Need You Now (Love in Unknown)

chapter 15





Caine walked into the Fortune Saloon with a definite bounce in his step. Olivia and Joe had swooped out of town on their private jet, taking Portia with them. Two nights with Mel in his arms and he was having problems keeping his feet on the ground. He’d almost cancelled on Gage and Micah tonight. They'd made these plans last week, before Caine's attention had become totally wrapped up in his girlfriend. His girlfriend. God, that still grabbed him by the balls. After years apart and three months trying to woo her, Mel was finally his girlfriend.

The local saloon had stood in this exact spot for over a hundred years. The original building had burned down in the sixties, but the rebuilt structure was an exact replica of its predecessor. Rough wood walls and floors and a bar to match. Pictures of all of the town's sports teams lined the walls, interspersed with antique advertisements for alcohol. The bar dominated the center of the large main room, a square island in the dimly lit expanse. Highboy tables flanked two pool tables on either side of the room, and booths lined the walls.

Gage and Micah were already waiting for him at their usual spot by the pool table. Since Micah had moved back, they’d tried to make it a weekly event to meet up here. It didn't always work out with their schedules, but Caine enjoyed it. He nodded to Lou Carroll, the bartender and owner, to bring him his usual. He could stay for a drink or two, then head over to Mel's apartment before it got too late.

“Evenin', fellas." Caine slapped his brother on the back as he took the empty chair.

Micah saluted him with his beer. "Took ya long enough. We thought you might bail on us."

“I fully expected you to still be groveling to Mel after that dinner with Olivia and the Barbie," Gage added. Caine winced. He’d known that bringing Mel to "meet" his parents would be painful, but he’d thought his mother would have at least attempted to be civil.

“Never in a million years did I think Mother would bring Portia." Caine accepted his beer from the waitress and took a long draw on it.

Micah's brow furrowed. "Who's Portia?

Shit. The double-edged sword of dating your best friend's little sister. Some things you could talk about and some things might end up getting you punched.

Gage piped up before he could respond. "Caine's bitchy ex-fiancée. An Olivia protégé."

“You were engaged?" Micah sounded guarded. Caine hated talking about Portia. He'd told Mel about her because she deserved to know, but he really didn't want to get into it with her brother right now.

“Briefly. One of those really stupid things you do when you're lonely." He still didn't know how he'd ended up with Portia. Sure, she'd been hot. Okay, so he’d liked being the center of her attention, but he'd never felt anything for her, at least not what he should have felt for the woman he was engaged to. The years after he graduated from law school had passed in a blur of work and women. Breaking up with Portia put everything back in focus.

Gage leaned over to start racking up the pool balls. "Stupid is right. Portia was awful. Still don't see how you ever proposed to her."

“Not sure I ever actually did. She and Olivia just assumed we were getting married." Caine looked around the bar. Guys he'd gone to high school with were now local business owners. The same group of old men who'd sat at that bar when his grandpa would come in still sat at the same corner, eyes glued on the baseball game. Country music alternated with classic rock on the speakers, the volume just loud enough to be heard without overpowering conversation. "Soon as I realized just how close she and Olivia were, I ended things."

Micah still looked concerned. Understandable. If positions were reversed, Caine knew he'd worry that his sister was with a guy who’d become engaged to someone he didn't love. Certainly wasn't the best recommendation. "Well, if she's anything like my ex, I guess you're lucky to be rid of her."

“Jax's mom? Yeah, Portia could probably hold her own against her," Gage said, leaning three pool cues against the table. Caine felt the small jab. Yet another reminder of how far he and Micah had to go in rebuilding their friendship. No one had told him about Jax's mother, other than she was an addict. He'd missed a lot, but being reminded of that fact still sucked.

Time to change the subject. This was supposed to be guys’ night out. "So, Micah, we gonna see Jax on the six and under team next year?"

His friend chuckled and shook his head. "I hope so. I love being a dad and I love getting to have him with me full time, but I just don't understand that kid half the time. If it weren't for baseball, I think he might have found some way to physically attach that Gameboy to his hands."

“Maybe he'll get better once school starts. Still pretty new in town. Friends can make all the difference," Caine said. "Look at us. We'd have been bored to tears without each other."

MIcah nodded, eating a handful of bar mix. "Ain't that the truth. Of course, I didn't think I'd be stuck with you for so long when I asked you to come play after school that day."

Gage snickered into his beer. "You sure as hell never thought he'd be in a position to be your brother-in-law one day."

Caine glared at his brother. "How 'bout we focus on your love lives for a change? I can't be the only one of us with a willing woman in my bed."

Both of the other men winced. Served them right. He didn't need anyone jinxing things with Mel by getting ahead of themselves with marriage talk. Every room in this town had ears, and all it took was one word for a rumor to start. He and Mel still had a ways to go before she and the town were ready for an engagement.

