Unexpected Admirer (14 page)

No words came to her. Nothing.

“He’s playing you, and you’re falling into it. I’m not going to let you go through with this.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

“Are you really going to ignore this? You think you can just fly out there, sleep with him, and he’ll forget all about this.”

Melissa picked up the paper and tossed it at him. “I think…” she paused to suck back the tears that threatened, “I think I’ll talk to him first.”

Melissa had texted him six times throughout the day. Her message wasn’t returned until nearly four o’clock.
Call Bryce.

She sat in his truck outside of her house, looking down at the phone. Could the message be more cold?

William must have been right. Why would he…

Her phone rang, and the caller ID showed Bryce’s name.

“Hello.” Her voice quivered.

“Oh, hell, you’re crying.”

“I’m not crying.”

“Uh-huh. Girl, I know tears.”

She laughed through the tears he’d heard. She assumed he was gay when she’d met him, but as soon as he said that, she was most assured of it.

“Listen, he’s with the lawyers right now so he can’t talk to you.”

“Lawyers?”

“You saw the news?”

Melissa batted the tears from her eyelashes. “I saw it.”

“Well, it’s not true. He met that model one time, backstage. He’s not seeing her. He’s never been with her. He certainly isn’t marrying her.”

“How do I know…”

“You trust your heart. He’ll call you when he’s out of the office and done with rehearsal. But he wanted me to assure you that none of it’s true. Understand?”

“I understand.”

“Okay, sweetheart. By the way, you and I have a few hours on Friday to do some shopping while he goes to the arena for last minute rehearsals. Ever been to Rodeo Dr.?”

“Never,” she said on a laugh. “I’ve only seen it from the
Pretty Woman
movie.”

“It all rings true. They aren’t nice to people, but I have a slush fund to spend on you. You’re going to look fabulous.”

As soon as they hung up, she was able to breathe easier.

It wasn’t true. He wasn’t marrying some supermodel. Jesse Charles was still in love with her.

She hurried into the house to change her clothes. Emmy was expecting her and was going to make her look fabulous. L.A. wasn’t going to know what hit them when she showed up on his arm. Better yet, she was going to wow the clothes off of Jesse.

Melissa walked, very slowly, into the school the next morning a new woman. Emmy had done miracles to her hair. There were subtle highlights and layers. It had been years since she’d taken a blow dryer to her hair and created style, but it was an amazing difference. Emmy had arched her eyebrows and even polished her nails into a beautiful French manicure. All she’d charged her was the promise to talk to William—and a cup of coffee at Molly’s.

It had been nearly ten o’clock by the time she’d gotten home. Her mother and son had approved of her new look. Now all she had to do was convince William to leave her alone and entertain the idea of getting involved with Emmy.

As she walked down the hall to her classroom, William came around the corner.

He’d taken a double take before he stopped. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“Oh really?”

He pursed his lips, looked at the ground, and then back up to her. “You look beautiful.”

“Emmy works wonders.”

“Emmy did this?”

She reached up and touched the side of his head. “Looks like you should go visit her, too. Getting a little shaggy.” She started past him. “She works at Heidi’s.”

She opened the door to her classroom, and he followed her in.”

“I wanted to apologize. I shouldn’t have…”

“William, you’re looking out for me. I understand that.”

“Then one more time I’ll ask you not to go.”

She looked up at him and shook her head. “You came in here to tell me that again after you apologized?”

“No.” He looked down at his hands. “Actually, I thought I’d offer you a ride to Grand Junction on Thursday morning.”

“You want to drive me to the airport where I’ll be getting on a plane to go see a man?”

He pursed his lips. “Yes.”

“That’s very thoughtful. Thank you.”

Wednesday night, Melissa stood in front of her closet and stared at her clothes. This was the wardrobe of a biology teacher, not the full closet of the girlfriend of one of the sexiest men in the world. If Emmy was right about people taking pictures of her, and no doubt publicizing them, she was toast.

