“Alright, well then, I guess I’ll be your wingman.” Melissa smiles winningly. The only thing that she can do at this point is make the best of a bad situation. At least if she’s with Wes at the bar, then she can go some way towards helping the situation. Having him either at the shop or at the bar on his own are just not viable options.
Wes reaches out to touch her shoulder, but she moves away before he can make contact. He frowns at her and seems about to say something before she shakes her head and nods towards where Hawk is. Understanding slowly dawns on him. “Good thinking, Melissa. We don’t want to arouse any suspicion that we’re an item.” The thought makes Melissa shudder; she struggles to maintain her smiling façade. “You know, Ownes is still sweet on you. I’m sure you could work your charms on him, and he’d tell you everything we need to know for this story. Hell, I bet he knows more about this deal than anyone. The other riders seem to trust him, even though he’s not really one of them.” The jealousy on Wes’s face is clear for anyone to see, and it turns his handsome face bitter.
Of course, Melissa thinks, it makes sense. Wes is jealous of Hawk. He represents everything that Wes isn’t. He’s a self-made man; he’s liked and respected by everyone around him; he’s tough but fair. He’s the man that every other man wants to be and the man that women want.
“You want me to seduce him to make him talk?” Melissa raises an eyebrow at Wes, thinking just how different he is to Hawk. Whereas Hawk wanted to do everything in his power to stop her from using herself to save the Kings, Wes wanted her to do that very thing just for the sake of his story, to see his name in print.
Wes shrugs, as if what he were asking her were no big deal. “Is that a problem?” Of course he wouldn’t think it was, Melissa thinks to herself. Wes treats people like commodities. To him I’m just a trophy that he can pass around to whomever he pleases.
Melissa stops short of explaining to him exactly how and why it was a problem. He needs to believe that she’s on his side, and anything she can do to make him believe that will only strengthen her case. In the long run, she’s doing this for the Kings, and she’s doing this for Hawk. She repeats the mantra to herself as she forces a smile at Wes and flicks her hair, a move she’s learned from Ali. “I’ll go see what I can do.”
She catches Wes’s look of appreciation before she turns around, fully intending to debrief Hawk on what just went down between her and her ex, but she stops short when she sees Felicia where Hawk should be. Felicia shrugs as if she can read the expression on Melissa’s face.
“Where’d he go?” Melissa keeps her voice low, conscious that Wes’s eyes might as well be laser beams boring into her back.
“He said he couldn’t watch the two of you, that he had some stuff to do.” Felicia’s voice is full of concern for her friend.
Melissa winces at the knowledge that her talking to Wes must have hurt him, even if it was something that they both knew was just a means to an end. If the situation were reversed, she couldn’t honestly say that she would act any differently.
“I’ll go talk to him.” Melissa moves as if to head towards the stairs, but Felicia’s hand on her arm stops her.
“He’s not here, Melissa. He grabbed the bike and took off.” She makes a gesture as if to say ‘Don’t shoot the messenger.’
“I don’t understand him, Felicia.” Melissa puts her head in her hands. “He blows hot and cold like there’s no tomorrow. Why would he run off without even waiting to hear what I have to say?”
Felicia gives her a pointed look. “I don’t know, Melissa, who would possibly do that?” She rolls her eyes.
Melissa cringes at the knowledge that Hawk has told Felicia what happened between them the night before. It makes her wonder just how much Felicia knows about what’s going on between them.
“Well, I guess I need to call a taxi.” Melissa doesn’t even bother to entertain the idea of driving away in her own car, not after the warning that Hawk had given her in the early hours of that morning.
Felicia waves away the cell phone that Melissa pulls out. “I’ll drive you; it’s on my way.”
“To where?” Melissa gives her a suspicious look.
“Somewhere.” Felicia shrugs, closing the door on Melissa’s enquiring mind.
Melissa glances back as she leaves The Shop to see Wes trying to butter Josh up and Josh doing his best not to punch Wes in the face. She would laugh if it weren’t all so serious.
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
The drive back to Melissa’s house is filled with the sound of the radio. Neither she nor Felicia seem to be much in the mood for talking. It’s only when Felicia pulls onto Melissa’s driveway that she turns to look at her expectantly.
“What?” Melissa shifts uncomfortably in her seat, looking longingly at her front door while mentally preparing for the grilling she’s about to receive.
“You told him you thought that you guys have too much sex?” Felicia’s eyes widen as if it were the most ridiculous thing that she’s ever heard. Melissa is starting to wonder if she isn’t right. “I mean, who does that?”
Melissa sighs deeply, knowing that she’s not going to get out of this without Felicia getting the answers she so clearly wants. “I guess I do.”
“I guess you do.” Felicia nods in agreement. “It’s the ‘why’ that’s completely beyond me!” Melissa keeps quiet, knowing that Felicia hasn’t finished yet. “You know, I thought we’d solved whatever’s with you two already, but things are just as screwed up now as they were before! I told you before, I can’t take any more of him being all ‘woe is me’ and shit.” Felicia shakes her head, as if the mere thought of it tires her out.
