surprised she hadn’t heard her phone ring. Then she remembered turning off the ringer after talking to her daughter the night before. Sienna’s text alert chime was the only thing left on—just in case. This was Melanie trying to honor the personal boundaries she set for herself.

She listened to the message, “It’s me, Braden. I found Tweeny in my garbage this morning. I fed her some breakfast. She’s going to help me pull the carpet from the bedrooms. I’ll send her home after she earns her breakfast.”

Melanie let the sound of his voice seep into her bloodstream and warm her insides. Then she berated herself for forgetting to close up the dog door again. What was wrong with her? Since becoming a dog owner, she’d never forgotten about Tweeny this many times. Braden was going to think she was doing this on purpose. Was she? Could she be subconsciously using the dog as an excuse to speak to her neighbor? She shook her head. The answer was a resounding, no. The real answer was more likely that her “neighbor” was incredibly distracting and she’d become a total airhead.

She groaned and rolled out of bed.

When Tweeny didn’t come home after Melanie finished baking gluten-free carrot cake muffins and drank her morning mega-green shake, she decided she trusted Braden to do as he said in the message. Tweeny was probably a lot happier next door anyway, she reasoned. She wanted time in her workshop and knowing she didn’t have to think about Tweeny was a godsend.

The armoire needed the final touch-ups. Melanie thought the inside of the armoire with its natural wood finish contrasted the exterior. She removed the drawers, the doors, and applied a light wash of the same color exterior paint. Inside the upper half of the standing armoire, she added the stencil designs that were on the outside, but again, the inside design was a shade lighter. When she finished with the extra details, she stepped back and smiled at her work. If Camilla didn’t like the added touches, she would keep the armoire for herself, Caribbean blue and all. The finished armoire turned out a hundred times better than she thought it would and she wouldn’t let Camilla insult her work.

Melanie left her boots by the door and walked into the kitchen in search of some lemonade. The day was turning out to be as hot as Hades. The clock on the stove didn’t match the clock in the shop.

“No! This can’t be happening.” She had been in the shop for hours and didn't realize it. She had to be at work in thirty-five minutes. The clock on her phone confirmed the time.

Melanie arrived in the pool five minutes late to her guppy lesson and with her heart racing. She smiled, apologized, and started right in with bubble blowing and getting the toddlers comfortable with putting their faces in the water. The rest of her work day went relatively smoothly, except for girls’ swim team practice at three o’clock.

If she were the swearing type, a few choice words would have passed her lips. As it were, two of the teens chose to use inappropriate language in her place. She didn’t want to have “a talk” with the parents if she could avoid it, but four of her ten girls could not get over themselves. Snide comments, sneers, followed by tears invaded her team practice. She tried to recall if it were a full moon that night and couldn’t remember. It was the only answer that could possibly make sense for their behavior.

Melanie drove home and considered drinking as the best possible solution to finalize her day. The hollow gut feeling reminded her that she hadn’t eaten much. Protein bars and juice did not take care of her calorie need for five hours in the pool.

She pulled into her driveway and was almost too tired to leave the car. Her house was dark, but Braden’s light was on.

Tweeny! Ugh. Did she have a brain tumor? Did tumors cause your memory to fail? She didn’t know the answer, but it was just as likely as assuming her entire swim team had PMS on the same day.

Melanie slogged out of the car, lifted her head, and set her shoulders back. If she could manage a team of teens with raging PMS, she could face Braden to retrieve her dog. Buck up, buttercup. Those were words her dad liked to tell her when she herself was a crabby teen with excessive hormones.

She knocked on the door and Braden invited her in.

“How about a drink?” he asked.

“I don’t normally say this, but yes, please.”

“All I’ve got is beer.”

“Sounds a thousand times better than the leftover bourbon at my place.”

Braden lifted an inquisitive brow.

“Don’t ask,” Melanie said.

Tweeny didn’t abandon her spot on the futon. Her tail wagged enthusiastically when Melanie looked at her, but she didn’t come over to say hello.

“Forget the beer. Let’s go into town for dinner,” Braden said.

Melanie shifted her gaze from the dog to the incredibly sexy man standing close enough to smell his aftershave.

“It’s been a long day and I could use a hot meal.”

“I don’t want to cook either,” she admitted.

