Chapter 19
TYLER
Why did I say moving to South Carolina would be a good idea?
I don’t want Melissa living across the country. I want her here.
Before all the shit happened last week, I was on the verge of asking her to stay.
I’d been thinking about all the ways we could make the cabin even better for Mel and Oscar, like turning the guest room into a home office for Mel and installing a fence in the backyard so Oscar has an open space to play.
On the heels of that, I realized if I got rid of the guest room, there wouldn’t be a place for my parents or Melissa’s to stay when they visit.
So I started looking into the possibility of building an addition to the cabin—a nice suite with an updated bathroom and plenty of windows to enjoy the view.
Shit, I even talked to the team about it. Not that I thought they’d mind if Mel moved here permanently, but still. I wanted to give them the heads-up that I was considering asking.
I even had an idea of how I wanted to do it.
I’d recruit one of the other women to take Mel shopping for a few hours, giving me enough time to get my cabin all set up for a romantic evening.
I’d stage the living room with hundreds of flowers and candles and have a nice dinner waiting for when she got home.
Then I’d have a special scavenger hunt set up, with little gifts hidden all through the house.
The last would be the key to the cabin, and I’d ask Mel if she wanted to move in with me.
Then those two assholes ambushed us on the road, and nothing’s been the same since.
Sighing heavily, I try to turn my focus to the task at hand—mainly, checking the settings for our security system to make sure everything’s working as it should.
I used to run a complete bi-monthly diagnostic, but in the aftermath of the attack out by Lost Lake, I’m changing it to once a week instead.
You could tell Melissa that, the hopeful voice in my head suggests.
It’s been mostly quiet the last few days, likely silenced by the judging one that keeps reminding me of how badly I failed.
Explain how safe she’ll be, the hopeful voice continues.
Tell her about the special car you’ve already looked into for her.
About the remote jobs you could find her, so she can work right from here.
I could.
I could go back to the cabin and tell Melissa that I was wrong about South Carolina and New York. I could still ask her to move in with me.
But what if she agrees, and then she ends up hurt again?
Because I know damn well that no matter how many precautions we take, there’s always a chance of things going sideways.
Shit, we thought we had everything under control during the op when I lost my leg.
And I’m sure Vince thought he’d make it back home before his helo crashed.
Life can turn on a dime. Sometimes in the best ways, like meeting Melissa on that rainy day up in the Adirondacks. And sometimes it spells disaster, like it did last week.
As I click over to the cameras on the exterior of the house, I shake my head at the irony of it. Our relationship started on the road just outside Long Lake, and the events on the road leaving Lost Lake could be the catalyst for our relationship ending.
“Shit.” I thunk my fist on the desk. I’m not sure why I thought I could get any work done today, feeling as conflicted and twisted up as I am right now.
With another heavy sigh, I turn my chair so I can look out the window. From the main building, where my official office is, I have a view of the backyard, with my cabin, Rafe and Eden’s house, and Bea and Indy’s small shapes at the edge of it.
I tilt my head so I can look at my cabin, wondering what Mel’s doing inside.
She must be back from her walk with Oscar by now, given that it’s been nearly 2 hours since she left.
She knows I’m here—I left a note on the kitchen counter letting her know I was coming over here to do some work—but I haven’t heard anything from her.
Maybe she’s looking for a job, I consider. Or searching for apartments in South Carolina.
As I’m staring out the window, Indy comes into view on the riding mower. When he reaches the front of his cabin, he begins to drive erratically, making me wonder if he’s being chased by a bee or having some sort of episode.
Almost glad for the distraction, I turn back to my computer and pull up one of the cameras with a view of the backyard. From this angle, I realize Indy isn’t making a nonsensical pattern in the grass. He’s mowing the words I love you, Bea, into it.
Despite my shitty mood, I can’t help smiling. Indy deserves all the happiness he’s found with Bea. And just because I might not find the same thing with Mel, I can’t begrudge Indy or the rest of my friends for it.
But that doesn’t make the ache in my chest go away.
It doesn’t make me feel any less jealous.
Go to her, the hopeful voice pleads. Ask her to stay. Who cares if it’s selfish? Just do it.
Shit, I want to.
Maybe I should talk to Erik. My old GB teammate ended up as a target due to his association with Blade and Arrow, and his now-wife, Tatum, got dragged into it because of him.
I know he felt really guilty, but somehow they worked it out.
Now they’re both incredibly happy, and last time I heard, they’re even trying for a baby.
