Chance Encounter: Gage and Melanie (An Emerald Falls Romance, Book Three) (Companion to the Over You series)

by Christine Kersey

  “Where are we going for dinner?” Melanie asked.

  “I thought we’d go to The Glasshouse.” That was the same restaurant he’d taken her on their other date. The date that had led to their first kiss. Gage was looking forward to tonight’s kiss. Melanie had said he was allowed one kiss. He smiled at the thought.

  “What are you smiling about?”

  He glanced her way as they drove. “About that one kiss you’re allowing me and how I’d better make it good.”

  “Thinking about it already, are we?”

  That made him laugh. “I’m the only one, huh?”

  She smiled but didn’t reply, and he was certain it had been on her mind as well. He’d wait as long as he possibly could before he kissed her. The anticipation would be half the fun.

  A few minutes later they parked in front of The Glasshouse, and after he helped her from the car, he took her hand as they walked inside. Her skin was soft and smooth, and he relished the feel of her hand in his.

  He’d made a reservation, so they were seated in a booth a few moments after they arrived. They picked up their menus, and after ordering, Gage looked at Melanie. She was gorgeous.

  “I hope you know that I’m not going to let any other men dance with you tonight,” he said. “No matter how much they may want to.”

  A soft blush rose on her cheeks. “That’s fine with me.”

  She only wanted to dance with him. The thought exhilarated him.

  They chatted about work and softball and their Emerald Falls friends as they ate, and after Gage paid the bill, he took Melanie’s hand and led her to his car.

  “I hope you’re not too full to dance,” he said as he held the passenger door open for her.

  She stood close enough that he could smell the soft floral scent of her perfume. Growing desperate to kiss her, he held back, not wanting to use his one kiss just yet.

  “I’m not too full.” She climbed inside the car, and soon they were on their way.

  When they arrived at the club, the pounding beat of the music hit their ears, and after paying the cover charge, and with Melanie’s hand enveloped in his, Gage led them onto the dance floor.

  So far this date had been exactly what Melanie had needed. At dinner she’d felt completely comfortable with Gage, although she hadn’t told him about her catastrophic relationship with Kyle. That would come later. She didn’t know when, but she knew she was getting closer to that point.

  Now though, as they rocked to the beat, she was eager for a slow song to begin. Several minutes later, one did. She stepped into Gage’s arms and rested her head against his shoulder. Surprised at how safe she felt there, she closed her eyes as they swayed and moved together around the dance floor. His arms held her snug against him, and her arms wrapped around his neck.

  “You’re so amazing, Melanie,” he murmured next to her ear.

  Though she was more than ready to kiss him, she wanted him to take the lead, and instead of replying to his compliment, she pressed herself closer to him. His arms tightened around her waist and she relished the feel of him.

  When the song was over, he asked her if she was thirsty.

  “Yes. I’d love something cold to drink.”

  He led her to an empty table in a quieter corner, then he left to get their drinks. As she waited for him, she wondered if it was time to tell him about Kyle, about why she’d had misgivings about dating. She’d already told him about the mistakes she’d made with Avery’s father. Maybe she was ready to spill all of her secrets.

  Drinks in hand, he appeared beside the table. He set them down, then slid in the seat next to hers, moving it closer so they could hear each other talk.

  “Thank you for bringing me tonight,” she said. “I haven’t been dancing in ages.”

  “Really? That surprises me.”

  She sipped at her drink. “Why’s that?”

  “You’re such a natural.” He smiled. “But then you’re good at everything you do.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Bennett.” She hadn’t felt this flirtatious in a long time, but it felt wonderful.

  He laughed. “Good.” He drank some of his drink, then he gazed at her a moment. “So what’s your story? Really?”

  Kind of surprised that he thought she had a story, she shook her head. “What do you mean?”

  “Why’d you really come back to Emerald Falls?”

  Did he honestly suspect she had an ulterior motive, or was he just guessing? She studied his face, his sweet, caring, open face, and she wanted to tell him what had happened with Kyle. What had sent her running to Emerald Falls.

  “It’s a long story,” she said, then she glanced around. “And it’s kind of noisy in here.”

  He stood and reached for her hand. “Then let’s go somewhere quiet.”

  Nodding, she took his hand and let him help her up. “All right.”

  As they drove, Melanie kept going back and forth, back and forth. How much did she want to reveal about what had happened with Kyle? She’d told Gage about Avery’s father, but that had happened four years earlier. The stuff with Kyle was much more recent and her heart was still bruised. What would he think when she told him the lengths she’d gone to to make Kyle hers? Would he decide she wasn’t as amazing as he kept saying she was? That she was too manipulative? Would he tell her she wasn’t the woman he thought she was? That he was done with her?

  Would he leave her too?

  Heart pounding with anxiety, Melanie nibbled at her lower lip. Glancing at Gage as he drove, she realized how important it had become to impress him, to keep his respect and admiration. To make him like her.

  Because she really liked him.

  Terrified now to confess the truth of her story, her hands began to sweat and her pulse began to race.

  Maybe she should ask him to change directions and take her home. She didn’t have to tell him everything. No one ever said it was required to tell someone you’re dating all of your dirty little secrets. So why did she feel compelled to tell him hers?

