Melanie’s mind raced. She prayed this whole thing would be over and behind her soon. When it was, she’d be able to concentrate on her relationship with Knox, along with building a name for herself in the art world.
The van pulled up next to her car and Melanie noticed the tinted windshield. So dark she’d say it was illegal. The door came open and her heart stopped when Dean Grainger exited. What the hell was he doing here?
Melanie inhaled deeply, contemplating if she should lock her door and refuse to talk to him. “Paul,” she whispered. “It’s Dean, not Tracy. What should I do?”
“See why he’s here. I’m only seconds away. If I sense you’re in danger, I’ll be there in the blink of an eye.”
“Okay, but I’m not comfortable with this.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Mel. Trust me.”
With apprehension, Melanie got out of her car, her heart thudding against her chest like a woodhen pecking feverishly against a tree.
He started toward her, his eyes glistening with an intent that made Melanie jittery as hell. The closer he got, the harder her heart worked to stay in her chest.
“Why are you here?” she asked him when he was within ten feet of her.
“My wife confessed what was going on. She told me she had a meeting with you and I insisted on coming in her place. I thought it was time to get everything out on the table. Tell you what I’ve been doing to finally get us together.”
Melanie was confused by his remark. What he said made no sense to her. “What are you talking about?”
He smiled. “I wasn’t sure if you knew what I’d done or not until today when Tracy told me what you’d told her.”
Knew what? The man talked in riddles. “Look, Dean. I have no idea what you’re saying. Why don’t you speak in laymen’s terms?”
“Sorry, Mel. I’m just excited to be alone with you again. The other day when I ran into you, I wanted to pull you into my arms and hold you so bad. Kay was with you and was being a bitch. You really need to lose her as a friend. I’ll never get along with her.”
Like she cared if he liked her best friend or not. This conversation was getting her nowhere and that wasn’t helping her demeanor one bit. “Please tell me what is going on? Why didn’t Tracy come? She’s the one I need to talk to, not you.”
“Not true, baby. I’m the one to thank. Tracy has no idea what I did.”
Melanie frowned. “Did? What did you do, Dean?”
He laughed. “I thought you’d figure it out. Of course, I never wanted you for your brains.”
Melanie did a double take. Had he just hinted that she was stupid and he didn’t care? No way was she going to take this from a man who was dumb enough to think they had a future together. Not too smart considering hell would freeze over first. “Just get to your point, Dean, or I’m leaving.”
“Don’t get upset, sweetheart. I’ll tell you.”
She backed up as he started toward her. “Don’t come any closer.”
He raised his hands and stopped. “Okay.”
“I’m waiting,” she said impatiently. This whole thing was going sour. She’d hoped that today this mess with the fire would be over. Now there was no hope of that. And, she had to get away from Dean without him trying to stop her. Her only consolation was that Paul could be at her side in a matter of minutes if need be.
“I did all this for us, Mel. I didn’t want Tracy. She didn’t do anything for me any longer.”
The sex manuals and toys they’d found in their nightstand spoke differently. What a liar this man was.
“All I wanted was you in my bed, you making love to me. So I came up with this elaborate plan. Made you the prime suspect. I knew about your past. I knew they’d look to you, especially after planting the flier.”
Melanie’s heart stopped again. Was this really happening? Had this man just admitted to loving her, yet trying to send her to jail in the same breath? She felt the blood drain from her face.
“No wait, baby. I knew you’d be exonerated.” He tried again to touch her.
Melanie jumped away.
“I planted my wife’s earring two days later. I was damned lucky to toss her jewelry box out a window during the fire. Anyway, I knew Manning would find the earring, see that it wasn’t burnt and assume she was at the house after the fire—had planted the flier to set you up. Tracy had motive. You’d been messing around with me. It was the perfect plan, don’t you think?”
The cavalier way he spoke shocked Melanie.