Yes, I decide. I’ll call Erik. Today. See if he has any advice.
Some of the weight bearing down on my chest lifts. Maybe there is a solution for this. Maybe I can figure out a way to keep Mel in my life.
I’m just reaching for my phone to call Erik when a series of quick knocks sound at my office door. Turning towards it, I find Rafe standing in the doorway, an inscrutable expression on his face.
“Hey,” I say. “What’s going on? Need something? Or just procrastinating?”
After a brief hesitation, Rafe replies, “Not procrastinating. And I don’t need anything.”
I frown in confusion. “Okay?”
He walks through the doorway and casts a sweeping gaze around the room, taking in the wall of monitors, the rows of servers, and my massive desk with four computers. Then he looks at me. “I don’t like to get involved in other people’s relationships,” he says. “I figure it’s not my place.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “But you’re here. Bringing up relationships.”
Rafe sighs. “I am.” He crosses the room to lean against the end of my L-shaped desk. “You’re not just a teammate, Ty. Or a friend. You’re family. And sometimes—” He frowns. “Sometimes, when family is fucking up, you have to call them on it.”
My hackles go up. “What do you mean, fucking up?”
But I know what he’s talking about. Putting Mel in danger. Keeping her here when she should—
“Melissa stopped by our house earlier,” he replies. “While she was out walking Oscar. Eden was on the porch and saw her. So she invited her in.”
It’s so far from what I expected to hear, it takes me a second to gather my thoughts. “So Mel came over to visit with Eden? I’m not sure I understand where you’re going with this.”
Rafe’s lips thin. His brow furrows.
His grim expression makes my stomach sink. “What?” I press. “Is something wrong with Mel?”
“Not wrong, exactly. But… Eden called once Melissa left. She was worried.”
“Worried about what?” My voice has an edge to it. “Why was she worried?”
It looks like Rafe is carefully choosing his words. “Melissa wasn’t feeling well. And she was upset. Crying.”
I stand so quickly, my chair shoots across the floor. “Crying?”
“Eden wanted her to call you,” Rafe explains. “Or barring that, stay at our place for a while. But Melissa was insistent that she wanted to leave.”
Pain slices into me.
Mel was upset. Crying. And she didn’t want to call me.
A beat later, the other thing Rafe said hits me. “She wasn’t feeling well? Why did Eden let her leave, then?”
Rafe gives me a warning look. “Eden didn’t do anything wrong. She asked Melissa to stay, but she couldn’t force her to.”
With an apologetic grimace, I quickly reply, “Sorry. I know she didn’t. But shit, Mel’s not feeling well, she’s upset…” Grabbing my phone, I pull up Mel’s number.
“Wait.” Rafe lifts his hand in a stop gesture. “Before you call her, let me just say something.”
“What?”
“I don’t know what’s going on between you two.
But.” His expression turns earnest. “Ever since you met Melissa, you’ve been…
different. Happier. And I want that for you.
” Closing the distance between us, Rafe claps his hand on my shoulder.
“If you care about her, figure out whatever’s upsetting her, and fix it. ”
“I want to. I’m just not sure—”
“You can. If you want her in your life, find a way to make it work.”
“I almost got her killed,” I blurt. “I’m not sure how to fix that.”
“But you protected her when it mattered,” he retorts. “Don’t you think I worry? Especially now that we have Amanda? But I’m not giving them up. I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep my family safe.” His gaze darkens. “I’ll do anything.”
“I have to call her,” I say. “I need to find out what’s going on. And then… Shit. I want to make it work with Mel. More than anything.”
Rafe lifts his chin at me. “Then do it.”
Feeling both worried and cautiously hopeful, I dial Mel’s number. While I wait for her to answer, I pace the office, too anxious to sit still. But four unanswered rings later, the call goes to voicemail. “Shit,” I mutter. “She’s not answering.”
Before trying again, I shoot off a text.
Hey, is everything okay? Can you call me? Please?
But a minute passes with no response. So I call again. And again.
Still nothing.
“She’s not answering,” I repeat. “Not my calls or texts.”
“Maybe she’s in the shower,” Rafe suggests. “Or she left her phone in a different room.”
Shoving my phone into my pocket, I head for the door. “I’m heading home to check on her. I’ll finish the security checks later.”
Rafe waves for me to go. “Of course. Check on Melissa.”
“Thanks,” I call over my shoulder.
“Call if you need anything,” he replies. “And Ty, it’s going to be okay.”
It’s going to be okay.