She made a mental note to make sure to pick up the tab.
After a while Martin seemed to notice how quiet she was while he talked on about his ideas for their wedding.
“Melanie, what’s wrong? If you don’t like the idea of getting married in Greece, just tell me.”
“Martin, we need to talk...” she began.
He leaned back and frowned. “I don’t like the sound of this already.”
She saw the expression of worry in his eyes, but breathed deeply and plunged ahead.
“I had a lot of time to think the last few days. I don’t think it’s going to work with us.”
Martin was quiet for a long time, but she resisted the urge to explain. She was sure that it was kinder.
“It’s that pilot. What’s his name? Alan?”
“Alex. And no it wasn’t him.”
This was the truth. It may have been the time she spent with Alex that made her realize that Martin was the wrong man for her, but he wasn’t the reason she was breaking things off. After all, it was possible that she would never see him again.
Alex probably wasn’t right for her either, although for completely different reasons.
“Are you sure? You sounded so distant on the phone when we finally found you. I felt almost like I’d interrupted something.”
Melanie looked Martin in the eye.
“This is about you and me, not me and Alex. You are so great, Martin. Everything I should want in a man,” she said solemnly.
Martin stared back at her, a look of understanding dawning.
“But not everything you do want.”
“I guess not. I’m so sorry.”
“Not as much as I am, but I can’t really do anything but try and understand. Can I? You don’t suppose we just went too fast, do you?”
She shook her head. “No. That wasn’t it.”
“Oh well,” he said, “I’m ready to get married. I’d hoped it would be you, but someone else will come along.”
“Right,” she said.
She realized that she really hadn’t known him well at all.
Then the waitress was there, placing steaming plates of food in front of them and easing the silence that had grown between them. Martin poured ketchup over his hash-browns and began to eat, his appetite apparently not hampered by Melanie’s rejection. Melanie felt relieved and suddenly very hungry.
Martin paused between mouthfuls of food.
“So, tell me about the plane crash. You didn’t say much yesterday.”
And so for the rest of the meal, Melanie recounted almost everything about the previous three days. She did leave a few things out, a few things that she knew she would never tell another soul as long as she lived, and certainly not Martin.
Later that day, Melanie lay in bath water that had grown lukewarm. A hot bath was her usual way to feel better, and today she’d made the water scorching.
She re-lived the scene at the diner, seeing Martin’s handsome face as his expression had changed from excitement to disappointment. But one woman was as good as another for him it seemed. That didn’t actually help the misery she was feeling, although it made it even clearer that she’d done the right thing.
The true source of her misery was Alex. She couldn’t get him out of her mind or her heart. It felt as if the memory of him had permeated every cell in her body. She missed him.
CHAPTER 10
The phone had been ringing all week with calls from friends and curious acquaintances wanting to hear the story of her survival. The search for her and Alex was apparently big news, and everyone was interested in the details. But it was still a surprise when Cary Andrews from the local news called requesting that she grant an interview.
Her first instinct was to say no, but Cary, a new journalist with the station was very persuasive.
“So many people were praying for your safe return, Miss Michaels. The whole city was watching your story, hoping that you were all right, and worried that you weren’t. It’s up to you, of course, but they really want to see for yourself that you are alive and well.”
Melanie sighed. “What time do you want me there?”
“Wonderful! But can we come to your home? It adds such a personal touch to the story.”
“Well...”
She peeked into her living room. It wasn’t too bad she decided quickly. There were piles of books and papers strewn about, a thin layer of dust covering the table tops, and orange tufts of cat hair adding an interesting pattern to the carpet. Nothing she couldn’t clean up by tomorrow morning. “Okay, I guess.”
“Wonderful! And Mr. Ryan already said yes too. So we’re all set.”
“Mr. Ryan already said yes to what?”
“To the interview. Everyone will want to see you two together!” The woman sounded a bit breathless in her excitement. “We’ll be there to set up tomorrow morning at seven. See you then.”
She hung up as Melanie opened her mouth to object. Then, as she placed the phone in the receiver, it rang again. She recognized the gravelly voice right away and her heart started a slow pounding in her chest.
“Melanie?”
“Hi, Alex.”
Look, I won’t keep you. Did Cary Andrews call you? I just want to make sure it’s ok with you about the interview tomorrow. She said you wouldn’t mind, but that woman is pushy.”
Melanie laughed. “A bit, yeah.”
“I don’t see the harm, though.”
“It’s ok, Alex. I told her yes.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Tomorrow.”
The next morning Melanie woke at five am. After rolling out of bed, she put a pot of coffee on to brew then got into the shower. As the hot water beat on her back, she sang loud and off key.
She was happy. And she knew that it was because Alex was coming to her house in less than two hours. She dried herself off and searched in her closet for something to wear and the happy feeling stayed with her.
She hadn’t known she’d wanted a second chance with Alex, but it must be true. Because why else would she feel so glad to see him again? She’d been missing him before he’d ever come into her life. Just like in that silly song that got stuck in her head for hours every time she heard it on the radio.
