Chapter TWENTY-FOUR
The next morning, she and Ross ordered room service. While they waited for their food, they lay in bed and discussed the sports center in Lilac Lake. The more they talked about it, the more certain Melissa became that she didn’t want to have any part of a food operation there. The sports center was Ross’s creative enterprise. She needed one of her own.
“Are you sure you don’t want to set up a restaurant, snack bar, or something there?”
Ross asked.
“I need to do something different. I’m still trying to come up with a couple of ideas that will satisfy me.”
Ross gave her a steady look. “I understand how you must feel. After suddenly having baseball taken away from me, it took me a long time to discover what I wanted to do with my life. Having the opportunity to help kids with the sports center is important to me. I want you to feel the same about whatever you choose.”
His statement touched her heart and soul. Melissa threw her arms around him. “Ross, I love … the way you …”
She stopped. Ross hadn’t told her he loved her. She shouldn’t be the first to say it, should she?
He hugged her close, and just before his lips met hers, a knock on the door was followed by a voice saying, “Room Service.”
Melissa rose from the bed, slipped on the terry robe the hotel had provided, and walked to the door while Ross went into the bathroom to dress.
The staff member gave Melissa a cheery smile as he wheeled the service cart inside the room. “It looks like it’s going to be another beautiful day.”
Melissa glanced at the drapes still drawn over the sliding glass door to the balcony and felt her cheeks grow hot at the knowing look he gave her. But he was right. She and Ross had been too busy making love to bother with the drapes.
“I’ve got everything you’ve ordered for breakfast here. Is there anything else you need?”
the man asked.
“I think this will be fine. Thank you.”
She signed the check and waited until he was gone before calling Ross.
She walked over to the sliding door, drew the drapes, and said, “Let’s eat outside. It’s so beautiful.”
They took their meals out to the balcony. The warm air caressed Melissa’s skin as they ate, and the smell of the salt air increased her appetite. That, and last night’s exercise with Ross. She thought of a future life with him, living part-time in New Hampshire and Florida. Could they make that work?
Ross’s cell phone rang. He set down his fork and picked it up. “Hello? Hi, Jack. What’s going on?”
Ross listened and said, “Okay, right after I meet with Mike and Bob, we’ll head north. Are you sure I don’t need to fly there right away?”
Melissa watched sorrow mask Ross’s face, and her heart went out to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder as he talked with his brother.
After he clicked off the call, Ross turned to her. “Jack said we need to head north right after my meeting this morning. He promised me we have time before the end, but he knew I’d want to see Dad before things got worse.”
He held her hand. “I’m sorry. I know this trip hasn’t been at all what we’d hoped.”
“No apologies are necessary,”
said Melissa. “I know how hard this is for you.”
Ross leaned over and kissed her. “I’m glad you’re here.”
###
Melissa walked around the baseball camp while Ross met with Mike and Bob. Seeing children of all ages working at different skill levels, she couldn’t help wondering about children of her own. She wanted them but knew she wasn’t ready to start a family. Sometimes, she felt like she was two different people—a woman who wanted to be a mother and a wife and a career person who wanted to focus on her job.
Ross approached her as she stood by a fence watching a few boys go after balls batted at their feet.
“Pretty interesting, huh?” he said.
“This camp is a clever way to teach kids skills and give them the opportunity to improve.”
She smiled. “Practice makes perfect.”
He beamed at her. “I think we’ve come up with some great plans for Lilac Lake, which will affect the entire Northeast.”
Mike came over to them. “Have a safe trip north. I’ll take care of what we discussed, Ross. Good luck with your father.”
The men exchanged bro hugs.
“Thanks for being such a big help to Ross,”
said Mike, giving her a grateful smile.
“My pleasure,”
said Melissa.
She got into the car and waited for Ross to ease behind the wheel. It would be a long drive ahead, but it would be worth it. She knew how worried he was about getting home to see his father.
###
They made it as far as Philadelphia before stopping for a few hours of sleep and then went to Ross’s father’s house. They wanted to be somewhat rested before facing the hard days ahead.
Inside their room, Ross was asleep the minute his head touched the pillow. Melissa lay awake beside him, trying to erase the images of scenery flashing by that filled her mind. Finally, she closed her eyes.
What seemed moments later, she was awakened by Ross moving around the room.
“Time to get up?”
she asked.
“Yes. Hurry. Jack has texted me to say things are going downhill. I want to be on our way as soon as possible.”
Relieved she’d taken a shower the night before, Melissa quickly dressed. “We can eat on the road.”