Gage recovered first. "You know me, big brother. I've got a few discreet friends with benefits around if I want a good time. Although, with you off the market, I'm gonna need to find someone to keep the Fan Club off of me."

“Maybe they'll pick on Micah for a change of pace. Single dad with a cute kid? He's bound to attract some attention." Caine smirked. He leaned over the pool table and took his first shot. “Especially once we convince him to coach Jax's team next year."

His friend gave a little shudder of disgust. He glanced warily around the room. "You guys throw me to the piranhas, I will make you pay. I'm not looking for any kind of relationship right now. I've got enough on my plate as it is. Those women are too high maintenance. Give me a simple girl any day of the week."

“Amen," Gage said, clinking his beer bottle with Micah's. He nodded to Caine. "I swear, man, you already got the best girl in town. Both of us are just gonna have to hold our breaths and pray we get some new blood in Unknown soon."

Caine smiled. He really did have the best girl in town. Maybe it was the satisfaction of regular sex with a woman he adored, but he wanted his brother and his best friend to be happy, too. Then again, he reflected, finishing off his beer, not everyone met their soul mates when they were six

#

Caine stayed in his office at Town Hall later than usual one Monday night, two weeks after his parents came to town. He was busy finalizing plans to expand the library's computer center, but he needed to leave soon. Mel had invited him to come over to just "hang out" and have dinner. Call him a sap, but he loved that he could do that now. Just go spend time with his girlfriend, be a part of a normal couple. He'd never really had that before. The few relationships he'd had were more about attending the right social events than building a connection with someone. He and Mel were building something. At least to his way of thinking. She might need a bit more time to admit that, and he would give it to her.

By now, the whole town knew they were getting serious. The only time he’d gone home this weekend was to pack an overnight bag. Saturday, they'd gone to his baseball game together then had pizza at Napoli's with Gage. To please her mom, he’d gone to church with her and to the Carrs’ house for Sunday dinner. They'd only been apart two nights in the last two weeks, and those were nights she’d been on call at the hospital.

Waking up with her in his arms, feeling her warm, sleepy body next to him, her nose nuzzling into his shoulder as she fought for those last few minutes of sleep before starting the day? That was pretty phenomenal. But what he loved best? This morning they’d done the morning dance, the one where they moved around each other, getting ready for the day. Every now and then, he'd touch her waist or she'd caress his back as she went to grab her toothbrush. No awkwardness. No hesitation. They fit.

Caine walked out of Town Hall, loving the echo through the old marble halls. He even whistled. With the rest of the building locked up tight, he opted for going out the back door, where he stopped short. The Mayor Mobile was completely trashed. He hadn't been out in the fenced-off little parking lot behind Town Hall in a while, so he had no way of knowing how long it had been that way. The tires were slashed. There were huge dents on the front that looked like someone had beat it with a sledge hammer. The side mirrors had been hit once each, the glass breaking in a spidery pattern. They'd sliced the seats into ribbons.

All of that, he could have dealt with in a fairly calm, professional manner. Easy to blow it off as a prank from some kids or a citizen angry about a new ordinance he'd backed. But the words in bright red spray paint sent furious bile rising up his throat. Leave the whore. She's a bitch. Death to the Mayor's Slut.

Jerking his phone out of his pocket, Caine didn't take his eyes off the cart as he punched in a number.

“Gage. Get your ass down to the parking lot behind Town Hall. Now." Caine didn't give his brother time to respond before hanging up. By muscle memory, he punched Mel's name on the top of his contacts list.

“Hey you. I just ordered the pizza. Where are you?" Her voice sounded happy. Relaxed. More than ready for their perfectly normal evening together. The hate raging through him ramped up a notch. Damn it. Everything was going so well. Couldn't people leave well enough alone?

“I'm at Town Hall. Someone really messed up my golf cart."

Mel giggled. "Your golf cart? Who would do anything to that dopey thing?"

“I don't know, sunshine, but it's bad. Seats ripped to pieces, spray paint everywhere. Gage is on his way down here right now to take a look, so I'm going to be a little late."

Her tone shifted to alert and tense, exactly what he hadn't wanted to happen. "I'm coming down there right now. This is getting ridiculous."

His stomach clenched. "No. I don't want you going anywhere alone right now. Whoever did this is probably the same person who got your car and the clinic. No more taking chances. I want you to lock the door and stay safe until I get there, okay?"

Caine waited for her to argue. He knew she hated being ordered around, but he had no choice. He couldn't risk her getting hurt.

“Fine. You be careful. I'll keep the pizza warm until you get here."

He hung up before the words he wanted to say came rolling off his tongue. I love you. That's where all of this fear came from; this protectiveness. He loved Melody Carr and someone didn't want her in his town. And damn it, she wasn't ready to hear it yet.

