More Than One Night

by Nicole Leiren

  He heard the soft pads of her feet coming down the hall before he saw her. Seeing her in his T-shirt and boy shorts ignited all the nerves he'd been trying to calm over the last thirty minutes or so. She walked across the room until she was standing between him and the television. "Got a minute?" She turned and looked at the screen. "Unless you really want to see how the Hallmark movie ends."

  Shifting to a sitting position, he grumbled. "I figured that's what you were watching and wanted to see what all the fuss was about."

  Taking a seat in the chair on the opposite side of the couch, she reached over and clicked the off button on the remote. "I promise I'll tell you how it ends."

  "I'd rather hear about you. You're so much better than make believe." He smiled, wanting to put her at ease. He, of all people, knew how hard it was to share something painful.

  She clasped her hands and exhaled slowly. "I want you to know that I've not shared this with anyone else yet. You sharing your cell number with me meant something significant to you. My telling you this means something significant to me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized you deserved to know."

  "Just tell me, Mel."

  "I can't have children."

  He heard her words the same moment he saw a couple tears break free and spill down her cheek. Though he wanted to close the distance between them to comfort her, he wanted to let her share what was weighing on her heart. More tears were glistening, waiting their turn. God, how he hated when women cried. "What do you mean?"

  Her hands crossed over her stomach as the tears continued to fall. "I mean I'm physically unable to bear children. I've had female problems almost from the beginning, severe endometriosis. A side effect is infertility."

  Screw the wait. She needed him now. He moved off the couch and knelt in front of her to wipe away the tears. She held his hand to her cheek. "I've tried everything that's safe, including any treatments whose side effects weren't worse than the disease. No success."

  He pulled her closer and kissed her hair as he murmured words of comfort. "Shhh, don't cry. This is not the end of the world. I care about you. I want more than one night. Hell, I'm not sure a lifetime of one nights would be enough with you. We don't need any more children to be happy. Just you, me, and Annie. That's all we need."

  "I'm sorry I didn't tell you at dinner. I'm still trying to adjust to all of this myself."

  Standing, he took her hand and pulled her body flush with his. Kissing her forehead, he put his arms around her and held her tight. "I get that. Once the dust settles and, if you want to talk about other options, we will. Just know, this isn't a deal breaker for me."

  After several minutes, he heard her muffled voice. "You still want to sleep on the couch?"

  He chuckled, swept her into his arms, and carried her toward the bedroom. "Hell no! That couch is lumpy."

  Saturday

  The smell of coffee brewing tempted his eyelids open. He checked his cell, eight o'clock. The last time he'd looked, the numbers indicated a little after four. Great, nowhere near the recommended eight hours. Of course, he couldn't remember getting eight hours sleep in a very long time. Even though he'd ended up snuggling with Melodie, all of the sharing he'd done of late, and the general turmoil in his life, resulted in nightmares plaguing his sleep. They'd been their worst right after the incident, but he'd managed to bury everything deep enough in his subconscious that the nightmares had been replaced by a general restlessness. Not great, but better than the alternative.

  He sniffed the air for any signs of breakfast being cooked. Big breakfasts were a staple at his home growing up. No discernible traces of bacon, eggs, sausage, or even oatmeal. Time for a closer look. "Dressed up a lot for a Saturday morning breakfast, aren't you?" His eyes couldn't help but drink in the perfectly tailored brown pants and ivory silk blouse. When she turned toward him, coffee cup in hand, the jade gems captivated him once again. Would he ever lose interest in those amazing eyes?

  "Dress code for work, business casual."

  "You have to work today? It's Saturday." His eyes darted around the kitchen for any signs of breakfast, his stomach's rumbling becoming more pronounced with each passing minute.

  "Libraries are open on Saturdays and kids are out of school. Perfect time for a children's librarian to be at work. It's only a half-day, so I'll be home in time to change and get ready for the party tonight at five. We'll need to leave around quarter to four as traffic going into the city can be a bear." She hesitated. "You're still planning on coming, right?"