Downstairs, they grabbed cups of coffee and a sweet roll to take with them and left the hotel.
As they approached the car, Melissa said, “Do you want me to drive?”
“No, thanks. I need something to keep me busy, and it won’t take us long,”
Ross said. “We’ve all dreaded this time for months, and now that’s it here ...”
he stopped speaking.
“I understand,”
said Melissa, touching his arm. She and Ross had started as neighbors and friends. Their relationship was now so much more.
###
Melissa could sense his escalating tension as they got closer to Ross’s boyhood home.
When they pulled in front of the house, the driveway was full of cars.
“All my brothers are here,”
said Ross quietly. “C’mon. Let’s go inside.”
Outside the car, Melissa took hold of Ross’s cold fingers, and they went to the front door together.
A pretty woman with short, curly dark hair and bright blue eyes greeted them. “Go right to your father’s room,”
she told Ross before turning to Melissa. “Hi, I’m Addie, Dewey’s wife. You’ve met him.”
“Yes,”
Melissa said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, though I wish it were under different circumstances.”
“Me, too. My father-in-law is a prince of a man—gentle, sweet, and encouraging. He’s been more a father to me than my own.”
Addie pulled a tissue from her pants pocket and dabbed at her eyes.
Melissa hugged her.
When Addie pulled back, she smiled. “His father has spoken about you too. As Dewey said, Ross hit a home run with you.”
Addie’s easy acceptance of her brought tears to Melissa’s eyes as she followed her inside.
Two other women sat in the living room, talking quietly.
They looked up and smiled when Melissa entered the room.
Addie introduced her to Jack’s wife, Jenn, and Dennis’s wife, Lisa.
The difference between the two women was striking.
Jenn looked like the wife of a very successful lawyer, with her striking features, expensive clothes, and blond hair pulled back into a classic bun.
Lisa, married to a farmer, wore jeans and a knit top and had let her brown hair flow down to her shoulders.
Though pretty, she made little effort with makeup. But all three women seemed friendly and supportive of one another as they faced their family’s sadness.
“I understand you and Ross have driven here from Florida. Jack told me that Ross met you in New Hampshire, where he’s built a new house,”
said Jenn.
“We’re next-door neighbors. But living in our small town means everyone knows everyone else, so we were bound to meet anyway.”
“What’s this I hear about you being a chef?”
asked Addie. “I bet you have some recipes to share.”
Melissa smiled. “Mine are a little complicated. But I do have a way of streamlining them for home cooking.”
“I heard there was a fire at your family’s restaurant,”
said Jenn.
“Yes, it was destroyed. My family isn’t going to reopen it, so I’m at loose ends trying to figure out what I want to do next,”
said Melissa.
“Well, you won’t have to worry about that if you marry Ross,”
said Lisa. “The Roberts men like large families. I’m still working on baby number four.”
The women all chuckled. Melissa joined in. But secretly, she was uneasy. She and Ross had talked about many things, but not marriage per se and not about children. She couldn’t imagine handling four children.
Mrs. Barnard stepped out of the bedroom. “I’m sorry to say that John is gone. If you’d like to see him privately, you can take turns. The boys are saying goodbye now.”
Jenn, the wife of the oldest, stood. “I’ll be first if you don’t mind.”
As she left, Ross and his brothers walked into the living room. Observing Ross’s face, Melissa stood and went to him.
“I’m so sorry,”
she said as they embraced. “He was such a sweet man.”
“The best,”
said Ross, holding her tightly. He lifted her face and smiled even as tears filled his eyes. “He told everyone I hit a home run with you.”
Melissa’s vision blurred.
“Come sit with me out back,”
Ross said. “I need to get some fresh air.”
She followed him to a ground-level deck and sat in one of the chairs next to his. “I know your father’s death was expected, but that doesn’t make it any easier. What can I do?
“Just be here for me. I always feel better when you’re around.”
He smiled at her. “You’re such a good friend … no, much more than that. Ah, I don’t know what I’m saying.”
Melissa squeezed his hand. “Look at the sky. It’s filled with white, puffy clouds forming different shapes. I think it’s an interesting way to remember things about your father. You were lucky, Ross, to grow up in a family like yours.”
“Both of my parents were incredible people. I hope to be that for any children of mine.”
Melissa froze, wondering what might be coming next, but Lisa walked out on the deck, followed by a man who looked a lot like Ross. “Melissa, you haven’t met my husband, Dennis.”
Melissa stood and shook hands with him. “I understand you have a farm.”