  Because she felt something for him, something powerful, something that required honesty.

  “We’re here,” Gage said fifteen minutes later as he parked his car near a walking path that wound around a reservoir.

  Melanie’s heart rate doubled.

  Breathe, Melanie. Just breathe.

  Gage climbed out of the car and came around to her door. When he took her hand to help her out, energy surged between them, and Melanie braced herself for what she was about to tell him. Because there was no question that she would tell it all to him. If she had any hope of having a future with Gage, she needed him to know who she really was, what she was capable of.

  Then he could decide if he wanted to continue seeing her.

  The thought made her chest tighten with excruciating tension.

  “Are you okay?” Gage asked, and she realized she was gripping his hand.

  Forcing herself to relax, she pushed a smile onto her face. “Yeah.”

  The sun was dipping toward the horizon, but the evening was pleasant, and as they walked hand in hand toward the trees that edged this side of the reservoir, Gage said, “We can walk, or would you rather sit on that bench?”

  If her heart kept pounding the way it was, walking wouldn’t be a good idea.

  “These shoes aren’t the best for walking,” she said, “so let’s sit.”

  “Okay.” They strolled to the bench, and after they sat, Gage asked, “Are you warm enough?”

  “Yeah. It feels nice out.”

  “This is my favorite time of year. Winter’s over and it’s not too hot yet.”

  “I totally agree.” The small talk was only making things worse. Desperate now to get this over with, Melanie closed her eyes, but after only a moment she opened them, ready to do this.

  Only a few inches separated them, and Gage’s arm rested on the back of the bench behind her. He placed his ankle on his other knee and smiled. “I’m ready to hear this lon
g story of yours.”

  She forced a laugh. “You do look pretty comfortable.”

  He grinned. “I am.”

  Blowing out a breath of air, she gathered her thoughts, ready to bare her soul.

  Chapter 25

  Melanie shifted so that she faced Gage. His gray eyes were steady on her. He was so sweet and caring. She couldn’t imagine him doing the conniving things she’d done.

  “Well?” he said, one eyebrow quirked.

  “Yes,” she said with a shaky smile. “Well.”

  He laughed, and the carefree look on his face calmed her.

  “Okay,” she began. “As I told you earlier, Avery’s father has been out of my life since the moment he found out I was pregnant.”

  Gage nodded.

  “Well, when Avery was a few months old, I met a man who…” Was she really ready to expose her wound? To tell it all? She looked away from Gage, but when she faced him again, his eyes were warm and tender, like he knew this wasn’t easy for her, like he wanted to know everything about her. She decided to go on, despite the fact that the truth might push him away. “Well, a man I fell in love with.”

  Gage flinched, but he didn’t break his gaze.

  “We were so in love, we even talked about getting married, and…” A knot began forming in her throat, and she took a deep breath to get herself under control. “He was like a father to Avery. She…she even called him Daddy. He was the only father Avery knew. It was like we were a family.” She shook her head. “We didn’t live in the same house or anything like that, but we spent so much time together, and he was everything to Avery.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “To me.”

  Gage’s expression didn’t waver, and Melanie had to give him props for that. It couldn’t be easy to hear her talk about another man like this.

  “Things with this man were going along perfectly, until…” Melanie thought about the day Jessica had arrived in town, and how that had been the day her world had begun to implode. “Well, until his former fiancée came to town. She’d come to stay with her sick aunt, and Kyle…” She bit her lip. “That’s his name. Kyle was renovating her aunt’s bathroom. He was spending all of his time over there. With her.”

  Melanie looked away for a moment, then faced Gage. “Even though it had been five years since he’d ended their engagement, evidently he was still…in love with her.”

  Empathy shone from Gage’s eyes, and he gently stroked her back. His touch did something good to her, helped her to know there was a chance for her to find happiness again, and she smiled despite the urge to cry.

  Gage didn’t speak, and Melanie appreciated him giving her the chance to take her time telling her story.

  “I…I fought for him. More than I’d ever fought for anything in my life.” This was the part that she feared telling him. Did she really need to? Were the details important? But the idea of telling him everything, letting it all out, sent waves of relief surging through her.

  “After Avery’s father abandoned us, I wasn’t about to let Kyle go. So, when Jessica showed up, I…I saw my chance at having a complete family slipping between my fingers, so I…I thought of ways to scare her off.”

  Remembering all she’d done, Melanie felt shame slide over her, piercing her to her soul, and her gaze fell to her lap.

  “What did you do?” Gage asked.

  Lifting her gaze to his, she was quiet. “Do you really want to know?”

  He placed a finger under her chin, forcing her to maintain eye contact. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I care about you, Melanie. I want to know everything about you.”

  Knowing there was a possibility that he would change his mind about her once he’d heard what she’d done, she was torn about telling him. But what if she didn’t tell him and he later found out? Maybe it was better to get it all out now, before their feelings for each other had a chance to grow.

  “No,” she said. “I…I want to tell you.”

  He released her chin, but his gaze never wavered. “Okay.”