Melissa spreads her hands out in front of her. “Felicia, I don’t know what you want me to say. Things are…complicated between Hawk and me. That’s all I know for sure.”
Felicia gives her an ‘Are you serious?’ look. “That’s all you know?” There’s no mistaking the challenge in her voice. When Melissa shrugs, it’s like a red rag to a bull. “Well, let me tell you a few things that I know.” Felicia begins to tick them off on her fingers. “You like Hawk; Hawk likes you. You two have been all over each other since the get go, sparks a-flying, you name it. You fight; you make up. You fight; you make up. And neither one of you has told the other person how you really feel, so it all just keeps going round and round in circles. Meanwhile, you’re making everyone else’s life miserable! If Ali is half as fed up with you as I am with Hawk, then you owe that woman more than a drink. Trust me, it’s exhausting.”
“Well, damn, Felicia. I’m guessing in high school you weren’t voted Most Sympathetic.” Melissa mutters the words, but Felicia’s raised eyebrow tells her that the woman has ears like a bat. “What do you want me to do about it? He left before I could talk to him, and I can’t go running around town looking for him. I’ve got to be somewhere; it’s important.”
Felicia gives her an appraising look. “Is that what’s got you all edgy, looking at the door like you think I might be about to lock you in the car and drag you to all the joints where Hawk hangs so you two can sort things out?”
Melissa gives her a frank look. “The thought had crossed my mind.” She gives the platinum blonde in the seat next to her a wry smile. “But I’m already going to be late as it is, and I can’t cancel on my mom again.”
“Your mom?” Felicia looks at her as if she had spoken a foreign language.
“Yeah, my mom, as in the woman who gave birth to me, brought me up, and gave me this.” Melissa holds up some strands of her auburn hair.
Felicia gets a faraway look in her eyes. “Sorry, it’s just that I can’t really imagine actually wanting to spend any time with my mother. Guess that tells you all you need to know about my family!” She huffs a mirthless chuckle, but Melissa’s face remains serious.
“Not really, but I’m hoping that one day you’ll trust me enough to tell me.” She places a hand over Felicia’s, noticing how the other woman just manages to stifle the
way she jumps when she’s touched.
“Sorry. Occupational hazard.” She shrugs and gives a sad little smile.
Melissa nods in understanding and withdraws her hand, not wanting to make Felicia any more uncomfortable. Working in a strip club would probably make anyone jumpy at being touched; Felicia was apparently no exception.
“So, does your mom know about Hawk?” Felicia clears her throat, but Melissa can still hear the emotion in her voice.
Melissa shakes her head. “She knows that I’ve been seeing someone, but nothing specific. Hawk had said he wanted to meet her. I’d sort of hoped that would be tonight, but I guess it’s not to be. I’m meeting her new boyfriend, and I figured it would be nice for her to meet mine, sort of like a weird double date.” Melissa rolls her eyes at how Pollyanna that thought was. “What an idiot, right?”
Felicia considers her for a moment. “Actually, I think it’s nice.” She turns the key in the ignition. “I guess you better get moving if you’re not going to be late.”
Melissa blinks at the abruptness of Felicia’s words, but she’s moved past the point of being surprised by anything that Felicia does. She tends to do exactly the opposite of what you expect. “Sure, well, thanks for the ride.”
“No problem.” Felicia waves her out of the car and before Melissa closes the passenger side door she overhears Felicia talking to herself. “Too much sex. I mean, seriously, is everyone crazy apart from me?”
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
As expected, Melissa arrives late to the restaurant, and her mom and the smart man beside her are already seated at their table.
“You must be Melissa!” The new boyfriend stands up and gives her a warm smile as he reaches out to shake her hand. “Violet said that you were beautiful, but I don’t think she did you justice.”
Melissa blushes at the compliment and grasps his hand in a firm shake. “You shouldn’t believe everything she tells you; she’s prone to gushing.” She throws a smile at her mother who’s looking at them both and beaming. “Good to meet you, Patrick.” Melissa reaches over the table and kisses her mother on the cheek. “Hi, Mom.” Her mother presses her to her warmly.
“I’ll let you two catch up; I just need to pop my head into the kitchen.” He smiles at them both and squeezes Melissa’s mother’s hand before he heads off towards the back of the restaurant like a man on a mission.
Melissa raises an eyebrow at her mother. “Please tell me he’s not like the guy that insisted in checking with the chef personally that there wasn’t any parsley in his food.”
Violet takes a sip of her wine, almost spurting it out at her daughter’s words. “Lord, no! He owns the place.”
Melissa’s jaw drops, and she has to make a point of picking it up from the floor. This was one of the swankiest restaurants in Portland. Ali had been more than a little jealous when she’d found out that’s where Melissa was headed for dinner. Apparently, it was nearly impossible to get a reservation. Well, that’s one mystery solved, Melissa thinks.
She nods approvingly. “At least I know you won’t go hungry for as long as you two are dating.” Melissa takes a sip of her white wine that the waiter has just poured, letting the warmth of the liquid settle her nerves that have been pretty fraught over the past few days.
“Are you alright, dear?” Violet gives her a concerned look, peering closer to her face. “You seem a little…off.”
