Heart's Reward (18 page)

F
ortunately, Melanie and Claude's flight to France was scheduled for the evening and they delighted in being able to sleep well past ten in the morning. And they wouldn't have gotten up then if Melanie hadn't scooted away and locked herself in the bathroom, while she laughed hysterically at Claude's baleful pleas of “just one more time.”

Laughing until tears were in her eyes, she turned on the shower full blast and after a long, hot, solo shower and darting away from Claude's playful grasp while she got dressed, Melanie took over the kitchen and prepared a lumberjack breakfast for the two most important men in her life.

She wasn't sure this day would ever come around again for her, she thought as she mixed the batter for biscuits and placed the feather-light dough on the baking tray. She took the juicer from the overhead shelf and set it down on the counter. She gazed at her ring. It was all still so surreal. She ran a finger across the perfect surface. But it was real. She was in love and Claude was in love with her. They were engaged and going to be married, and to celebrate that they were going to spend a week in France. She sighed dreamily. Just her and Claude. No worries about running into family members in the hallway or tempering their sounds of passion as they shared and gave love to the fullest.

She'd been to Paris many times before, mostly on business. But this would be the very first time she would experience the great city of love and lights with the man of her dreams. She was giddy with expectant energy and couldn't wait. If she had her way she'd leave right at that moment. And then it hit her.

With Evan off for the day, and Vincent out of town with Cherise, and Victoria and Jessica off doing their thing, Alan would be alone for the night. The first time he'd be entirely alone since he'd come home from the hospital.

She'd been so enmeshed in the drama of her own life, she hadn't bothered to pause and consider her
brother. How could she even think about leaving him alone? If something happened she would never forgive herself. She had been the one who insisted that he come and stay with her so that she could take care of him.

She gripped the edge of the counter before shoving the tray of biscuits into the oven. Maybe she could get someone from the rehab center, one of the nurses who'd come when he first came home. She turned the oven on low and darted to her office in search of the number.

Flipping through her electronic contact list she located the number. While she dialed she prayed that someone would be there on Labor Day.

The phone rang and rang until the automated message came on.

“Happy Labor Day. Our office is closed and will re-open on Tuesday. If this is an emergency please hang up and dial 911.”

It was an emergency of sorts, but not the kind they meant. Frustrated and with a level of panic beginning to grow she racked her brain for an alternate solution and came up empty.

She should have thought it through instead of being so impulsive. That was so out of character for her. Everything she did was well planned and thought out—except when it came to her and her life. What was she going to do? How was she going to tell
Claude that their romantic getaway would have to be postponed?

Maybe she could call the airline and rearrange their flight. It would cut their time away short but at least it wouldn't be a total wash. Tomorrow, the girls would be back and she was sure they would have no problem staying at the mansion and looking after Alan.

She sniffed the air. The smell of burning bread propelled her out of her seat. She ran down the hall to the kitchen, only to find Alan and Claude already investigating.

They turned almost identical expressions of joviality at her.

“Wow, Evan's gone for one day and our breakfast is shot to hell,” Alan teased.

Claude pulled the tray from the oven. Smoke filled the space. He turned on the overhead exhaust fan. “They don't look salvageable, babe,” he said. “Hope this isn't an indication of your culinary skills, sweetheart.” He winked at her.

Melanie stomped into the room and surveyed her minor disaster. “I got distracted,” she offered up as an explanation. She took the oven mitt from Claude and dumped the tray in the garbage. “I'll have breakfast ready shortly, minus the biscuits.”

“Are you okay?” Claude asked quietly. “It's really no big deal about the biscuits.”

She wished it was that simple. Her gaze darted toward her brother, who was half in and half out of the refrigerator. “I need to talk to you,” she mouthed.

Concern drew his brow into a tight line. “Sure.” He took her hand and led her out of the kitchen. “What's wrong?” he asked once they were out of earshot of Alan.

She blew out a breath. “I don't know how to tell you this, but we're not going to be able to go to Paris. At least not tonight.”

“Did something happen?”

“I was so focused on getting you the perfect gift and us being together that I completely forgot about Alan.”

“I'm not understanding. What about Alan?”

“How can I leave him here alone? Sure he's much better, almost his old self, but he had a heart attack. Anything could happen while we're gone. I called the nursing service and no luck. The kids are away and won't be back until tomorrow and—”

He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Baby, it's okay. I understand. I didn't think of it either. We can always go to Paris. Your brother is more important.” He pulled her into his arms. “We'll make our own getaway right here,” he said softly and kissed the top of her head. “It will be fine.”

She looked up at him, doubt swimming in her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” He smiled. “Seriously.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what? For loving a woman who cares about her family?”

She kissed his lips.

“Uhm, uhm.”

They turned in the direction of the interruption. Alan was leaning against the door frame.

“Don't you two ever get tired? Maybe I can get some rest tonight. I won't have you both keeping me up all night.” He faked a yawn.

Melanie was mortified. Claude burst out laughing. She elbowed him in the side and flashed him a scalding look.

“Whaaat?” he asked innocently.

She rolled her eyes, then focused on her brother.

“Well you'll have to get used to it because we're not going.”

Alan's head jerked back. “Not going? Why not. I was planning on having the house to myself.”

“I can't leave you here alone, Alan. It's too soon.”

“You're kidding, right?”

“No, I'm not. Claude and I talked it over. It's settled.”

“So a twosome is now a foursome.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I'd asked a
friend
to come by and keep me company. I didn't bother to mention it to you since you weren't going to be here anyway.”