Since it was clear to her now that she wanted to be with him so much it hurt not to be, she decided to heed her mother’s warning and not run away from a man she was so attracted to.
But could he forgive her? And did he want her still, or even feel close to the same way she did?
The clothes she picked out to wear that morning were not chosen because she was going in front of the cameras, but because she would soon be in Alex’s view. After putting on and taking off five different outfits she was finally dressed. Before going out of her bedroom she glanced around and noting the scattered piles of clothes and open drawers, firmly closed the door.
She had just poured her third mug of coffee when the doorbell rang. A gang of people filed in, lugging cameras and other equipment, and right behind them was a pretty blonde woman she recognized from the morning news, Cary Andrews.
“Here we are. Right on time!”
Cary stuck out her hand. “Hello, Melanie. Oh wonderful! I love that dress. We’ll have make-up work on you a bit. Is Mr. Ryan here yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, let’s get set up. I’m sure he’ll turn up.”
She turned to an older man who stood nearby holding a large case. “Mario, work on her, will you? And I’ll need a touch up before we shoot.”
Then she addressed a small, older woman dressed in jeans who was screwing a large camera onto a metal stand. “Do you think we can have this wrapped up in half an hour? We need to be back at the station before eight.”
Her make-up was finished and another of the crew was telling her where to sit on her couch, when Alex walked in through the front door that had been left open.
Melanie saw him first and her sudden happiness at the sight
of him made the color rise in her cheeks. His wavy dark hair was still damp from his shower and he was freshly shaved. His tan looked even darker against the white dress shirt he wore with the collar unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up. He was more dressed up than she had expected, and she was glad she’d settled on her jade green silk dress.
He stood near the entrance, taking in the chaos of activity, until he saw her and their eyes met. She smiled at him and the hope grew when he smiled back, that she was forgiven. There was no mistaking the admiring look that he gave her.
Cary spied him then and waved him in.
“There you are! Perfect timing. Oh my gosh! Aren’t you gorgeous?” she exclaimed. Then she looked over at Melanie slyly. “Maybe this story has more meat on it than I first suspected.”
Within minutes of Alex’s arrival the interview began. To Melanie’s dismay, Cary Andrews seemed determined to focus on a possible relationship between her and Alex, rather than on how they had found their way out of the wilderness of the Cascade Mountains. She was also somehow under the impression that Melanie was engaged.
“Melanie, I asked your fiancé to join us today, and he declined. Can you tell us anything about that?”
“Well...who? He’s not...” she stammered. She was taken off guard. What did Martin have to do with this?
“Did I tell you it was Melanie who saw the highway from almost 20 miles away?” Alex interrupted. “She has amazing eyesight.”
Rather reluctantly, Cary turned to him.
“Is that so?”
From that point, Alex took charge of the interview. He told the story, including Melanie by asking her questions directly. Cary had a difficult time getting a word in, and soon the assistant was signing that they were running out of time. Still, she made time for one more question. She turned and looked directly into the camera.
“There you have it folks, a wonderful, fantastic, story of survival. Two nights and three days lost in the wild. And this interview has been quite interesting and full of mutual admiration. I know I want to know, and everybody watching does too, did the two of you, attractive, still single people, hook up while out there?
Melanie fought the urge to look down into her lap, but her cheeks burned. Alex came to her rescue once again.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Miss James is an engaged woman.”
Cary looked disappointed.
“Wonderful! Well, thank you both.”
It didn’t take long at all for Cary Andrews and her crew to pack up and leave, and soon it was only Alex. He sat on the couch and made no move to leave.
The butterflies in Melanie’s stomach grew more active. “It looks like you’ve saved me once again,” she said.
“That woman’s a bitch. What happened between us is nobody’s business.”
“Well, thank you, anyway.”
“No problem. I guess I’ll go then.” He looked at her for a long moment, and then he stood up. “You look beautiful in that dress by the way.”
It was awkward between them. Melanie started to hold out her hand but it felt wet and sweaty, and if she wiped it on her silk dress she knew it would make a dark mark.
“Hey, do you want to stay for breakfast?” she asked impulsively.
Alex flashed her a quick smile. “That would be nice,” he said, “but won’t Martin mind?”
“He might, but we broke up,” Melanie said quietly.
“What?”
“I broke it off with Martin,” she said more loudly.
Alex’s eyebrows rose in surprise but the corners of his mouth twitched with a suppressed smile.
“Oh, well then yes I would love some breakfast. We could go out though, if you want.”
“No, I want to cook for you. Just sit back and relax, it won’t take long.”
Alex looked around the room. “Do you mind if I look at your books?”
“Go ahead.” Melanie laughed. “Pick a pile, any pile. They aren’t very well organized.”
When she returned from the kitchen, the sight of him sitting in the leather recliner by the fireplace, book in hand, with her fat tabby cat purring on his lap, made her heart expand in her chest. He looked like he belonged in her home.
