Played (Elite PR) (18 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

H
e had to admit it was a little fun messing with Mel. He brought June up on stage and pretended they’d known each other for years. They sang a few tracks off his album and one hideous song off of hers, then mugged for the cameras and even toasted champagne together.

Mel looked about as worried as a virgin on prom night—the same way he’d been feeling lately. Their arrangement was about to end and he had no idea where they’d go from here. All he knew was that he didn’t want her to leave. And not only just for his sake.

She was great at her job, great in this city, and he didn’t want her to sell out, or to make a decision based on what other people thought about her. He also didn’t want her to make a decision based on him, which is why he held back, not saying a word to anyone about the way he’d fallen for her—goddamn ass over teakettle.

They ended on one hell of a high note, getting the entire crowd pumped up before sending them on their way. At the end of it all, he was exhausted and just wanted to go home, hang with his brother, catch SportsCenter, and then go to bed with his woman. It was his idea of heaven.

“Did you get everything you needed, honey?” he asked Mel, hoping to drag her out of there with him. He didn’t want to be apart for another second. They had a lot to talk about. “And did you manage enough photos and tweets and whatnot?” he teased.

“Yes.” She grinned, but didn’t miss a step in her duties as she signed forms from caterers and followed up with reporters on their way out the door and made sure everyone went home with a gift bag. “You were a very good sport, by the way.”

“Does that mean I get a reward when we get home?” He ravaged her with his eyes, hoping that’d make her move a little faster.

“Absolutely.”

The thought of it made him want to grab her and drag her back to the dark corner they explored the first time they visited the bar, and had him hardening behind the too-tight denim he was wearing. They needed a new topic to discuss ASAP.

“Hey babe, hand me your phone,” he said.

“Why?” She eyed him suspiciously.

“I’m going to take my first selfie with my brother.”

“Awww,” she said. “Yes, that’s a great idea. Take the photo and I’ll post it. I’m just going to do one final check before we head out.”

She dropped her phone in his hands, and he searched for the camera icon. He was used to his basic phone, which had maybe five icons on it, but Mel’s was jacked with every app under the sun. He finally located the camera, but his big thumb got in the way and hit the wrong app, sending him to her text messages.

And that’s when he saw it.

The note from Teddy.

H
er little romance stunt worked well. A little too well. And now she slept in Aaron’s bed, tossing and turning because he’d left the party with June.

It was innocent, she kept telling herself. Part of the plan to get them out on the town, especially after the crowd went nuts for their duet earlier in the night. There was no denying how great they sounded together. He probably decided to just go for it. Who wouldn’t, given the option between the two women?

“Did you have fun?” She drove Graham home after he made out with Avery in the back alley. She had to flash the headlights twice.

He flashed her the screen on his cell, Avery’s phone number glowing like the badge of honor it was.

“Nice work,” she said, unable to show the enthusiasm she wanted to. She was really happy for him, and they looked absolutely adorable together. But she was still nauseous after catching Aaron sneaking out the side door with June.

“Don’t worry about my brother,” Graham said. “He’s just out making music with June. He’ll be back when they’re finished.”

So that’s what the kids are calling it these days?

She wished she could be sure, but something told her there was more to it. She headed straight for bed after she wished Graham good night, but nothing soothed her. She stared at the ceiling mindlessly, checking the clock and her phone in fifteen minute intervals, flinching each time she heard a noise. She just wanted Aaron home in bed with her, and she didn’t care how late it was, or if he was drunk. Heck, she wasn’t sure she’d stay away even he had been with June. She needed him and she wasn’t going to leave without a good-bye, or without touching him again.

But he never showed.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“M
ama.” Mel called home the next morning when Aaron still hadn’t made it home. She was exhausted, and incredibly angry that she had let herself get in the position of waiting on a man. Again. But there were things to take care of, especially once she read Teddy’s message. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to have a more extended visit this year.”

Mel had finally accomplished everything she set out to do in Atlanta. Her career was in the best shape it’d ever been in. She had respect in her office and some amazing references after Aaron’s campaign. Maybe it was time to follow Frankie Fink’s last piece of advice: Don’t be afraid to leave to get ahead.

After what happened with Aaron, it was time to consider it.

“Sweetheart,” she said, and Mel couldn’t tell if she was pleased or worried. “That’s not a lot of notice, but I’m sure we could pull something together. You know we’d love to have you. It’s been too long. And you’ve heard the news?”

“Yeah, I know.” She began packing up her things from the room. “It’s good news. Very good. So I’m heading out this morning and we’ll talk more when I get into town. I think I need to get out of the city for a while.”

“Okay, baby,” she said “I’ll make up your room.”

