Melt With Me: A With Me In Seattle Universe Novel

by Melissa Brown

  Twenty minutes later, my serene train ride was over and it was time for me to find him. My heart thudded in my chest as I left the station and walked along the sidewalks of Tokyo, hearing the sounds of cabs, buses, and the constant footsteps of people as they shuffled to their destinations. Being American, I knew I probably stood out like a sore thumb. Some people smiled at me as they walked past me, others gave me tiny bows in recognition. As foreign as I felt, I felt equally welcome in this bright and lively city. I couldn’t wait to explore it with Peter.

  I stopped to catch my breath and send a quick text to Lyra and my sisters, letting them know I’d arrived safely. According to Google, Peter’s apartment was only a few blocks away. I put my phone away and took in the sights around me. And like magic, something familiar caught my eye and I knew what to do. My heart danced as I got my phone back out and walked to the nearest intersection, a ridiculous grin plastered to my face.

  This is it. Get your game face on, girl.

  Chapter 30

  PETER

  I’d had a shit week. Concentrating on my work was difficult, and even the friends I’d made at Ekisaito were unable to pull me out of my funk. I did my best to mask it during business hours but found myself turning down a couple of invitations to get drinks after work. I told myself I just needed a few days to get my head out of my ass, and then I’d force myself to get over Maren. No more hoping things could be different when I went back to Seattle, no more looking at my phone, hoping for a text or a call. I would get there…eventually.

  Dev and Scott were both being supportive, texting me almost daily. Scott was urging me to move forward, to try and meet someone at work, to start dating casually again, but I wasn’t ready for any of that. Anyone I met would simply be a rebound, a distraction, a further complication in my life. Surprisingly, Dev just kept telling me to take some time on my own, not to rush into anything just yet, which was funny considering how many casual rebounds he flung himself into.

  To each his own, I guess.

  And so I was taking Dev’s advice and spending some quality time with myself while in Tokyo. I really did love the city; it was exhilarating and orderly and quirky and unlike any city I’d ever visited in my life. If Maren was with me, we’d have been exploring anything and everything we could while here. I made the mistake of saying that to Dev on the phone, and he just about lost his shit.

  “Dude, when are you ever going to get another opportunity like this? You don’t need to be dating someone to explore your city. Take advantage of it so you’re not some old man with all these regrets that start with the words, Once when I was working in Japan.”

  And so when one of the members of my team, Himari, gave me a list of beautiful places to visit during my three-month visit, I took Dev’s advice to heart and made a game plan to visit everything on the list. Himari said she felt like the media portrayed Tokyo as a city that never rests with blinking billboards, flat screens perched on buildings and crowds, crowds, and more crowds. I’d managed to cross off about five of the locations on my list, visiting gardens, parks and Takeshita dori, which could only be described as a gigantic flea market.

  And today, since the weather was absolutely perfect, I decided to visit Shinjuku Park, known as one of the best places to enjoy the cherry blossom season in Tokyo. Before I left Seattle, I imagined having a romantic picnic with Maren under a beautiful cherry blossom tree. And if I was honest with myself, I had imagined getting down on one knee under that tree and asking her to be my wife. I hadn’t bought a ring or anything, as it was just something I envisioned in my head before San Francisco happened. But it was something I had seriously considered. And every time I thought of it, it had made me ridiculously happy. Unfortunately, everything that happened between Maren and me, especially my visit home, had shown me that this cherry blossom fantasy of mine was never going to happen. And so, I decided that today was the day that I would let her go. I would bring a blanket, sit under the most beautiful cherry blossom tree I could find in the park, and read a book. And then, once I rolled up that blanket and made my way back to my apartment, I would officially move on. It was time.

  My mood was melancholy when I arrived at the park, but I still marveled at its elegance and beauty. It was hard to believe that it was located just ten minutes away from the crowded and lively city. Although a little more crowded than I had imagined, the park was still quiet and serene. The trees had already been in full bloom, so many of them appeared to have blankets of fallen blossoms beneath their elegant trunks. I found one that had shed most of its blossoms, feeling a kinship with the tree. I patted its bark before spreading my blanket on the ground below.

  I sat down, sighed and reached for my book. My phone pinged, and I debated whether or not I should even check the text. This was supposed to be solitary time for reflection and moving forward. And so, I ignored it and opened my book, reading the first couple of pages of the murder mystery I’d bought in Maren’s shop. It seemed I was all about the symbolism on this Sunday afternoon, even when done unconsciously.

  After a few minutes, my phone pinged again and my curiosity got the best of me. It was the middle of the night back in Seattle. I wondered if Dev was drunk-texting me.

  I glanced at the phone and was shocked to see a photo sent by Maren. Of course, I clicked on it immediately and was puzzled. It was a photo of an enormous Asian vending machine, and it looked vaguely familiar. It was a rather generic one that I’d seen throughout the city that sold all different kinds of rice. Was she looking at vending machine images on Google? Was she wanting to open up lines of communication again? Was I willing to do that? The day was supposed to be about me letting go…

  Another picture of a different vending machine came through as I stared at the first one. This one was exclusively for batteries, but because she had zoomed in on the machine, I was able to see that the prices were in yen. These vending machines weren’t just Asian, they were definitely Japanese. I passed battery vending machines quite frequently on my walk to work as they were pretty common. I decided to break the ice:

  -Having fun on Google?

