Tangled Hearts (Passion in Paradise) (27 page)

Cal’s answering
laughter was cut off as his cell phone rang on the nightstand.

“Nooooo!  I only just
got you back in the mood after a three day dry spell,” Melody complained. 
“Just ignore it,” she urged, looping her arms around his neck as she tried to
direct his lips back to hers.

“You know we can’t do
that,” he returned with an amused grin.  “It could be about the store or,
better yet, it could be your brother.”

“Fine,” Melody grumbled
unhappily as she subsided and reached past her for the phone, “But if it’s RJ, he
and I are having a discussion about his lousy sense of timing.”

“I’m sure your big
brother would
love
that conversation,” Cal stated, looking at the phone,
“but, this is the sheriff,” he shared, swiping the phone before pressing it to
his ear.  “You’ve got Valentine,” he greeted the Sheriff.

Carefully keeping his
face expressionless and his responses limited to a series of yeahs, nopes, and
grunts, Cal watched as Melody grew more impatient beside him as she strained to
hear what Zeke was communicating.  Finally sighing, Cal nodded even though the
other man couldn’t see him.  “Thanks for letting me know, Sheriff.  I’ll share
the pertinent details with Melody.  Keep me in the loop if you learn anything
else, will ya?” he requested in a low voice as he watched his woman tilt her
head and narrow her eyes at him.  “Thanks again, man,” he said before jabbing
his thumb against the end button on the screen.

“Well?” Melody
questioned edgily.  “What was that all about?  And don’t say nothing. 
Paradise’s sheriff wouldn’t call without a good reason.  Zeke doesn’t strike me
as the type of guy that stands around shooting the shit on the phone.”

Momentarily ignoring
her inquiry, Cal adjusted the pillows he’d fallen in love with when he’d
started sleeping in Melody’s bed behind his head.  She’d said they were filled
with goose down or some such shit when he’d asked about it last week, and damn,
he was down with whatever it was that made ‘em so fuckin’ comfy.  He’d never
slept on anything more relaxing than those fuckin’ pillows.  Like sleepin’ on a
cloud.  They just didn’t get shit like that in the Army, he thought with a sigh
as he got himself settled in to chat with her.

And he knew this would
take a while.  His Melody liked to know everything… especially when it concerned
her.

“Don’t make me stuff
that pillow down your throat.  I doubt you’d look very manly when you’re
involuntarily spitting feathers for the next month, so I’d start talking if I
were you,” his woman advised him in a voice that chilled his blood.  Melody could
be a real hardass when she took a notion, and he knew she was rapidly
approaching her bullshit threshold.

“Babe, rein the snotty
attitude in.  I’m gettin’ there,” Callum returned, shifting until he laid on
his side and had his chin propped on his hand.  “It’s nothing bad,” he said
when he saw how worried her eyes had grown.  “In fact,
you’ll
probably
be relieved and wanna say ‘I told you so’.  Word to the wise:  Don’t.”

“Well, now you’ve
got
to tell me what Zeke said,” she insisted eagerly, shuffling her body toward
his on the bed.

“Zeke said that your
ex-asshat alibi’d out on the most recent attempt on your life.  He was in
Chicago attending a conference at the time and surveillance tapes track him the
night of the hit and run.  There’s no way for him to be two places at once.”

“Yay!” Melody beamed. 
“I
told ….
“

Holding up a finger,
Cal shook his head and glared at her.  “Unless your ass misses the feeling of
my hand, don’t finish that.”

“Fine, I won’t say it,
but I will say that if you’d listened, you would have heard me mention before
that Brad wouldn’t do what you thought he did,” Melody informed him pertly.

“The asshole is a
hothead.  Hotheads are impetuous.  Impetuous assholes try stupid shit like
poisoning cookies and trying to mow down their ex-girlfriends.  I wasn’t wrong
to be highly suspicious of him.  However,” Cal paused, inhaling deeply and
gathering his strength to make his next statement because he REALLY hated to
make it, “It does look like Brad is innocent… at least of attempting to kill
you.”

