The Game Changer (23 page)

Melody nodded and followed him to the front door, waiting while he called a goodbye to Olivia and slipped his shoes on. She opened the door for him and before he reached the stairs, she stepped outside and said, “Wait.” He stopped and turned, his hand already gripping the railing. “If you ever…you know…get lonely or whatever, you can call me, too.”
Lame, Melody!
“I just mean that the offer goes both ways.”

A smile twitched around the corners of his lips, but he nodded solemnly. “I will. See you later, Mel.”

She watched him descend the stairs, then turned to go back into the apartment. She hesitated for a moment, wondering how badly Olivia would rib her about sleeping with Julian on the couch.

“Only one way to find out,” she muttered, stepping inside and locking the door behind her. “Smells good,” she called. “I think I’ll just go hop in the shower real quick.”

Olivia made a loud sound like a buzzer on a game show. “Nice try, Melody Cartwright. Get your ass over here and tell me about your night with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Delicious.”

Melody sighed as she dragged herself toward the kitchen and lifted herself onto a stool at the island. “There’s nothing to tell. I watched my movie, fell asleep, got a text from him that he was downstairs, he came up, we hung out, and we fell asleep.”

“Snuggling on the couch,” Olivia added helpfully.

Melody waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t know how we got like that. Last thing I remember we were both sitting up and I was leaning on his shoulder. Somehow we must have just…”

“Fallen over and ended up in each other’s arms,” Olivia supplied.

“You make it sound dirty.” Melody slid from the stool and went to the coffee maker to pour two cups. “It was completely innocent.”

Melody didn’t like the way Olivia was scrutinizing her. She tried to keep her face as impassive as possible, but Olivia knew her too well.

“You like him.”

“Of course I do, we’re friends.”

Olivia scoffed. “Don’t be obtuse. You
like
him like him.”

Melody lifted one shoulder. She opened her mouth to deny it, but it was no use. She and Olivia never lied to each other—it was completely futile, so they made it a point not to do it. “Maybe,” she confessed. “I’m not confirming it or denying it, because I honestly don’t know how I feel. I’m all mixed up.”

“It’s nice not to be the only one for once,” Olivia said.

Melody’s laugh turned into a sigh. “I don’t
want
to like him. He’s turning out to be a really amazing friend.”

“So? A lot of friendships lead to something more. The best relationships usually have a foundation of friendship. Look at your parents.”

She was right. Melody’s parents met in high school, and had become fast friends. They’d hung out alone or with other kids in groups, going to movies, bowling, taking road trips. In senior year, neither of them had a date to the prom, so they went together and it was that night her dad finally admitted to her mom that he had feelings for her. Turned out they’d both been developing feelings for awhile, and it was just natural for them to fall into a relationship after that.

Melody heard the story countless times in her childhood, and always thought it was so romantic. Her parents had been happy together right up until the day her dad died, and they always said it was because they admired and respected each other, the way friends should.

Melody had always secretly hoped for a love like that, but she’d never had any guy friends to test it out on. Now she had Julian, but it didn’t mean he was the right person to attempt it with. As wonderful as he was, Melody doubted he was the type to commit. He seemed to enjoy his freedom, and she could picture him as a bachelor for years to come.

“My parents were a great example,” Melody said slowly, almost wistfully. “And I’m not going to rule it out with Julian, it’s just not what I’m looking for right now. Rick and I only broke up a few weeks ago.”

Olivia made a non-committal noise in her throat. She set a plate of scrambled eggs in front of Melody and said, “I still think you’d feel a whole lot better if you just had sex and got it over with.”

Melody regarded Olivia with a look of mock contempt, but was saved from coming up with a reply when the phone rang. “Oh darn, we’ll have to pick this conversation up some other time,” she said flatly, rolling her eyes as she plucked the phone from its hook on the counter. “Hello?”

“Mel, it’s Mom.” Rita sounded uncharacteristically frazzled.

“Hey Mom, what’s up?”

“Well, honey, I hate to spring this on you last minute, but I was wondering if you could maybe watch Ava for awhile? My friend Cara just called to tell me she’s really sick and thinks she should go to the hospital, but she doesn’t have anyone else to take her.” Rita sounded close to tears. Melody was sure it was part worry, but also partly because she hated Bellevue hospital, since that’s where Melody’s dad died.

“Of course. I can be there in ten minutes.”

“Would it be all right if I just drop her off on my way? It would be quicker, and she spends so much time here, I think a change of scenery that’s not school would be nice.”

“That’s fine,” Melody told her. “She can meet Liv, and I can take her to the bookstore.”

Rita said a rushed thank you and goodbye, and Melody filled Olivia in before getting dressed and heading downstairs to wait for her mother. Rita pulled into the lot just a few minutes later, and stopped in front of the back door of Green Pea’s.

“Hi guys.” Melody opened the passenger side door and smiled at Ava, who looked nervous.

“Go on, sweetie,” Rita coaxed Ava, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Mel, I’ve given her some money so she can buy a few books, and so you guys can go out for lunch or something.”

Melody nodded. “Thanks, Mom. Tell Cara I hope she feels better. Ava and I will have fun, don’t worry about us,” she said pointedly, smiling at Rita and resting her hands on Ava’s shoulders, hoping to reassure her mother and Ava—and herself, if she were honest.

“I have my cell, so I’ll keep in touch,” Rita told her. “Have fun, girls!” With that, she gave a little wave, did a U-turn, and drove out of the lot.

“Well,” Melody said brightly, leading Ava to the door and unlocking it. “Looks like we’ll get to go to the bookstore sooner than we thought.”