  -You weren’t kidding, there really are a lot of these things.

  -Yep, I know.

  -No, like seriously…every single corner.

  Another picture came through. This time, she’d zoomed out and I could see the buildings in the background. She’d sent me one from only a block away from my place in Tokyo that sold all different kinds of ice cream novelties. My breath caught as I tried to figure out what Maren was doing. I couldn’t imagine she’d traveled to Japan without even telling me. A week ago, she wanted things to end, so why would she be looking up photos of vending machines and what were the freaking chances that she’d find one from my neighborhood?

  -Maren, where are you?

  The little dots lit up as I waited for her response. Only, instead of writing back, she sent me another vending machine. This one was on the corner of my building. I was certain! It sold both hot and cold drinks, and I stopped for green tea frequently. It was bright lime green with a picture of a couple cozied together with cups in their hands. Maren was in front of my freaking building. My heart was pumping so fast as the reality of the situation hit home. The girl of my dreams wasn’t out of the picture. She was very much in the picture, and she was quite possibly outside of my building.

  -Where do you think I am?

  -I think you’re in front of my building, but that can’t be possible since you live in Seattle.

  -Well, maybe you should find out. Open your curtains.

  -Unfortunately, I’m not home right now.

  -Shit, that was my biggest fear! And I thought I was being so clever.

  -Wait, so you’re really here? This isn’t a joke?

  -I am, right in front of your building and the girl behind the desk said this is the side of the building your window is on.

  -You talked to someone inside the building?

  -Yes, she was lovely.

  -I can’
t believe you’re here!

  -I am and I need to see you. Please.

  -I’m ten minutes away. Don’t move, I’ll be home soon!

  -No, YOU don’t move! Where are you?

  -Shinjuku Park. Stay right where you are!

  -No, I want to come to you! You deserve this, Peter.

  -What do I deserve?

  -The grandest gesture of all grand gestures. Now stop typing so I can get in a cab and find you!

  -No! I’ve lived here for two months, let me come home.

  No response.

  -Maren!

  Still no response. After five minutes, I conceded and wrote her again.

  -Fine, you’ve forced my hand. I’ll stay here.

  -You’d better. In a cab now. Be there soon.

  Still in awe that this was really happening, my hands shook as I placed my phone in my pocket and paced the park for what felt like an hour. And then, finally, I saw her. Wearing a flowing floral dress, her hair spilling down her slim shoulders and a shy smile on her flushed face. She bounced on the balls of her feet the moment our eyes locked and she saw my reassuring smile. She was pulling a small carry-on suitcase behind her and had something in her other hand, but I couldn’t quite see what it was. I dropped the book onto the blanket and met her in the middle. Cherry blossoms surrounded our feet as I looked at her in disbelief.

  “What are you doing here? You didn’t call or email or anything? I had no idea you were coming! Who does that, Maren?”

  “Someone who realizes they really screwed up. Here, this is for you.”

  She placed a plastic tube, about the size of a can of soda, in the palm of my hand. “What is it?”

  “Open it up.”

  I peeled the tape off the top of the tube and popped the top. It was filled with small plastic toys in the shapes of Ekisaito’s most popular game characters. “It’s Yolo and Momo!” I said, pulling them out of the container, along with a car, a giant flower, and the princess from the game.

  “I found it in a vending machine on the way here. It seemed…fitting.”

  “This is really nice.”

  She grinned. “I figured you could put them on your desk here and think of me.”

  I swallowed hard, trying to think of what to say in return. Before I had the chance, Maren continued. “I had to see you, a text, a call…they just wouldn’t be enough” she said eagerly, swallowing hard and tucking her hair behind her ears.

  “Why, Maren? Why did you come all this way?”

  I wanted to hear her say it. After all, it was just over a week ago that she’d crushed me. And as much as I was putty in her hands, I still needed to be warmed up.

  “Last weekend I made the wrong decision. I know it in my gut.”

  “Okay.”

  Her eyes had a sheen of purpose. “I was scared, Peter. Last week…I didn’t expect to see you. I was still floored that you were even in Seattle and then you started talking about us and I just panicked. And that wasn’t fair to you. Not at all. I’m so sorry.”

  I nodded but didn’t say anything. Dozens of people passed by us, but it didn’t matter. I was focused on only one person. The most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. The girl who’d crossed an ocean to say these words. A cherry blossom floated down and landed on her shoulder. She didn’t notice, but I did. She took my hand in hers, covering it with her other hand.

  “The truth is, I’ve never stopped loving you. I was just terrified of getting hurt again.”

  “I meant everything I said to you. Cara means nothing to me.”

  A smile trembled over her lips. “I realize that now. I was just caught up in my own fear. I’ve never loved anyone like this…not Jackson, not anyone. It’s absolutely terrifying.”

  “I know the feeling,” I said, grimacing in good humor.