“Uh huh,” Melody said
brightly, nodding joyfully.

“That doesn’t mean that
nobody did, Melody,” Cal cautioned her sternly.  “We’ve got two attempts on
your life that strongly suggests that somebody wants you very, very dead.  And
that’s a big problem for me considering that I need your ass alive to do things
like building a life together.  So, unless you want to crush my hopes and
dreams, we remain vigilant.  Sooner or later, we’re gonna catch a lead. 
Truthfully, we already did catch one.  At least, a little one.”

“What?” Melody
questioned.

“That last note you
got.  The crime lab was able to lift a partial print from it.  As Zeke
expected, it didn’t match Brad’s fingerprint, but also sadly, it didn’t turn up
any matches in any data base, either.”

“So we’re back to
square one,” Melody huffed grouchily.

“Not exactly.  If we
could come up with some potential suspects, Zeke could use the partial print to
potentially rule them out.  So… let’s talk enemies.  I know I’ve asked before,
but have you maybe thought of a couple?”

Melody closed her eyes
and dropped back against her own pillow, kicking her legs against the bed as
she squealed.  “I swear, Cal, you are the only boyfriend alive that would be
thrilled if I started naming off people that hate me, but sorry, to my knowledge,
I haven’t accumulated any raging psychos intent on doing me harm.  I’m not
exactly the kind of girl that draws attention.”

“First, I’m not your
boyfriend.  Boyfriends are for seventeen year olds going to prom.  I’m your
man.  There is a distinct difference,” he explained solemnly, enjoying the
annoyed look Melody shot him more than he should.

Melody snickered. 
“Sorry.  You’re my man.  Should I qualify it with you’re my
old
man?”

“Again with the
smartass comments.  You must really want that spanking,” Cal noted
dispassionately as he watched Melody flush and fidget beside him in bed.

“What’s second?  You
started this out with ‘First,’ so I know you’ve got more.  Keep going,” Melody
invited irritably.

“Second is that I
seriously loathe the idea that anyone could hate you enough to hurt you, but if
you had some suspects, I could get proactive with this shit.  Maybe start
playing a little offense.  And finally…and maybe most importantly, you are
exactly
the kind of woman that draws attention to herself, Melody.  You can’t help
it, Princess.  It’s just you.”

“It is not,” Melody
replied sharply, frowning at him.  “I’m quiet and private and I go out of my
way not to piss folks off…unlike some I could name,” she added with a look that
encompassed Cal from tip to toe.

“Yeah, you’re all those
things, babe.  But you’re also sassy, sexy and sweet.  Men look at you twice,
Melody.  Women notice men looking at you twice.  Makes ‘em jealous.”

“Yeah, that’s why Brad
cheated on me.  Because I was sooooo sassy, sexy and sweet,” Melody muttered,
unable to hold Cal’s gaze.

Fuck, Cal thought with
an inward curse.  He knew Melody had no feelings for Brad any longer.  Hell, if
anything, she held him in a kind of mild disdain and less mild disgust.  His
betrayal, though, had left her with an emotional wound that hadn’t quite
healed.  Oh, the scar was forming, but the injury was still tender to the
touch, the nerves still exposed.  And unfortunately, he’d just stepped all over
those nerves.

“Baby, Brad cheated
because
he’s
a faithless dick that didn’t know a phenomenal thing when
he had it waiting at home in his bed.  Sucks for him, but it worked out great
for me.”

“Oh, it did, huh?”
Melody said softly, her body slowly relaxing as he ran a hand up and down her
bare arm.

“Fuck yeah, it did. It
means that I got you, free and clear…unencumbered by any pesky pissants. 
Believe me, Princess, you were
never
the problem in that relationship. 
That fucker went out and had hamburger helper in the streets when he had
premium sirloin at home.  He was a monumentally stupid fucker, and I’m the guy
that reaped the rewards of his idiocy.  I’m sorry he hurt you, darlin’, but you
gotta know…I’ll never be sorry that he cheated.  It meant I got you.”

