Melody sucked in a few breaths, trying not to hyperventilate since people would be in her studio at any moment for lemonade, snacks, and conversation.
And the entire time, she was going to do her best to not throw up.
Should be easy enough.
Her stomach rolled.
Or not.
Her grandmother had hired the caterer for the event as a present, though Melody had tried to turn her down. The duo who owned a shop near Dare’s bar had already set everything up and departed, and would be back soon to help out with serving and drinks. Soon, Grandma Pearl would be in the studio, and Melody would be able to hug her grandmother and tell her thanks in person. She was always so much steadier when the last of her family was near.
Melody put her hand on her belly and swallowed hard. Not the last, at least not anymore. But she couldn’t think about that now. Sure, she’d stayed up reading about what comes next and what expecting a baby meant, but it still hadn’t hit her that somehow she’d ended up knocked up on the verge of her new life.
She rolled her shoulders back.
Get a grip, Melody.
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t had to deal with obstacles before for hell’s sake. She’d danced her heart out, put blood, sweat, and tears into her career and what she’d thought would be the only part worth living in her life to become one of the best dancers in the country, and she hadn’t even made it to a full company at the time. She’d come back from injury to walk again after finding out her dancing career was over. She’d found herself again after she ran from who she once was. And as each step had tripped her up and forced her into a new stage of her life, she’d come back fighting—even if she hadn’t been the same person she was before.
She’d just make a plan. Make lists.
And maybe, just maybe, rely on the man she’d spent the night with. Though that thought might not be something she could quite see through to the end yet, she knew she couldn’t run again. She’d moved to Whiskey to put down roots, and it seemed the town had wrapped its own around her in the most unexpected way.
Someone tapped on the door, and she turned on her heel, almost falling in her haste. Once again, she took a deep breath and promised herself that she would not fall in front of her new dancers and their families. There was only so much she could take, after all.
Her stomach did that weird fluttering thing that had nothing at all to do with the baby and everything to do with the man at the door. Fox stood there, a grin on his face, and her grandmother by his side. She hadn’t known that he planned to bring her grandmother with him. Though her grandma had been very interested in what Fox meant to Melody, she’d been oddly careful about how she answered Grandma Pearl about him. Melody still couldn’t quite believe how supportive the other woman had been ever since she told her about the baby, but Melody knew she shouldn’t have been surprised.
Her grandmother was the Ms. Pearl, after all. She’d insert herself into Melody’s life and always be there. No matter what.
Melody quickly made her way to the door to let them in before Fox could knock again. “You’re here,” she said, her smile widening. She was beyond nervous, perhaps even more so now than she had been while dancing, but seeing the one person who meant the most to her and the other who was quickly sharing that space in her soul calmed her more than she thought possible.
“Of course, we’re here,” Ms. Pearl said with a wink. “It’s our girl’s big day. Now give me a hug and let me inside so I can fawn like I’m prone to do when it comes to my baby girl’s dreams.”
And Melody knew she couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears fell down her cheeks, and her grandmother tut-tutted good-naturedly even as Fox wiped the streaks from her face. Grandma Pearl didn’t say a word as she strode into the studio, but the man beside her hugged Melody close.
“So damn proud of you,” he whispered. “You’re kicking ass and taking names, and soon, this place is going to be filled with the people who trust you and want to learn from you. You’re amazing.”
“And you haven’t even seen me dance yet.” Something she knew needed to be rectified soon. When, she didn’t know, but if this man were going to somehow be part of her life, she had to show him all parts of her.
And tell him who she was.
And what she’d done.
That fast, she was no longer feeling the heat between them, only the coldness that had spread within her through years of mistakes and wrong choices.
Fox seemed to see the change in her, but he didn’t comment. There wasn’t any time, and she was so confused and worried that she was making more mistakes. When they were alone, before they could find out who they could be together, she would have to tell him the truth. Because there was no other choice, not anymore.
This wasn’t a one-night stand or even a two-night stand. Even if she weren’t pregnant, there was still a connection between them that drew her to him, one that seemed to make him do the same with her, and because of that, he needed to know who she truly was.
Who she had been before.
Before Fox could say anything or even pull her away as she thought he might do, the caterers arrived again, and Fox’s parents were right behind them. Melody swallowed hard, trying not to freak out because they knew about the baby. Once he’d told his brothers, he’d had to tell the elder Collins couple, as well. Fox had warned her that they would probably come since she’d been so busy with work—same as Fox for that matter—but he hadn’t had a chance to introduce them like he had with the rest of his family.
And Melody had never felt as if she’d been found lacking as she did right then.
Fox squeezed her hand and led her to the older couple who looked like the parts of Fox she’d seen in the various pieces of his personality.
“Mom, Dad, this is Melody. Melody, these are my parents, Barbara and Bob.” Fox wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. Clearly laying claim.
She wasn’t going to vomit, but it would be close. She honestly had no idea how her supposedly simplified life had gotten so confusing and complex, but now it seemed as if she didn’t have a choice but to face whatever came next.