  Swallowing over the knot in her throat, she nodded once. “I…I wanted Jessica to know that Kyle and I were a family, so I….” She shook her head. “I gave her a disk with pictures we’d had taken.” She looked at her lap. “Family pictures. With Kyle, me, and Avery.” She paused, but kept her eyes firmly pointed toward her lap. “I told her the disk was for Kyle, but I knew she’d look at it. And she did.”

  Braving a look at Gage, Melanie was surprised that instead of scorn, he wore a sad smile.

  “That’s not all,” she said.

  His eyebrows rose, and she found herself softly chuckling.

  “Does this surprise you?” she asked.

  He smiled. “Yeah. But I’m also intrigued.”

  Not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, she nodded. “Even when I knew Kyle’s feelings for Jessica had been rekindled, I continued to spend time with him. He hadn’t broken up with me, so there was no reason to stop seeing him.”

  Melanie paused, curious what Gage was thinking.

  “That sounds rough,” he said, then one side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “Like I alluded to at lunch, I don’t have a lot of dating experience, so I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” Melanie said. “The lack of dating, I mean.”

  He smirked. “Why? Because I’m such an amazing specimen of manhood?”

  Laughter burst from her mouth. “Yes. That’s exactly why.”

  Narrowing his eyes, he said, “Have you already forgotten what I looked like in high school?”

  “Well, no.”

  “Exactly.” He sat up straighter. “What you see before you now is a recent transformation.”

  His words were a revelation to Melanie. He seemed so confident, but in reality he still saw himself as the boy he’d been in high school. No wonder he was so sweet. He’d never had the chance to become cocky and start believing that he was the world’s gift to women.

  Realizing even more what a great guy he was, Melanie’s reluctance to tell him the last part of her story grew.

  “It’s a pretty awe-inspiring transformation,” she said.

  He grinned. “Thank you. And you never needed to transform because you were always Melanie Hopkins.”

  She smiled, but it quickly dimmed.

  “What?” he asked. After a moment he said, “There’s more to your story, isn’t there?”

  She nodded. “Just one more thing.”

  “Okay.”

  She sighed. “As a final attempt to keep Kyle, I…” She pressed her lips together. “I asked him to adopt Avery.” Shame at her attempt to manipulate Kyle tightened her chest, but she kept her gaze steady on Gage. She had to see his reaction. He didn’t flinch or look away, so she went on. “I told him he couldn’t abandon her, that he was the only father she knew. Which was true. And he considered it. We even met with an attorney. But in the end he decided it wouldn’t be good for any of us if he adopted her.” She sighed. “He was right. I should never have asked it of him.”

  Gage gently rubbed her back. “Oh, Melanie.”

  “He and…and his former fiancée got married.” She shook her head. “I saw them around town from time to time, and I…I couldn’t stand it any longer. That’s when Ashleigh invited me to move in with her.” She smiled. “I’m so glad I said yes.”

  Gage continued rubbing her back, his mind racing. The things she’d revealed to him—the things she’d done—were shocking. Yet…they also showed how hard she would fight to keep her family together. He knew she’d lost her parents at a young age, then her grandmother had died, then Avery’s father had abandoned her.

  It was no wonder that she’d fought so fiercely for that man. And then he’d chosen another woman over her after all.

  Now it was crystal clear to Gage why she’d been cautious about dating him—or anyone. And why she’d asked if he had any former girlfriends he’d been in love with. Who could bl
ame her?

  From what he could tell, nearly everyone in her life had ended up leaving her.

  As he looked at her now, he knew he didn’t want to be one of those people.

  “I’m glad you came to Emerald Falls, Melanie.” He smiled and ran a finger down her jawline. “You have no idea how glad.”

  Her face seemed to relax, and she smiled. “Thank you. You’ve been…a good friend.”

  The word friend hit him in the chest, and he had to stop himself from recoiling, although his hand dropped to his lap. Was she friend-zoning him? What about the way they’d held each other on the dance floor? What about their amazing kisses?

  He was being selfish. Obviously she wasn’t ready to be in a relationship. He wouldn’t push her. He would take what he could get.

  “I’m glad I could be here for you,” he said. Would he even get that kiss tonight? That seemed doubtful now. Deeply disappointed, he kept his expression neutral.

  “You’ve been amazing, listening to my sad tale.” Her lips lifted in a smile. “But now I know I want…” Her mouth opened, but she was quiet before finally saying, “I want more than friendship. With you.”

  Gage couldn’t believe what she’d just said. Stunned and elated, he stared at her, waiting to see if she would take it back. When she didn’t, he let his building joy blossom inside him.

  Had she really just said that?

  Yes. And she meant it. Telling him her story had opened something up inside her, something that had demolished the walls around her heart. Once and for all.

  Gage smiled. “That’s quite a coincidence.”

  Tilting her head, she asked, “What do you mean?”

  “Because I want more than friendship with you.”

  A radiant smile lit her face. “That is a coincidence.”

  “I know, right?” He put his arms around her and drew her against him, and she let herself be enveloped by him, loving the feel of him so close to her.

  She lay her head against his shoulder, a feeling of security and caring wrapping around her like a warm blanket.