16. Chapter Sixteen
Chapter sixteen
F ox opened the apartment door and found the last person he expected to see on the other side. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself.” Amy’s gaze swept over him and she licked her lower lip when her gaze met his again. “You look amazing.”
“Uh, thanks.” He and Melody had been lazing on the couch all day. She was feeling better, so he’d offered to take her out to dinner tonight since she had the night off because of her injuries. He’d put on a pair of black jeans and a blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
Melody was still getting dressed.
The way Amy was looking at him, he guessed Melody would like that he’d made an effort for her.
Amy held up a plate of cupcakes. “I made your favorite. Chocolate chip, chocolate cake with vanilla frosting.”
They looked amazing.
She took a tiny step closer, a sultry look in her eyes. “Can I come in?”
“Uh.” Just like he didn’t want Josh in his place, he didn’t want Amy there either. Not when Melody already sensed Amy’s interest in him.
She tilted her head. “What? These are your favorite, right? Because that’s what you said when I made them the other day for the class.”
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “No. I mean, yes. They were really good.”
She beamed at him. “Great.” She stepped even closer.
He didn’t move. He wasn’t exactly sure how to handle this situation. “Listen, I was just heading out to dinner.”
She knew he had a girlfriend.
Shouldn’t that make her stop being so flirty?
“Really? I haven’t eaten either. Except for a few licks of the icing.” She bit her lip. “It was just too tempting.” She gave him another sultry once-over. “Anyway, let’s go together. I’ve been dying to try that new place downtown. There’s not a lot of choices beside the diner and pizza place, unless you go to the bar, and I just hate eating alone in public.”
Yeah, that was not happening. “Um. I actually have a date.”
“With her ?”
He didn’t have to guess who she was referring to, since she’d met Melody.
Amy pressed her lips tight and shook her head. “I thought you were just friends.”
“We’re best friends. And now we’re more.” Why was he explaining himself? “But I appreciate that you made the cupcakes for me.” He grabbed onto the plate.
She didn’t release it. “You know she’s never going to fit into your world back in Boston. She’s not…sophisticated enough.” Her gaze shot past him.
He didn’t need to glance over his shoulder to know Melody was standing behind him. He felt her like a warm caress against his soul. “Melody is everything I ever wanted. She fits me . And I think anyone who gets to know her would find that she’s smart, creative, generous, and kind. And if that doesn’t fit with someone, then they don’t deserve to know her, and I don’t want to be around them.”
Amy leaned in like she was telling a secret. “The elite in Boston will always treat her like an outsider. I’ve catered enough of their parties to know how to handle myself around them. How to dress. How to speak. Who the right people are and the ones to avoid. They’ll tear her apart.” She made it sound like she was trying to save him and his reputation.
He didn’t like the implication that Amy felt that Melody wasn’t good enough for him. She was better than he deserved. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to be worthy of her every day for the rest of his life. “Melody can handle them and anyone else who comes at her.” Melody had seen right through Amy and her interest in him.
Amy let go of the plate they’d both been holding. “You haven’t told her anything about your life back there, have you?” This time her voice carried. “Maybe it’s better you keep your secrets. Then again…” One shoulder rose and fell. “Enjoy the cupcakes.”
He closed the door as she walked away, then turned to find Melody studying him. “What was that about?”
“Nothing.”
She eyed him. “She mentioned something about secrets.”
“I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately. She never used to act like this.”
“She doesn’t like that you’re with me.”
He held up the plate. “She brought us cupcakes.”
One eyebrow shot up. “ Us ? I don’t think so.” Her hair cascaded past her shoulders in waves. She wore black jeans and a flowing red top. The bandage that she’d had on her head was gone, since she’d just showered, but she’d wrapped her finger and hand. He bet her thigh and calf were also wrapped beneath the jeans.
“You’re so beautiful.” They’d made a quick trip over to her place a little while ago to pick up some clothes and toiletries for her to leave here. He’d like to pack up her whole place and move it. But he was trying to be patient.
Amy’s words still rang in his head.
Would Melody like Boston? The people in his life? Would she feel accepted and at home there with him?
