Enchanting Melody

by Robyn Amos

  Roland huffed from over by the door. “Can we get a move on please?”

  They all gathered by the door and Bass leaned down to whisper in her ear. “When that stockbroker breaks your heart, you know I’m always here for you.”

  Melody sat at her drawing table, letting her pencil fly over her paper. Her publisher loved the new Ambassador story line, so she’d been spending a lot of time with Bass’s face.

  A week had passed since her confrontation with Will and Bass’s disturbing pronouncement. At first she’d tried to reason that he was offering friendship in the face of a probable breakup, but reality had set in, and she knew that wasn’t the case.

  His gaze had been intense and even though he hadn’t said anything more since, she knew he still had feelings for her. And, as awkward as that would be for their friendship, she found that knowledge completely comforting.

  Since the wedding she’d spent so much time doubting herself. She was caught between two worlds, and she was torn between her family’s expectations, Will’s and her own. When it came to Bass, she knew where she stood. He accepted her. He understood her.

  It had been two years since they’d dated, which hadn’t been for very long. The truth was, she’d been a bit mean to him. She’d barked orders at him, and he’d run around doing her bidding.

  Will never put up with her bad behavior. He viewed her mood swings as childish temper tantrums, and he never gave in to her angry manipulations.

  In fact, that was why they hadn’t seen each other in nearly two weeks. Whenever he’d called to get them together, she’d drawn a hard line in the sand. Every suggestion he made, she vetoed, replacing it with offers to come to her apartment or eat at restaurants in her neighborhood. Her rigid stance caused him to draw a hard, uncompromising line in return.

  She was beginning to realize they didn’t have as much in common as she’d originally thought. That had made her even more angry, and when they spoke on the phone, she showed him the full extent of her biting wit.

  In her defense, she never set out to use her anger as a weapon, it was an instinct that kicked in when she felt threatened. She had a tender heart that she would protect at any cost.

  At least Bass understood that about her. That was why they’d been able to maintain their friendship. Now that they weren’t dating, he didn’t feel obligated to dote on her. And that was fine by her because, despite her bossy nature, she didn’t like yes-men.

  Suddenly the phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. “Hello?”

  “Melody, it’s Will.”

  “Yes, Will, I know your voice,” she said coolly.

  “Come on, let’s stop this childish game playing. What we have is too special to throw away over a battle of wills. I’m ashamed of the way I’ve let my pride get between us lately. I’m willing to act like a grown-up. How about you?”

  Melody mulled that over for a minute, the silence on the line stretching on.

  “Oh, Melody, I know how much you love being angry, but let it go. Don’t you want to have fun together again, like we used to?”

  Her heart wasn’t hard enough to withstand the rich timbre of Will’s voice. The fact was he absolutely melted her with his words. Smooth to the core, he’d said all the right things, and she knew he meant them.

  “Yes, I miss you.”

  “Yeah, now that’s what I wanted to hear. I’m having Melody withdrawal with no kissing, no hugging, no loving.”

  “Okay, then come over here. I’ll make it worth the trip.”

  Now the silence dragged out on his end. “I can’t tonight. Before you get angry, let me say that I’m still at the office, and I’ll probably be here a couple more hours.” His voice became animated with excitement. “I think I’m on the verge of something big here. Geddes has really taken notice of the extra work I’ve been putting in and that golf invitation is inevitable.”

  “Good for you,” Mel said flatly.

  “The other reason I called is because there’s a charity auction tomorrow to benefit one of Geddes’s pet foundations. He invited me and a few other guys from the office to attend. I want you to come with me.”

  “Why? So I can sweet-talk the boss for you again?” She winced as soon as she’d said it. Clearly her mouth had a mind of its own.

  “No, because I love you and I want you with me.”

  Melody felt terrible. She was behaving like a jerk and she was blowing what could have been the best thing that happened to her.

  “Forget I said that. I’ll be there.” Melody suddenly wanted to be the bigger person.

  Moving on impulse, she grabbed her purse and headed out of the door. Pride wasn’t everything.

  Chapter 12

  It was ten-thirty when Will finally dragged himself in from the office that night. He’d been watching the work habits of the brokers who’d made big career moves at the firm, and it seemed they’d all done it by schmoozing the right company’s heavy hitters, bringing in big clients and working long hours. He was trying to show them that he would do whatever it took.

  But it was already getting a bit old. He hardly had time for himself anymore, and he knew his dedication to moving ahead was putting a strain on his relationship with Melody. She was feeling neglected. That had to be why she was suddenly challenging him at every turn.

  He wanted to make it up to her, but he was so close to getting what he’d worked for all these years. If she could just hold on a littler longer—

  “What the hell?”

  Deep in thought, Will had made a beeline to the bedroom, loosening his clothes as he walked. He hadn’t looked up until a movement on the bed caused him to nearly jump out of his skin.

  Clutching his heaving chest he began backing toward the door as the figure reached out to turn on the nightstand lamp.

  Will released a string of expletives for which his mother would have washed out his mouth.

  “Will, Will, calm down, it’s only me. It’s Melody.”