She sat down on her bed and shook her head. She wasn’t sure who was going to be more embarrassed, Jesse or her.

At that moment, her phone rang and it was Jesse. She lay back on the bed and answered it.

“Hello.”

“Hey, sweetheart. Rumor had it you were getting ready to leave town.” His voice was soft, and the background was quiet. That was new.

“Actually, I was having second thoughts. I don’t own any California clothes.”

He chuckled. “I don’t care. You can come in that frog vest, if you want. I just can’t wait to hold you in my arms. I miss you.”

How was it that this amazingly sexy musician was so smitten with her? “I’m nervous.”

“Don’t be. I’m a gentleman. I’ll never make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

Melissa lifted her hand and looked over her nails, but it was her wedding ring that caught her attention. “No, it’s not that. Emmy has it in my head that there will be press and…”

“There will be. Is that a problem?”

She sat up on the bed. “I didn’t think it was going to be. But, Jesse, I’m not someone worthy of that kind of attention on your arm.”

“You’re the woman I want to be with.”

“Why?”

“I really don’t want to go through that again. I just want you here in my arms. I want to hold you and kiss you. I want to tell you a million times that I love you, even if you don’t reciprocate the feelings. And trust me, if you don’t come out here, I’ll show up at school and sweep you off your feet. No matter what, I want to be with you.”

She sighed. “I’m sorry. I have a little insecurity over this.”

“My mother wants to meet you when you’re here.”

That sent her heart into her throat. “Oh, I hadn’t thought about having to meet your family.”

“She can’t be anymore opinionated than William was.”

Melissa closed her eyes tight. “I hope he wasn’t rude to you.”

“He cares for you. It actually gives me some peace of mind to know he cares as much as he does.”

That was very sincere. This man was a catch.

“I’ll let you get back to packing,” he said.

“How did you know that was what I was doing?”

“Jonah.”

Melissa stood. “I told him not to bother you.”

“Don’t be upset. He is a complete gentleman when he calls. He always makes sure I’m not busy. Besides, I really enjoy talking to him. Trust me, I know that I’m not just building a relationship with you. I have to earn his heart, too.”

Earn his heart.
This man was good with the words.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. And, Melissa, I love you.”

The line was silent before she could even say goodbye. She looked back into her closest and pulled out the frog vest. No, she’d never wear it in public, but she sure as heck was going to pack it just to be funny.

Chapter Twelve

Melissa woke early, got ready, and packed up her last minute essentials. As she stood in front of the mirror, giving herself one more look, she realized that no matter what happened this weekend she’d come home a changed woman.

She heard the doorbell and her mother’s voice as she answered. Melissa sucked in a breath and let it out slowly as she adjusted the collar on her shirt.

Again only one thing stood out. Her wedding ring still adorned her finger.

She looked down at it and gave the thin band of gold a twist. Then she grasped it between her fingers and pulled it off.

Melissa swallowed hard. It hadn’t been off her finger since the day Martin had put it there.

As she held it in her hand, she bit down on her lip to keep it from quivering. It was the right thing to do. Martin had been gone for three years. Time was moving on without her, and for Jonah’s sake as well as her own, she needed to start moving with it.

She set it down on the dresser in front of the picture she kept of the two of them.

“I’ll never stop loving you. But it’s time for me to move on.”

Melissa took another breath, and it felt as though her lungs were clear. She pushed back her shoulders, and they didn’t seem so heavy.

It was as if he were telling her to go.

The drive to Grand Junction was quiet. William had bought Melissa a coffee at Molly’s on the way out of town, and she’d focused on it and not on the butterflies jumping around in her stomach.

In a few hours she’d be transported to a whole new world, and suddenly she wasn’t sure she was ready for that.

But she was ready to spend the weekend with Jesse—in every capacity. She’d told Martin it was time for her to move on. Now she just had to convince herself.

William pulled up in front of the small airport and parked his truck at the curb.

“I have a meeting or I’d walk you in,” he offered as he climbed out of the truck.

