Exchange

by CF Frizzell

  Shay slid a small backpack from her shoulder and dropped it by her feet.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you, but you didn’t hear me at the front door and it was unlocked.” She edged farther into the room. “I’m so happy to see you, I can’t think straight.”

  “I-I’m…” Mel took a breath. “Three weeks, Shay.” She struggled to collect herself, but too many emotions were in play and she was just too exhausted to sort them out. “Where have you been and why didn’t you call?” Her voice wavered.

  Shay ran a hand through her hair.

  “Don’t do that,” Mel ordered. “Just tell me why.”

  “I had to think things through and make some serious decisions, and I had a really hard time taking emotion out of the equation. I couldn’t see things for what they were with my heart screaming in my face.”

  “My love screams in your face? Gets in your way?”

  “No, no, Mel.” With negligible effort, she moved to within arm’s reach. “No. Please, you need to und—”

  Mel blinked away moisture to send a stern message. “No, you need to tell me why you walked away, Shay, why I didn’t even warrant a few words on the phone while I’ve been here going through hell.”

  Shay took Mel’s shoulders, backed her up to the bed until Mel had to sit, and knelt before her.

  “A lot has happened in three weeks.”

  “That’s all you’ve got?”

  “No, of course not, Mel.” Shay set a hand on Mel’s knee.

  “Please don’t touch me. I’m trying to see things clearly.”

  Shay retracted her hand. “I’m sorry, first of all, and not just for taking so long to apologize. I’m deeply sorry for so many things. For being mad that you never spoke of this agreement with your father. For my role in your breaking it. For being so damn inconsiderate and self-centered.” She cleared her throat and briefly looked down. “When he made you choose, I expected…Well, you hesitated, Mel, and all I saw was that, deep down, the Chronicle came first, that you really wanted the paper, not me, not us. Please forgive me for being an idiot. I hurt you, I know, and that’s what I’m most sorry about.”

  Mel worked to steady her breathing. This was hard to hear, Shay getting everything off her chest so she could ride off into the sunset, start anew, again. Mel didn’t want to hear more. She wanted to escape, to run out back and jump in the lake, go lock herself into her office. It’s only available for two more days, then where will you hide?

  “You shocked the hell out of me, Shay, walking out. Dad had me so furious, so disappointed, and so damn scared, I was speechless, and you walked out. Jesus, Shay. I couldn’t believe it. Everything in me emptied in that instant.”

  “Mel, I couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m so very sorry.”

  “I haven’t even had the strength for anger—at you or him. I’ve just been too sad. I did realize what I needed to do, you know, and somehow I did it. And I still believe it was the right thing to do, but you left, goddamn it. You have no idea what’s happened here.”

  “Wait. Yes, I do.” Shay’s frown deepened. “I was in Cascade—”

  “You rode all that way?”

  “I wasn’t thinking, Mel. I grabbed things here and just kept going. And the Exchange band, Tracy was playing at the bar—”

  “What? You were with Tracy?”

  “Don’t. You know better.”

  “I thought I knew, but after three weeks of noth—”

  “She’d talked with Coby and told me what happened.”

  “And still you let three—”

  “That spun me around, Mel, had me back at square one, rethinking everything. It took even longer to know what to do. Maybe I needed to prove to myself that I…that I can’t be away from you, that you make everything right—regardless of what we do for a living or where. Part of me prayed you’d see it, too.”

  Mel straightened. “So…you’re not leaving? Saying good-bye?”

  “No, Mel!” Shay gathered Mel’s hands quickly. “Just the opposite.”

  “Have you been testing me? My feelings for you?”

  “Actually, my feelings. I was completely thrown by that scene between you and your dad, learning he held the Chronicle over your head all this time. Having a relationship with me, you risked so much more than advertising money. It cost you your dream, but I never knew.” Shay brought Mel’s hands to her lips and kissed them. “When I heard what happened after I left that house, what you told him, it woke me up, thank God. I can’t take emotion out of the picture, Mel, because I’m so in love with you.”

  “I’m so in love with you, too.”

  Mel’s moist eyes overflowed and Shay cupped her face. “Nothing will ever make me leave your side again. Nothing. Please forgive me. Please.”