  He was relieved to see Melody, but he’d been so startled, that his tired body was now too weak to do anything but sink to the floor. “Whew, well, thanks. Now I feel like a giant coward, freaking out over a woman in my bed.”

  She crossed the room to join him on the floor. “I’m sorry, I let myself in with the extra key you gave me. It was still light out when I came over, so I didn’t turn on any lights. I must have fallen asleep until you came in. I stayed still because I was trying to surprise you. I didn’t mean to give you a heart attack.”

  He reached out and brushed her cheek. “Now that I’ve recovered, I’m really glad you’re here.”

  Will had been tired when he’d come home, but he had no memory of that now. He stood, reaching down to pick her up. There was one activity for which he always had energy on reserve.

  It was late afternoon when Melody got home the next day. They’d spent the better half of the day lounging around in bed. She couldn’t believe how tired Will had been. Normally, he hated to sleep in, but a herd of wild buffaloes couldn’t have dragged him out of bed that day.

  Not wanting to mess with the haunted kitchen, she’d run down to a nearby coffee shop for coffee and muffins while he’d slept. He’d been so groggy when he’d finally awakened, he hadn’t even complained when she dropped crumbs in his bed.

  Maybe she’d been unreasonable about his schedule lately. It was obvious that he was putting in long hours at the office because he was trying to move his career forward. Melody remembered what that was like. She’d taken any inking job for obscure comics she could get, just to get her name out there in the industry.

  Dashing to the closet, Melody pulled out the dress Will had requested she wear. It was a slinky little number with spaghetti straps. The material faded from a smooth peach to a burnt umber at the asymmetrical hemline. The warm colors actually complemented the red streak in her hair nicely.

  He hadn’t commented on her hair color at all last night. But she figured that was because they’d been preoccupied with other things. Toda
y, she spent a lot of time tucking the streaked hair back into a sleek ponytail so it was less emphasized. The evening was important to Will and she didn’t want to let him down.

  She was just strapping on a pair of low-heeled sandals when the phone rang. She was certain it would be Will checking up on her progress. He’d wanted them to take the same taxi over to the function, but she’d insisted on meeting him there to save time.

  “I’m on my way out the door now,” she said into the receiver in place of hello.

  “Ooo-kay, I guess that means you don’t want to see The Illness play tonight? I have an extra ticket,” Bass said.

  “Oh, Bass, I thought you were Will. I can’t go out tonight. I have to attend some charity thing for his job.”

  “You two kissed and made up.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So he apologized for not investing himself in your lifestyle the way you did in his?”

  “No…but he’s been working so hard. He’s been tired.”

  “I see, so he didn’t apologize in so many words, but he’s making more of an effort to accept the real you and not trying to dress you up as his perfect vision of a woman, right?”

  Melody looked down at her clothes and her heartbeat sped up. “I know what you’re trying to do, Bass, and it’s not fair.”

  “What? What am I trying to do?”

  “You’re instigating. Sure, he asked me to wear a specific dress tonight, but that’s because there are a lot of people he needs to impress at this function.”

  “And what? Your normal style isn’t acceptable?”

  “Stop it. That’s coming from you, not Will.”

  “If Will truly accepts you, isn’t it most important that you’re there by his side to support him? Why does he get to pick out your clothes? Today it’s a charity function, tomorrow a dinner party. It will always be something, and you’ll have nothing to say because you let him get away with it.”

  Suddenly Melody felt very confused. She knew Bass was trying to manipulate her, but that didn’t make his words any less true. When had she become the kind of woman who let a man dictate anything to her? Would Will really accept her as is, or did he need her to be the watered-down version of herself that she had become to make him like her?

  After hanging up, Melody slipped off her dress and hung it back in the closet. Either Will accepted her one hundred percent, or not at all.

  Will left the hotel ballroom for the fifth time, pausing to check his watch. Melody was late. He was just about to go back inside, when something caught his eye.

  A dark figure was riding the escalator to the ballroom level. The first thing he saw was a pair of knee-high black boots with chunky heels. Will got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as his gaze raced upward.

  It was Melody. She was wearing a black corset with a gauzy layered black skirt that met her boots at the knee. Her lipstick was black. Her nails were black, and her hair fell in a long, straight cascade down her back with a shocking red streak in the front. Had that been there last night?

  Will’s body betrayed him, instantly becoming aroused. She looked pretty hot. But anger immediately tamped down that reaction.

  The second her boots hit the carpet, Will was grabbing Melody’s arm and leading her into a dark corner. “What the hell were you thinking?”

  She looked him directly in the eyes. “I’m sorry I’m late. There was an accident on the road and the cab had to take an alternate route.”

  Will rolled his eyes in disgust. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. Are you trying to embarrass me? What happened to the dress we decided you were going to wear?”

  “You mean the dress you decided I was going to wear?”

  “Whatever. Why aren’t you wearing that dress?”

  “That dress wasn’t me. But this outfit is.” She twirled around. “How do you like it?”

  Will sucked in his breath. He almost never lost his temper. But she was toying with him. She was deliberately mocking him.