Most of Mel’s stuff was still in storage and she could take care of that later. She’d let Aaron keep the other accessories she brought over to warm up his place. They looked good here. She knew if she took the things back now, he’d never replace them and then it’d be all cold and impersonal again, and Mel didn’t want him living like that. She wanted him surrounded by nice things, in a welcoming place. She wanted that for Graham when he came back for the holidays as well. They both deserved it, so much.

And what they didn’t deserve was some awkward meeting when Aaron finally made it back home. She was fine with it, really. He didn’t owe her anything, and the campaign was almost over. She just had a few things to wrap up. Leaving now would make it easier on everyone.

But first she had a few calls to make.

“W
here is she, Graham?” Aaron asked, when he finally made it home.

As he drove up to the apartment that morning and didn’t see Mel’s car in the drive, his insides hollowed and his hands went cold.

So she really decided to go to Teddy. She actually left.

After he read the text message he vowed not to mention it. She’d tell him if she wanted to. But then he said
fuck it
. He was telling her what he wanted regardless. If she walked away from him, she was going to understand exactly what she was leaving behind.

“She left,” Graham signed quickly. He was obviously pissed and went to the language most comfortable for him. “Can’t blame her after you took off with June last night. What was she supposed to do?”

“I told you, we were cutting a duet,” he said.

“Right, and I tried to tell her that, but she didn’t believe me,” Graham signed.

June’s manager had been so excited about their duet at the party, she wanted to capitalize on it, fast. A quick call and their labels agreed to release a single. Rita had pushed him out the door, telling him that Mel knew all about it. He should’ve known better than to trust her.

“She was pretty upset,” Graham continued. “I like her, bro, so you better go find her and fix it.”

“Jesus, Graham.” He buried his head in his hands. “I love her. That’s where I was after we were done—walking around the city trying to figure out what to do.”

“Find her,” was all Graham would say. “But take a shower first. Man, you look like hell.”

As he got ready to do just that, a slam at the front door to the apartment had Aaron flying down the stairs at top speed. It wasn’t Mel, of course. Like she’d coming running back to him.

It was only the mailman, who handed over a stack of envelopes. The one on top was for Mel from Teddy. He sat on the steps, turning the letter in his hands and read the return address over and over again.

Opening somebody else’s mail was a crime, an invasion of property. He wouldn’t do it. He couldn’t.

But he wasn’t going to sit around and wait. He knew what was going on here. Teddy wanted Mel back, plain and simple. And after the way he left last night, maybe she decided she wanted him, too. Fine. If that’s what she wanted. But she’d damn well hear him out first. So he plugged the return address into the GPS on his phone, and he took off.

“A
sshole.” Aaron tried to swerve around the car ahead of him—who obviously thought it was his job to regulate traffic—without any luck. The idiot was going five miles under the speed limit, neck and neck with the car in the other lane. Meanwhile, Aaron was losing time.

According to Graham, he was about an hour behind Mel on the way to Sweetwater, and that could mean the difference between getting the girl or riding off into the sunset alone. He wasn’t about to let that happen, so once a path opened up, Aaron floored it.

He had been good and pissed when he read Teddy’s text on Mel’s phone, not to mention hurt that she hadn’t bothered to tell him about it. Sure, she’d told him the entire sorry story the first night they met, but he thought that meeting between them had already happened, and thought she had already made her decision. He’d been too busy with the launch and his career to think about anything else, which was precisely the problem.

Once he arrived at the country club, his nerves were so frayed he could hardly speak. He wasn’t the country club sort, but he’d tough it out for his girl.

Lord, he’d never stopped thinking of her that way.
His.

Scouring the parking lot, he prayed to catch her before she could talk to Teddy.

Then he saw her, talking to some blond guy, just outside the clubhouse.

“Stop!” he yelled. “Mel don’t.”

S
he had to blink a few times because she couldn’t believe her eyes. What on earth was Aaron Major doing in Sweetwater? She thought he’d be spending a lazy day in bed with June and her just-fucked hair.

She froze, while Teddy’s gaze bounced back and forth between them. “Hey, that looks just like that guy. That new country singer.”

“Mel,” Aaron yelled again, waving his hands like a lunatic.

“Do you
know
him?” Teddy asked.

She couldn’t answer his question because every cell in her body was locked on Aaron, and she couldn’t move.

“Not another word,” he ordered on his approach, taking Mel by the arm and leading her away from Teddy, over to the big willow tree by the clubhouse. The kissing tree, they called it. That little spot got a lot of action, because when you were under it, it seemed like the rest of the world was shut out. On a windy day, however, the branches swayed in the breeze and everyone could see what was going on. Her sister learned that the hard way during her make out session with Joe Thorton.

“I’ll be right back,” she called to her ex, who looked at her like she’d just sprouted another head.

She walked with Aaron, trying to find some privacy, which was nearly impossible with the entire town milling about. Well, this would get them talking. She felt the eyes of the entire town on them. Weddings were a huge event in Sweetwater, and if you were going to get married here, you better be ready to invite everyone.