  “You’ve turned my whole world upside down, and it’s wonderful and amazing, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t scare me to death. When you feel like I do, you have so much to lose. And the thought of losing you again was more than I could handle.”

  “But you pushed me away. Not the other way around.” I clenched my jaw, feeling the rawness of my pain manifest in a lump at the back of my throat.

  “I know and if I could go back and change it, I would. And I’d go back to San Francisco…I would go back to your room and talk, really talk about what happened. I would’ve given you a chance to tell me your side of the story. But I felt like a fool and so I ran away.”

  “I know. I can only imagine how furious you must have been to see her there with me. I put myself in your shoes and I get it, I do. I really do. But Maren, you made a snap judgment and then disappeared. I didn’t deserve that.”

  “You’re right. And I can’t let other people hold the power. I did that and it led to the unraveling of our entire relationship.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I’m not letting Cara Del-whatever-her-freaking-name-is have any more power in this relationship. I’ve given her way too much already. That’s not going to happen, not anymore.”

  “Wait. Did you say relationship?” I asked.

  “Yes.” She nodded, looking eager. “If you’ll still have me.” Nervously, she bit her lip as I paused and took a deep breath. I was warming up, but I wasn’t there yet.

  “But do you trust me? If you don’t, this won’t work. Cara or no Cara.”

  “I know. And I’ve thought long and hard about that. You didn’t do anything wrong, and you deserve my trust. I promise that from this day forward, you will have it. One hundred percent.”

  “This is a lot to process.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “And I really want to believe you.”

  “Please,” she begged, the color draining from her face as I unintentionally turned the tables on her. I didn’t want to torture her, and I realized I was doing just that. But I needed to her to understand my point of view. We had to be honest if we were going to move forward.

  “Things are going to come up—things that test us both. We have to work through them together, not run away from each other.”

  She swallowed hard, wiping a tear from her cheek and speaking in a suffocated whisper. “I know. I want that. You have no idea how hard I will work at that.”

  “No more running away?”

  “No. From now on, I only want to run to you. Never away.”

  Taking a deep breath, I placed a hand on her cheek and smiled wide, wanting to let her off the hook. “Well, this trip across the world was definitely a start.”

  She nodded emphatically, exhaling harshly. Her voice cracked as she spoke. “And I’d do it again. I want you, Peter. I want us. Remember you once told me that no matter where Ekisaito might send you, you always wanted to come home to me? I want that. Tokyo, Madrid, London, or Beijing. I want you to come home to me. Please, Peter McTavish, please come home to me.”

  I wrapped Maren in my arms, pulling her in for a kiss, my hands running through her wavy hair as she gripped my back, holding on tight.

  “I love you,” she whispered. “So much. And I’m sorry I was such a fool.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Oh, thank God,” she said with a sigh. I pressed my forehead to hers, closing my eyes but smiling as I took in the moment. The girl of my dreams had returned, and I was holding her in my arms, surrounded by cherry blossoms drifting through the spring air. One landed on the top of her head and I tucked it behind her ear. She beamed. She placed her hands on both of my cheeks, looking up at me with joy and sincerity.

  “And you’re not a fool.”

  She tilted her head and wrinkled her nose. “I mean, maybe a little bit?”

  “Okay, fine. Maybe a little bit. But you’re my fool and I’ll never stop loving you.”

  She shuddered, pulling me in for a deep kiss. I wrapped her in my arms, holding her as she trembled. I rubbed her back gently, and she relaxed into my arms.

  “And I will always come home to you, Maren. Always.”

  Epilogue

/>   MAREN

  Five months later

  “Can you get the door, babe? I’m just finishing up in here,” I called to Peter as I finished chopping assorted veggies and cheeses.

  “Of course!” he yelled from the foyer of our new home. We’d been living together for just a couple of weeks and tonight, we’d invited family and friends for a housewarming party to show them our new house.

  Peter’s cat, Big Tuna, rubbed up against my legs as he made his presence known. I snuck him a tiny bit of cheese and smiled as he gobbled it down with a loud purr. “That’s all for now, buddy, or I’m gonna be in trouble. You know he doesn’t want you eating people food, but a little here and there won’t hurt.”

  Grabbing the platters I’d put together, I walked out of the kitchen and into our great room just as Lyra and Dev walked in. I raised an eyebrow, shocked to see them arrive together. Lyra, who’d already seen the house just after closing, walked over to me. I placed the platters on the coffee table and turned to Lyra, who had her hands on her hips and was staring at our new charcoal-gray couches sitting opposite one another in front of the fireplace.

  “I have to admit, these couches are perfect. You were right and I was wrong.”

  “Music to my ears,” I said, giving her a playful jab with my elbow. “Now, did I see you come with Dev?”

  “Ugh, please. No. Hard pass. We just got here at the same time. And I literally sat in my car for a minute, trying to stall…I guess he did the same thing.”

  A snarky laugh escaped my lips. “Play nice today, okay? I don’t want anyone storming out of this place.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to put any bad energy into your beautiful new house.” Lyra rolled her eyes. “Don’t go all feng shui on me, please.”

  “I can’t help it. I’ve been reading all these books on design and creating a beautiful home.”