No Time for Lullabies: No Brides Club, Book 2

by Logan, Sydney

  Brody considered that. “I honestly don’t know what else it would be. Besides, Melody’s always run away when things got tough.”

  “I know, but she seemed . . . skittish. Scared, even.” John shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling—one I haven’t shared with my wife. Lord knows she doesn’t need something else to worry about.”

  “I won’t breathe a word.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  John stood up from the swing and leaned against the porch railing.

  “This is a fine house. Perfect place to raise a family. I know that’s what you were hoping. The wife you’ve always wanted. The baby you thought you’d never have. I know you wanted it. I wanted it for you. For both of you.”

  Brody didn’t trust himself to speak. He simply nodded.

  Standing up, John gave him a gentle pat on the back before walking down the porch steps. Brody was just about to tell him goodnight when the man turned back around.

  “You fell in love with my daughter when you were eight years old. A lot of people might think that’s impossible . . . that two kids couldn’t possibly know what love is. But you did. And you still do.”

  Brody swallowed the emotion that bubbled in his throat.

  “Tell me what to do,” he said, his voice breaking.

  Smiling sadly, John shook his head.

  “I can’t tell you what to do, son. But I will say this. If it were me, and my family was hundreds of miles away, I sure wouldn’t be sitting on this porch.”

  * * *

  John’s last words had left Brody shaken and confused. So confused that, as soon as he arrived at his house, he headed straight to his bedroom closet and grabbed that old shoebox off the shelf—the box filled with love notes from Melody.

  He needed a reason to get on a plane. He needed a reason to fight. Being madly in love with her just wasn’t enough. If so, he would’ve followed her ten years ago and begged her to come back.

  He needed a reason.

  For more than an hour, Brody sat on his bed and read the love letters. He lost himself in the words of young love, all written by a sweet, innocent girl who dotted her i’s with tiny hearts and ended every note the same.

  Forever Your Girl,

  Melody

  As they grew older, the love letters had become more mature. Their parents would’ve grounded them for sure if they’d seen some of them. But, whether they were eight or eighteen, her ending sentiment had always remained the same.

  Forever your girl.

  It was true. Despite the years of sorrow and hundreds of miles between them, Melody Mitchell would always be his girl.

  And maybe that was a good enough reason to get on a plane.

  Chapter 15

  “Earth to Melody.”

  Melody looked up from her sheet music to find her assistant standing in the doorway.

  “Sorry, Claire. Did you say something?”

  “Yes. I said the nanny called to remind you that she has to leave by six.”

  Melody glanced down at her phone. “It’s just a little after four. You’d think she’d be more concerned about my daughter and less about her date.”

  “Well, she is a college student, and it’s Friday night.”

  Melody frowned. “Whose side are you on?”

  “Yours, always,” Claire said, stepping inside the office and closing the door behind her. “Are you ready to talk about it?”

  “Talk about what?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. The fact that you came home two weeks early. The fact that you’re moody and unfocused. The fact that your head—and your heart—are still in Meadow Creek—”

  “Okay, you can stop.”

  Claire sighed.

  “I’m just tired,” Melody said softly. It wasn’t a lie. She was absolutely exhausted. “Macy isn’t sleeping well at all. She had a perfect sleep schedule in Meadow Creek. I was so spoiled. She’s fussy. She’s not eating well. She’s . . . not happy.”

  “And you’re not happy.”

  “I’m more concerned about her.”

  “Spoken like a true mother.” Claire smiled. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “You can ask. That doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”

  “Why did you come back early?”

  Because I was basically mugged in my own home. Because I broke Brody’s heart. Because I am so, so good at running away when things get tough.

  “Claire, I’m not ready to talk about it.”

  She nodded. “Well, you’re not getting anything done here. It’s Friday. Why don’t you take off? Start the weekend a little early. I’ll call you a cab.”

  Melody knew she was right. She wasn’t getting anything accomplished here. And it would be nice to spend some time with the baby. No matter how depressed Melody might feel, Macy never failed to bring a smile to her face with her sloppy kisses and sweet cuddles.

  “I appreciate it. Thanks, Claire.”

  During the cab ride home, all she could think about was Macy, how miserable they both were, and how nice it would be to have a good night’s sleep.

  And how nice it would be to go home.

  Melody couldn’t believe how homesick she felt, and she knew Macy was feeling it, too. Shame consumed her, to the point she was completely uninterested and uninspired in the studio. She’d only been back in Manhattan for a week, and even Claire noticed her lack of attention. Just yesterday—despite multiple calendar alerts and several reminders from her assistant—Melody had missed an important meeting with the label. Her boss was understanding, but Melody knew she had to get it together.

  And it wasn’t just work. Last night, when she met the girls for their weekly meeting of the No Brides Club, she’d tried desperately to focus on her friends. She forced a smile and laughed as they gossiped, but Melody couldn’t care less. Suddenly, hearing about the latest fashion trends or the hottest spots in the real estate market held no interest for Melody. All she could think about was the fact that her baby was at home with the nanny. She was so uninterested that, as soon as the ladies had finished their first round of drinks, Melody made an excuse and called it a night. She knew it was rude. She hadn’t seen the girls in months. The ladies had pretended to be understanding, but Melody knew they were disappointed.

