CHAPTER FIVE
After dropping off an excited Addy—minus the blue eye shadow—with Paul and Donna at their comfortable ranch-style home, Melanie parked on Main Street and walked through the front doors of Easy Money.
She hung her coat on a row of hooks by the door and turned to take in the comfortable and inviting space with its open beams, warm colors, and twinkling lights.
Upholstered barstools stood in front of a long bar made of reddish-brown wood that gleamed under the low lights.
Booths lined the walls with tables in between and a three-quarter wall separated the bar from a small area for restaurant dining.
The welcoming tone complemented the glowing recommendation Paul and Donna had given the place.
Not seeing Chase, she took a stool at the bar.
Besides actually using makeup, she’d made her bangs a little spikey and for her outfit had decided on a V-necked sweater in deep burgundy with slim-fitting black pants and dangly earrings.
With some people in jeans and hoodies and others in suits, she figured her outfit hit the sweet spot—dressy, but not too much.
Donna had passed on the news that Keeley Montaigne, a friend from high school and Delaney’s bff, had married Easy Money’s owner.
Melanie spotted Keeley behind the bar squaring off with a hunky guy who stood with his hands on his hips.
They were glaring at each other. That might’ve been concerning except for the sizzling vibes and the possessive expression on the man’s face suggesting what he’d really like to do was haul Keeley somewhere private to get his hands on her.
Keeley’s tone was crisp. “You said you’d teach me, Owen. So teach me.”
“I said I’d teach you, but not when you’re four months pregnant.” Mel shifted to peek over the bar and sure enough, baby bump. The guy—Owen—rumbled, “I want you sitting, princess, not standing all night behind a bar. Take a booth and work on the lesson plans you said you have to do this weekend.”
She took a fistful of his shirt and pulled him down until they were nose to nose.
“You can ask but not order, and I don’t want to do school stuff right now.
I’m four months pregnant not nine. I feel fine.
And I want to learn bartending.” She gave him a peck on the lips and when she would have stepped back, Owen reeled her back for a kiss that was a hundred degrees hotter.
Yay, Keeley. She’d gotten herself a sexy one.
A man in a Sisters FD sweatshirt came in from the back door holding hands with a curly-haired redhead. “You two get a room.”
Melanie’s couldn’t stop the smile. “Mateo?”
Another pal from high school. Nothing like ripping off the Band-Aid on all the worry she had about meeting up with the old group. In addition to being a friend, Mateo was another person to talk with about the night of the assault.
But for the moment, she wanted to enjoy seeing him after so many years. Mateo Reynoso had been hands down one of the nicest boys at Sierra High. And the cutest.
The wide grin that flashed across his face made the nerves jumping under her skin settle, and when he gave her a warm, one-armed hug, they disappeared completely. “Hey, Mel. Welcome home.”
“Thanks, Matty.”
He tugged the redhead closer. “This is my fiancée, Juliette.”
“Oh, you’re getting married. That’s wonderful. You’ve got a good guy, Juliette.”
Juliette smiled. “Thank you. I think so too.”
The couple took seats at the bar.
“Melanie, you’re really here.” Keeley skirted around the bar to give Melanie a hug. Owen dipped his head when Keeley introduced them.
“Congratulations to you both on the baby.”
“We’re excited. I heard you made the move back to Sisters with your little girl,” Keeley said. “This is your home, and I’m glad you’ve brought your daughter here.”
Melanie hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear that. Her school friends could have blamed her for Walker being sent to prison. That they didn’t appear to helped ease her anxiety about returning to Sisters.
Keeley moved back around the bar, and, with a haughty look at Owen, turned to those seated on barstools. “I’ll be your bartender this evening even if my overprotective husband thinks he’s the boss of me. What can I get for you all?”
Melanie had fun watching the couple who clearly enjoyed simply being near each other. “I’m waiting for someone.”
Mateo ordered a Coke and Juliette a glass of wine. While Keeley was getting their order, Owen dropped ice in a glass and filled it with water, adding a twist of lemon before setting it on a coaster in front of Melanie.
He braced his arms on the bar, gaze direct. Mel figured that intense look had sucked Keeley right in. “Welcome home. My wife shared what happened with you. Anyone bothers you or makes you uncomfortable, let me know.”
A lump rose in her throat. “Oh, thanks. I can take care of myself.”