Melissa gulps. She had no intention of going into everything that had been going on with her over the past couple of weeks. Not tonight, tonight was about her mom and her mom’s new man—that was all that was important.
“I’m fine, just a little tired I guess. I’ve been pretty busy.” Melissa shrugs helplessly. “But I’m not here to talk about me; I’m here for you to dish the dirt on the new man in your life!”
Violet gets that goofy smile on her face that Melissa has only ever seen on her own—when she’s thinking about Hawk. If there had been any doubt before, there wasn’t anymore. Her mom really liked this Patrick guy. “Oh, Melissa, he’s so great. I don’t want to jinx it, but I can honestly say that I’ve never felt like this before. But what do you think? It’s so important to me for you to like him.” The earnestness in her mother’s voice makes Melissa reach over and grab her hand in reassurance.
“Well, we’ve only exchanged about one sentence so far.” Violet blushes at Melissa’s words. “But, he definitely gets points for the suit, points for politeness, and he’s not exactly hard to look at.” Melissa gives her mother a pointed look, and Violet erupts in peals of giggles. Melissa looks at her mother in shock; she doesn’t think that she’s ever heard that sound come out of her mouth, but she likes it.
“I know, he’s kind of a catch, isn’t he?” Violet smiles, looking pleased with herself.
“You’re the catch, Mom.” Melissa looks at her seriously. “He’s lucky to be out with you tonight, just remember that.”
“She’s right you know, Violet.” Patrick appears back at the table as if from nowhere, and Melissa cringes at her own lack of tact.
“Sorry, Patrick, I didn’t mean—”
Patrick waves away her concern. “There’s no need to apologize, Melissa. You’re completely right.” He looks at Melissa’s mother, and there’s so much emotion in his eyes that Melissa feels as if she’s intruding. “I am the lucky one sitting at this table tonight; I’m lucky every day that Violet decides to spend with me.” He squeezes her hand on the table and smiles at her without any hint of insincerity. Then, he switches his attention back to Melissa. “I know you’re protective of your mother and that’s to your credit. But I hope that you’ll see how very deeply I care for her and that you don’t have to worry about her with me.”
Melissa swallows hard around the ball of emotion in her throat. She had been waiting years for someone to say those words about her mother and here they were. Melissa looks between her mother—who is smiling at Patrick as if there were no tomorrow—and the kindness in Patrick’s face, and it leaves no doubt as to the honesty behind his words.
“Thank you.” Melissa’s voice is quiet. “It’s nice to know that someone else thinks she’s as special as I do.”
Violet’s free hand clasps over Melissa’s and the three of them sit there, quietly, taking in the moment. Melissa feels tears prick at the back of her eyes, seeing her mother this happy wasn’t something that she had prepared for, and without even searching in her miniscule bag, she knows that she is all out of Kleenex.
“I’m just going to run to the Ladies. I’ll be right back.” A waiter whips her chair away from the table before she’s had time to do it herself and virtually escorts her to the restroom. She looks in the mirror and dabs at her eyes to stop her mascara from running. Go Mama Potter, she thinks and smiles.
When she makes her way back to the table, she stops a few feet away, frozen to the spot as she takes in the person who’s now occupying her seat.
“Melissa, why didn’t you tell us that your new beau was joining us?” Violet gives her daughter a mock-admonishing look, as Hawk swivels around in his chair and takes in Melissa.
Melissa mouth works, but no words come out. Hawk smiles and winks at her, taking in the fitted little black dress and skyscraper heels that she’d decided were probably the only suitable things she had in her wardrobe for a restaurant this swanky. It’s clear from the look in his eyes that he likes what he sees. He stands up, vacating her chair and gesturing for her to take it.
“That’s my fault, Mrs. Potter. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it, and Melissa didn’t want to say anything just in case.” Hawk swoops in to save the day when it becomes clear that Melissa has lost the ability to form coherent sentences or even any words at all. “I hope it isn’t any trouble.”
Patrick waves away Hawk’s concern. “Nonsense, the more the merrier. We’ll just get you another seat.” Before the words are out of his mouth, a bevy of waiters swoop in and rearrange the table, creating another place setting for Hawk and holdi
ng out the chair for him. It looks like there were more than just a few perks of owning the place.
“’Mel.” Hawk’s voice is low in his throat, as he looks at her, sounding husky in a way that makes all her nerve endings tingle.
She takes in his nod to the formality of the place—he’s left his leather jacket at the door. Other than that, he’s in black jeans and a black t-shirt along with black biker boots. But somehow he manages not to look out of place at all. In fact, to Melissa, he looks absolutely perfect.
Melissa doesn’t trust her voice to say anything, so instead she shakes herself out of her stupor and goes to her seat. She’s aware of Hawk shaking his head at one of the servers as he tries to pull out her chair. Hawk does it for her, and she’s left speechless yet again as he pushes the chair towards the table, acting the perfect gentleman before taking his own seat and smiling easily at Violet and Patrick. He looks for all the world as if he eats in places like this all the time.
HAWK: The Caged Kings MC Page 20
