The Game Changer (39 page)

Melody had a sudden, inexplicable urge to cry, but she fought it back. In all the scenarios she’d run through her head, this was not how she’d expected tonight to go. Fifteen minutes ago, she was ready to take a huge step with Julian, and now he thought that step was a mistake.

“Ready?” she asked.

Julian nodded. He secured the lids on the cups and turned the kitchen light off, then the light in Ava’s room. Melody turned to slip on her shoes, and felt Julian at her side, putting on his own shoes. A moment later, his warm hand was on her arm, and she silently begged him not to say anything that was going to make her cry. Part of her was already regretting her decision to go with him—it was going to be torture sitting in a car with him for the next three hours—but she knew he needed a friend.

His voice in her ear startled her. “Thank you, Melody.” She suppressed a shiver when his breath whispered across her ear.

Without meeting his eyes, she nodded. “Let’s go.”

It was going to be a long night.

CHAPTER 20

The highway was surprisingly quiet for a Saturday night, and was mostly populated with transport trucks. Melody had turned the radio on the minute they got in the car; she didn’t want Julian to feel like he had to talk to her, but she couldn’t stand the idea of sitting in silence for three hours.

She never drank coffee this late at night, so between the caffeine and her nerves, she felt wired. She tried hard not to fidget in her seat; she also tried hard not to glance over at Julian every five seconds.

They had been on the road almost an hour before Julian spoke. “I’m really sorry about what happened back at your place, Mel.”

“Which part?” she asked, surprised by how cool her voice was.

Julian sighed, and she immediately regretted her words. “All of it?” He said with a tired shrug. “But mostly for what I said. I didn’t…I didn’t mean it. It wasn’t a mistake.”

She finally looked at him, and he took his eyes off the road for a second to return her gaze. “Maybe it was,” she whispered.

*****

They arrived at the hospital just after midnight. Julian found a parking spot in the half-empty lot, and the pair walked in silence through the Emergency Room doors.

Melody stood to the side while Julian talked to the receptionist. She noticed an attractive older woman come through the automatic sliding doors from the inner part of Emergency and scan the waiting room before her eyes landed on Julian and her shoulders slumped in relief.

“Thank god you’re here,” she said, rushing over to Julian, who thanked the receptionist and held his arms out to his mother. Melody’s heart constricted as she watched Julian embrace his mother, and whisper reassuring words in her ear.

“Mom, this is Melody,” Julian said when he released his mother. He held out his hand to Melody, and unsure what else to do, Melody grasped it. He gave her a tired smile that she could have sworn held a hint of relief, and pulled her close to his side. “Melody, this is my mom, Bonnie.”

“It’s nice to meet you, dear,” Bonnie said, shaking Melody’s hand and smiling warmly. She looked tired and frazzled, but Melody could see so much of Julian in her—the dark hair, sparkling eyes, high cheekbones. “Julian’s told me so much about you. It was so kind of you to come.”

Julian had told Bonnie about her? To say she was surprised would have been a massive understatement. “I didn’t want him to make the trip alone,” Melody told her. “How’s Mr. Reynolds?”

Bonnie’s eyes immediately filled with tears. “The doctors are really concerned,” she said, looking at Julian. “They’re talking about performing emergency surgery tonight.”

Melody had forgotten Julian was holding her hand until he squeezed it tightly. She wasn’t sure if it was intentional or a reflex, but she squeezed back. “Can I see him?” he asked.

“Of course.” Bonnie cast a worried glance at Melody. “I’m so sorry, sweetie, but…”

“Family only,” Melody finished for her. “I totally understand. I have a book in my purse, so I’ll be fine.” She gave Julian’s hand a final squeeze before releasing it. “Go on, I’ll be right here.”

He nodded at her and bent to place a quick kiss on her cheek before disappearing through the sliding doors with his mother.

Finding a seat on the far side of the room away from anyone else, Melody sank into a plastic chair and rested her head against the wall. All she wanted to do was sleep. She was exhausted mentally and physically, and just wanted to shut off her brain.

Knowing she couldn’t do that, she got up again and crossed the waiting room. When she was through the outside doors, she pulled her cell phone from her purse to text her mother and Olivia. She had texted them both on the drive up to let them know what was happening, and had asked her mother not to tell Ava that she would have to cancel their plans the next day. As much as Melody hated disappointing her niece, she felt it should come from her, not her mother.

At the hospital
, she typed after entering both cell numbers.
Julian and his mom are in the room with his dad now. Just waiting to see what’s happening. Will call in the morning. Love you.

She shut her phone off and returned it to her purse. Back inside, she slid into the same chair and resumed her position from moments earlier. If she could just close her eyes for a minute…not to sleep, only to rest them…

“Mel. Melody.” Julian’s quiet voice and his hand on her arm startled Melody awake, and she sat up quickly in the chair.

“What?” she asked, eyes darting around the waiting room. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“I know,” Julian said soothingly, brushing her hair back.

“How’s your dad?” Her eyes roved over his face; he was pale, and looked exhausted.

“Not good,” he told her, his voice rough. “They’re prepping him for surgery now. I’m going to take you to my parents’ house and get you settled, then come back to sit with my mom.”

“No, I’ll stay here with you,” Melody said quickly.

