Chapter TWENTY-SIX
The next morning, Melissa awoke to an empty bed. She checked the time, saw that it was still early, rose quietly, put on some clothes, and went down to the kitchen, intending to get a cup of coffee.
When she walked into the room, Jenn and Ross looked up at her and smiled.
“Am I interrupting anything?”
she asked them.
Ross shrugged. “I’m just getting advice from my sister-in-law. I didn’t disturb you getting out of bed, did I?”
“No,”
said Melissa. “I know you want to get off to an early start and sensed it was time to get up.”
“Help yourself to a cup of coffee,”
said Jenn, indicating a Keurig machine on the counter. “It’s easiest for everyone to pick what they want and make it themselves.”
“Perfect,”
said Melissa. She chose a decaf blend and joined Jenn and Ross at the kitchen bar after fixing it.
“I’ll make flight reservations for both of us to return,”
Ross told her. “I told Jenn we wouldn’t stay long—just two days. Anything else can be handled from a distance. Does that sound okay with you?”
“Yes,”
Melissa said. “I’ll be here for you, however long.”
“You’re so easy to get along with,”
said Jenn. “Is this how you always are?”
Melissa grinned. “In the kitchen, I demand a lot of myself and everyone else. But I try to be fair, making sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to do. It’s a lot like leading an orchestra.”
“I admire you for having such an interesting career,”
said Jenn. She glanced at Ross. “And I’m pleased you are considering having some project of your own. Two strong people need their separate things. You know?”
Ross settled his gaze on Melissa.
“Hang on, everybody,”
said Jenn. “The world has awakened, and the girls will blow through here like a tornado on their way to school.”
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to take my coffee back to the bedroom while I get ready to leave,”
said Melissa.
“By all means, go ahead,”
said Jenn.
“I’ll be up in a while,”
said Ross. “I want to spend some time, however brief, with my nieces.”
Melissa gave him a little wave and left the room, eager for a quick shower before dressing for the day.
###
Melissa had just finished brushing her hair when Ross knocked on the bathroom door.
“Come on in,”
she said, and he opened the door wearing only his boxers.
“I need to grab a quick shower. Okay?”
She studied him, admiring his strong body, remembering what it had been like to make love with him, and forced herself to focus. “Sure. I’m leaving.”
He caught hold of her arm and drew her to him. “’Morning.”
His lips met hers, and she thought about how right it was to start the day like this.
Aware of his response, she moved away. “I’ll finish packing and be ready anytime you are.”
“Thanks.”
Ross stripped off his shorts and entered the oversized shower.
Melissa marveled at the ease between them. She’d seen naked men before, of course. But she’d never shared a relationship like the one she had with Ross. He was so natural, so loving, and sexy with her.
###
Later, on the road, Melissa thought about Jenn’s telling them that two strong people need their own interests. Sometimes, it took someone else’s words to make sense of things. A thought had been playing in her mind, and now, she wanted to act on it.
She gazed out the car window, content to keep it her secret.
Ross asked if she would drive. “I want to review some numbers so I can discuss them with Mike tonight. He’s going to stay at my house.”
She took over the driving, happy to have something to focus on.
###
Back in Lilac Lake, Ross dropped her off at her house. “I’ll call you later, okay? I don’t know how long Mike will stay with me, but I want to see you.”
Melissa nodded and waved before she rolled her suitcase to her front door. Inside her house, she placed a phone call.
Later, she drove to the Lilac Lake Café and waited for Crystal to finish closing the restaurant for the day. She and Crystal were friendly, but she didn’t share a close relationship with her because of their constant restaurant work. But Melissa wasn’t going to let that stop her from moving forward.
Crystal closed out the cash register for the day and walked over to Melissa. “Hey, girl. How are things going with you? I hear you and Ross are together now. Guess it took a road trip to make you both see you’re perfect for one another.”
Melissa smiled and looked away, fighting tears.
Crystal took hold of her hand. “What’s wrong?”
Melissa let out a shaky breath, relieved to be able to talk about her doubts and her fears. “Ross is wonderful. But I’m not sure it will work out now that we’re back home. All of my previous relationships have ended quickly. I’m afraid this will too.”
“Let’s take this step by step,”
said Crystal. “You and Ross are or have been sleeping together. Right?”