  “Oh, God, Shay. I-I did this to you. I should have—”

  “Stop, Mel. You’re not to blame.”

  “I was so ashamed of what I did.”

  Shay touched Mel’s lip. “Shh. No. You’ve no reason—”

  “Yes, I do. I’m still ashamed of it. You deserved to know, and my cowardice hurt y—”

  “No more.” Shay drew her into a hug. “So we each screwed up. We know better now.”

  Mel leaned back enough to kiss her, softly, slowly, as Shay’s familiar arms closed out the world and sensation soared through her system. She locked hers around Shay’s neck, unable to get close enough. Each kiss is finer than the last. Need and desire blurring into uncontrollable urge, Mel sucked her tongue deeper and surrendered fully when Shay bent her back onto the bed. Kisses pressed to her cheek, her chin. Shay’s firm, determined lips wet her throat, seared across her shoulder, along her arm, back up as ragged breath heated her neck, ear, mouth. She needs me as much as I need her.

  She clawed greedily at Shay’s back, dragged her shirt out of her jeans and over her head. She lost her towel just as swiftly. Shay kicked off her boots, stepped out of her jeans, and seized Mel by the ribs with both hands, growling as she rose over her.

  Mel gasped at being taken bodily with such urgency. Shay’s weight sent a surge to her sex that opened her legs in welcome, and Shay nestled their bodies together, her mouth hovering above Mel’s breast. Shay licked the nipple, stroking upward repeatedly, circling, teasing until Mel drove her fingers into her hair and pressed her face down onto it.

  Mel’s unstoppable tears trickled to her ears, and her body screamed for more as Shay sucked voraciously. Mel captured Shay’s thighs within her legs, ground their hips together as her clit throbbed and yearned to be touched. Shay moved to her other breast, tugged the nipple between her teeth, and made Mel gasp. She kissed her way along Mel’s side, across her abdomen to her hipbone, and pretended to gnaw on it like a starved beast. Mel lurched upright and a short, tight squeal escaped.

  “No tickling!” she protested, but broad hands slid beneath her hips and pulled her right into Shay’s mouth. Mel fell back to the mattress, gloriously helpless. “Oh God, yes.”

  She writhed beneath the long, heavy strokes of Shay’s tongue, her mind flashing, her clit twitching each time Shay circled it. Her flesh dissolved, her bones softened as Shay consumed her, tripped electrified nerves and moaned for more.

  “Shay!” Mel’s body contracted, twisted against the unrelenting strength of Shay’s arms, and she dropped back onto the bed only to arch off it again.

  Shay would not be swayed. Mel felt her securely attached. Permanently. Palms held her in place as Shay claimed her, and Mel’s every muscle coiled tighter with each draw of Shay’s mouth. Shuddering, Mel searched frantically, mindlessly, for purchase in Shay’s hair with one hand while the other thrashed pillows to the floor.

  “Shay, I’m—Shay!”

  Tremors rocked her. In a chest void of breath, her heart hammered wildly, constricted her throat, and pounded in her ears. Fingers plying her sodden sex glided perfectly inside and took hold. The entire length of her body stiffened and shook.

  A euphoric eternity passed before she succumbed.
Shay withdrew slowly and her wet face coated Mel’s thighs, stomach, breasts, and throat with tender caresses as she inched her way up.

  “Mel. I love you. Every inch of you.”

  “Baby, how I love you.” She draped limp arms around Shay’s neck and pulled her into a kiss. “Dear God Almighty, Shay Maguire. I surely do.”

  Shay kissed her lips delicately, kissed her jaw, her neck, and nuzzled into the crook of her shoulder as she snuggled closer.

  “So, do you want to talk some more?”

  “Now?” Mel laughed, so emotionally drained she couldn’t control thankful tears. She ran her hands across Shay’s back, absorbing what she’d missed so desperately. She’d had enough talk for a while. She wanted to disappear within Shay’s hold, to crawl all over her, inside and out. Now.

  Shay rose up on an elbow, suddenly serious, and guided some stray hair from Mel’s face. “About the house, Mel.”

  Mel traced Shay’s cheek with her fingertips. “Probably the very last thing I want to think about at this moment.”