“We’re so happy to finally meet you,” Fox’s mom said. She reached out and pulled Melody away from Fox and into a tight hug. “We’re excited for other reasons, but we can talk about that later,” the other woman whispered so only Melody could hear.
For some reason, though she probably should have stiffened at the reminder that Fox’s mom knew he’d gotten some random woman pregnant, another kind of warmth filled her instead. Fox’s mom seemed…excited about what was to come. Or at least she acted that way now and wasn’t making a huge deal about it in public since Melody didn’t want the news out.
Yes, she should probably tell her new dance students about the baby, but Melody was going to do everything in her power not to interrupt lessons or make her pregnancy interfere with the new studio in any way. She’d find a way to make it work, darn it. And she’d tell them soon, once she actually believed what was going on with her.
“Oh,” she finally said, pulling away. Oh. Not the most brilliant thing to say, but Fox’s mom had left her speechless.
Before she could say anything else, Fox’s father was hugging her tight, and then the rest of the Collins family was right behind them. Dare held Kenzie’s hand, his son Nate between them as they introduced Melody to her new charge. Loch showed up soon after with his daughter, Misty, in tow and Ainsley right beside them. The three looked so much like a family that it was hard to comprehend that the other woman was just Loch’s friend. Again, Melody figured there was a story there, but she didn’t say anything. She had enough on her plate as it was.
Soon, the building was bursting with incoming students, their families, townsfolk who wanted to see what the new girl was all about, and her and Fox’s family. If she’d had time to be nervous, she might have started shaking, but as it was, the two hours passed by in a blink. She’d spent the entire party going from
group to group, introducing herself to everyone she could find and sizing up who would be in her classes. There were so many smiling faces that the excitement started to push away the fear. She knew that if she focused, she could do this.
Even if she were pregnant with a not-so-much-a-stranger-anymore’s baby.
Before she knew it, the place had emptied, and Fox’s parents had invited her to a family dinner that didn’t seem like something she could get out of, and soon, she was standing next to Fox and her grandmother.
Grandma Pearl hugged her close and kissed her cheek. “I’m so proud of you. This place looks wonderful, and the joy in those children’s eyes means that you’re going to set that spark for them. Even if it’s just for a season where they stretch their legs and find out that dancing isn’t for them, they’re going to have those memories. You’re doing something wonderful for this town, and I’ve never been prouder of you. I can’t wait until your little baby grows up to watch you dance and sees how far you’ve come. You’re my inspiration, baby girl. I love you so much.”
Melody couldn’t help the sting behind her eyes, but she didn’t let the tears fall this time. She’d cried enough recently, and honestly, she’d had too good and memorable of a day so far to let tears spoil it—even if they were happy ones.
“Thank you,” she whispered, resting her forehead on her grandmother’s. “You mean the world to me.” Melody missed her parents and knew that though they’d had their faults, they had always believed in her. But right then, it was her grandmother who lifted her up. And unlike before, she never wanted to take that for granted.
“Same here, girl.” She kissed Melody’s forehead and stood back. “Now, one of my bridge club ladies is outside waiting to take me home so we can have some tea and gossip about who we saw today as that’s part of our routine, but you should go see to that young man behind you who’s casually leaning against the wall as if he hasn’t been watching you with dreamy and intense eyes for the past two hours. Fox is a good man, Melody.”
Melody cleared her throat. “I can see that he is, but we’re…we’re taking things slow.” As slow as they could considering he’d been inside her the night before, but they were doing their best to not talk about feelings or futures—a totally mature way to go.
As she watched her grandmother walk away, Fox came up behind her. She didn’t have to look to know that he was near, she could feel the heat of him that went straight to her bones. He was just so…Fox. She couldn’t explain it, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to. She knew she should step away and keep her distance so they could talk about what would happen when the baby came. Because she didn’t want to force him into a relationship, didn’t want to force him into her life because of what had happened between them. They might have tried to be safe their first night together, but it hadn’t been safe enough. And now, three lives would soon be changed irrevocably, forever.
“You looked like you were having a good time today,” Fox whispered, the warmth of his breath sending shivers down the line of her neck. “And I noticed you practically taking notes on each person you saw. Do you need to write them down?”
She shook her head, turning in his arms though she knew she should pull away. Fox needed to know who she was, who she had been, if whatever was between them were to continue. Because there was another person who was part of them now, and she had to be far more careful than she had been when it came to Fox.
“I just saw first impressions and don’t want to keep those as my only ones, but it’s nice to finally put faces to some names.” She bit her lip, doing her best to think about the party and not the fact that Fox was so close to her, the lean line of his body pressed along the side of hers so she could feel every inch of him.
And she meant every inch.