  Wanting to reassure her and feel those soft curves in his arms again, he moved next to her and removed her coffee cup, setting it down on the nearby table. He pulled her into a light embrace. "I said I'd be your date, and I will." He moved a wave of hair from her shoulder to expose her neck, placing a small kiss on the soft curve. The familiar lilac infused his senses, and he would forever associate this scent with the one-of-a-kind woman he now held. "You have my cell number," he murmured against her skin. "It means something."

  She turned in the embrace, her lips finding his. He loved the feel of satin against his skin. The sensation was almost as pleasant as when their naked bodies were pressed together in the throes of passion—almost. She felt so right in his arms, more so than any other woman. His hands slid lower to cup her perfectly rounded bottom. He wanted her to feel, with no room for misunderstanding, the effect she had on him.

  An insistent buzzing pulled her warmth away from him. Damn cell phones. This time, however, hers was the culprit.

  "Hello, Mother."

  He grinned as she rolled her eyes and moved away from him. "Yes, I'm going to be there tonight."

  She opened the pantry and pulled out a box of glazed donuts, setting them in front of him. "No, that won't be necessary. I'm bringing a date."

  This was her idea of breakfast? A box of glazed donuts? He might be able to make allowances for all of the baggage they both were bringing into this relationship, but this was bullshit. He opened the box of donuts and put one on the paper plate she'd set out for him before the coffee roused him from sleep.

  "Yes, Mother. I know. I'll be sure and bring a proper gift. Yes…good-bye."

  As soon as she disconnected, he lifted the donut. "This is your idea of breakfast?"

  He forgot about food the moment her lips seared his, branding him with a kiss requiring a cold shower the moment she left for work.

  "Yes, I'm a terrible cook. Now you know at least one more of my secrets." She smiled and cupped his cheek, her hand caressing the stubble. "I'll do some research on the cooking issue, but you'll have to be patient with me."

  "Patience is my middle name." He kissed her, grateful they'd been able to work through another obstacle on their path to happiness. Undeserved happiness… He smiled and patted her on her perfectly rounded bottom. "Now go to work, and tonight we'll be the talk of the party."

  "Thank you." She grabbed her travel mug and slipped a donut into a sandwich-size plastic bag.

  He smiled at her retreating form, admiring the slight sway of her hips. She truly had no idea the level of sexy she delivered with each step.

  "We'll work on the cooking thing!"

  * * *

  The four hours required of her on a Saturday generally passed by with speed and fun. Today, each minute dragged its feet through deep, wet sand, making each hour elapse slower than a millennia. Equally excited and apprehensive about tonight, the thought of Daniel at her side calmed her. Despite his being an emotional roller coaster, his physical presence grounded her. She hadn't even read more than a few pages in a book after the first days with him. Could his presence in her life mean she no longer wanted to escape reality or at least not for the same reasons?

  The first big test in their relationship, a party with her family, would serve as a critical proving ground. If he survived the meal intact and didn't catch the first plane out of O'Hare, maybe they might have a future.

  She stepped through the doorway, happiness surround
ing her in a comforting blanket. "Honey, I'm home." The singsong nature of her voice was certain to elicit a response from Daniel.

  Silence.

  "Daniel?" She listened for sounds from the back of the apartment. Nothing. Her eyes darted about the small square footage for evidence of his presence. The pounding in her heart shot off a rapid fire of "I told you so" warnings, even as she made her way to the bedroom.

  "Unbelievable." She hurried back to the kitchen, moving the stacks of mail, magazines, and other clutter. No Daniel. No note. Nothing. How could she have been so wrong?

  He'd left—without a trace—without a note—without a "thanks for the memories." This screamed low, even for him. Maybe all the secrets they'd shared had been too much. Maybe she really hadn't gotten through to him and convinced him he deserved happiness. Maybe she was destined to lose in the game of love.