Gage's Jeep honked outside the gate and Caine jogged over to let him in. The ominous look on his brother's face told Caine that this worry for Mel wasn't unjustified. Mel was right; this was getting ridiculous. But whoever had done this was good at not getting caught. “You didn’t touch it, right? Anything stand out to you? Handwriting or something?"

Caine shook his head. "No. I haven't touched anything yet. I want this bastard found yesterday, Gage. The first time it could have been a prank. Maybe even the second time. This? No."

“You're right." Gage got out a fancy camera and started shooting pictures of the damage. "Somebody wants Mel gone. But who? I've looked into every possible lead. None of the usual suspects in town could have done this."

Caine fought the urge to punch the wall. "Why would anybody do this? Mel's a sweet girl. She's a healer, for Christ sake. I love her. Everyone in town likes her."

“There are still some people in town who are jealous of her. Her brains, her luck in landing the Maddox prince. I'm pretty sure some of the Fan Club started making voodoo dolls of her after Merna's Matches broke the news." Gage clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm doing the best I can, man. Not a lot to work with. Whoever's doing this, they're smart. Wears gloves, doesn't leave anything behind. Works at night in low traffic areas."

“Yeah, I got all that already." He kicked the tire of his brother's jeep, plowing his hands through his hair. Never in his life had he felt so helpless. "Just find them, Gage. If this starts to get worse, Mel might leave. And I can't lose her. Not again."

Gage nodded. "You worry about convincing her that you can't live without her. Let me worry about who's doing this. I've got a few theories I need to look into."

“Let me know the second you find anything.” Caine almost laughed at the whole situation. God, this was not supposed to be happening. Not here, not in his town. "So, do you want to be the one to tell the town that the Mayor Mobile has been murdered, or should I?”

His brother chuckled. "If nothing else, taking out the golf cart might be enough to get someone to step forward if they know anything. Crazy people around here love that damn thing. If they saw whoever did this, they'll turn 'em over in a heartbeat."

“Hope you're right." The joy of the small town. They'd gossip and backstab amongst themselves, but mess with one of their own in such a blatant way? There were bound to be consequences.

Caine walked over to Mel's apartment, hands shoved in the pockets of his dress pants. He couldn't let her know how bad this was. He'd tell her the basics, but leave out what was written on the golf cart. She'd been a little spooked before, but this might tip the scales. Things between them were good, but he knew she was still scared to believe it would last. If she thought his being with her was going to hurt his place in town, she'd find some way to finish it.

The second he knocked on the door, she threw it open, arms going around his neck in a choke hold. "Caine. My god. Gage just texted me the pictures. What the hell happened?"

Shit. Stupid camera phones. And stupid little brother. Guess he knew where Gage's loyalties lay in this case, the traitor. Wrapping her in a tight grip, Caine let himself savor the comfort of her heat melding with his. "I don't know, sunshine. Best guess? The same nut job that trashed your car and the clinic went after the golf cart because I'm dating you."

“But why? Why are they doing this?" Mel pulled away and he expected to see fear. Not from his girl, though. No, fear was for a much weaker woman. Righteous anger, on the other hand, fit her to a T. "So I worked my ass off to become a doctor. Who cares? I came back to town to help people. Trying to scare me out of Unknown doesn't help anyone. I really thought things were getting better.”

Caine led her into the living room and settled onto the couch with her legs draped over his lap. The pizza sat on the coffee table with a beer for him and a hard apple cider for her. He grabbed the bottles and handed her one. "There's gotta be something more to it. This time they focused on the fact that we were dating. Maybe that'll narrow the search down for Gage. Is there anyone in your past who might be pissed that you're dating someone?"

“Nooo..." She hesitated, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. He got the feeling she wasn’t telling him everything. "No, there's no one in Unknown. I was the boring virginal bookworm, remember?"

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the sensitive spot just behind her ear. "I definitely remember the 'virginal' part. And the bookworm part is undeniable. But you were never boring. The only reason you never had a date in high school is because Gage and Micah wouldn't let a guy within ten feet of you. Every summer I came back, you just kept getting prettier and sexier. I saw the way guys looked at you. You scared them all.”

“But not you?" She reached out to stroke his hair, brushing it out of his eyes.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Scared is the wrong word. You fascinated me. Like a fine piece of crystal with too many facets to find them all. I thought if I touched you, you might break. I'm glad I was wrong."

She rested her head against his shoulder, quietly sipping her cider. Caine could hear the wheels in her head turning over and over, but he didn’t force her to tell him what she was thinking. She'd tell him in her own time. But he sensed something wasn't connecting in this whole thing. Either she knew more than she was saying, or he was missing a vital part of the equation. Whatever it was, he didn’t plan to lose her. At this moment, not having her in his arms where she belonged sounded like a fate worse than death.