It scared her how quickly Fox had become part of her life. She’d thought they could be friends once she came back to Whiskey, but she should have known that wouldn’t be the case. As evidenced by their first meeting, the sparks between them only flamed hotter once they were closer to one another for longer than a few moments. And the hell of it was, she liked him. He was amazing with his family, caring, funny, and always tried to show that he belonged with how hard he worked since his brothers were all so different. She could only assume that it would be the same if their sister were living there, as well. Fox was talented and had far more intricacies than she’d ever imagined. Things like his juggling when he was thinking, or the fact that he rambled just like her when he was nervous. He had made sure her grandmother was taken care of with his story, and though the editorial had gone viral, he’d made sure her family was safe from any prying eyes who wanted to know more about Ms. Pearl and her dancing past. Fox hadn’t taken a step back and had only paused to let the fact that she was pregnant sink in before he was there for her, telling her that he wanted to be part of the pregnancy and part of the baby’s life, even as they traversed their own relationship.
To say that she was confused when it came to her feelings about Fox was an understatement. But before she could let any sense of promise wrap itself around them, she had to tell him her secrets.
And because she knew she was being a coward, she couldn’t let those secrets lie dormant any longer. Not when she knew the clock was ticking down when it came to what the two of them had made together.
Their child.
And there went that stomach roll again.
“Melody? You went quiet there.” Fox slid his hand through her hair, tucking some behind her ear.
“Sorry, just thinking.” She shook herself, letting out a breath. “I have a few things to clean up, but I wanted to say thank you for being here. I know you didn’t have to be, but I appreciated it.”
Fox cupped her face then and kissed her softly. The touch of his lips against hers went straight to her core, and she was thankful when he pulled away so she could think. That was the problem with Fox, she could never get her thoughts in order when he was around. And that was probably why she was pregnant and beyond confused.
“Of course, I had to. I know we’re doing our best to not define what we are, but you’ve been in my bed, we talk and text for hours a day, and you’re carrying my child. We’re part of each other’s lives, no matter what titles and labels we put on it.”
“You’re right,” she said, obviously surprising him if the look in his eyes was any indication. “Can I come over after this? There’s a few things I need to tell you.”
He gave her a curious look but nodded. “Let me help you clean up. The caterers did most of it, but there is probably a few things left I bet.”
Relieved and nervous at the same time, she gave him her best smile that she had a feeling didn’t quite reach her eyes. Fox was right in that there wasn’t much to do, but she wanted the studio to shine since the real opening day would be right after the long weekend. Then she’d work with children and adults of all ages and practice and begin her new life once again. Since she wasn’t actually dancing all day, she could work while pregnant for sure. She had seen previous instructors in that position, but it wouldn’t be easy. Just another thing to add to her list. As long as she stayed organized and steady, she might not stress out to the point of getting sick again.
Fox was in the front of the studio, mopping the floors while Melody went out with the last of the trash bags. The caterers and Fox had cleaned up the heaviest of the mess so she didn’t have to lift a lot, but there was still a tiny bag left that she wanted out of the building and into one of the cans outside. There was a slight chill in the air, but she didn’t mind as she’d been slightly overheated with the amount of people at the party and being near Fox in general, but as she stared at what lay in front of the trash cans ice filled her veins.
“Melody? What’s wrong? What the fuck is that?”
She swallowed hard. “Fox? I think you need to call the police. I think you need to now.”
Because in front of the cans lay a single ballet toe shoe, the ribbons pristine yet splayed out abov
e the shoe itself. But it was the drops of red, of what could be blood on the pink silk that told her that she’d been wrong before about the flowers. Wrong about the email and the note. Wrong about so much.
Someone was taunting her, stalking her, and she could only guess why.
Chapter 17
By the time the police came and left, Melody was frozen to the bone and Fox was stiff with anger beside her. She’d told the detectives about the email and the letter, as well as the flowers, and now this. When they pulled Fox away so she could tell the police in more detail why this could be happening in a new town, she’d told them the truth, and explained what had happened before she moved to Whiskey. She even gave them a list of who it could be, but for all she knew, it was someone totally different yet still connected to the time that had changed her life forever.
There hadn’t been judgment in their eyes, but she could still feel it in her soul. When they left, taking the shoe with them, she hadn’t wanted to stay at the studio any longer. She would come back since it was another part of her home, but that night, it felt tainted.
And when she found herself standing in front of her studio next to Fox, she wrapped her arms around her middle, waiting for what he would stay. Instead of asking her what was going on, he pulled her into his arms, and she sank into him, her body shaking.
“Let’s get you to my place,” he whispered softly. “The town’s small, and they’re going to wonder why the police were here. They won’t know the details though, so let’s call your grandma and make sure she knows. But I still want you with me. Can you do that? Can you give me tonight?”
She nodded, wiping away a tear that had broken through her control. “I can do that. I was planning on talking to you more tonight anyway.”
His jaw tightened, and he gave her a nod. “Let’s do it then.”
She called her grandmother as he drove her to his place. She’d walked to her studio that morning since everything was in the building and she’d needed the air to calm down, but she was happy that he had his car just then.
Whiskey Reveals Page 14