Owen shook his head and grabbed a pen from behind the counter. He used it to scrawl across a paper napkin that he slid in front of her. “That’s my number. Put it in your phone. We look out for each other around here.” Which was much the same as what Gage had said.
She swallowed down the stupid lump, and not trusting her voice, nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Her neighborhood in Stockton had been fine, but there hadn’t been the sense of community she was finding in Sisters. She’d had that as a teenager until all sense of safety had been shattered. Maybe she could find it again.
Owen moved down the bar and Melanie checked her phone. Chase was ten minutes late. She entered Owen’s number. She wouldn’t call him, but it wouldn’t hurt to have the number just in case.
Someone slid onto the stool on her other side and she turned, expecting Chase, and instead her heart gave a kick when she recognized her neighbor.
“Mateo, Juliette.” Gage gave the couple on her other side a nod, then shifted his attention to her. “Melanie.”
Okay, it was totally unfair for a man to look that good.
The black sweater Gage wore with jeans encased broad shoulders and gave a hint of the lean muscle underneath.
Then there was all that dark hair swept back from a high forehead and the slash of dark brows that gave him a barely tamed look.
Add the way he said her name with his growly voice and she was getting decidedly hot and bothered.
“Gage.” She hoped he couldn’t see the warmth creeping up her neck.
Keeley wagged a finger between them, eyes gleaming. “Gage is your date, Mel? Nice.”
Gage gave her a considering look while Melanie tried to mentally force the flush from her cheeks. “No, he’s not my date. We’re neighbors.”
“Oops, sorry. Bartenders should be more careful about that kind of thing. Though, if you ask me, you two look good together.”
“Jesus, Keeley,” Gage muttered.
Owen tugged on Keeley’s ponytail and said to Gage, “Sorry, pal. She has no filter.”
“That’s not true. I simply like the idea of Melanie and Gage. They’re both good people.” Her smile brightened. “What can I get you, Gage?”
“How about a draft beer and mind your own business?”
She grinned. “Fair enough.”
Keeley tilted a glass under the tap to fill it with dark amber liquid then set it with a head of foam in front of Gage.
“Thanks.” He turned to Melanie, sharp green eyes glinting under the bar lights. “You’re here for a date?”
“No, not a date. I’m meeting someone.”
“A male someone?”
“You and Addy should team up for your inquisition. She asked me the same question. And yes, a male someone.”
“She has good instincts. Where is he?” Gage sipped his beer.
“Not here.” She shrugged. “He’s late.”
“He didn’t pick you up and then he’s late? Not cool.”
What had happened to taciturn Gage who spoke in one- or two-word sentences? He was suddenly all up in her business.
“Maybe if it was a date it wouldn’t be cool, but since it’s not, it’s not a big deal. It was more practical for me to drive myself.”
“He text you?”
She didn’t allow herself to roll her eyes at his persistence. But she wanted to. She pulled up her phone to confirm. “No, and I’ll agree that part’s not cool.”
Keeley began assembling an order for cocktails under Owen’s watchful eye. A group of people came through the door to the back and the noise level in the bar rose. Gage drummed his fingers on the bar, then leaned closer to be heard. “Addy with your folks?”
Melanie nodded. “She gets to do soapmaking with Mom, and Paul’s got a movie picked out that’s from the nineties. Addy made it sound like ancient history.”
“Ouch.”
“Right? And to prove she’s the princess and her grandparents are merely subjects to do her bidding, her grandad is making chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. Life is good for Adelyn Brennan.”
“Life should be good for a six-year-old. She have a better day at school?”
Points for Gage asking about her girl. “She did. She said the kid Liam made a dumb face, but she ignored him and had a good day otherwise. She was excited because today she got to pick out a book at the book fair. She loves books and is reading well above grade level.”
“She’s a smart kid. Pancake would slay dragons for her.”
She liked the imagery. Before she could respond, a hand gripped her shoulder. “Melanie. I don’t like to keep my date waiting, but something came up I had to deal with.”
She turned in her seat, shifting uncomfortably under his hold.
Chase looked worn-down, the charming demeanor from the bank absent. He wore a sport coat over a button-down shirt open at the collar, his hair slightly mussed.
She gave him a quizzical look. That hadn’t been an apology.
It occurred to her that neither Mateo nor Keeley had greeted Chase even though they’d all been at Sierra High at the same time.
Chase wasn’t looking at Melanie, his flat stare instead focused on Gage. Gage tracked Chase’s grip on her shoulder. He rose to his feet, forcing the other man to step back and release her.