This was wonderful. Once again, Melody Sharp was the center of an embarrassing scene.

“I don’t understand why you’re doing this, after everything we’ve been through,” Aaron growled.

Shit, this was about the campaign. There was still a lot of wrap up, and he probably thought she’d skipped town, leaving him with nobody to finish up.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” she said, not sure how much more she could take today. “I’ll still finish up the campaign.”

“What?” He shook his head, backing her into the tree. “That’s all you have to say? Well, I don’t really give a fuck about the campaign, Mel. That’s not what this is about.”

“What’s it about then?” She wasn’t following.

“Teddy.” He sighed and she noticed how exhausted he looked. She had to stop herself from tracing the dark circles under his eyes. She prayed it wasn’t because of June Skye. “And you.”

“What about us?” she asked, the conversation still not making a lick of sense.

“Why don’t you tell me, Mel? To my face, instead of sneaking out to be with him. You could’ve just told me.”

Okay, there was something seriously wrong here. “Aaron,” she tipped her head to meet his eyes. “I’m here to wish Teddy luck. He’s getting married. That’s why he reached out to me in the first place. He wanted to be the person to tell me, so he even told my mama not to say anything. He wanted to do the right thing by me, I guess.”

She had to admit, she’d been relieved to hear about Teddy. Without Aaron in the picture, it would’ve been too easy to say yes and come back home. But once she crossed into the city limits, she knew this place was no longer her home. It didn’t suit her anymore. And more importantly, Teddy didn’t suit her. Maybe he never really had. It was clear from the very first time Aaron made her blood sing. She’d never experienced that with anyone, and she’d be selling herself short if she didn’t make the effort to find that kind of chemistry. Shoot, that kind of love.

“Christ, Mel.” He put a hand to his heart and bent over, coming back up with a chuckle. “I thought you were coming here to get back together with him.”

“What in the name of Jesus would make you think that?” She felt his head for fever. The poor man had lost his mind.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose, but I saw the email he sent you and remembered the story and thought maybe you were still holding a torch for the guy.”

She tried to absorb what he was saying, but the scene was so surreal.

“I was afraid he was going to take you from me before I even got the chance to ask you to stay.” He flashed a look at Teddy that could kill.

“You came all this way to ask me to stay?”

He nodded, and her heart began to warm. “You left without saying good-bye. I jumped to all kinds of crazy conclusions.”

She knew the feeling.

“So does this mean you’re not with June Skye?”

“Hell no. Or yes.” He reached for her hands. “I mean. I am not with June Skye.”

“But you never came home…”

“We recorded a song, that’s all. Rita was supposed to tell you. I was just trying to do what you wanted. I thought that if you wanted me to hang out with June, there must be a good reason. You worked so damn hard on that campaign, I wasn’t going to let you down when we were so close.”

“Really?” She couldn’t remember a time when someone trusted her so completely.

“Really? You are so good at what you do, honey. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t thrilled about you throwing her at me. But for your publicity plan, I played along. Please don’t let me chase you out of Atlanta.”

“Nobody’s chasing me out.” Was it just her, or were people starting to close in?

“But you moved everything.” Aaron looked absolutely wrecked and it was all she could do to keep her hands to herself. She’d never seen him in such a state.

“I thought maybe I was starting to cramp your style,” she said, but of course the real reason was that she couldn’t bear the thought of him out all night with June, or anyone else for that matter. “So I asked if I could bunk with Genn until I get back on my feet again.”

“So you’re not leaving the city?” Now it was Aaron moving closer.

“Not ye—” She didn’t even get the words out before he pounced, lifting her to him and cutting her off with a kiss that brought her to tears. He crushed her lips, consumed them in a way that punished and rewarded her all at the same time. She would gladly take both.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” She broke the kiss with a ragged breath. She had to look at him again because this was her dream—what she’d always wanted. Someone who knew her inside and out, and still said,
hell yes, I want you.

“Where else would I be?” he asked, stroking her cheek. “I want you with me, Mel.”

“You do?”

“Hell yes,” he said. “Always.” He wrapped her in his arms and they stayed that way for a long time, until she heard voices, light at first, then starting to multiply.

As predicted, the two of them began to gather quite a crowd; it was the small town way. But before she was forced to make any introductions to her people there was one thing she had to ask.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s petty and silly, but I need to know what song you recorded with June.” She braced for the answer. “It was Trophy Girl, wasn’t it?”

“That matters to you?” His eyes turned a little glossy in that moment.

“It’s okay.” She tried to brush it off. “I’ll get over it. But it was Trophy Girl? Just tell me”

“No,” he whispered. “No way. I’m never recording that song.”

“Why not?” she asked, both relieved and insulted. She loved that song. Her song.

“Because I’m singing it at our wedding.” Then he dropped to one knee…just as she always imagined it. Just as it was supposed to be.

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