“You know, sometimes I
wonder how I fell in love with you so fast,” Melody confided quietly, “But
then, you go and say something like you just did and I realize it doesn’t
matter.  You were made for me.”

“Same goes, baby,” Cal
returned huskily, leaning forward until their noses touched.  “Same fuckin’
goes.”

Watching as her new
staff of eight dedicated employees disperse into the books stacks several days
later, Melody felt positively giddy with excitement.  She felt nervous and
anxious and happy and thrilled… so many emotions barraged her that she wasn’t
sure which one she felt the most.

It was finally time.

The moment of truth.

The point of no return.

The final leap.

The critical juncture
where she finally took her life back into her own hands and showed the world
that she could do what she loved and
still
be successful.

It was her Grand
Opening Day.

Biting her lip as she
watched her capable staff give the shelves one last straightening before they
unlocked the front door at the strike of nine, she reminded herself that there
was no reason to be nervous.  She’d meticulously planned every last detail of
this day.  Now, she just had to trust in God, her employees, and herself to see
it through to the end. 

It wasn’t as though
Melody and her employees weren’t prepared here at Hooks and Books.  Everyone
from Austin, the assistant manager, to Sunshine, one of her five cashiers, had
been fully trained.  Melody’s store possessed a top of the line computer system
and inventory that would make any major retailer jealous.  Heck, she even had
book signings of several semi-famous authors scheduled over the next few
months.  Talk about a boon... meeting that independent author at a book signing
she’d attended on a whim several months ago and striking up a conversation
about their mutual love of crochet had really paid off.  Usually she was shy,
but for some reason Melody had been in a talkative mood that day.  She and the
other woman had spoken for over an hour.  So, when she’d called the author – who,
luckily, was semi-local – not only had the writer volunteered to come and sign
her copies of her next book, she’d contacted some of her author friends, as
well.  Now, she had six signings scheduled over the next two months and several
more messages from other independents that were looking for opportunities to
meet new readers.  It was beyond anything she’d ever hoped to accomplish so
soon after opening.

Glancing at her new
gold wrist watch, she smiled.  The elegant piece had been a congratulatory gift
from Cal.  He’d given it to her before they’d gotten out of bed this morning. 
Actually, it was the second gift he’d given her this morning, but it wouldn’t
be appropriate to share the first present he’d offered her today in polite
company. – even if it had left an even bigger smile on her face than the watch
had.

“Princess?” she heard a
familiar gravelly voice call for her. 

“Back here,” she
called, stepping into the doorway of her office and smiling at the tall man
approaching her.  “Hey, there, handsome,” she greeted Cal when he was close
enough to touch.  Lifting up on her toes, she cupped his cheeks and offered him
a soft hello kiss.  “Good morning,” she murmured shyly, blushing as she
recalled just how very,
very
good their morning had started together. 

 “Sure the fuck was,
Dirty Girl,” Cal rumbled against her cheek before stealing another kiss, this
one just a tad deeper than the last.  Releasing her lips a few seconds later,
he grinned at her.  “Got your sign above the door lit up and working, babe.  I
used the blue bulbs like you wanted.  You were right; they look better than the
red.”

Smiling, Melody
nodded.  That’s what she loved about Cal.  He could always admit when she was
right about something.  And while he helped with the store, he never once
argued when she made the ultimate decisions regarding the business.  She knew
she’d pay him back for his patience and understanding when he started working
on his gym.  “I’m glad,” she replied, leaning her head against his shoulder. 
“Can you think of anything I might have missed, Cal?”

Cal snorted.  “If you
have, I don’t know what it would be.  You’ve got a premium location, great
employees, a comfortable atmosphere, and pieces of inventory that should appeal
to everybody in town.  Plus, this shop has the prettiest owner in the country. 
People would be fuckin’ fools if they didn’t use this shop.  This place is the
shit, Melody.  I’m proud of you, baby.  Asshole exes and psychos trying to
screw with your brain and you were still strong enough to accomplish all this. 
Takes balls, Sweetness.”

