Chapter 22
Melody
So much for getting a lot of work done today. I’m too frazzled to go back to work. Instead, I’m sitting between Brody’s legs on our bed, propped against his chest. I have the wrapped book in my hands.
I tip my head back. “Just so you know, you’ve ruined me. I realized this morning that my pen name is actually rather tame.”
He plays with a lock of my hair, grinning. “Is that so?”
“Yes. All I could think about this morning was the beginning of a much naughtier book. I’m going to go in a new direction now that I have way more information than I had before I met you.”
“Yeah?” He smirks.
“I’ll need a new pen name if I’m going to go full-on filthy. The material you provide me with is very dirty, Mr. Wilde.”
He chuckles. “Is it?”
“I couldn’t even start at the beginning of the book.
I jumped right into the middle. The heroine has been kidnapped and taken to a human dairy farm where she was given hormones that made her boobs grow into giant udders within days.
Now, she’s a sex-crazed hucow who needs nearly constant milking while she fucks herself with a giant dildo. ”
Brody laughs. “That’s not realistic. Why would the hero let her fuck her own pussy? You’ll need to change that. He should definitely make her wait, her pussy dripping with need, until he feels like filling it.”
I fall to the side in a fit of giggles. “You’ve created a monster.”
He grabs my face and kisses me. “My monster.”
Eventually, I sit up between his legs again and lean back heavily against his chest. I hold up the book. “This is going to be so anticlimactic because you don’t read romance novels, so you won’t have heard of me. But it’s a big deal for me to share this with you.”
He rubs my arms. “I could pretend I’ve heard of you and gasp dramatically.”
I roll my eyes. “Not necessary.” Finally, I open the package, and I’m left holding one of my babies. The one I never received in the mail. This is a big deal to me for that reason alone.
Brody slides his hands up my arms and takes the book from me. He flips it over and reads the back. He strokes the cover reverently as though it’s as important to him as it is to me. “I’m so proud of you, Melody.” He sounds choked up.
I turn in his arms and rearrange myself so I’m straddling him. “Thank you.”
He sets the book on the nightstand and grabs my hips. “Just so you know, I have heard of you.” He smiles.
“You have not.” I roll my eyes.
“I have, because one night about a week ago, Claire, Reagan, and Arianna were talking about you. They were speculating who you might be, and they tossed out several names. I’m certain this was one of them. They’re going to freak out when you tell them.”
I giggle. “Seriously? Are you sure?”
“Positive. They were running through all the authors they knew who had very little social media presence. Those who never make public appearances. Authors who don’t have their picture or any information available to the public. That’s how you got on their suspicious list.”
I’m grinning because that’s kind of cool. “Yeah, they know of my books because Arianna passed out a list of potential choices for us to read in one of our upcoming book club meetings. That book was on the list.”
His eyebrows rise. “No shit?”
I nod. “It was so cute. I had to work hard to pretend I’d never heard of me.”
“Do you want to go tell them now before we go to the town hall?”
“Yeah. We should. After all, they are family. They should know before the rest of Wilde.”
Half an hour later, we’re all gathered in the library. I’m fucking nervous. Not because I think these women will judge me. They won’t. But that doesn’t mean they want their lives flipped upside down. They deserve a say in whether I should be allowed to live in the mansion.
I’m holding my book in a brown paper lunch sack so no one can see it. Everyone is anxiously sitting around the middle of the room, the women grinning, the men mostly smirking indulgently.
Brody is behind me, his hands on my hips. He speaks first. “I have something to say before I let Melody take over.”
I twist around when he releases me, wondering what’s on his mind.
Suddenly, the love of my life drops onto one knee in front of me and holds out a small purple jewelry box.
“Melody Thorne, I’ve loved you from the moment I heard your filthy mouth flapping in the library a few weeks ago.
I’m going to love you for the rest of your life.
I know it’s fast, but I also know it’s right.
You’re the woman I was meant to spend the rest of my days with.
This is the home where we will raise our children. Will you marry me?”
I’m so stunned that I cover my mouth as tears stream down my cheeks. I was not expecting this. He told me he would ask me on Saturday. It’s only Tuesday. But a lot has happened since our first discussion a few days ago.
Everyone is clapping and cheering.
I’m still staring at my future. My mouth won’t form words.
He smiles and leans forward. “This is when you’re supposed to say yes.”
“Yes,” I finally blurt now that I’ve been prompted.
He starts to open the box. “Here’s the thing, I have no idea what you might want in an engagement ring.
This was our grandmother's. We discovered her jewelry when we were going through her belongings. I picked this out from her box earlier today. It reminded me of you. It’s yours now, but we’ll go to the city and get you a real engagement ring in the next few days. This is just a placeholder.”
I’m still crying as I nod.
Brody opens the box, and I gasp. It’s spectacular. A stunning emerald surrounded by several smaller diamonds. “Oh, Brody…”
He takes it out and reaches for me. I’m trembling as he slides it onto my ring finger. It fits perfectly. I hold my hand up to look at it. “I love it so much.”
