A Reason to Love (24 page)

She hesitated and then added, “I think my mother would like to be there. My aunt, too.”

Callie actually gasped. “Really? Your mom? What’s changed?”

“Three hours ago she told me that she hadn’t been my father’s first choice, but that she made darn sure he figured out she was the right choice for him. That’s when she told me that if I felt that way about Spence, I should go for it.”

Her friend’s laughter rang out in the car. “Seriously? She actually said that? It’s hard to bring that picture into focus, but I’ll take your word for it. We’ll add them to the list.”

Melanie was feeling better by the second. “Thanks for doing this, Callie. It means a lot. And if . . .”

The next words were proving difficult to say. She closed her eyes and tried again. “And if he decides to go, at least he’ll never doubt that he’ll be missed.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Callie spoke again. “I know it’s hard to do right now, but we’ve got to have a little faith in the guy. There was a time I thought Nick was going to walk away, too, but look where we are now. Don’t give up on Spence.”

“I won’t.”

“Good. And if all else fails, Nick and Leif plan to knock some sense into him. Gage may end up arresting them, but that’s a risk we’ll have to take. Desperate times and desperate measures and all that. Now I’d better go tell Nick there’s been a change in plans. We’ll need to double the food order.”

“Let me know what I can do to help.”

“Just show up. We’re kind of considering you to be the big gun in this battle. The man would have to be an idiot to walk away from you. Talk to you soon.”

Feeling better than she had in hours, Melanie put the car back in gear and drove toward home—and Spence.

S
pence stood at the front window, his forehead pressed against the cool glass. Lately, his nightmares had made themselves blessedly scarce, maybe because of how Melanie had helped keep him anchored here in Snowberry Creek. But without her presence somehow the cottage had turned into a cage, one with walls that were slowly closing in on him. Even with all the windows open, the air was too thin to breathe. His head might know he wasn’t back in that damn hellhole in Afghanistan, but that didn’t seem to count for much right now. For what seemed like the hundredth time, he turned away from the window to pace the length of the living room and back again, the smooth wood cool against his bare feet. The short distance didn’t help.

Where the hell was she?

On his next lap, he extended his route to include circling through the kitchen; the few extra feet didn’t help. Neither did nearly tripping over Mooch.

“Damn it, dog, go lie down and stay out from underfoot.”

The dog backed away to slink across the room to take refuge on the back of the couch. Son of a bitch, he was acting as if Spence had really kicked him. “Cut me some slack here, Mooch.”

When the dog didn’t look any happier, Spence gave up on trying to outdistance his demons. After grabbing some doggy treats, he flopped on the couch where he could pet his buddy and try to make amends. “Sorry, dog. I shouldn’t take my bad mood out on you.”

A pair of sympathetic brown eyes said he understood and forgave him. They both took comfort from the close contact. “I wish I knew what was going on with Melanie, boy. Women are a mystery that this poor soldier will never solve.”

Especially while he was hopelessly mired in his very own pity party. He thought for sure Melanie would call him after she spoke to Mr. Lunt at the bank. Instead, there had been nothing but silence. He’d tried to call her several times, but each time it had gone straight to voice mail. Her phone must be dead; she wouldn’t screen his phone calls. At least he hoped not, because that would mean that she was avoiding him.

Hell, he didn’t even know if she was still in Portland visiting with her mother and aunt. He’d also avoided checking her house to see if there were any signs of life. If she was back from her road trip, why hadn’t she come to see him?

Had he really and truly fucked up this time?

“What do you think, Mooch? Did I screw up big-time by trying to fix things for Melanie?”

The dog sighed and laid his head on Spence’s leg. “Yeah, I don’t know, either. Maybe I should have talked to her first, but you know how stubborn she is. It would be just like her to refuse help because she wants to do it all herself. She might have issues with her parents, but the truth is that she inherited a full dose of the Wolfe family pride.”

He leaned his head against the back of the couch to stare up at the ceiling. No answers there, either. Had Nick and Leif had to maneuver through a minefield like this with Callie and Zoe? He’d like to think so, although that didn’t mean he’d call them for advice. He could just hear the huge pile of grief they’d give him for screwing up again, not to mention that they’d never let him live it down.

Of course, if he followed through on his plan to leave on his road trip as soon as next week, he wouldn’t be around for them to hear it. He’d run out of excuses to hang around much longer. That thought should make him feel a whole lot better than it did.

“So, Mooch, we do have one problem I haven’t quite figured out.” He dug in his pocket for another dog biscuit. “Here’s the thing. I don’t know where I’m headed once I leave here.”