  What was new? She was a pro at disappointing the people she loved. Why should her girlfriends be any different?

  Melody paid the cab driver and headed inside her building. Even her apartment wasn’t the sanctuary it used to be. She’d always loved the place, but now, it seemed . . . cold. Sterile. She missed the cozy feel of the house in Meadow Creek. She missed the comfy recliner. She missed the front porch and the mountains. She missed her parents.

  She missed him.

  With a tired sigh, Melody opened her door and stepped inside. Piper, the nanny, was sitting on the sofa, playing on her phone.

  Melody narrowed her eyes. “Where’s Macy?”

  Piper barely glanced up from her screen. “Oh, you’re home.”

  “Yes, I’m home. Where’s Macy?”

  “She’s in the nursery—”

  “Is she asleep?”

  Piper quickly stood up. “No. You told me not to let her nap if possible.”

  “So, she’s in the nursery by herself?”

  “No, she’s with . . . I forget his name. He’s hot, though.”

  Melody’s entire body started to shake. Terrified that Macy’s father had somehow found them in Manhattan, she threw her bag on the couch.

  “You let a complete stranger into my home?”

  “He said—”

  “You’re fired! Get out!”

  “But . . .”

  Totally panicked, Melody raced down the hallway. She heard Macy’s happy laugh before she even reached the door. She stopped in her tracks, and her heart started beating wildly when she saw them playing together on the floor.

  “Brody?”

  He looked up, and a slow smile spread across his face.

  �
��Hi, Green Eyes.”

  Melody blinked and held on to the door for support.

  He’s here. He’s really here.

  “You’re here.”

  “I am.”

  “Why . . . I mean, what are you doing here?”

  Macy crawled out of his arms and toward her mama, babbling happily. Melody picked her up and held her close, kissing her cheek.

  With a sigh, Brody stood up and walked over to them.

  “I missed my girls,” he said softly.

  Tears filled Melody’s eyes.

  “Brody, I—”

  “No,” he said. “I have some things I need to say. And I need you to listen. Come here.”

  Brody took her hand and pulled her over to the little loveseat Claire had insisted on putting in the nursery. As soon as they were seated, Macy wiggled out of her mother’s arms and crawled toward the stuffed animals laying on the floor.

  “I’m sorry,” Brody said, holding both of her hands in his. “I really am, Mel.”

  “You’re sorry? You have nothing—”

  “But I do. You were very clear. Your life is here. I selfishly hoped that maybe you’d want to give all this up, but why would you? This apartment is gorgeous. The city is . . . well, it’s loud, but it’s easy to see why you love it so much. Your career is here. Your friends are here. I never should’ve expected you to give it up, especially without talking about it. So, I’m sorry.”

  “I’m sorry, too. I feel like I led you on. Gave you false hope. We should’ve talked about it. I guess I just didn’t want to spoil it. Everything was so wonderful. I didn’t want to think about it coming to an end, but I knew in my heart it would have to eventually. Honestly, I wanted to stay in Meadow Creek. I just hadn’t quite worked out how I was going to make that happen. And I didn’t want to mention it, in case I couldn’t. But I should have told you that. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” Brody said softly. “I’m also sorry that our fight was the reason you cut your vacation short.”

  “That’s not why I left. Well, it’s not the only reason.” Melody took a deep breath. “That night, after our fight, I went back to the house. Dillon was waiting for me . . . in my bedroom.”

  Brody’s eyes flashed with fire. “Dillon Roberts was in your house? Did he touch you? Or Macy?”

  “No,” she whispered, tears trickling down her face. “He just wanted the money. I gave it to him.”

  Brody fumed. “Mel, why? Why did you do that?”

  “Because the man was in my house and threatening to take my daughter away from me. I would’ve given him everything in my bank account to get him out of our house and out of our lives for good. The life insurance was $50,000. I wrote him a check. I even gave him the cash in my wallet. I just wanted him gone.”

  Brody wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

  “I’ve never been so scared in my life,” she said, burying her face against his chest. “Once he left, I just laid on the kitchen floor and cried. He said he wouldn’t come back, but I didn’t trust him to keep that promise. I’d just lost you. I couldn’t lose her, too.”

  “So you ran.”

  “There are more than a million people in Manhattan. I figured he’d never find us here.” Melody sniffled softly. “Speaking of which, how did you find us?”

  Brody chuckled. “Oh, it was tough.”

  “Sure, it was. I’m surprised Mom didn’t come with you.”

  “Oh, she wanted to. Your dad put his foot down. He told her I was more than capable of bringing our girls home.”

  Melody sadly shook her head. “I broke their hearts, too.”

  “I won’t lie. They’re both pretty miserable.”

  She sighed and gazed at her daughter on the floor. “So is she. Won’t sleep. Won’t eat. This is the happiest I’ve seen her since we left Meadow Creek.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’m a mess. I can’t concentrate at work. I’m grouchy. Unfocused. Can’t write. Don’t want to write.”