Melissa nodded.
“You’ve always been good neighbors, and that isn’t going to change, right?”
Melissa shook her head.
“Has Ross shown you how much he cares about you?”
Crystal asked.
Melissa caught her lip. “Yes.”
“Okay, then. You’re pushing things a bit during a tense several days for both of you,”
said Crystal sweetly, putting her arm around Melissa. “What’s going on with you? Why do you think your relationship with Ross won’t last?”
Melissa hesitated.
“You can speak freely. I promise I won’t discuss it with anyone else.”
Melissa closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. When she opened them, Crystal’s look of concern encouraged her to be honest. “As my mother says, I tend to ruin things. If someone gets too close, I push them away before they can hurt me.”
Melissa forced herself to go on. “Growing up, I was always being compared to other girls by my mother and coming up short. In some ways, I can’t believe Ross is truly interested in me. I can’t help wondering if what we’ve shared is just a nice … interlude … for him.”
“I’m not as wise as Genie Wittner, but I know what she’d say because I understand what it’s like to grow up feeling you aren’t equal to others. She’d tell you the same thing she told me—you are your own person, warts and all, and you owe it to yourself to be true to who you are inside, not what other people want you to be. And you need to allow others the same opportunity.”
Melissa kept quiet. Gazing at Crystal, she was thrilled she’d had the nerve to approach her. Crystal was a lovely, sensitive woman.
“Ross is a good man. Give him and yourself a chance,”
said Crystal. “You’re looking for problems that don’t exist. You’re an attractive, accomplished woman. Any man would be lucky to have you. Stop short-changing yourself.”
“Thanks,”
said Melissa. “I’ve never told anyone else what I’ve just said to you.”
“Just give it time. It’ll all work out the way it’s meant to be. Another of Genie Wittner’s sayings,”
said Crystal.
“Thanks for listening to me,”
said Melissa. “It means a lot. I wanted to talk to you about an idea I have.”
She straightened in her chair, more in control. “I can’t simply walk away from a career that I love. My parents and I have no desire to rebuild the restaurant or to run a restaurant full-time. But I thought there might be a way I could still do some professional cooking. What would you say to my using the café once a month to put on a gourmet dinner? You have the perfect setup.”
Crystal’s eyes lit with excitement. “So, you’d use the restaurant, dress it up a bit, work in the kitchen, and put on a gourmet dinner?”
“Exactly,”
said Melissa. “I’m also thinking about doing some catering. I don’t want to work full-time. I just want to do enough to keep my hand in while I have time to do something other than work and pursue other interests.”
“What are you thinking? Who would you get to help you?”
asked Crystal.
“I’m still working on those details. I thought I’d talk to some of my staff from Fins,”
Melissa said.
“What about me? I’d love to cook with you. I’m thinking of selling the café and love the idea of cooking gourmet dinners from time to time.”
“Maybe you could make gourmet dinners part of the sales deal,”
said Melissa excitedly. A sudden thought struck her. “I know someone who might be interested in buying the café. A friend from culinary school and her fiancé. I stayed in her apartment in Boston when Ross had surgery on his knee.”
“Really? I haven’t even put together figures, but have your friend come to Lilac Lake to see the operation, and we can all talk about it.”
###
Heart pounding with enthusiasm, Melissa left the café and headed for her car, which she’d parked at the restaurant.
She walked along the street, enjoying the opportunity to exercise. She saw Dirk walking with an attractive woman and waved.
He led the woman across the street. “Hi, Melissa. I’m glad to see you, and I want to introduce you to my ex-girlfriend, Samantha Waters. We’re together again. Sam, this is Melissa Hendrickson, a friend and wonderful chef in town.”
Melissa chuckled and shook hands with Samantha. “An ex-chef since the family restaurant burned down. But I’m coming up with lots of ideas for future events. I’ll let you know all about it when the time comes.”
“Guess you and Ross are back in town for a while,”
said Dirk.
“Yes, for a few days only. His father’s funeral is this weekend, so we’re flying back to New Jersey for it,”
she said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Samantha. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around town. Welcome to Lilac Lake.”
As Melissa continued on her way, she burst out laughing. Like Genie Wittner told Crystal, “Just wait, and things will work out.”