“I’ll be fine.” Melissa slowly slid from the seat and gently landed pressure on her ankle. It was feeling much better, but it still ached.

William pulled her luggage from the back and set it on the curb. “Guess I should have asked before. Do you have everything? Your ticket? Some money? A…”

“I have everything. Thank you.”

William nodded and rubbed the back of his head with his hand.

“You call me if you need anything. Anything at all.”

“I will.” Melissa moved in and wrapped her arms around him. After all, he was her dearest friend. “Thank you.”

As she pulled back, William’s hands came to her face. He pulled her face to his and pressed his lips to hers.

The shock inhibited her movement.

When he pulled back, he let out a long breath. “Go. Have fun. Let go of all the pain of the past few years.” He walked back around the truck, and she turned to watch him. “Come home and marry me.”

He didn’t wait for a reaction. He climbed back into the truck and drove away.

Melissa stood there. Her lips still tingled from the kiss. Her heart pounded out of adrenaline and anger.

She picked up her suitcase and walked into the airport. It was time to move on. That much was for sure. And to hell with William Scott.

Melissa purchased a snack on the airplane, but she found it hard to even think of food. The closer she got to California, the more nervous she became.

When the flight landed at LAX, Melissa was transported into an entirely different world.

It wasn’t as if she’d never traveled before, but the truth was, she’d never traveled often. In the past three years she hadn’t been anywhere but Utah for scouting events.

The air was already much warmer, but she looked around and noticed people were still wearing sweaters. The thought made her laugh. Jonah would have been in shorts, yet the November weather had Californians bundling up.

Before she headed to the baggage claim, she stopped in the bathroom to fix herself up.

At first glance, she thought she looked tired. But then she was always critical of herself. The long layers Emmy had cut into her hair still flipped just right. She ran her fingers through her strands to give some body to them.

Melissa opened her purse and found her pearl lip balm. She applied it, ran her fingers under her eyes to freshen her eyeliner, and gave her blouse an adjustment.

This was as good as it was going to get. No matter where you took her, Melissa would always be a small town teacher—inside and out.

Melissa walked toward the carousel where her luggage was to land. Other passengers from her flight had gathered around.

She looked for a sign with her name on it. Jesse had said someone would pick her up. She’d expected Bryce, but he wasn’t there either.

When her bag descended the ramp, she reached for it at the same time a man in a baseball cap reached for it.

“I got this,” he said.

“Thank you.” She turned to reach for it and noticed the smile of the man who had helped her.

He had on a button-up shirt, which was untucked, and a pair of Levi jeans. His baseball cap had seen better days, and his beautiful grey eyes were shielded with sunglasses.

“I thought you were sending someone for me,” she said softly.

He leaned in closer to her and brushed her lips with a kiss. “I only have a few days with you. I’m not going to miss a moment.”

He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her suitcase beside him.

Melissa looked around. No one noticed the man who kept her close to his side. “Are you alone?”

“Behind us about ten feet.”

She looked over her shoulder, and the big brawly man who followed them gave her a nod.

She smiled briefly. “I guess this is a big gamble for you, isn’t it? Bringing an average woman into your life?” She hadn’t meant for it to sound snide, but it certainly had come across that way.

“No gamble. The gamble in my life was asking you to come and you telling me no.”

“I still think that might have been the right answer.”

He nodded as he continued to walk toward the parking garage. “I hope to make you change your mind.”

When they reached the parking garage, Jesse pulled his keys from his pocket and pushed a button. The lights on the black BMW down the aisle lit up. He pushed another button and the trunk lifted.

The truck he’d purchased to keep in Colorado was modest. Looking at the beautiful car before her, Melissa quickly realized he was in his element. Flashy and fast—she was slow and plain.

Jesse hoisted her luggage into the trunk and pushed down the door, and then he pulled her into his arms. His mouth came to hers quickly, and she sucked in a breath.

As soon as she relaxed into the kiss, he deepened it. His tongue sought out hers, and her head spun with the delight of him.