Melody moved closer. “You’re gorgeous. And I’m starving. Are you ready to go? Or would you prefer to be with Amy tonight?” She looked dead serious about that question.
“No.” He shook his head and set the plate of cupcakes on the counter before turning back to her, his anger rising. “Hell no. And you should know that the only woman I want, the only one I think about, dream about, obsess over, is you. I’m not blind. I see that she’s got a thing for me. But I haven’t encouraged it. I don’t even pay that much attention to it. Because I am only ever thinking about you. You are the only woman I see.”
Her shoulders sagged, and her face fell into remorse. “I’m being a bitch. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say that. You have every right to be upset that another woman showed up at my door with a gift.”
She eyed him. “A gift you accepted.”
Fuck . He had. “I’m sorry. I thought it was just a nice gesture until she started talking about you.”
Everything about her tensed. “What about me?”
“She thinks that you won’t fit in with the elite in Boston.”
Her head tilted to the side. “Do you think that?”
“I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks but you. I think you’re perfect.”
“Hardly.”
“For me, to me, you are perfect. So forget about Amy and let’s go to dinner.” He glanced toward the bedroom, her in those tight jeans, her breasts swelling at the V in her blouse. “Or I can take you to bed and spend the rest of the night worshipping you until you truly understand how much I want you.”
One hand went to her thigh, the other she raised and slid her fingers along the hem of her blouse from her shoulder down to her sexy cleavage. “Can we do both?”
Double fuck. He got hard just looking at her posed like that. “I’ll give you anything you want.”
She smiled, looking at him from beneath her lashes, all sultry and sexy. “You. Always you.”
He closed the distance between them, cupped her beautiful face, and kissed her soft, lush lips. She smelled like raspberries. Her scent drew him in and wrapped around him.
She put her hand on his chest and nudged him back, breaking the kiss. “First dinner. Then you can have me. I’m starving.”
That was a good sign she was truly feeling better.
He took her hand and led her to the door. “Still up for that American bistro that just opened up?”
“Yes. I’ve been wanting to try it for weeks. I just never have the time. And they’re open and closed the same time as the bar, so I’m glad I got tonight off to spend it with you and try someplace new.”
Fox set the alarm, locked the door, and walked with her to the elevator. “I checked out the menu online. They’ve got a lot of varied choices. The chicken pot pie sounded delicious, but so did the beef stew.” They entered the elevator car and he hit the button to take them down to the first floor.
“I was thinking of the chicken and dumplings. Or maybe the pot roast sandwich.”
“It all sounds good.” They exited the elevator hand in hand and walked out of the building, and turned right to head down the street. The bistro was down four blocks. The fall evening air was crisp but not cold enough to need a jacket.
“Are you sure the walk isn’t too much for your leg? I don’t want you tearing your stitches.”
“It’s fine. They’re a little tender still, but it’s only a few blocks. Plus, it’s a beautiful night for a walk.”
He hooked his arm around her shoulders, drew her close, and enjoyed the hell out of being with her as they passed the center, the diner, several downtown shops, a hole-in-the-wall liquor store, the bakery, and a florist.
He should get her some flowers. They weren’t open now. He’d put it on the list of things he wanted to do for her.
“You’re quiet.”
He kissed the side of her head. “Just enjoying the walk and being with you. It’s quieter here. In Boston, walking down the street, it’s noisy. Traffic, a ton of people out, and music and sounds pouring out of bars and restaurants.” He glanced up at the night sky. “There’s so much light pollution you can’t really see the stars. Not like here.”
“At the ranch they’re even brighter. You can see so many more than in town.”
“If you move there with me, it doesn’t mean we won’t come back here. We can come back as often as you like.”
“I know.” She squeezed his side. “I don’t want to talk about that tonight. I just want to enjoy our date.”
“I wish we could do this more often.”
She leaned into him. “I’ve been busy. You’re busy. We live on different schedules.”
“Yeah. I’m trying to figure out a way to fix that because I want us to spend more time together.”
They arrived at the bistro.
“Table for two. We have a reservation under Fox.”