Everyone jumps up and down, cheering as I fling myself at my man and kiss him.
He stands, lifting me off my feet to swing me around. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” We kiss several more times while the rest of our family whoops and cheers.
Finally, we face everyone. They’re all waiting expectantly. It takes me a moment to remember why. “Oh, fuck. The book!” I bend down to pick up the paper bag where I dropped it on the floor in my surprise.
When I slide the book out and hold it up, the four women in the room scream. They rush at me, nearly knocking me on my ass. I can’t understand what any of them are saying, but it’s obvious they’re pleased and beyond fucking excited.
My heart is full. If no one else in town supports me, at least my new family does.
I’ve never been so nervous as I am standing next to the stage in the high school gymnasium where Brody is tapping the microphone to get everyone’s attention.
The room is jammed full. Apparently, even with only a few hours’ notice, the people of Wilde can and will show up when they’re expecting some good-quality gossip.
I take several deep breaths as he makes a few announcements before turning to me. “Now for the main reason I’ve called you all here tonight. As many of you know, one of our citizens, Melody Thorne, has been the victim of vandalism at her home. She has also been subjected to threats of blackmail.”
A collective gasp fills the room.
“What you also may or may not know is that Melody is very important to me. In fact, just a few hours ago, she agreed to marry me.”
The gasps switch to hooting and whistling, which is a good sign. I feel their waves of love.
Brody holds up a hand. “Thank you for congratulating us. I’m certain there’s no one in our town who doesn’t know that Melody is an author.
She has spent years protecting her privacy, preferring to stay out of the limelight.
But one of our citizens has decided that Melody is not a suitable member of society. ”
The townsfolk gasp yet again and look at each other.
He leans in closer to the mic and smirks. “Apparently, someone prefers to read her romance novels in the closet.”
The audience laughs.
“The thing is I love this woman with my whole heart, and it hurts me when she’s hurting.
Someone among us believes she is the gold moral standard we should all live by and that she has the right to steal Melody’s mail and blackmail her.
Given few options, Melody has decided to out herself to the community.
” He sets his hand over his heart as if this physically causes him pain, and I have no doubt it does.
It’s written all over his face. He’s still trying to come up with a way to keep this from happening.
It’s like toothpaste, though. There’s no way to put it back in the tube. This is happening. Now. I’m ready. No matter what happens, I know who I am and what my values are. I’m not going to let one crazy bitch ruin my life.
“It weighs heavily on my heart that my fiancée has been pushed into a corner, but here we are. She will not be chased out of town by anyone, especially not the self-appointed chief of the morality police. Even though I came to Wilde intending to stay only a few months to help with the renovation efforts, I’ve had a change of heart.
The love of my life is happy here. You are her people.
She does not want to leave Wilde. So, we are staying.
We will join the rest of our family to make Wilde a better place and once again put it on the map. ”
The townsfolk jump to their feet, clapping and cheering. It’s overwhelming. Their support means the world to me, and I haven’t revealed my name yet.
Once they calm down, someone in the audience yells, “Keep your pen name to yourself, Melody. We don’t need to know who you are.”
“Yes, Melody. She’s right. You should not feel forced to share something so private,” someone else shouts.
“That’s the truth,” cries out yet another citizen. “We love you. Whoever is blackmailing you should be ashamed of themselves.”
Another woman jumps to her feet. Her face is bright red as she screams, “What is wrong with you people?” She points a shaky finger at me.
She’s wearing a green hoodie, but it’s slipping off, and I’m pretty sure she’s my blackmailer.
“That woman is an abomination. She writes nothing but filth. Foul language on every page of her books. Sex outside of wedlock. Filthy descriptions. Homosexual abominations. She has no moral compass, and the devil will meet her at the gates of hell with his burning pitchfork.”
Because the blackmailer is sitting in the middle of a long row, it takes the sheriff and his deputies a while to get to her.
Stunned citizens try to get out of the way, allowing room for law enforcement to arrest her. She’s still shouting vile nonsense as she is cuffed and read her rights. Still kicking and screaming, she’s led from the room.
There’s a collective hush in the room for several seconds before I find my legs and join Brody on the stage.
He wraps an arm around me and pulls me into his side.
Everyone slowly returns to their seats, but they’re grumbling.
An older woman I’ve only seen in passing stands in the middle of the crowd and looks at me.
“Melody, you dear child. You don’t deserve what has happened.
I don’t think you should feel obligated to reveal yourself to us.
It’s possible that bitch might out you anyway, but I think any judge will slap a gag order on her mouth by tomorrow morning.
If your name gets out someday, we all have your back, but until then, sleep easy knowing that you’re a valued member of the community.
” She sits down all prim and proper. Several people are chuckling, probably because she used the word bitch so casually as she delivered her speech so eloquently.
The entire town applauds. I can’t see a single dissenter in the group. In fact, they begin to file out of the gymnasium as if the meeting is over. And I guess it is. They’ve made their decision.
I’m so exhausted that I slouch against my man. He’s got me. He will always hold me up. I’m the luckiest woman alive.