Chapter 7 #2
God, I fucking miss this woman.
“True. Avoiding people here can tend to be…problematic.” A memory flashes in my mind, an image from our troublemaking teen years. “Just ask Erica…or Miss Erica, as she was back then. Remember when she found us hiding out in her greenhouse when you and Bree were fighting?”
Mel’s reserved demeanor wavers and a smile breaks across her face.
A true smile—the kind of smile that won my heart.
Her head tilts back, and her eyes crinkle at the corners as she lets out a small laugh.
“Oh my God, I totally forgot about that day. She was so mad at us. Yelled about disrupting her ecosystem. That was back when Imogen and her were only dating. Imogen had to practically drag her out of there so we could escape.” Her giggle trails off and she immediately sobers.
I ache to hear her laughter again. To see her smile, to look at me with eyes that aren’t replaying our past. To see me, here and now.
“You always did know the best hiding spots around town,” I say instead, anything to fill the silence settling between us like a heavy stone.
Mellie lets out a defeated sigh. “Is this how it’s going to be, Ronin?
Random-ass small talk, pretending like the last four years didn’t happen?
Because I don’t know if I can do that today.
” She finally sets her bags down at her feet and rubs at her temples, closing her eyes.
“I’m too hungover to deal with this right now. ”
I’m not sure if she meant for me to hear that last part.
I don’t answer right away. Mellie stares out toward the center of town where our large gazebo stands proudly, overseeing all of the holiday festivals and important town milestones over the years.
She shoves her hands inside of the front pocket of the hoodie she wears under her winter coat.
It’s an old one I’m familiar with, a black and gray sweatshirt with Nostromo printed across the front.
Alien is one of her favorite movie franchises—or at least it used to be, when I knew her better than I knew myself. Better than anyone knew her.
The truth is, I’m not entirely sure how to act around Mellie right now.
I knew she was going to be home for the holidays; Evan had let it slip one night when we were playing cards at my house.
I’d been trying to prepare myself to see her, to be around her, but then she walked into my bar last night looking more beautiful than I had dared to remember, and I was rendered speechless.
All I could do was sneak glances her way across the diner, and each time I did, her eyes seemed to meet mine.
Like we couldn’t help but be drawn to each other even after all these years.
Sitting beside her on this bench, the pull I feel toward this woman is nothing short of magnetic. It has always been like this with her. Even our stifled conversation this morning is proof of all the history we still carry between us.
I crumple the empty paper and foil from my lunch into a ball, stuffing it inside of the plastic bag that still hangs from my wrist. I take out a bottle of water, offering it to Mellie first. She shakes her head, so I twist the cap open and take a sip.
“I know,” I finally say softly, meeting her pained gaze.
“Things are a bit weird between us right now, huh?” Mel’s eyes shine, her pale cheeks flushed a soft red from the cool air, and her lips are exactly as I remember them.
Soft, plump, pink. Her teeth tug at her lip as she stares back at me, and my focus is pulled to the motion.
I can’t help but lick my own in response.
Her hair is tied up in a bun but loose tendrils have fallen out, rose gold strands framing her face and gently stirring in the light breeze. My fingers itch to touch her, to brush her hair behind her ears.
I clear my dried-out throat. “I didn’t mean to make light of anything, I think you just make me a little nervous right now. I’m sorry, Mel.”
Mellie lets out a small laugh. “I make you nervous?”
“At the moment, hell yes you do,” I reply, averting my gaze.
“I think there’s a lot we both probably want to say to each other, and until we actually sit down and talk about what happened…
Yeah, you make me really fucking nervous.
” I turn back to her and the intent look she’s giving me makes my heart do funny things within my chest. “Can we talk soon, Mel?”
Her lips purse ever so slightly—something she’s always done when she’s thinking hard. She seems at war with something in her mind, but she finally nods her head. “I think that’s probably a good idea.”
“Okay.” My heart thuds behind my ribcage.
This is a good start. “How about tonight? I can pick you up. We can grab a six-pack and sit in the gazebo, like we used to before—” My words stumble as I realize what I’m saying, my stomach clenching uncomfortably.
“I mean, if you want to. Or we can just meet at the diner.”
Real smooth, Ronin.
Mellie gives me a small smile. It makes the dimple in her right cheek stand out, a sight that makes me feel homesick. I want to touch that dimple, to run my lips across her cheek. Place a kiss there before finding her lips with my own. I want to do a lot of things I can’t.
“Sure, Ronin,” Mellie finally answers. “Let’s meet at the gazebo. The usual time. You bring the beer, though.”
My pulse is in my throat and I can’t respond for a moment.
“The usual time then, Mel.”