She swallowed convulsively. She could barely believe what she’d heard. The man was evil incarnate. How could he do such a thing to both her and his wife? Thank God this whole conversation was being recorded. Dean deserved to go to prison for what he’d done. She almost felt sorry for Tracy. The woman had no idea how badly her husband had betrayed her. Yet she would, and soon.
“Are you going to thank me?” he asked when she didn’t say anything.
Melanie’s jaw dropped. “Thank you? Are you serious? Why would I do that? You set me up.”
“No, not really. I planned this carefully, Mel. I gave them enough to convict Tracy. You were never in danger of going to jail. That would have defeated my purposes. For you and me to become husband and wife and for us to raise my children.”
“Did you even consider what I wanted?”
His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
She knew it wasn’t wise to tell him the truth now, yet she didn’t want him to continue to think they were anything to each other. The thought made her sick. “I never loved you, Dean. When I learned that you were married, any respect I had for you was gone. We have no future together. With or without Tracy.”
“How can you say that? I did all this for you. You have to love me.”
His tone raised the hairs on the back of Melanie’s neck.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t have to love you. I love someone else. I should thank you for that, too. You brought Knox and me together. He’s the man I plan to share a future with. Not you. I love Knox Manning and if he’ll have me as his wife, I plan to marry him.”
Dean’s eyes went from amber to dark-brown in a matter of seconds, and he snarled. “No way is that man getting his hands on you. I’d rather see you dead.”
Melanie’s stomach lurched into her throat. “Paul, I need you to get here, now,” she screamed, running for her car.
Before she’d made it to the door, Dean caught her. “Who the hell were you talking to?” He grabbed her shirt and ripped it open, his face filling with rage when he saw the microphone.
Sirens bellowed in the distance.
“How could you do this to me? I loved you so much.” His hands went around her neck and tightened. The next thing Melanie knew Paul and Knox were tearing Dean off her.
Paul tackled Dean to the ground as Knox came to her side and folded her into his arms to hold her tight.
She gulped air as the police arrived. They handcuffed Dean and placed him into a patrol car.
“Are you okay, Mel?” Knox loosened his grip just a hair.
“I think so. Did Paul get everything on tape?”
“Yes, he got it all. It’s over, Mel. And to answer your question…yes.”
“Yes?” she asked, confused.
“Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Epilogue
Melanie looked out over the crowded backyard and her heart filled with joy. In twenty minutes she’d be Mrs. Knox Manning.
In the month since Dean had been arrested, she’d been dreaming of her wedding to be held at her very own home. Everything was beautiful—the flowers, the altar where they’d become husband and wife—all arranged by Kay, Knox’s mother and his sister, Tara. All she’d had to do was find the perfect dress, a white silk design with a high lace collar. She loved the dress and knew Knox would as well.
Kay came up to her. She wore a mint-green gown, in a similar design as Melanie’s. The dress fit her curvaceous body to a tee. “Are you ready?”
she asked. “Or do you want to hop in my car and forget the whole thing?”
Melanie shook her head. “Not in a million years. I just hope Knox doesn’t get any ideas.”
Kay smiled. “No way. I just saw him. I’ve never seen a man so happy. By the way, thanks for inviting Paul. He might think things are over between us now, but I have time at the reception to work my wiles on him. If you can’t find me when it’s time for the maid-of-honors toast, I’ll be in the guestroom with him, changing his mind.”
Melanie laughed. “If anyone can make Paul see that you are the only one for him, it’s you, Kay.”
The music started up, sending Melanie’s heart racing. It was time.
Kay reached to pull the veil over her face. “Who’d have thought you two would work.”
“Why not? We’re like fire and ice—put us together and we sizzle.”
Jerri Drennen
Jerri Drennen is married, has four children and resides in a small southwestern town in Missouri. Her hobbies include Drawing, gardening, cooking and reading.
She’s been writing romance for 6 years, and loves to create characters that stay with the reader, to write stories that leave them smiling.
To learn more about Jerri Drennen, please visit her website. http://www.jerridrennen.bravehost.com/.
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