  “This is a very swanky charity affair. You’re not appropriately dressed.”

  “Wow,” Melody said, looking down at her clothing. “I remembered you telling me once that you didn’t care how I was dressed, you just wanted to see me. I guess that’s not true anymore.”

  “Melody, at the time, you were meeting me at a bar. This is a private, invitation-only event that my boss invited me to. This isn’t the time to take a stand in our relationship. This isn’t the place to make some sort of…of crazy statement,” he nearly shouted.

  “Really? Because I’ve always believed that there’s no time like the present. And you’ve just confirmed what I’ve been suspecting about you. You don’t want to date Melody Rush. You want to date some weak-willed woman who you can dress up however you like and drag her around to all your charity events and fancy functions.

  “All you care about is getting ahead in your career. You never ask how my work is going. You’ve never seen the inside of my apartment or met even one of my friends. You’re a selfish, self-centered jerk,” she finished, poking him in the chest for emphasis.

  Will stood frozen in place. His entire body throbbed with embarrassment and anger. He could feel the eyes of bystanders and all he could do was pray Robert Geddes wasn’t among them.

  “How dare you make such a big scene in public like this,” Will gritted out through his teeth.

  He saw Melody’s eyes harden. “Well, you won’t have to worry about me embarrassing you any further. We’re done. You’re not the man I thought you were, and I’m definitely not the woman you’re trying to make me into.”

  She shouldered past him and headed back up the escalator. Will still couldn’t move.

  Melody sat at her art board sketching Will with fervor. It had been two weeks since their breakup and not a word had passed between them since that day in the hotel lobby.

  At first she hadn’t wanted to think about Will. She didn’t let anyone say his name and she’d packed up all his pictures. But, now she’d found a new kind of therapy for a broken heart. She vilified him.

  She’d discarded the superhero she’d been toying with to fight alongside Delilah. Now he would be a villain disguised as a superhero. She’d drawn Will’s chin a little more chiseled than it really was, his teeth were a little bigger, whiter and straighter, and his eyes shone with the sparkle of diamonds.

  He’d wear a sleek chrome-colored bodysuit, showing off his beautifully rippling muscles and his wide expansive chest. He was perfect. And his evil plan would be to rid the world of anyone who was different or unique by turning them into perfect clones of his design.

  Melody indulged the wicked smile that curved her lips. She pushed down any guilty feelings that rose up when she thought about the millions of fans that would see this. Will would never know anyway. He’d never bothered to actually read one of her graphic novels.

  The phone rang and Melody just stared at it. She really ought to invest in a few of the creature comforts that Will had introduced her to. Caller ID would come in handy right about now.

  Every time the phone rang her heart leapt in her chest. For a split second, she’d wonder if it was Will. It was usually Bass, and she wasn’t even that interested in talking to him anymore. He’d been giving her the hard sell ever since she broke up with Will, and the last thing she wanted was any sort of male companionship. She’d tried to explain that to him, but he thought persistence was a virtue.

  Biting the bullet, Melody lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Melody, dear, it’s Mother.”

  “Yes, Mother, believe it or not, I recognize your voice. Despite the fact that you almost never call. Weren’t any of the girls available for messenger duty?”

  “Now, Melody, you know I really don’t enjoy that biting wit of yours. I know it goes along with the culture of that whole gothic thing you were into, but it really is hurtful.”

  Out of courtesy, Melody simply rolled her eyes instead of scoffing aloud. “What can
I do for you, Mother?”

  “I wanted to invite you and William for dinner. Your father is very impressed with the way your young man has been handling his investments. It would be a nice opportunity for us all to get to know each other better.”

  “First of all, his name is Will. Just Will. He explained that to you at the wedding.”

  Beverly sighed. “I’m sorry, dear, but you can’t expect me to remember everything.”

  “And second, we broke up.”

  There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. “Did you hear me?”

  “My goodness,” Beverly said finally. “Well, you really shouldn’t let someone like that get away, Melody. He was so good for you, and such a catch. Shouldn’t you try to work things out with him? You can have quite the temper.”

  Melody’s body turned to ice. She tried to swallow the lump rising in her throat. “That’s really nice, Mother. You didn’t ask me what happened, if perhaps he’d hurt me in some way. For all you know he cheated on me. Instead you automatically assume it’s all my fault.”

  “Now, Melody, even if he did choose to keep company with another woman, you have to ask yourself if that’s worth throwing away a good relationship.”

  Melody’s jaw dropped as she resisted the urge simply to hang up the phone.

  “Anybody else’s mother would realize that maybe her daughter is in pain, and it might be a good idea not to pour salt on the wound. But, what was I thinking? My name isn’t Stephanie or Vicky, so I’m not entitled to a little compassion, understanding or interest from my mother.”

  “You know that is simply not—”

  “You’ve never accepted me for who I am. You’ve never even attempted to really know me. Instead, like some stranger on the street, you look at my outer appearance and you want to judge me. You don’t care about what I’m like inside as long as I dress in your image and represent the Rush name.”

  Silence.