The hostess smiled. “Of course. Right this way, Mr. Fox.”
“It’s just Fox.” He let Melody go ahead of him as they followed the waitress to a table by the windows. He held out the chair for Melody to sit, then took the seat across from her. They both sat near the window, leaving the two empty seats next to them at the table set for four.
“The specials for tonight are listed on the front of the menu. Shari will be by in a moment to take your order. Enjoy your meal.”
Fox scanned the drink list first and slid his hand across the table to rest it over Melody’s.
She glanced around the restaurant. “I love this place. It’s small and quaint, but cozy.”
The restaurant only had about thirty tables and a low bar with about fifteen seats for diners that spanned the area that opened to the kitchen space. You could watch the staff preparing the meals. All of the wood tables were topped with a wide candle with three wicks on a wood base with a glass cylinder around it, silverware, green linen napkins, and unexpected salt and pepper shakers in all kinds of pairings. Their table had a horse and apple cart. The horse was the salt. The cart the pepper. On the table beside theirs…Mickey and Minnie. On another table, a dog chef and cat waitress.
“It smells amazing in here.” His stomach rumbled.
The couple next to them had just gotten their plates. They’d both gone for the pot roast sandwich with a mountain of fried potatoes.
Melody groaned. “That looks amazing.”
“It does. We’re going to have to come back here to try everything.”
She grinned at him. “Deal. But it’s probably going to have to be lunch.”
Yes. Their schedule issue. “Deal.”
A woman in black pants, a white tee with the bistro logo and name on it, and a green apron stopped at their table. “Hi. I’m Shari. Can I get you both something to drink?”
Melody ordered the Moscato. He got a hazy IPA.
“Is that your favorite wine?” he asked.
“Layla got me hooked on it. It’s sweet and light. But maybe I should have ordered something stronger. Like a shot.”
He lifted a brow. “Why?”
“Because we’re not alone.”
“Oh my God. I can’t believe we ended up at the same place.” Amy stood by their table and looked around the restaurant.
Melody gaped at her.
Fox tried to hold in his what-the-fuck expletive.
“I’ve been dying to try this place. The food smells amazing.” She turned back to him and frowned. “Unfortunately the place is packed.”
Which was why he’d made a reservation earlier today when he asked Melody if she’d be up for going out. “I’m sure a seat at the bar will open up soon.” He hoped she took the hint.
“There’s a bunch of people waiting in line. But I saw you through the window and knew you wouldn’t mind if I joined you.”
Fuck me!
She looked at Melody. “We can chat about the course you’re going to teach. I’d love to know more about your shop and what you do.”
Melody stared at him, her face completely devoid of any emotion, and his heart sank. He should shut this down immediately, but he wasn’t sure how without creating a scene. Who knew what Amy would say or do if he told her to leave.
Shari arrived with their drinks. “Moscato for the lady. Hazy for you.” She focused on Amy. “Will you be joining them?”
Amy held Fox’s gaze.
Fox opened his mouth to object, but Amy fell into the chair beside him.
“I knew you wouldn’t mind.”
Shari looked expectantly at their uninvited guest. “What can I get you?”
What the fuck! Now he’d look like a total dick if he asked her to leave.
Amy snagged his beer. “Mind if I try this?”
“Hey!”
She took a sip, ignoring his outburst, and scrunched her lips. “Too bitter.”
He sank into his seat, feeling run over.
Melody picked up her wine and took a big gulp.
Amy set his glass back in front of him. “I think I’ll stick to my favorite. Cabernet.”
Shari nodded. “I’ll be back to take your orders.”
Amy snagged his menu, leaned in like she was sharing it with him, and stared at it. “What are you having, Fox? I’ve heard the prime rib is amazing.”
“I’m so glad I got the night off,” Melody said, eyeing him.
Amy looked at Melody for the first time. “Right. Must be hard to have a personal life when you work until all hours of the night.” Amy caught her breath. “What happened to your hand?”
“Cut it on a broken beer mug.”
“Bar fight?” Amy shook her head and pressed her lips tight like that kind of thing seemed inevitable. “I’m not surprised. That place you work at is rough.”
