8. Melanie
CHAPTER 8
Melanie
The darkness was so thick, I couldn’t tell if my eyes were open or closed. Which way was up? I reached out my hand, hoping to find something solid to help me get my bearings.
Nothing. Just empty space.
My heart beat uncomfortably hard, and my jaw hurt from clenching my teeth. Fear surged through me in time with my pulse. I wanted to run, but I couldn’t see.
In fact, I couldn’t even move.
What was happening? Where was I?
My arms and legs were suddenly useless. Was I still standing? The world spun in a disconcerting whirl. Up was down, down was up, nothing made sense. I couldn’t move—could hardly breathe.
Someone was near. I could feel him. Feel his breath on the back of my neck. His cold hands about to touch my skin. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. I was trapped, and he was—
With a gasp, I sat up in bed. My heart still raced, and my tank top was drenched with sweat. I flipped on the light to chase away the grasping darkness and blinked at my surroundings to ground myself in reality.
A nightmare. Just a dream.
I sat for a long moment, catching my breath and waiting for my heart to slow. My body tingled with fear and adrenaline, frightened by the monster who lived inside my head. And in my past.
“Just a dream,” I said aloud, as if speaking it would make it more true. “It wasn’t real.”
Pressing my palms into the mattress, I felt the reality of it—the solidity. I swung my feet to the floor and stood, pausing to press my toes into the carpet. That was real, not the swirling confusion of my recurring nightmare.
So was my clammy skin and sweat-soaked tank top.
Gross.
“Hot flashes will be a breeze after this,” I muttered as I stripped off my damp clothes and tossed them in the hamper. I changed into a clean tank top and stumbled into the hallway to find a fresh set of sheets. It certainly wasn’t my first middle-of-the-night bed-changing session, but I didn’t usually have to search through a half-unpacked house to find what I needed.
By the time I’d put on clean bedding, I was wide-awake. Still tired, but I knew better than to think I’d fall asleep again.
Which was fine. I didn’t particularly want to.
Stupid nightmares.
Instead, I went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. That would give me something to do while I waited for the sun to come up.
Several hours later, I was dressed and looking cute, with renewed gratitude for good concealer that could mask the dark circles beneath my eyes. The summer weather was hot, so I’d chosen a pink-and-orange sundress with strappy beige sandals. I’d painted my own toenails—this broke girl didn’t have the budget for a proper pedicure—but I figured no one was looking that closely at my feet anyway.
I left the little house I’d rented feeling optimistic, hoping my quest to find a part-time job would push the previous night’s unpleasantness from my mind. The nightmare wasn’t new. I’d suffered through it more times than I could count. It had been a while since the last one, though. I chalked it up to sleeping in a new place. Once I got used to my surroundings, I was sure the bad dreams would go away.
The past couldn’t haunt me forever. Even though it seemed intent on trying.
I headed downtown and parked at Home Slice. My plan was probably a bit old-school. Job applications were usually submitted online, but I thought a bit of personal contact couldn’t hurt. I’d stop in the businesses that looked like the sort of places that might need part-time help, introduce myself, and see if they were hiring.
The Copper Kettle didn’t need anyone, but Rob, the owner, did take my information and promised to get in touch if anything changed. Not ideal, since I needed a quick turnaround, but better than a hard no. I checked the pet store, Happy Paws, and got a vague maybe. Same with the florist, Blossoms and Blooms, the little soap and candle shop, a housewares store, and a clothing boutique I didn’t remember seeing before.
Undaunted, I tried a few more but had no immediate luck. How was that possible? It was summer, which meant tourist season throughout the mountains. The shops were bustling, the sidewalks full of people. How could no one be hiring?
I stopped outside the Steaming Mug. Growing up, I wouldn’t have set foot inside that coffee shop. In the days of the Haven-Bailey feud, it had been enemy territory. I’d been on the Haven side—particularly because I’d dated Luke—and frequenting the wrong business was something you just didn’t do.
But the feud had ended years ago and the rift that had divided Tilikum for generations had gradually mended. Which meant the Steaming Mug was an option, both for a midday caffeine boost and as a potential source of employment.
I walked in to the scent of espresso and acoustic guitar music in the background. A large black chalkboard with the menu hung on an exposed brick wall behind the painted teal counter. Round tables and a few armchairs gave the place a homey, comfortable vibe.
After waiting in line, I ordered a latte and struck out again when the barista said they had just hired two new people and weren’t looking for anyone else.
While I waited for my drink, I indulged in a brief fantasy of one of the new baristas angrily dumping scalding-hot coffee on her ex-boyfriend—a guy at one of the tables working on a laptop played the part in my head—only to be immediately fired. Cue Melanie jumping in to save the day and being rewarded with a job on the spot.
“Melanie,” the barista said, sliding my latte across the counter.
“Thanks.” I smiled as I picked up the cup, only feeling a tiny bit guilty that I’d been low-key wishing she’d get herself fired in dramatic fashion.
Another voice from behind me said my name. “Melanie?”
I turned, and a familiar face appeared. Luke’s sister, Annika, stepped through the people in line. Her dark blond hair was cut shoulder length with curtain bangs, and she wore a tank top and shorts.