He let the dog munch on that problem along with the biscuit. “Then there’s the fact that I don’t own a car or a truck, which makes taking you with me a bit tricky.”

Mooch stopped chewing to shoot Spence a suspicious look. He was probably only picking up on something in Spence’s voice or maybe in his body language, but he clearly knew something was up. Either way, he sat motionless and as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“I guess I could always leave you with Nick and Callie until I get settled somewhere and can send for you.”

He rubbed Mooch’s silky ears. “But I’m thinking maybe you’d be better off with them on a permanent basis. You love people, and there will be plenty of those around when the bed-and-breakfast takes off.”

And he knew it would. Hell, the only reason he could stand to leave was believing his friends would live the life they wanted here in Snowberry Creek. Sarge and Callie would have their bed-and-breakfast. He especially loved the name they’d given it: Rose Blossom Place in honor of his mother’s love of roses. Leif had Zoe and his partnership with Nick. All of that was good.

And Melanie? He’d made sure she’d have Wolfe Millworks if that’s what she wanted, which he was convinced she did. She might grumble about a few things, but there was no missing the pride she took in seeing the numbers improve. Once she had it all under control, maybe she’d even have time for a personal life. No doubt she’d eventually hook up with some guy who would fit in with the country club crowd and make her mother proud. She might not think that last part mattered, but it did.

Yeah, he wanted all of that for her.

Even if he wanted to punch something at the very thought of someone else sharing Mel’s life, holding her in his arms, and sharing her bed. Memories filled his mind with what it had been like to rise above her and see her peaches-and-cream skin flushed with passion. He loved the way she called his name as she urged him to take her harder, faster, further. God, he’d never forget the perfect fit of their bodies as they surged together. How the hell was he supposed to find the strength to walk away from all of that?

He had about the same chance of coming up with a reasonable answer to that question as did Mooch. Maybe a long walk would help. They’d head toward Main Street and maybe grab a burger somewhere. The one place he wouldn’t go was anywhere near the Wolfe House. He couldn’t stand the thought that Melanie had come back from Portland and had no interest in seeing him again.

If that was true, it would only play into his plan of leaving town with no strings attached. He should be happy about that, but he wasn’t. He was pissed.

“Come on, dog. Let me grab my shoes and socks, and then we’re out of here.”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he’d only put on one sock when a heavy fist pounded on the front door. He picked up his boots and the other sock and headed out into the living room. There was a brief silence before the banging started again. By this time, Mooch was pitching a fit, barking and dancing around in front of the door. He wasn’t growling, though, which meant the idiot raising all the ruckus was someone the dog knew and liked.

Great. There was a pretty short list of possibilities, and none of them were people Spence wanted to deal with right now.

“Spence, I know you’re in there, so answer the damn door.”

The heavy door muffled the voice, but he would have recognized that irritated baritone anywhere. What the hell did Leif want now? Only one way to find out. He yanked the door open and walked away, leaving it up to Mooch to make their guest feel welcome.

By the time Leif got past the ecstatic dog, Spence was lacing up his second boot. “So, what brings you here?”

Leif planted his size thirteens right in front of where Spence sat on the couch, his arms crossed over his chest. “I’m here to fetch you.”

Spence studied the man, trying to see through that carefully blank expression to determine what the hell was going on. “Fetch me where?”

“Does it matter?” Leif looked around the small house. “It doesn’t look like you have much on your agenda for the evening.”

Pitiful, but that didn’t mean he had to admit it.

“I was just getting ready to leave.” That much was true. “Melanie and I have plans.”

“Don’t try to bullshit me, Wheels. It won’t work.”

Okay, so that had been a lie. But how did Leif know to call him on it? He studied Leif’s whole demeanor. He wasn’t exactly smirking, but he was coming damn close. The bastard was up to something; that was for damn sure.

“I repeat, I was sent to fetch you. Now that you’ve figured out how to tie your shoes, get your lazy ass up off the couch. We have places to go. People to see.”

Spence’s pulse kicked up a notch. He unfolded off the couch to his full height, which gave him several inches over Leif. “And if I don’t want to see people?”

Leif flashed his cell phone. “I have reinforcements on speed dial.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep. The only reason Nick didn’t come with me in the first place is that I reminded him how you were always so reasonable to deal with.”

Okay, neither one of them could keep a straight face after that bald-faced lie. “What did you really say?”

“That you wouldn’t be able to resist my charm?”

Snicker. “Try again.”

Leif lost most of his bluster. “Okay, fine. I told everybody if we ganged up on you, you’d refuse just out of pure cussedness, and that’s the honest truth.”