Melody raised both brows. “You’ve been there?”
“Sure. A couple of times with Fox and Dean. They’re always talking about how pretty the women are there.”
Anger made him tighten his fist around his beer glass. But he never took his gaze off Melody. “There’s only one woman I’m looking at, at the bar. The same one who’s in front of me right now.”
Amy seemed to catch herself. “Oh. Right. Yeah. Of course. Sorry.” She winced like she’d given away a secret. “I think I’ll get the prime rib. I hope they haven’t run out. I hear they don’t always have it.”
Fox squeezed Melody’s hand. “Did you decide?”
“What are you getting?”
This time Fox answered. “The pot roast sandwich.”
“Will you share some with me if I get the chicken and dumplings? I’ll share with you.”
He grinned, liking this way more than it merited. “Sounds perfect. I was torn between the two.”
Shari arrived with Amy’s wine and took their order.
Frustration filled Fox. He’d wanted this night to be special. He’d wanted to sit across from Melody and enjoy some good food and conversation. He’d wanted to talk about some of the places they could go in Boston and tempt her to take a trip there with him sometime in the next couple of weeks.
Amy bumped her shoulder to his. “How’s it been trying to run your company remotely? I hear you on the phone constantly or typing a mile a minute on your computer.”
“It’s a challenge, but it’s working out so far.”
She eyed him. “You must miss the city though.”
“Not really.”
“Oh, come on. I do. I can’t wait to get back. And you…you’ve been spotted at all the hot spots in town. Don’t tell me you don’t miss that.”
Actually, it got old fast. “Clients expect a certain amount of wining and dining when they’re paying top dollar for my services.”
“And the women you’ve been photographed with?” Amy raised a brow. “A man could get a reputation for all the different women in your life.”
Fox took exception and shifted sideways to face the woman who at every turn was trying to ruin this night for him. “The women in those photographs work for me. They’re smart and talented. I make sure to hire women because they’re often overlooked in the male-dominated industry. That doesn’t make me the player you seem to think I am.”
“Oh. Right. Yeah. My bad.” Amy winced but didn’t seem the least contrite or apologetic. “I just kind of got lost in all the press you and your company have received over the years. The pictures look one way, but I’m sure it’s more accurate that those women only worked for you.”
Fox clamped his jaw shut before he said something he’d regret.
“How is Tanya doing?” Melody asked, sipping her wine as she changed the subject.
“Fine. She wants me to stop by tomorrow.”
“Who’s Tanya?” Amy glanced from him to Melody and back.
None of your business , he wanted to say. “My mother.”
“Oh. You have family in town.”
“Not really. I’m closer to Melody and her family than I am with Tanya.”
Amy leaned in closer to him. “Oh. Why?”
He glanced at Melody. “Because I didn’t grow up with her.”
“Oh. Right. You were a foster kid.”
He gave her an I-don’t-want-to-talk-about-it look and sipped his beer, hoping she dropped it.
Amy put her hand on his shoulder. “I’m really sorry. That must have been really…hard.”
He shook off her hand and didn’t care that she frowned at his rejection of her unwanted touch.
Melody slid her hand up his arm and squeezed. “I’ll go with you tomorrow if you’d like.”
“I’d love that.” He pulled his arm back, so he could take her hand. “And we’re having dinner with your folks, right?”
She nodded. “The whole gang actually, so be prepared for us to be the center of attention.” The gleam in her eyes said he should be prepared for a lot of questions about his intention toward her.
Not a problem to assure her family he cared deeply for his Melody.
“I get it,” Amy said. Her obliviousness to the undercurrents had to be an act. “Families are complicated. My parents left me to my own devices most of the time, too busy with their own stuff to pay much attention to what I was doing. It sucked. All they want for me is to find a good guy and settle down.”
“Is that what you want?” Melody asked her.
“Yes. I want someone to take care of me.”
Melody frowned. “What’s your dream guy like?”
