“Ha!” she handed me a drink. “I used a juice mixer. We Carter sisters don’t do the cooking thing. Besides, I’m sure they taste the same.”
“I’ll have to make them one day to prove you wrong.”
“Who was that at the—” Melody stepped into the kitchen wearing a stunning white wedding dress. Her eyes met mine.
I need to randomly show up more often…
“I um…” she turned away from me. “I um…”
“I can so feel the tension in here,” Jen tossed back her drink. “Call me tomorrow Mel. Matt, I’m holding you to what you said. I never forget a free drink.”
She gave Melody a hug and left the kitchen. I could hear the front door close as she walked out.
Melody didn’t look up again. She nervously bit her lip and tottered back and forth. I put down my drink and walked over.
I held her face and forced her to look at me. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head and began to cry. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were coming over today.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t call. What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know what to do with this stupid dress. I keep trying it on, remembering the day I put it on. That was supposed to be the last day I had to, you know? I was supposed to…I don’t cry every time. I’m just having a really bad day.”
“You look beautiful in the dress.”
“You think so? It was custom made. It took Vera Wang six months to get the beading on the corset done.”
“Yes,” I hugged her tightly. “You want to tell me about your day?”
She shook her head and continued sobbing. “No…”
“No?”
She shook her head and looked away.
I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. I gently laid her across the bed and slowly unzipped the back of her dress.
She wriggled out of it and I draped it across a chair. I climbed in bed behind her and wrapped her in my arms. She didn’t say a word.
“What happened today?”
“I don’t even know where to start.”
“Take your time,” I tightened my arms around her.
She sniffled. “I was late to work and everything went downhill from there… My assistant called in sick. I forgot to switch wallets so I had to beg Jen to bring me lunch and—”
“Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve had some brought to you.”
She rolled over. “I didn’t want to bother you at your book signing.”
“Don’t worry about me next time,” I kissed her cheek. “What else happened?”
“I forgot my umbrella so I got rained on when I got off work. When I finally got home, I realized I left my keys in my office. So once again, Jen had to come help me out since she has the spare key. And then…Never mind.”
“Go on.”
“This guy I’m dating—”
“What about him?”
“He didn’t call or text me all day today.”
“He sounds like the worst,” I pulled her on top of me.
“He really is.”
“Wake up,” I caressed her face.
“Huh? What do you want?” she groaned.
“You’re definitely not a morning person.”
“You woke me up to tell me that?”
“No,” I hit the light. “I want to take you somewhere.”
“Now? What time is it?”
“Yes. Now. It’s three o’ clock. I’m going to get my car okay? I’m going to call you when I’m outside and I need you to be ready to jump in the car.”
“The paparazzi saw you come here yesterday?”
“No,” I pulled her arms forward, forcing her to sit up. “And I want to keep it that way. That’s why we’re leaving early.”
“Let’s just stay in bed, Matt.”
I kissed her lips. “Get ready. You’ve got about eight minutes.”
I left her apartment with my shades and hat on, looking down at the ground, not taking any chances of a night walking stranger recognizing me. I located where Joan had parked my black BMW and revved up the engine. I drove around the block five times, giving Melody ample time to get dressed.
I called her once I was in front of her building again. “I’m outside. Come on out.”
She walked down the steps wearing a silk slip and a pair of jeans. She climbed into my car and after buckling her seat belt, she crossed her arms.
“Something wrong?” I sped off.
“It’s three in the morning and I’m not in bed.”
“But you’re with me. Doesn’t that count for something?”
“Shut up Matt,” she sighed. “It’s still too early.”
“I know,” I put my hand on her thigh.
I sped through the empty city, running a couple of red lights, going the wrong way down a few one way streets.
“We’re here,” I parked the car. “This is my dance school.”
“What? What was so important that we had to come here now? Why are we—”
“I leaned over and kissed her to get her to be quiet. She wasn’t completely coherent yet and I didn’t want to argue.
I walked over to her side of the car and opened the door.
“Come on,” I took her hand and nearly dragged her into the school’s basement and up the auditorium’s stairs. I typed in the pass-code to my personal seating box, and picked her up and placed her in one of the chairs.
“You awake?” I sat next to her.