  His cell number!

  Maybe something had happened—something preventing him from keeping his promise. She retrieved her cell. No texts. No voice mails. With shaking fingers, she located his number and initiated the call. Straight to voice mail. "Daniel, its Melodie. I arrived home from work and you're… I hope everything is okay. I'm sure there's a really good explanation for you being a no-show again. I hope…just call me, okay?" Hope he hasn't broken my heart.

  A litany of reminders paraded through her head, primarily from the women in her family about her inability to pick the right man. Her phone rang. She almost dropped it as she checked the caller ID, unwilling to admit even to herself how much she wanted it to be Daniel calling to explain his bizarre disappearing act.

  Mother.

  Pressing the ignore button, she sent her straight to voice mail. Now was not the time for instruction, warning, or an "I told you so" from the woman who secretly believed she should've stopped after Evelyn's birth. She turned the phone to silent. With no ringing, she could check the phone for texts, without having to endure the calls from her mother. Her old-time friend, insecurity, nagged at her. Daniel hadn't called the last time he ran off and left her with a heaping dose of disappointment. But they'd both changed, hadn't they? There had to be a plausible reason he hadn't returned. Maybe he'd gone out exploring the area and lost track of time.

  Her eyes scanned for signs of his belongings as she slowly walked the length of the apartment. Her hope that he'd just lost track of time fell to the bottom of her wish list when she realized the army green duffel he'd brought was no longer sitting in the corner of the bedroom.

  She grabbed a bottle of wine and made her way to the bathroom. An evening with a bottle, bubbles, and a book sounded far better than attending a party. As she turned on the water in the bathtub, she could only hope her old habits of escape would help her forget the man who'd stolen her heart.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Sunday

  Mornings. Oh how she hated mornings. They were terrible, even if preceded by a soothing night of blissful sleep. Last night ranked painfully low on the sleep scale. The thought of going back to work tomorrow sent a fresh wave of pain through her already aching head. She looked around for some indicator of the time, disappointed to see the numbers displaying a lone ten.

  Daniel's disappearance and her normal go-to solutions for dealing with her family left her with an aching heart and head. Even the pages of a book from her favorite author failed to carry her away to a place guaranteed to have a happily ever after.

  She needed to check her cell phone again to see if there were any missed calls or texts from Daniel. Of course, that would require her getting out of bed and finding the phone.

  The steady pounding on her front door forced her to get up, whether she wanted to or not. "I'm coming!" The increased decibel of her reply created an echoing pounding in her head. Oh, how she hated mornings.

  She hesitated before opening the door. What if it was Daniel? She looked like hell. What if it is? Who cares?

  Disappointment combined with relief blanketed her when a quick check through the peephole revealed the man standing on the other side to be her father. A few moments later, the wooden barrier between them disappeared as she reluctantly opened the door to let him in. At least it isn't mom. "Hey, Dad."

  Pulled into an abrupt bear hug by the only man who hadn't disappointed her, Melodie let herself be comforted. "We've been worried sick, baby. I know you hate family functions, but when you didn't show up, didn't answer your phone…"

  Guilt stabbed fresh wounds in her heart. She'd been so self-absorbed last night, she didn't stop to consider how much her father would worry. "I'm sorry, Dad. Yesterday ranked pretty high on the crap scale, and I couldn't face mother and Ev, especially at a party. I didn't mean to worry you." The pounding in her head increased triple time as she realized she'd done the same thing to her parents that upset her about Daniel's behavior. "Regardless, I should've called. I really am sorry I worried you."

  His embrace grew stronger, and she buried her face in his soft cotton shirt. Inhaling the familiar scent soothed her raw and hurting nerves, "Your mother was worried too."

  She looked up and leveled him with her best I don't believe you expression. "Aren't we past lying to each other about these things? I'm a big girl and know where I rank on the disappointment scale with mother."

  He smiled lovingly, "Well, in all truthfulness, she was angry at first."