“And who exactly is this ‘everybody’ you mentioned?”

“You’ll find out when we get there. I’ve also got orders to bring Mooch with us.” He reached down to pet the dog, who had parked himself right at their feet. “How you doing, buddy? Is Wheels treating you okay?”

The four-footed traitor actually whined and tried to look pathetic. “Don’t buy what he’s selling, Leif. See that fat belly? He’s eating me out of house and home, not to mention he just devoured a handful of dog biscuits.”

Leif straightened up. “So, are you coming along peacefully or do I need to call Sarge?”

Anything was better than staying trapped here at the cottage. “Grab Mooch’s leash while I lock up.”

•   •   •

Fifteen minutes later, what had started off sounding like a bad idea suddenly got a whole lot worse. Leif turned into the driveway at Mama R.’s house and said, “We’re parking over here because the driveway next door is full.”

“Straight up, what’s really going on?” Spence glared over Mooch’s head at the other man. “The whole truth, Leif, or I’m not getting out of this truck anytime soon.”

His friend twisted around to face Spence more directly. “Nothing bad, Wheelman. That much I can promise. I’m sure you’d rather get the explanation directly from Melanie and Callie. This was their idea.” He swallowed hard and looked away. “Mostly, anyway.”

Anger started burning along Spence’s nerves. “And what is their objective? Tell me now.”

“We started off calling it an intervention. But I promise, it’s really a bunch of people who care about you getting together hoping to convince you to stay here in Snowberry Creek.”

What the hell were they thinking? Were they all crazy to think this was a good idea? Because it sure as hell wasn’t. If he’d had trouble breathing in the cottage, it was nothing compared to how choked up he was right now.

“I can’t do this, Leif. Take me back.”

At least his friend realized he was as serious as death about that. “We’ll just take it slow here, Wheels. Why don’t you get out and walk around the Reddings’ backyard? Give yourself a couple of minutes to think things through. If you still want to leave, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

Spence nodded and fumbled for the door handle. He and Mooch spilled out of the truck and took off toward the koi pond in the back. Leif got out, too, but he kept his distance. Spence might thank him later, but right now all he could do was focus on the soothing murmur of the water. Mooch lay down to watch the fish dart through the pond, his tail moving in a slow sweep across the grass.

Spence’s pulse gradually dropped back down below the imminent heart attack range. That didn’t mean he was ready to venture next door. Instead, he sat down on the swing and set it to swaying gently. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting there before he realized he was no longer alone. The breeze rippling across the water carried with it the slightest hint of Melanie’s perfume. Maybe she wasn’t avoiding him after all.

“Come sit down. I promise I won’t bite.”

“That could prove to be disappointing.” She set a large flat package on the picnic table and joined him on the swing, taking his hand in hers. “Are you okay?”

If it had been anyone else, he might have lied, but this was Melanie. She’d seen him at his worst and never flinched. She could handle this. “I’m just coming down off a major panic attack.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

He tugged his hand free to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her close. “Just your being here is enough.”

Mooch joined them, his feet skidding on the vinyl seat when the swing moved again. He finally flopped down with his head in Melanie’s lap.

Melanie glanced up at Spence. “We meant for this to be a good thing, you know.”

“I know. And somewhere on the outer edges of my panic, I do appreciate everyone’s good intentions.”

He sniffed the air. “I’m guessing Nick’s barbecuing some big hunks of meat.”

She giggled. “Mostly steaks, although after a heated discussion, he conceded to throw some chicken on the grill, too. Something about it being for those who aren’t manly enough to eat their meat rare enough to still be mooing. That’s pretty much a direct quote, by the way.”

Spence chuckled. “Yeah, that sounds like Sarge.”

They lapsed into silence for a few minutes. Finally, Melanie asked, “Think you can handle facing the folks next door anytime soon?”

He didn’t want to, but it wasn’t in him to tell her no, not when she was speaking to him again. He’d feel better if they cleared the air between them first. “I’ve got to ask you something first.”

Without waiting for her to respond, he blurted it out and then waited for the fireworks. “How pissed are you over my offer to help with the financing at the bank?”

The explosion wasn’t long in coming. Between one second and the next, Melanie went from sympathetic to furious. She jumped up from the swing so abruptly poor Mooch tumbled off the seat with her, hitting the ground hard in a scrambling mass of black and white fur. She immediately knelt down to check him over for damage, apologizing profusely as she did. That didn’t mean her eyes weren’t ice-cold and glaring at Spence the entire time.