Amy’s gaze shifted to Fox, then back to Melody. “Handsome. Smart. Hardworking. A guy who goes after what he wants. Someone who’s his own boss. A guy who’s sexy and charming. Stable. And makes a better than good living. I’m tired of scraping by.”
Melody nodded. “Sounds like you and I like the same kind of man. Except for that last part about the money. I can make my own. I don’t need someone else’s.”
“Says someone who’s obviously never missed their rent or couldn’t afford anything more than ramen noodles at more than one time in their life.”
“Nope. Not me. I bust my ass to make sure I have what I need. The things I want…sometimes those things have to wait until I can afford them.”
“But don’t you want nice things?”
“I have nice things. My family’s support. Good friends who always have my back and love to hang out. A boyfriend who treats me like I matter more than anything.”
“You do.” And Fox was loving hearing her say that what mattered most to her was the people in her life. Not a bunch of stuff.
She squeezed his hand. “I’ll add Dean and Max to that list of friends.”
“They both love you.” They loved seeing Fox happy with her.
Melody glanced at Amy. “I’m surprised, based on what you’re looking for in a guy, you haven’t made a move on Dean.”
Like Dean would go for Amy. But Fox understood Melody pointing out that Dean was single, while he was taken, so it made more sense for her to hit on him.
Amy shrugged. “He’s nice and all, but he seems a little hard to get to know.”
“Once you do, he’s a great guy,” Melody encouraged.
Fox didn’t think Dean was interested in Amy at all. She was too in-your-face. Plus, like him, Dean didn’t date people who worked for them. Just not a good move. Things could get complicated.
Like right now.
How did he end up having dinner with his employee and his girlfriend?
Shari finally arrived with their food.
“Oh my God, this looks delicious.” Amy cut into the prime rib, dipped a piece in the au jus, then slid the fork in and out of her mouth. She chewed and moaned. “So good.”
Fox cut off a slice of his sandwich and slid it onto Melody’s plate. “Try that, sweet Dee.”
She used her knife and fork to cut off a thick piece. She grinned at him as she chewed and swallowed. “That’s good.” She picked up her bowl and handed it to him. “Put some on your plate.”
Instead, he took a big bite from the bowl and handed it back. “That’s amazing.”
“My mom used to make this when we were little. I’ll have to get her recipe, so I can make it for us.”
He stared at her, knowing she’d know how much it meant to him that they’d be cooking and sharing meals together in their future. “I’d love that.”
“Do you cook?” Amy asked.
Melody swallowed a bite, wiped her mouth with her napkin, then answered. “My sister Lyric is the chef at the bar. She’s a whiz in the kitchen. But I’m pretty good, too. My mom and grandma taught us all how to cook.”
“I didn’t have a lot of options after high school. I needed to get a job quickly, so I went to culinary school. The program was ten months long. I had to get a student loan, but at least I got to eat at school.”
Melody’s gaze softened. “Your parents didn’t help?”
Amy shook her head. “They had their own struggles. Alcohol mostly. And trying to keep a job. I pretty much raised myself.”
Melody stopped with her fork in the air. “I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been really rough.”
Amy glanced at him, then back to Melody. “Sounds like maybe Fox knows something about that based on the fact he didn’t grow up with his parents.”
Fox didn’t comment. He didn’t want to give Amy any room to feel like they connected in some way, even if they did. He focused on Melody. “Did you say you were going to work at the ranch tomorrow before dinner?” He knew that’s what she said, he just needed to change the subject.
“I’ve got some orders to fill. I have a design idea for something new, too. I’ll head out there after we see Tanya in the morning.”
“I’ve got a bunch of coding to do on a project, plus I have to go over some financial stuff Max left me.”
“I could come by your place with lunch if you’d like,” Amy suggested.
Melody eyed him.
He quickly shut that down. “No, thank you. I’ve got some leftovers in the fridge.”
Melody scraped her bowl with her spoon. “I could eat a whole other bowl of that if I wasn’t already stuffed. It was so good.”
Fox had demolished everything on his plate. “Mine was really good, too. I love it when the beef falls apart like that. And the gravy…so good.”
“Those fried potatoes were delicious, too.” Melody had stolen one, or ten, from his plate.