  “I think you want to stay in Tomson.”

  “Yet another romantic topic.”

  “I mean, I know the Tribune is moving in—”

  “Aw, Shay, you’re batting three for three. Now? Let’s not—”

  “I was told that’s happening soon.”

  “A week from Saturday, and I’d really rather not—”

  “But, Mel,” Shay sat up, “couldn’t you start your own?”

  Mel stroked Shay’s arm up to her shoulder. She wanted to think about this and luxuriate in the best sex of her life. She sighed. “There’s just a little matter of being homeless and poor. You’re killing me, Maguire. Stop or I’m getting out of this bed.”

  Shay looked crestfallen. “You do want to stay in town, don’t you?”

  Mel frowned. So much for my threat. Staying in Tomson is what’s on your mind? “Yes, Shay. Of course I want to stay here, ideally, but income matters, remember? And I’m not looking at any after next Friday.”

  Shay clasped Mel’s hand and looked at her earnestly. “What if you start your own paper and I buy Sonny’s?”

  “What?” Mel’s face blanked. “You’re not serious.”

  “Never more.”

  “Be real, Shay. You’re talking about a lot of money. And neither of us even has a place of her own.” As soon as she said it, she knew she’d opened that painful door.

  “Mel, about the house—”

  “Please, Shay.” Resigned to Shay’s insistence, she sat up and faced her. “It’s gone now. A moot point. The end. Must we talk about it now?”

  Damn, she didn’t want her bitterness in bed with them. But she definitely wasn’t up for house talk. That wound was so fresh she could practically feel her heart bleed. And now Shay most likely would bring up the old von Miller spread again. Her fondness for the place was touching, but Mel’s heart just wasn’t in it. Besides, she didn’t have anywhere near enough money to pay her share of the work required to make that house livable. Buying it was out of the question. On top of the outlay to start a newspaper? They’d spent a few evenings toying with such dreams, but fantasy was fantasy. Mel hated to burst her bubble.

  “Shay, I’m sorry, really, but I can’t—”

  “But yes, you can.”

  “No. I’m really strapped now, baby. I can’t. I hardly have enough to put down on an apartment, everything I had went into my printing costs. I’m so sorry. I know you’ve fallen for the von Miller place, and I feel terrible.”

  “And I know how much you want a home.”

  Mel looked on curiously as Shay leaned away to turn on the other bedside lamp. Then she pulled a bulging envelope out of her backpack. Show me bundles of hundreds, Shay Maguire, and I’ll scream. Instead, Shay laid a folded set of legal papers on her lap.

  Mel looked at them and back up. “What’s this?”

  Shay unfolded the documents and held them patiently for Mel to read.

  “This fax,” Mel’s eyes raced down the page, “it’s from a Boston bank?” She glanced up again, then read for several seconds more. “It’s to you from—”

  She grabbed the pages from Shay and reread what she didn’t believe on her first scan.

  “This trust…” Her escalating heartbeat sounded louder in her ears than her voice. She raised the pages and her voice cracked when she spoke. “This is the trust that bought my—” She couldn’t speak. Her lips began to tremble and her eyes filled. When Shay moved the papers aside and took Mel’s face in her palms, tears rolled down over her hands.

  “Yes. Mel, the trust is me. I put a chunk of my insurance settlement into it before I left Chicago. The rest I invested. The legal firm and the bank are ones I’ve used since college.”

  “You bought my homestead?” Mel blinked repeatedly and tried to catch her breath.

  Shay nodded and kissed away the tears on Mel’s cheeks. “Yes, sweetheart. Because it’s a part of you and you need it. And I need you just as desperately.”

  Mel collapsed onto Shay’s chest and cried harder than she’d ever cried before. Shay wrapped her up securely, rocked her as Mel sobbed beneath her chin.

  “I can’t believe it. Thank you doesn’t come close to what I’m feeling.” She thrust her arms around Shay’s waist, and her body shook as she cried.

  Shay pressed her face into Mel’s hair. “Once I got my head on straight, I took it as a race against time. I was in such a damn hurry, I almost complicated things too much and screwed it all up. The whole thing almost fell through because…” She held Mel out to look at her. “I, well, see, I put money down on Sonny’s, too.”