“Let’s go,” he said with a smile that made her forget everything that had been wearing her down.

* * *

Braden leaned in close to her ear so only she could hear. “Do you mind if we sit in the back?”

“I don’t mind. Is this work related again?”

She saw him give the slightest of nods before asking the hostess to give them a private table at the back of The Bistro.

The Bistro was the only five-star restaurant in Granite Lake and the surrounding area. The excellent service, exceptional food, and intimate atmosphere marked The Bistro on the map. Melanie appreciated The Bistro for what it had to offer, but she enjoyed the company even more. She would have been happy with a cup of soup and a salad at the Mountain Spoon diner, but she wouldn’t turn down butternut bisque and grilled salmon.

Dinner with adults, and an impromptu date with a friend, wasn’t something she ever had time for. Having wine with a meal and not have to worry about driving her and Sienna home afterward was a simple luxury that she hadn’t indulged in for longer than she could remember—excluding her date with Romany.

Melanie wore a sapphire blue scoop-neck top and a simple pull-on skirt. Her hair was loose and she looked like she’d been in the pool. On the way out the door, Braden grabbed a button-down shirt that he threw on over his T-shirt. Their evening attire was equally casual and relaxed. Melanie thought the hostess was probably glad they asked for a seat in the back. That was one nice thing about living in the mountains. Even though the restaurant was rated for fine dining, they didn’t turn down hungry customers based on appearances.

After dinner, Braden paid with cash. She noticed he used cash on their trip. The credit card he used for his airline ticket had his other name on it, John Murphy. He wasn’t trying to hide the fact that he currently used an alias, but he didn’t explain why. Melanie tried not to worry about this mysterious side of him, but she couldn’t help having some reserves. Why would a game warden need an alias? She never would have put the two things together.

Braden held her hand as they walked back to the car. He opened her door for her. The unexpected evening was everything she could ever want from a date—and then she reminded herself it wasn’t a date.

“Thank you for dinner,” she said as he walked her to the front door of her house.

“I’m glad we could enjoy the evening and relax a little.”

“Do you want to come in? We could watch a movie,” she said.

“I want to but I'm going to say no.” Braden released her hand and tipped his head to the side as he watched her.

“Turning me down again?” she asked, half jokingly.

“I’m not turning you down. I’m making my best effort to not do something we’ll regret later.”

Melanie lowered her gaze and let that sink in for a moment of silence. “You’re right. I guess I’ll see you later then. Or the next time I have to pick up my dog.”

“She’s welcome to visit me anytime. If it means I get to see you again sooner, then I hope she comes over tomorrow.”

“It’s nice not having to guess whether or not you want to see me.”

“I don’t like games. I want to see you, Mel. If you invite me inside, I will want to see all of you and that’s why I'm going back to my place.” Braden rested his hands on her shoulders and lowered his face closer to hers.

Melanie lifted her eyes to meet his. His hands slid along the side of her bare neck and he cupped the underside of her jaw.

“You’re beautiful.” He kissed her forehead and stepped back. “Call me later.”

Melanie shut the door behind her and melted into the living room chair. Braden had a unique way of turning her bones to liquid. The heat of his hands against the pulse points on her neck, and the pressure of his lips when they touched her skin made her body hum with pleasure. The way he stared into her, like his soul was speaking to hers in a silent language caressed places she didn’t know could be touched. She savored the sensations until Tweeny barked at her.

How long had the dog been staring at her? “What?” she asked.

Tweeny licked her lips and barked again. Melanie glanced across the room to the dog dishes on the floor in the kitchen. She looked at the dog again and Tweeny started licking again. Melanie rose from the chair and found the water bowl empty.

“Sorry, girl. I’ll try to do better from now on,” she said and filled the bowl. Tweeny barked again, her pink butt wiggling with joy at having a drink of water.

Melanie found a pen and some paper and made a Tweeny checklist. She copied the list twice more and taped a copy to the sliding glass door, the front door, and her bathroom mirror. If this didn’t correct her neglectful habits, she would give Braden an early birthday present in the form of one West Highland Terrier mutt. At the thought of Braden’s birthday, she realized it was coming up next week. She couldn’t remember to close the dog door, or give the poor animal water, but she recalled her first love’s birthday with ease. Plans began to form in her mind and she went to sleep anticipating a birthday date with Braden.