“Annika Haven,” I said. “Sorry, you’re Annika Bailey now. My bad.”
From what I’d heard, she and Levi Bailey were the reason I stood in what had once been an off-limits coffee shop. Their love had ended the feud.
She stepped in for a hug, and I happily hugged her back. In what felt like another life, she and I had been good friends.
“It’s been Annika Bailey for a while. I heard you were back in town. How are you?”
“Well, I’m hot off a divorce, broke, can’t seem to find a job, and slightly overwhelmed by life.” Small talk was beyond my capabilities. I either conversed about real things or nothing at all. “But other than that, I’m actually doing pretty well. How about you?”
Her lips parted in surprise. “I’m fine. Sounds like we have a lot to catch up on. Are you staying? We have a table in the back.”
“We?”
“My sisters and I.”
I drew my eyebrows in. “Sisters? Annika, you have like forty-seven brothers.”
“Sisters-in-law.” She shifted so I could see past her. “I have tons of them now. Bailey sisters, Haven sisters. It’s my Haven sisters-in-law today, though.”
Three women, all holding young babies, sat at a table near the back. Two I didn’t recognize. The first wore a blue tank top and had long blond hair tied in a low ponytail. Her baby had a tuft of blond hair with a pink bow and looked just old enough that she could keep her head up without flopping around.
The second woman had dark hair and a friendly smile. The baby in her arms was asleep, but I could see a full head of brown hair.
But it was the third woman who made my eyes widen and my mouth drop open. “Marigold Martin! She’s your sister-in-law? How did that happen?”
“I know. It’s wild, right?” Annika said. “She married Zachary last year. ”
That was wild. Zachary hadn’t seemed like the marrying type. And to sweet Marigold? That was not a piece of news I’d been prepared to discover.
Pushing aside the familiar pang at seeing new moms with their babies, I picked my way through the crowded shop to their table. Marigold also held a baby, but hers was sleeping in one of those wrap things that left her hands free.
“Don’t get up,” I said. “But hi, it’s so good to see you. You look absolutely beautiful. And Zachary? Really? I knew I was out of touch, but I think this might be more surprising than the end of the feud.”
Marigold smiled. Her brown hair was styled in perfect loose waves. I remembered her as a quiet bookworm, but she’d blossomed since high school.
“Yes, really, Zachary. And this is our daughter, Emily.”
“I’m sure she’s beautiful even though I can only see the top of her head.” I turned to the other women at the table. “Sorry, I’m Melanie. I used to live here, and it feels like thirteen lifetimes ago.”
“We have an empty chair,” Annika said. “You should join us. And let me introduce you. This is Audrey, Josiah’s wife, and baby Abby. And this is Harper, Garrett’s wife, and this little bright-eyed beauty is baby Isla.”
They smiled and said hello.
Out of nowhere, I almost panicked.
This wasn’t just a table of women. It was a table of Haven women. Luke’s sister and sisters-in-law.
Was it weird?
No, why would it be weird? I’d been friends with Annika before I’d dated Luke. And as I had reminded myself no less than eight thousand times, high school was ages ago. My identity was not Luke Haven’s ex-girlfriend.
“I’d say I don’t want to intrude, but I absolutely do.” I took the chair she offered and sat with my coffee. “Harper? You look familiar. Do we know each other? And if you married Garrett, that must mean he’s no longer with what’s-her-name. I hope you all popped the champagne when that ended.” I paused. “I’m so sorry. I have no filter.”
Harper laughed, and her baby smiled. “That’s okay. Whatever happened with Garrett’s ex was before my time. I don’t think we know each other, but I used to visit Tilikum when I was growing up. My aunt is Doris Tilburn.”
“I remember Doris. Angel Cakes Bakery?”
“Yep. I run the bakery now.”
“And she’s a cookie genius,” Annika said. “But you have to tell us about you. My mom mentioned hearing you’d moved back, but you never know what to believe in this town.”
“I heard you won the lottery and were planning on buying the Grand Peak Hotel and turning it into a giant mansion,” Marigold said. “But obviously, I didn’t believe that. I get all the gossip at the salon.”
“Won the lottery would be rather helpful right about now, but no,” I said. “Kind of the opposite, actually. My marriage fell apart, and my ex immediately moved on with a younger woman, leaving me to deal with the house and all the debt, and then tried to weasel his way out of dividing things fairly, which did nothing but cost me an exorbitant amount in attorney fees. But, silver lining, I’m no longer married to a man with delusions of adequacy.”
They all looked at me with raised eyebrows.
“Sorry. See? No filter. I’m somewhat of an expert at making things awkward.”
“Oh, me too,” Audrey said. “It’s nice not to be the only one.”
“I’m sorry about your divorce,” Marigold said, patting Emily gently. “But it sounds like it was for the best. And it’s so lovely that you’re back in Tilikum.”
“Thanks,” I said with a smile. “I’ve missed it. ”
“Speaking of making things awkward,” Annika said, her voice hesitant. “Does Luke know you’re back in town?”
Marigold raised her eyebrows, a look of curiosity on her face.