Melanie folded her arms and lasered in on her big brother. “A friend? What friend?”

“A woman friend, if you must know. And she's very good at taking care of me.” He grinned.

“Alan but your heart…the doctors said…”

“The doctors said when I could walk up and down a flight of stairs I had the all clear. I've been doing that for a couple of weeks now…building up the old stamina.”

Melanie pursed her lips. “Who is this woman?”

Alan checked his watch. “Well, she should be here around three. You can meet her then.”

 

“Since I didn't know we were going jet-setting I don't have a thing to wear,” Claude said in dramatic fashion, throwing his hand over his eyes.

Melanie giggled. “Stick to politics. We can get whatever you don't have when we get there. We'll do the tourist thing.” She took her lingerie and tucked them into her suitcase.

Claude came up behind her and peeked over her shoulder. He reached around her and lifted a hot pink thong out of the suitcase. He dangled it from his finger. “I am going to thoroughly enjoy taking this off.”

She snatched it away from him and tossed it back into the suitcase. “I'm not going to make it easy. You're going to have to work, baby.”

He put his arms around her waist. “I never back down from a challenge.”

She turned around into his arms. “My kind of man.” She snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him softly on the lips.

The sound of the doorbell filtered upstairs. “Oh, that must be her!” Melanie jumped away and hurried to her bedroom door. She peeked her head out and listened.

“Hey, Lorraine,” Alan greeted. He took her overnight bag.

“Her name is Lorraine,” Melanie said in a tight whisper.

“I'm sure he'll introduce you if you come out from behind your door and go downstairs,” he whispered back.

She huffed and pulled the door open fully. “Come on,” she said, grabbing his hand and tugging him along behind her.

They came downstairs as Alan's lady friend was taking a seat on the sofa. She looked like a swimsuit model for
Sports Illustrated.
She was gorgeous and sexy. She would give her brother another heart attack for sure. What was he thinking? Silly question,
Melanie chastised herself. She knew exactly what he was thinking.

Alan turned in their direction. “Mel, Claude. This is Lorraine Hampton. Lorraine, my sister Melanie and her fiancé Claude Montgomery.”

Melanie crossed the room with her hand extended. Lorraine stood up. “Nice to meet you, Lorraine.” Claude shook her hand, as well. “It's great to know that you'll be here with Alan while we're gone.”

“Alan and I go way back. It's not a problem. Thanks for having me in your beautiful home.”

Melanie sat down and Claude sat next to her.

“My dear sister is worried about me. So let me cut to the chase. Lorraine is a forensic profiler for the FBI. She's actually the chief of the department.”

Melanie fought to keep her mouth from falling open.

“Al told me you manage a very elite dating service.”

“Hmm, yes. Along with my two nieces and my nephew.”

Lorraine leaned back with a bright smile on her face. “That sounds absolutely fascinating. How does it work?”

Melanie relaxed and told Lorraine about the ins and outs of the business, gave her a brief history and regaled her with some of their success stories. Before long they were laughing and talking like old
friends. Melanie found out that Lorraine was not only a forensic profiler but also a professor at Harvard. She continued to dismantle any misconceptions Melanie may have had and, once again, she realized that she had pegged someone wrong.

 

She thought about it all through the flight to France. But when they arrived and took the rented car to the château that she'd arranged for, she put all thoughts of work and miscues out of her head. This was her and Claude's time and she wasn't going to let anything distract her from pouring all of her attentions on him.

 

It had been ages since either of them had actually taken a trip that wasn't work related and they totally immersed themselves in doing everything a tourist would do.

Claude was blown away to discover that his lovely fiancée was totally fluent in French as she flawlessly gave drivers directions, ordered meals and read the signs and billboards. He simply relaxed and let his lady take the lead.

During the day they toured the streets, ate breakfast at sidewalk bistros, shopped until they were exhausted, toured the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, walked along the Seine River and one day they took the Bullet Express and spent the day in Italy.

The nights were reserved for them. The cook that was part of the château package prepared their dinner, served, cleaned up and subtly disappeared. It was during the romantic, quiet times that they talked, sharing childhood stories, books they loved, movies they hated. They talked about politics, religion, the economy and what they hoped and dreamed for the rest of their lives together.

 

The week seemed to fly by and before they knew it, they were spending their last day in the city of love.

 

Melanie stepped out onto the terrace of their château. The lights of the city of Paris spanned out before her. She drew her robe around her body and watched the purple sky begin to brighten with the morning sun.

Claude stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Tenderly he kissed the back of her neck.

“It's like a fairy tale,” she said softly, nestling into his embrace.

“One that will never end.”

“I've been thinking about how we are going to see each other with you in D.C. most of the time and me in Sag Harbor.”

“So have I. I'm going to resign.”

She spun around. “No.”

“I can't ask you to leave what you love. It wouldn't be fair to you. I can work anywhere.”

She took his hands. “I've done what I've done for a long time. I've helped hundreds of couples find love. Now I've found mine and I've taught my nieces and nephew everything I know the same way my grandmother and my mother taught me. It's time for me to secure my own happiness, and that's with you. And just as the business was turned over to me, I'll turn it over to them. And the Harte legacy will continue.”

He searched her face. “Are you sure?”

“I've never been more certain about anything, except you.”

He held her close, reveling in the joy that she brought to his life, and as he kissed her he vowed that he would spend every day of their life together making her happy.

And as Melanie swayed in the arms of her husband to be, she knew that her grandmother and her mother were looking down on her with smiles on their faces. She'd traveled the rainbow in search of the pot of gold and she had found her reward, at last.