Julian shook his head. “The surgery’s going to take awhile. One of the nurses said she’d bring pillows and blankets for Mom and me, but there’s no way either of us will sleep. You should sleep in a proper bed, and when Dad’s out of surgery I’ll come to the house and get some sleep.” When Melody started to protest, Julian let out a weary sigh. “Please, Mel. I’m so grateful to you for coming with me, but I’m not going to be alone here. Just let me take you home to get some sleep.”

Melody nodded and rose from the chair. Julian stood with her and took her hand, leading her from the hospital and back to his car. With Julian’s warm, slightly clammy hand pressed against hers, Melody’s mind was a swirl of confusion. He was being so sweet, like nothing had happened a few hours before—as if they hadn’t almost had sex, and he hadn’t told her it would have been a mistake.

They were silent on the drive across town, and Melody had nearly fallen asleep again when Julian turned into a quiet neighbourhood with large houses, spacious lots, and plenty of mature trees that Melody imagined were a lush green in daylight hours. Julian pulled into the driveway of a two-story house with a rustic wooden fence around the front and sides.

“My parents have had this house for…thirty-two years now, I guess,” Julian told her when he’d turned off the engine. “I grew up here.”

They sat in the dark car peering up at the house until Julian sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face. “Well…” He trailed off and opened the door.

Melody grabbed her overnight bag and followed Julian up the walk to the front door. “There’s an alarm. I’ll set it when I leave, so you don’t have to worry. This is a really safe neighbourhood anyway.”

Melody nodded and followed Julian inside, standing in the entryway while he turned on lights, illuminating a beautiful home with gleaming hardwood floors. “Living room to the left,” Julian said, pointing. “Dining room on the far side of that, and kitchen straight ahead.” He pointed again, this time to the curved staircase ahead of them, which he motioned for Melody to climb. “Three bedrooms upstairs. My parents’ room is at one end of the hall, spare room in the middle, and my room at the far end. My room has an en suite.”

Melody paused at the spare room door, but Julian gave a light push to the small of her back, guiding her to his bedroom. Too surprised to say anything, Melody stepped inside the room when Julian opened the door. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting—perhaps for the room to be a shrine to teenage Julian, with awards and plaques lining the walls, a twin bed, and maybe even movie posters on the wall. Instead, the room was sparsely furnished with a queen-sized bed, night table, and dresser.

“Everything from my childhood is packed in boxes and stored in the basement,” Julian explained when he saw Melody looking around. “I didn’t want to get rid of it, but didn’t want a reminder of it every time I came to visit, either.”

“Makes sense,” Melody said, setting her bag on the bed. When she turned, Julian was directly behind her. As he had earlier that night, he put his hands on her shoulders and bent slightly so they were eye to eye. “I really am sorry about earlier. I know I hurt you, and…god, I swore I’d never hurt you.”

Melody’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Not for the first time that night, she remained silent, unsure what to say.

“I just…I don’t want to hurt you,” Julian said.

“What makes you think you’re going to hurt me?” Melody asked.

Julian released her shoulders and paced across the room, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t do relationships. I don’t know
how
to do relationships.”

“And you think I do?”

Julian froze in his pacing and turned to look at Melody. “Of course you do. You and Rick were together for years.”

Melody scoffed. “That doesn’t mean I know how to do a relationship, Julian. If I did, I would have realized how unhappy I was and not coasted along in a dead-end relationship. I would have ended things and made my own happiness a priority instead of putting on blinders and convincing myself everything was fine.”

She wasn’t sure who was more surprised: Julian, or herself. She’d never said those things out loud; she’d barely even allowed herself to think them.

“I just don’t know, Melody,” Julian said, sounding so tired it made her want to wrap her arms around him and hold him close.

“We don’t have to decide anything tonight.” Turning to the bed, she unzipped her bag and rooted around. She wasn’t searching for anything in particular, she just couldn’t look at Julian anymore. “You should probably get back to the hospital before they take your dad to surgery. Your mom’s going to need you.”

She heard Julian moving around behind her, then felt his presence at her shoulder. “Get some sleep,” he told her quietly. “I’ll be back when I know my dad is going to be all right.”

“I’ll be sending good, healing thoughts,” Melody promised, angling to look up at him. “He’s going to be okay, Julian.”

Julian blinked rapidly a few times, then cleared his throat. “He has to be.” He gave her a quick, tight hug, then headed for the door. “Bathroom’s through that door. If you want something to eat or drink, my mom always keeps the kitchen stocked. I’ll see you later.” He disappeared, then returned a second later, gripping the doorjamb. “Mel…thanks again. For everything.”

Before she could respond, he was gone, and this time she heard his footfalls on the stairs. There was a distant beeping sound, and then the front door opened and closed, leaving her alone in the big, unfamiliar house.

Blowing out a breath, Melody pulled her toiletries and pajamas from her bag and headed for the bathroom. When she came out a few minutes later, she was so tired, she was amazed she could even make it to the bed. Pulling back the covers and crawling in, she took her phone from her purse and turned it on. There was a message from her mother telling her to call if she needed anything, and a message from Olivia ordering her to call her as soon as she got the message, no matter how late it was.

Melody glanced at the bedside clock: 2 a.m. She debated whether to actually call Olivia or not, but she knew her friend would be annoyed if she didn’t. Hitting speed dial, Melody lay back on the pillows and listened to the line ring.

Olivia picked up on the third ring. “How’s everything?”

“Julian’s dad is going in for surgery shortly,” Melody said. “I’m at his parents’ place, and he and his mom are at the hospital. There was nothing I could do. He didn’t say it, but I would have just been in the way there.”