He grinned. “It’s what I’ve always wanted. As a kid, Ross played baseball, and I grew vegetables. It’s all worked out well.”
“Yes, and now I get to help other kids learn to play ball,”
said Ross.
“I remember how it was, all the practices and games,”
said Dennis. “It sure made you a star player. My two boys might be taking after you.”
“Our daughter is athletic, too,”
said Lisa. “It runs in the family.”
“Did you know Dad was a fantastic player back in the day?”
Ross said. “That’s why he gave me so much time. He wanted me to do what he hadn’t been able to do for himself. I always felt like I owed him for any success I had.”
“It was his joy to do that,”
said Dennis, clapping a hand on Ross’s shoulder. “We’re all going to miss him.”
When Ross glanced at Melissa, she saw a sheen of tears in his blue eyes.
She smiled at him, and he returned a shaky one.
A few minutes later, the rest of the family joined them on the deck.
“I’m taking care of the legal end of things,”
Jack announced. “Jenn and Addie are taking care of the details of a memorial service for Dad, and Dennis and Lisa will do the flowers for the service. That leaves you, Ross, to speak at the service. Will you do it?”
“When is it?”
Ross asked.
Jenn spoke up. “Addie and I thought we’d have the service a week from today to give us time to take care of any unexpected issues.”
“Okay,”
said Ross. He glanced at Melissa. “That gives me time to get home and get ready.”
“I hope you’ll both return,”
said Jenn, giving Melissa a sweet smile.
Ross glanced at Melissa, and she nodded.
“We’ll fly next time,”
said Ross.
“I can pick you up at the airport,”
said Dennis.
“Or I can arrange a limo and make it easy on everyone,”
said Ross.
Melissa listened to them with fascination. There didn’t seem to be any arguments about anything. She guessed the family had been trained to talk as a group from a young age.
“The reading of the will can take place anytime,”
said Jack. “We know what to expect. If any of you women want something from the house before it’s sold, you can speak up. As we’d all agreed earlier, the house will be put on the market as soon as it’s cleared out. The family cottage will remain as it is, with the four of us owning it equally.”
Melissa tuned out the conversation and thought of her own circumstances. What had once seemed a complication with the destroyed restaurant was now much simpler. Melissa knew her parents intended to use the insurance money from the fire and the land sale for their retirement. They’d talked of keeping their house in Lilac Lake and going to Florida or Arizona for at least part of the year. She dreaded the time when they grew older, and she’d have to face an issue like this.
Movement around her brought Melissa’s attention back to the present.
“You two are welcome to stay at our house tonight,”
said Jenn. “I understand you want to leave first thing in the morning.”
Melissa turned to Ross.
“That would be great, Jenn,”
said Ross. “Is that okay with you, Melissa?”
“Yes,”
she answered, suddenly anxious to be back in her own space. The last several days had been intense, and she needed to unwind and think.
While Ross talked with his siblings, Melissa excused herself to take a walk. That, she hoped, would help alleviate some of her stress.
As Melissa left the house, Lanie Southerland walked out of the house next door and waved. Melissa had no choice but to wait as Lanie approached.
“Has it happened?”
Lanie asked her.
Melissa nodded, and Lanie’s eyes teared up. “John Roberts was such a special person. Everyone loved him.”
She turned to go. “I have to go to Ross. I know how heartbroken he must be.”
Melissa waited until Lanie left, then went to the sidewalk for a walk through the neighborhood. As she observed the houses on the street, she saw that it was a neighborhood of older residents and young families. It was like Lilac Lake with people of all ages and backgrounds.
People were friendly, waving as she walked by.
After circling several blocks, Melissa returned to the Roberts’ house, feeling more settled.
When she walked inside, Ross excused himself from talking with Lanie and walked over to greet her. “Have a nice walk?”
“Yes, thank you. It felt good. I’m not used to doing so much sitting.”
Lanie joined them. “Ross has invited me to his house. I hope to see you later this summer.”
Melissa glanced at Ross.
“Lanie is thinking of making a change and wants to look at Lilac Lake to see if that’s someplace she’d like to live,”
said Ross. “I told her it’s a town where it’s easy to meet other people.”
“But with you there, why would I want to do that?”
Lanie said, beaming at him as she leaned against his body.
Ross’s cheeks flushed, and he eased away from her. “There are several unattached men in town for you to meet. I’m dating Melissa.”
“Oh,”
said Lanie, glancing from him to Melissa. “I thought Melissa was another of your women.”
Ross looked embarrassed.
Melissa’s mind spun. She hadn’t known Ross for long. Had she misread their relationship?