“I didn’t do it alone,”
she acknowledged softly.  “I had you at my back.  I never knew what difference
it could make to have a man in my corner that was willing to fight both with
AND for me.  Especially one that loved me the way you do.  I don’t know that
I’d be here right now without you.  I finally feel like I’ve got everything I
ever wanted and more, Cal.  And you did that for me.  I love you so much for
that.”

“I love you, too,
Princess,” Cal returned, dropping a tender kiss to her upturned nose.  “But, I
can still think of a couple things you don’t have quite yet.  I’m working on
those, though.  In fact, I think one of ‘em just arrived,” he said, looking at
something over his shoulder.

“What?” Melody
questioned blankly, her brow furrowing in confusion as she gazed at the
unreadable face of the man she loved.  Erggh!  As attractive as she found Cal’s
poker face, sometimes she still felt the urge to mar it with a right hook to
the jaw.  She usually loved his unexpected surprises, but today…today needed to
be a well-oiled machine.  The unplanned could spin the whole event toward
crushing failure.

And she could NOT
afford crushing failure.

“Baby, right now, I
want you to take my hand, close your eyes and trust me,” Cal ordered, bending
his head to smile down at her.  “Can you do that for me?”

“I… what?  I guess so?”
she returned, her mind growing slightly muddled.  As much as she loved it when
Cal surprised her, they only had about seven minutes before she opened the store. 
Closing her eyes, she pursed her lips.  “Uh, okay.  My eyes are closed.”

“Now,” she heard her
man’s deep voice direct as he slipped his arm around her waist, I want you to
walk beside me, but keep your eyes
closed
, Melody.  I mean it.  NO
peeking.”

“Okay, okay,” she
huffed.  “But this better be a quick surprise, Cal.  In just a few minutes, I
become Paradise’s newest business owner,” she reminded him as she felt him
guide her through the stores, the only sounds being the amused chuckles of her
employees.”

“Okay, stop,” she heard
him command, his hand tightening on her waist.  “Okay, babe. Happy opening
day.  You can look now.”

Opening her eyes,
Melody gasped in shock as she stared into an achingly familiar pair of cocoa
colored eyes.  “Oh my God,” she breathed.  “RJ?” Melody whimpered, hardly
believing it was possible that she was seeing what she was seeing as her eyes
filled with tears.  Barely aware that half the town stood behind her brother
watching them with their own fair share of tears in their eyes, too, Melody
hurtled toward her sibling.  “RJ!” she squealed, jumping into his open arms.

“Hey, Rugrat,” Rhythm’s
rich baritone voice murmured against her temple as his arms enclosed her little
body.  “Did you really think I’d miss my baby sister’s big day?”

“I can’t believe you’re
here!  You weren’t supposed to be able to make it home for another month,” she
sniffled, drawing back to punch his arm in true sisterly fashion.

“I lied,” he replied
with a blasé shrug of his broad shoulders.  Seeing her eyes darkening
ominously, he laughed.  “It was for a good cause, sis.  Cal pulled a few
strings and got me home a little early.  We wanted to surprise you,” he
explained, lifting his chin at Cal as the other man slipped his arms around
Melody’s slender waist.  Making a face, RJ shook his head as he pointed at
him.  “No.  I mean, just no.  Get your hands off my sister,” he ordered with a
growl.  “I can’t handle seeing that my first twenty minutes home.”

“Tough,” Cal retorted
with an unapologetic smile at his former soldier.  “You’ll deal.  It’s your
fault anyway.  You sent me to her.  You knew her.  You should have known I
would never have been able to resist her.  She’s mine now,” Cal stated as the
gathered crowd laughed. 

“Yes, but she was mine
first,” another distinctly familiar, but patently unwelcome voice chimed into
the conversation.  “And a girl
never
forgets her first, does she,
Melody?”