  Tears still falling and her nose dripping, Mel stared. “Sonny’s? You did?”

  “Yeah, and boy, did I make a huge mess of everything. For such big transactions so fast, they made me go in person.”

  “Oh my God, Shay. You went to Boston?”

  Shay combed her fingers through Mel’s hair. “Chicago, first.”

  “No way.”

  “It got kind of hectic.”

  Mel drew back and pressed a hand to Shay’s face. “I don’t know what to say. There are no words to describe how wonderful you are.”

  “No,” Shay whispered, shaking her head. “After what I put you through—”

  “Shh. None of that matters. We’re together now.”

  She pressed her mouth to Shay’s, but the kiss felt so inadequate. Her lips trembled. She kissed harder, the desire to convey her feelings so incredibly strong and growing. Tears found their way along her nose, into her mouth, their mouths. Smiling, Shay withdrew and used a corner of the sheet to wipe Mel’s face.

  “No more tears, honey. Hey, in due time, we’ll get the Baker name back on the deed where it’s always been, where it belongs. Meanwhile, the purchase agreement includes a proviso that keeps that roof over your head, specifically, for as long as you choose. Your father no longer has a claim to any of it.”

  Mel could barely breathe as her mind ran through the homestead like a child on a playground, as she proudly watched Shay at work in her own shop. My job hunt starts today. I’ve avoided it long enough. Regardless of what it is, we’ll have what matters.

  Inconceivably, Shay had righted the most important part of her world, exchanged defeat for victory, despair for joy, and Mel was dizzy, shocked, overwhelmed, thankful, jubilant. It was all beyond her wildest imagination, almost beyond her ability to cope. She struggled to sit up straighter and collect herself. She’d soaked them both with tears, and she rubbed some of the moisture across Shay’s breast.

  “Your heart is pounding as hard as mine.”

  “It sure is.”

  “My God. You are such a wonderful woman. I am so lucky, so thankful we found each other. I love you with all my heart, Shay. Truly. I’ll never be able to tell you how much.”

  “Every time I look into your eyes, you tell me.”

  Mel rose to her knees on the bed and cupped Shay’s face in trembling hands. “Then take a good, lo
ng look, Shay Maguire. There’s a lot more where this comes from.”

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Mel telling Ida about the homestead on Monday morning set Tomson abuzz within the day. Congratulatory hugs, handshakes, and phone calls made coping with the Chronicle’s final week considerably easier, even though the end of her dream and its weekly paycheck still loomed.

  It took herculean effort to write the last few articles she’d ever do for the Chronicle, and her fragile concentration broke easily when Mike jerked out of his desk chair.

  “Did I just hear her pull up?” He checked the street.

  Mel hit the Save button and sighed. “Who’s more excited to see her, you or me?”

  “Are you kidding? Hell, I’m going to kiss her. Stealing the homestead from your father? Shay’s my hero.”

  “Have you finished all four of those layouts yet?”

  He tore himself from the window, frowning. “I’m getting there. Jesus, you’ll always be a slave driver, Ms. Baker. You still want four?”

  “I’m not leaving him a cent in our account. Our last dime’s going into twenty-four pages. We will not give up that centerfold. I want that pullout to be a photo keepsake, our thank-you to readers.”

  She watched for his understanding and was surprised when he turned back to the window.

  “You’ve taught me a hell of a lot more than I ever learned in school, Mel. I never dreamed I’d love a job this much.”

  “Please, Mike. We’ll never make it through today, let alone through Friday.”

  “Hey,” he said and stepped closer to the glass, “Shay is here. She must have parked beyond that beat-up truck. And Tom Rogers is getting out of it.”

  Mel labored to focus on her screen. Concentrating was nearly impossible as every thought rolled back to saying good-bye in some fashion. Tommy probably was next, and would wax nostalgic about “the good ol’ days.”

  “Mel, now they’re on the sidewalk, talking to someone I can’t see.”

  “Will you get to work? It’s eleven o’clock already. If they’re coming in, they’ll come in.”

  He backed up and looked to the outer office just as the door jingled, and Shay’s dashing smile struck Mel like a breath of fresh air. She stood and reached for her hand, a gesture she was thrilled to offer.