“Oh, come on, that’s not awkward.” That was a lie. Just the mention of his name made me want to squirm. “We dated a million years ago. And yes, he knows. I almost ran him off the road. But in my defense, I didn’t hit him.”
“Um…” Audrey paused. “Why did you almost run him off the road?”
“He drives too fast.”
She opened her mouth again as if she wasn’t sure what I meant by that.
“Oh!” I laughed. “You thought I meant I did it on purpose. No, it was an accident.”
“Sorry,” Audrey said.
“It’s okay. I probably seem like someone who’d run her ex-boyfriend off the road.”
That made all four of them laugh.
I was being flippant about Luke. And not because seeing him hadn’t made an impact—it had. I’d been looking over my shoulder everywhere I went, wondering if, or maybe when, I would see him again. But I wanted—or maybe needed—to pretend I didn’t care. That our relationship was in the past and I didn’t feel a thing.
In reality, I felt about a million things. But, despite my lack of filter, I wasn’t prepared to admit to any of it.
Because, honestly, what was wrong with me? Why were a couple of chance encounters with my high school boyfriend bothering me like a splinter in my toe I couldn’t remove?
“I saw Theo at the Timberbeast the other night,” I said. “That was fun. Until Luke showed up and called dibs on Tilikum and then stormed out.”
“Luke stormed out of the bar?” Audrey asked. “That doesn’t sound like him. ”
I took a sip of my coffee. “It doesn’t? It sounds very much like him.”
“Are we talking about the same Luke?” Harper asked. “Luke Haven? Because he seems so easygoing.”
“He usually is,” Annika pointed out.
“I probably bring out the worst in him,” I said. “But it’s only fair because he brings out the worst in me. Kudos to the three of you for tackling Haven men. I tried that once, and it was a disaster.”
“You were both so young, though,” Annika said. “We’re all idiots in high school.”
I shrugged. “Maybe. But he and I don’t seem to have gotten any better at not wanting to murder each other.”
“Anyway, enough about Luke.” Annika waved her hand. “Sorry for bringing that up. New subject. What do you do?”
“I’m a voice actor.”
“Really? What kinds of things do you work on?”
“Whatever I can get. I’ve done commercials, some low-budget documentaries, a cartoon series.”
“That’s amazing.” Marigold turned to Audrey and Harper. “Melanie was so good at theater. She always got the lead. Do you still do theater, or just the voice acting?”
“I did theater for a while, but I transitioned to voice acting.”
“I love that,” Annika said. “What’s the cartoon series?”
“It’s called Enchanted Hollow .”
Annika’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding. My kids are obsessed with that show. Who do you play?”
I cleared my throat and continued in my Queen Ione voice. “The magnificent, illustrious Queen Ione.”
Annika gasped. “No. Way. She’s the best part.”
“Aw, thank you,” I said in my natural voice. “It’s a great role. Unfortunately, there’s been a hiatus between seasons, and with the whole broke-after-divorce thing, I’m looking for a temporary job. Speaking of, are any of you hiring? ”
They all shook their heads.
“Well…” Annika paused. “Okay, don’t say no.”
“That makes me want to instantly say no.”
“I know, I know. But hear me out. Luke’s front desk person is on maternity leave, and he needs someone to cover for her until she comes back.”
“You can’t possibly be suggesting what I think you’re suggesting.”
“Why not?”
“Because we can’t be twenty feet from each other without fighting. But you think we should work together?”
“It’s not as out there as it sounds. I used to work for him, and he’s always busy in the garage. You’d hardly see him.”
I eyed her with skepticism.
“You need a temporary job,” she continued, “and he needs a temporary employee. It’s a win-win.”
“Until we kill each other.”
She laughed. “I don’t think you’ll kill each other. Like you said, you dated a million years ago. I’m sure you could at least tolerate each other.”
It sounded so reasonable when she said it. It had been a long time, and it wasn’t like we still had feelings for each other.
Okay, so we did have feelings—fiery ones—but they weren’t romantic.
Maybe it could be like a type of exposure therapy. If we were forced to interact and be on our best behavior, we’d move past whatever seemed to rile us up.
“I don’t know. I’m sure I could do it, but I don’t know about him.” I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “Yeah, I’m not sure I could do it either. But you do have a small point about my need for a job. Although I highly doubt he’ll go for it.”
“He might.” She shrugged. “I’ll talk to him.”
I gave her my number so she could get in touch after talking to Luke and we could make plans to hang out again. Despite my less-than-charitable feelings for her brother, I liked Annika. I always had. And I was glad my status as her brother’s ex-girlfriend didn’t appear to preclude a friendship.
Work for Luke Haven? That had to be a terrible idea. So why was I considering it? I was a little bit desperate for a job, and something temporary was proving hard to come by. But was I desperate enough to subject myself to hours of him every day?
Living in the same town was one thing. Working together was quite another.
Maybe he’d be the one to say no.
That got my hackles up, and it was only theoretical. But what if he did say no? I knew myself well enough to know I’d be insulted. I could feel my propensity for being dramatic bubbling to the surface. How dare he not give me a chance?
And somehow, by the time I left the coffee shop, I was convinced I needed to get that job just to show him who was right.