He didn’t mind.
Amy finished off the last of the prime rib and roasted garlic mashed potatoes on her plate. She left the asparagus behind. “Who’s having dessert?”
“We have cupcakes back at our place,” Melody chimed in.
Amy scrunched her lips. “I thought I saw cheesecake on the menu with fresh strawberries. Maybe I’ll get it to go.”
Shari arrived at the table a moment later. “I thought I heard you’d like some dessert.”
“Not for us,” Fox said.
“I’ll take the cheesecake to go.” Amy’s cheeks flushed. “I just can’t pass it up, even if it will go straight to my hips.”
Shari rushed off to fill the order and bring back the check.
Amy nudged Fox’s arm. “Not like I need to worry about a few extra calories. Right, Fox?”
Now she was fishing for compliments. “Everyone loves a good treat,” he said instead of falling into that trap, and kept his eyes on Melody.
Shari arrived with Amy’s boxed dessert and the check.
“Are we splitting it three ways?” Amy asked.
Fox couldn’t let Melody pay for her meal when he’d invited her out. And he couldn’t pay for both of them and not Amy and look like an asshole. At least in his mind. “It’s on me.”
Fox dropped his credit card on the bill.
Shari scooped it up. “Back in a moment.”
A server arrived to clear their dishes.
Melody smiled at him. “Thank you for the wonderful meal.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
“Yes, Fox, it was very generous of you.”
Fox didn’t miss that one of the qualities Amy wanted in a guy was generosity. He thought what she meant was a guy who had the money to take care of her by buying her expensive meals and whatever else she wanted. “You’re welcome. Just keep it quiet. It’s not like I take the other employees out to eat.”
Amy beamed. “Oh, I know. This was a special thing.”
Fuck. He did not want her thinking she was special, but had no way of getting out of this without saying something very blunt and embarrassing her. Then again she was doing a good job of it all on her own, though she seemed oblivious to it. Or she just didn’t care.
Maybe he should be flattered she liked him that much.
If she hadn’t crashed his date, maybe he would be. Right now, all she did was make him angry. Because this could have been a really romantic evening.
Shari arrived with the check. He pocketed his credit card, filled out the tip and total, and signed his name.
Fox looked across at Melody. “Ready?”
“Definitely.”
Fox had to wait for Amy to vacate her seat so he could get out. Then she seemed to wait by the table as he inched out and took Melody’s hand. “Let’s go,” he said, hoping she’d take the hint and move.
Amy turned, went up on tiptoe, and before he knew her intent, brushed a kiss on his cheek. He stepped back and knocked into Melody.
“Thank you again for dinner.”
Melody’s hand went tight around his.
Amy turned and headed out of the restaurant.
Melody stepped past him and rushed after her, pulling Fox along. “Amy. Wait.”
Amy turned on the sidewalk. “Yes?”
“Don’t ever do that again. I put up with you bringing my boyfriend cupcakes, hoping you’d score some points with him. I didn’t say a word when you rudely interrupted what was obviously a date.”
“I—”
“Don’t.” Melody shook her head. “I’ve spent too many years watching women flirt with good guys who were with someone else in the bar. He’s your boss. That’s all. So keep your hands to yourself and never kiss him again.”
Her lips fell into a pout. “I was just saying thank you.”
“Do it without touching him. Fox has boundaries and you crossed his without consent. End of story.”
Amy glanced past her at Fox. “You know how much I appreciate you. I’ll see you later.” She crossed the street and started walking back toward the apartment complex.
Melody fumed next to him.
He cupped her cheek and turned her head toward his, then he took her mouth in a searing kiss that was all heat and tongues and passion. They got lost in the kiss and each other for a long moment. “You’re amazing. So fucking fierce.”
“What?”
“To put up with all that, then put her in her place with grace, and claim me. Damn. That was fucking hot.” He kissed her again.
Someone nearby whistled at them.
They lost track of time and where they were and got lost in the kiss and each other again.
“Baby, I can’t wait to get you home and show you how much I appreciate you.” Fox took her hand and started walking down the street like a man on a mission.