Chapter Twenty-Three
Linc
I grab my wallet and keys and head out the door. Jax and Audrey invited us all over for dinner. They just got back from their honeymoon, and it’s been a little over a month since they got married, so they figured a dinner party was in order.
I’ve only seen Melonie once since the wedding. We hung out with Gigi and Marcus to watch the season-opener for the Red Sox. It wasn’t awkward. I felt like after having some distance, I could be around her and not act like a child. And honestly, I’d settle for being friends with her than nothing at all. I think I would actually miss just being around her.
So, once again, we leave a night together in the past.
I step out of the elevator, ringing the doorbell. Jax opens the door and I give him a hug. I continue inside and find Audrey in the kitchen.
“Hey, Audrey.” I hug her.
“Hi, Linc. How was your Friday?”
“Busy. Playoffs are always insanity. I brought beer.”
“Oh, good. You can put it in the fridge. Feel free to help yourself to anything in there.”
I take a bottle out of the six-pack before I put it in the fridge.
“Anything I can help with?”
She taps my cheek. “You’re cute, thinking I would be doing anything in a kitchen that required help. No, I’m good. Just taking foil off the containers from the Italian place we like.”
“Italian sounds awesome. I didn’t have time to finish lunch today.”
“Good thing I ordered half the menu, then.” She laughs. “You know, there is something you can do for me, though, now that I think about it.”
“Shoot.”
She starts to whisper. “Can you keep an eye on Melonie? She says she’s fine, but I don’t think she feels good.”
“I can do that.”
“Thanks. Can you go let everyone know the food is ready, please?”
“Sure thing.”
I walk into the living room, and Marcus gives me a “hey” from the couch where he’s sitting next to Gigi. Jax is flipping through channels, looking for a game. Then I see Melonie in the recliner off to the side. She’s curled up, but she doesn’t really look sick. I mean, her hair and makeup are done. Her eyes look tired, but other than that, she looks put together. I walk over and sit next to her on the arm of the recliner, and address the group.
“Audrey said food is ready.”
“Finally! I’m starving!” Gigi jumps from the couch. Marcus and Jax follow her, leaving Mel and me.
I take a drink of my beer and look down at her. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just really tired. This week was brutal at work.”
“I hear you on that. Do you want me to bring you some food in here?”
“No, I’ll go eat with everyone.”
“Alright. Well, let me know if you need anything, okay?”
“Okay.”
She gets up and we head to the dining table. I pull out her chair, and she lets me. Usually, she rolls her eyes or scolds me if I try to do it, but today, she just flops down. Audrey gives me a “told ya so” sort of look.
We start passing around the food. I try to hand Mel the carbonara.
“Um, no, thanks. Can you just grab me a couple rolls?”
“You just want bread?”
“Yeah, if that’s okay with you,” she snaps at me.
I raise my hands in surrender. “Rolls it is.” I hand her the plate.
Jax passes me the shrimp, and I drop a few on my plate. I notice Mel staring at me.
“What?”
“I’ll be back.”
She gets up from the table, and I start eating.
“Where’d she go?” Audrey glances over her shoulder.
“She just said she’d be back.”
“Can you go check on her, please?” Everyone at the table is looking at me.
“She probably just went to the bathroom.”
“Why are you freaking out, Aud?” Jax pours her a glass of wine.
“I’m concerned she’s sick.”
“She said she’s tired before we came to the table,” I try to reassure Audrey so we can move on. Everyone has an off day once in a while.
Gigi finally changes the subject, asking about Jax and Audrey’s honeymoon. A few minutes pass, and Mel still isn’t back. I stand up from the table to check on her. Just to be sure.
Audrey sees me stand up and mouths “thank you” to me. I nod and start down the hall. I notice the light is on under the door to the guest bath, so I knock on the door.
“Mel, you alright?”
It takes a few seconds for her to respond.
“All good.” Her voice sounds strained.
“Are you sure? I can take you home if you want.”
I hear water run, and after a minute, the door unlocks and it opens with Mel standing there, eyes red, skin pale.
I reach out and tuck her hair behind her ear. “Melonie, you’re not okay. Let me take you home.”
A tear falls from her eye, and she wipes it away. “Can you just stay here with me for a minute until I calm down? I don’t want a bunch of questions from the gallery out there.”
“Yeah, sure.” I enter the bathroom and close the door. “Are you sick?”
“I guess so.”
I place my hand on her forehead. “You don’t feel like you have a fever.”
She sits on the floor, her back against the wall. I hand her a tissue and kneel down to sit beside her.
“Sorry that you have to babysit me.”
I pat her bent knee. “This is what friends do, Mel. Making sure you’re okay isn’t babysitting.”
She blows her nose, and we just sit in silence for a couple minutes.
“Are my eyes still red?”
I look in her eyes, and she looks like she’s hanging on by a thread. “Not as bad as they were.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with taking me home? I want to lie down.”
“Of course. Are you ready now?”
“Yeah.”
I stand and hold out my hand to help her up. We walk out of the bathroom and down the hall.
“If you want, grab your stuff and meet me at the door. I’ll just let everyone know you don’t feel well, and I’m taking you home.”
“Okay.” She grabs her purse from the living room, and I stop in the dining area. Audrey said she knew it and gets up to meet Mel at the door.
“I’m sorry you don’t feel good, babes.”
“I think I just need some rest. Sorry I’m missing dinner.”
“Text me in the morning and let me know how you’re doing.”
“I will.”
Audrey turns to me. “Thanks for taking her home, Linc.”
“No worries. I’ll get her settled and come back. Save my food for me?”
“On it.”
Mel stays quiet on the ride to her place. We get inside her apartment, and it feels like déjà vu. I haven’t been inside her space since the night I met her.
“Couch or bed?”
“Couch. I think I want the TV on.”
“Alright. Start finding something to watch, and I can get stuff so you’re comfortable. Is it okay if I go in your room?”
“Yeah.”
Walking into her bedroom, I see her bed and the chair I sat in that night. I fight the memories surfacing in my mind. I’m here to take care of her, not think about sex.
I gather her duvet and a couple of pillows and walk back out to the living room. She’s sitting on the couch, about to press play on a movie.
“Which end would you like the pillows?”
“Oh, um, that side’s fine.”
I arrange the pillows where she pointed and drape her duvet behind her. I kneel in front of her, and she freezes. “I’m going to take your shoes off. Do you want PJs?”
“Linc, you don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
“Linc, you can go back to Audrey’s. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m going to make sure you’re okay first.”
“I’m fine, I just—”
“Let me take care of you, Mel.” I bark out the words. I’m aggravated and hungry. “Please. Just let me take care of you.”
She’s staring down at me like she’s looking straight through me.
“I’m sorry. I’m hungry and— ”
“I’m pregnant.”