“But only because Nana needed you to baby-sit me,” Ava said. Her matter-of-fact tone threw Melody off; she felt like she was speaking to an adult instead of a ten-year-old.

“I’d rather think of it as hanging out,” Melody said, motioning for Ava to go up the stairs first. “I think you’re too old for a baby-sitter, don’t you?”

Ava remained silent, but when they reached the top of the stairs and Melody saw her face, she thought she appeared pleased.

“Besides,” Melody added, “I told you I’d take you to the bookstore, and I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”

“That’s what everyone says, though.”

Melody’s heart ached. Ava’s tone was once again matter-of-fact; she didn’t sound sullen or bitter or contrary, she was simply stating a fact as she saw it. Melody was going to make it her mission to prove the girl wrong, and show her that some people
did
keep their promises.

“Well, you’ll soon see that I’m not like everyone else,” Melody told her. There was so much else she wanted to say, but didn’t. It was too soon; she didn’t want to overwhelm Ava by bombarding her with promises, even if she did intend to keep them. “So…you’re about to meet my best friend, Olivia. She and I have known each other since we were younger than you are now. I think you’re really going to like her.”

Before Melody could open the door, it was thrown open by Olivia, who stood there with a huge smile on her face. “I thought I heard voices. Hi, Ava, it’s so great to meet you!” She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the young girl. Melody stood frozen in surprise; she was shocked when Ava put her arms around Olivia’s waist and held on for a moment before pulling away, smiling slightly.

Don’t take it personally
, Melody told herself, then repeated the words over and over like a mantra when the two of them left her in the doorway and went into the apartment.

“So Mel tells me you love to read,” Olivia said as she led Ava toward the couch. Melody followed and sat in the chair beside the couch.

Ava nodded and looked around the expansive loft, taking it all in with wide eyes. Her gaze roamed over the bookshelf, then swept to the television and stacks of DVDs next to it. Melody couldn’t imagine what she was thinking; what had her home been like before coming to Bellevue? If Jackie was anything like she had been when they were younger, Melody couldn’t imagine the house being tidy, let alone clean. Ava had said Jackie wouldn’t buy her books, but what about toys and games and other forms of entertainment? What about basic necessities?

“Right Mel?”

Olivia’s forceful voice drew her from her thoughts, and she looked at Olivia and Ava apologetically. “Sorry, what?”

Olivia looked at her strangely, her head cocked to one side. “I was just telling Ava that we’d love to have her over here as often as she’d like.”

“Absolutely,” Melody agreed quickly. She fought a surge of jealousy when she noticed that Olivia was sitting close to Ava and stroking her hair from crown to shoulder. She knew she was being ridiculous; she’d never been the jealous sort, why the hell did she have to start now? “We only have two bedrooms, but I was actually thinking we could try to figure out a place in here that could be just for Ava,” she added. “Would you like that, Ava?”

Her niece’s cheeks reddened slightly, and she shrugged one shoulder. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I know, but I’d like to,” Melody told her.

Ava tucked her feet up under herself and looked down at her fingernails. Silence stretched, and Melody struggled with the urge to squirm uncomfortably in her seat.

Finally Olivia jumped in. “Melody and I talked one night about moving the dining room out of that alcove over there.” She pointed across the room to indicate where she meant. “We were going to turn it into an office or something, but we could probably fit a bed in there, maybe a small bookshelf and a desk. You’d have that big window there for lots of light to read and work. It’d be your own little space. We could have sleepovers, and you could come here after school sometimes, or just for a break from Nana. Not that your nana’s not the coolest nana ever, but sometimes a girl needs a break, you know?”

The smile that blossomed over Ava’s face was angelic. It lit her eyes so they sparkled in a way Melody hadn’t seen yet. The sweetness of it tugged at her heart and sent a rush of pleasure through her, even as she selfishly wished it could have been her who’d put that smile on Ava’s face.

“That would be so cool,” Ava said. “None of my friends ever had two bedrooms.”

Olivia laughed and glanced at Melody. She must have seen something in her expression or body language that Melody hadn’t realized she was projecting, because her smile slipped slightly. She turned back to Ava. “You know, I had two bedrooms growing up. One at my parents’ house, and one at Melody and your nana’s house.”

“Really?” Ava asked. “How come?”

“Well…my mom wasn’t the nicest person in the world,” Olivia explained slowly, as if choosing her words carefully. “And when Melody found that out, she sort of decided she should take care of me.” She glanced at Melody again, and the look of love and affection on her face made Melody’s eyes sting. “She was always there for me when I needed her. She always made sure I had everything I needed, and she was the best friend I could ever have asked for.”

Ava leaned forward to look past Olivia, and regarded Melody solemnly. Melody wondered suddenly what Jackie had told Ava about her over the years, or if she’d told her anything at all. They had never really gotten along; Melody didn’t know if it was because of the age difference, or because they had such different personalities. Whatever the reason, Melody never considered her sister a friend, and she was certain Jackie felt the same way. Olivia had been more of a sister to her than Jackie had ever been, and now here she was, singing Melody’s praises to this ten-year-old who seemed so fragile.

Olivia leaned in close to Ava, and whispered, “And she’ll be the same for you if you let her.” Melody wasn’t sure if Olivia had intended for the words to be for Ava’s ears only, but she caught them, and was touched.

Ava looked up into Olivia’s face and nodded slowly. Something seemed to pass between the two of them—an understanding or an unspoken agreement. Melody wasn’t sure what it was, but she felt her stomach sink. She’d tried so hard to win Ava over the other night, and now after just ten minutes Olivia had managed to gain her trust and admiration.