Something about the sight of him there seemed natural and almost familiar. And it wasn’t that he reminded her of Sam, because they were nothing alike. Besides, Sam had never sat in that chair and he had barely tolerated her cat.
Alex looked up and their eyes locked. The small shock of something, familiarity or déjà vu, grew stronger.
“The pancakes are ready,” she said.
Breakfast was pleasant enough. Melanie found out a bit more about Alex, even though they stayed on fairly surface subjects. He told her he lived in a house that he was building on some family property, and that he rented a small place on the island through the summer. She also learned he only flew paid flights during the summer months.
“Why only the summer?”
“Because it’s the busy season and I’m helping my uncle out. Flying is more of a hobby for me really.”
“Then what is your vocation?”
“My vocation?”
“How do you make a living?”
Alex grinned at her. “I do know what the word means, Melanie. I have a few websites I run. It pays the bills. What about you? You were a nurse, I know that. What’s your vocation these days?”
“I will have to figure that out. My husband was into dangerous sports as well as being a firefighter. I insisted he have a good life-insurance policy, so I’m okay for now.”
“What happened to your fiancé?”
“He wasn’t my fiancé. I guess I realized that he wasn’t who I really wanted.”
Melanie looked at him then, not able to say the words, but hoping Alex would understand anyway, that he was the one who she thought she wanted.
An awkward silence grew between them.
“Do you want more pancakes?” she asked finally.
Alex leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach. “I don’t think I have room.”
“That’s good, because I’m out of batter.”
Alex looked at her quizzically then pushed away from the table and took his dish, and hers, to the sink. Melanie watched him rinse them off and admired the easy efficiency of his movements.
She didn’t want him to leave yet, and the thought of it was almost painful.
“Do you have plans?” she asked.
“Plans?”
“For your day. Do you need to get somewhere?”
She was doing her best, but she wasn’t used to being forward with men. She wished she could just be direct and ask him to spend the day with her.
“I’m flexible,” he said. “What did you have in mind?”
She tried to read his expression. He looked open, but she knew that he wasn’t going to take charge this time. It was up to her. She glanced down at the table top and traced the wood grain with her fingertip.
“I guess I owe you an apology for how I treated you. I should have told you about Martin.”
“Yeah.”
Melanie looked up. “It just felt so good with you. I hadn’t felt like that in so long, and I didn’t want it to stop.”
“I didn’t want it to stop either.”
Melanie stood and went over to him. She looked into his eyes and smiled at what she saw in them. He wanted her like she wanted him. He bent down and softly touched his lips to hers.
“There is nothing to stop us now,” she said.
He kissed her again. This time not so lightly.
“Good,” he said, “Because I don’t want to stop.”
When he picked her up, Melanie wrapped her arms around his neck feeling surprised, but delighted. She felt light in his arms.
“Oh! Well, what now?” she asked.
“How about we try a bed this time?”
The memory of lying in the sun on a sleeping bag while he did magical things with his mouth quickly raised the level of her excitement.
What delicious things could they do to each other in the comfort of her bed?
The mess of her bedroom flashed through her mind, but something told her Alex wouldn’t notice or care.
“Just down the hall,” she murmured into his ear as she kissed his neck.
CHAPTER 11
He tossed her on her unmade bed and began to unbutton his shirt, never taking his eyes off of her. She knelt on the bed, undid the belt on her dress, and pulled it over her head.
She felt vulnerable and very excited sitting in front of him in only her black lace panties and bra.
He took the last of his clothes off and stood before her fully aroused. Her eyes widened. He was so beautiful, every part of him, that she wanted to go to him. But he came to her, and then was on top of her.
They were both still for a moment, Melanie stunned at how good it felt to have the warm, solid length of him touching so much of her at once. Her body began to buzz with pleasure. He pushed up on his hands, taking his weight off her and kissed every inch of her face. As she looked into his eyes, it was as if she had known Alex forever, and that they were somehow connected in a very deep way. She felt her heart expand in her chest.
“Hello,” she said softly.
He smiled and kissed her. “Hello to you back.”
***
When she came back to herself and opened her eyes she found him looking into her face with a very pleased expression. She felt grateful, but she wanted more. And she wanted to take him with her this time.
She pulled on his shoulders and he moved up. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. His moan seemed to come from some primal place deep within and Melanie responded with her own deep sigh.
He looked into her eyes and on his face was an expression so intense it sent a shock wave through her heart. It hit her that as fun as this was, it was also very serious. Her heart was involved, and as he moved within her an invisible connection was being formed between them. Invisible, but strong.
Until long afterwards, Melanie snuggled in his arms, feeling as content as she had ever felt. She seemed to almost vibrate with well-being and the warmth of Alex next to her quickly soothed her into a deep sleep.
When she awoke, Alex was sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.
Unintended Love: A contemporary romantic novella Page 6