  "Angry?" You didn't have to make your living surrounded by words to know her father was hedging.

  This time the small bevy of wrinkles on his tanned face angled upward as his smile grew. "Okay, livid would be a better adjective."

  "Now I believe you." She returned to the pleasant task of basking in her father's attention.

  "If you listen to your messages, well, after the first three anyway, you'll find her anger eventually morphed into disbelief and then finally into worry."

  Melodie straightened, breaking the embrace. "Yet, here you are instead of her. Is she busy consoling my big sister on the disappointment of not everyone showing up to honor the wonder woman she's become?" Her caustic words darkened the mood in the room further. At this juncture, bitterness represented the best she could offer.

  He rubbed his face and shrugged broad shoulders. "Your mother is who she is. We're never going to change that. It doesn't change, however, that she was worried something terrible had happened to you." His gaze turned reproachful. "As was I."

  "Why Dad? Why do you stay? I don't need you to tell me what happened. You wanted to come check on me. Mother insisted you not leave the party. I may not be able to get her out of my life. For better or worse, she's my mother, and I continue to be her biggest disappointment."

  Her father stood an impressive and still-handsome six feet of gentleman. "Because, baby girl, I promised for better or worse. That means something to me." He kissed her forehead, "I'm glad you're alright."

  Five words from her father: "That means something to me," echoed Daniel's promise when they'd discussed the importance of exchanging cell numbers. She steeled herself against the sadness weaving through her heart and lifted her chin. "Not that it makes it any better, but ironically I was dealing with the same worry. My date turned into a no-call, no-show." She pulled him into a hug, "Why can't all men be like you?"

  "Because, I'm one-in-a-million."

  His attempt at levity worked, easing the tension in her jaw and allowing a small smile.

  "That you are."

  "I'm also the bearer of bad news."

  "That doesn't sound promising." Really? Could today get any worse?

  "Once I confirmed you were alive, my job was to deliver instructions ensuring your irresponsible butt is at the dinner table Friday night."

  She flopped back on the couch. Without a doubt, she should skip this dinner, excuse or not. But, she wouldn't do that to her father. "So, humble pie for dessert?"

  He nodded and winked. "Right after she serves your head on a platter for the main course."

  Thoughts of Daniel's head on a platter eased her distress momentarily
. As much as she complained about her family, they were still hers, and she needed to take responsibility for her actions. "Great. See you then. Hope you still love me when I'm headless."

  One final kiss on her cheek. "I'll love you always. Don't be late or not even I can save you then."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Monday

  "Hi, it's Melodie. Leave your name and number, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

  Thankfully, he'd been able to finish his message before the signal cut out. Hospitals were notorious for sketchy connections. He tossed the phone on the couch. He'd been trying to reach the stubborn woman all afternoon. Her phone was ringing, but the damned service still kept sending him into voice mail hell after five rings. He would've called sooner but figured she was at work. He'd left a note and was surprised she hadn't called him. When his ex-wife's father called to say Annie and her mom had been in a car wreck, he'd vaulted into action. The note had been brief but at least had explained Annie was in trouble, and he had to go.

  "Daddy?" The groggy voice of his daughter brought him back to the present nightmare.

  "Hey, princess, how are you feeling?" He stroked her bruised face, fighting back tears.

  "A little better. Thank you for the teddy bear."

  His heart swelled. He loved this little girl so much. "You're welcome. He's almost as big as you. Let me help you get him under the covers so you two can snuggle." He maneuvered the large stuffed animal until safely nestled in her arms.

  "Where's Mommy?"

  He had no idea how to explain the drinking finally caught up to her. "Mommy's in a different hospital right now and is going to need to stay there for a while."

  "Do I have to stay here while she's in the hospital?" Small blue eyes filled with fear.

  "No, princess. The doctors say you can leave tomorrow if you continue to do well. You're going to stay with me for a while. You know how you stay with me for a longer time during the summer?"