  “Well, you’re sleep deprived.”

  “Yeah, but that’s not the only reason. This . . . just doesn’t feel like home anymore. I miss my parents. I miss our house. I miss . . .” her voice broke as she struggled to find the words. “You. I miss you, Brody.”

  He gently cupped her cheek.

  “Listen to me. I love you. I love Macy. And if that means closing my practice and moving to New York, then that’s what I’ll do.

  “You love your patients.”

  “I love you more.”

  Melody tried to bow her head, but Brody lifted her chin with his fingertip, forcing her to look at him.

  “I love you. I’ve loved you all my life, and that’s never going to change.”

  “Forever your girl,” she whispered through her tears.

  Brody tenderly brushed his lips to hers, causing her to whimper softly. For Melody, his kiss was more than toe-curling and electric. It was a soothing balm for her soul that had been shattered for so long. In his arms, and in his heart, she was home.

  “I love you,” she murmured against his lips.

  His smile melted her heart.

  “I love you, too. And I love her.”

  Macy had been babbling the whole time, so they knew she wasn’t too far away, but they both gasped when they finally glanced in her direction.

  Melody’s eyes widened. “Brody!”

  “Shh,” he said, laughing lightly. “You might break her concentration.”

  Macy was on her feet, holding on to the lower rails of her crib. Her little legs were wobbly as she tried to support herself, but she was doing it. She was standing on her own.

  Brody and Melody slowly joined her on the floor. Macy gurgled happily as she took a step, and then another. She nearly fell, but Brody was there in a flash, helping her find her balance.

  “Good girl,” he said softly, standing over her and holding each of her hands. “Now, walk to Mommy.”

  It was just a few steps, but Melody thought her heart would explode as Macy took one step, and then another. When she was nearly there, Brody let go, and the little girl took those last three steps all by herself, straight into her mother’s open arms.

  “Yay!” Melody hugged her tight, peppering kisses all over Macy’s face. Brody joined them, wrapping his arms around both of them.

  “I’m so glad you were here to see that,” Melody said.

  “Me, too. And I don’t want to miss anything else. Her first words. Her first birthday. Her first day of school. And all the other amazing firsts in her life,” he said, nuzzling the baby’s head. “And then there’s you. There’s us. I lost you once, and it nearly killed me. I don’t think I’d survive it again. If you love me even half as much as I love you, we will find a way to make this work.”

  Could they really make it work? Could they find a way to finally be a family?

  As Melody gazed into the eyes of the love of her life, she believed they could.

  “Brody, would you do something for me?”

  “I’ll do anything for you.”

  Melody melted against him as they snuggled Macy close.

  “Take us home,” she said softly.

  Epilogue

  “I’m going to cry,” Rachel said.

  “You’re not allowed.”

  “But you’re leaving!” Julie said, dabbing at her eyes with a cocktail napkin. “You’re moving to the country. We’ll never see you again.”

  Melody sighed and reached for her wine. They’d had a lot of serious conversations in their booth at the Briarwood Tavern, but she couldn’t remember one that consisted of a cryfest.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Kinsley said. “Of course we’ll see her again. She’ll be here for my wedding, naturally, but she has to come back for work. That’s the deal she made with the label. She can write from her beautiful home in Meadow Creek—with her beautiful baby and her beautiful man—and once a month she flies to Manhattan for meetings.”

&nbs
p; “But what about the No Brides Club?” Kate asked.

  “Well, Kinsley’s engaged and I . . . hope to be someday,” Melody said, grinning. “So, unless you kick us out, we’re still going to get together on Thursday nights. We just may have to do it by video chat or something. And of course, I’ll be here on Thursdays if I’m in town.”

  Georgie sighed. “Kinsley getting engaged was bad enough—no offense.”

  “None taken.” Kinsley said, gazing at the diamond on her finger. “I’m too deliriously happy to care.”

  “But you’re leaving,” Georgie said, her voice breaking. “What will we do without you?”

  Melody smiled. “You’ll be fine. And I absolutely expect you to visit.”

  “And who knows,” Kinsley said with a grin. “Maybe we’ll be attending your wedding soon, too.”

  Melody’s heart thundered in her chest when she considered that possibility. Not that he’d proposed, but a girl could dream.

  “What time is your flight in the morning?”

  “Kinsley’s showing the apartment at nine. My flight’s at noon.”

  Melody couldn’t wait to get home to Meadow Creek. Brody and Macy were already there, spending a few days with her parents while she came back to tie up loose ends with the apartment and at the record label. She’d already had a tearful goodbye with Claire, who insisted on handling the movers once again. Claire would remain her assistant, as needed, and both ladies were thrilled that they’d still have the chance to work together. The label was gracious enough to amend Melody’s contract, allowing her to relinquish her producing duties and focus solely on songwriting, which could easily be done in her new home in Meadow Creek.

  “It’s nice to see you smile,” Kinsley said.

  Melody shook her head. “Sorry. Just thinking . . .”