Until Here

by Cristin Cooper

  “Hey!” Melanie pointed her finger at her sister with squinty eyes. “I work the same hours as you so don’t tell me I need a life, otherwise you need a life too.” She knew she had lost the argument before the words ever left her mouth.

  Marla lifted a critical brow. “I do have a life,” Marla stated plainly. “I have an amazing husband and a fantastic kid.” Both true. How she found Ron, a man who not only put up with her but also kept up with her was one of Melanie’s big universal questions. They were one of those sickly sweet couples who were high school sweethearts then married right after college. They had the perfect house for their perfect little family. Ron was so perfect he even gave up his career to raise their son so Marla could build her company.

  Melanie was so jealous she could barely stand being around them. If it weren’t for her nephew, Shane, their three-year-old, she would avoid them at all costs. But sadly, she couldn’t resist chubby cheeks and an active imagination. Funday Sunday’s were the highlight of her week. A whole day of spoiling her nephew rotten while his parents did…well…she didn’t want to think about what they did.

  “In fact, I just came back from having dinner with my life.” Flicking off her shoes and putting her feet on the coffee table, Marla leaned back into the couch making herself comfortable. “When I go home, I’m a wife and a mother. I leave work here and concentrate on the other joys of my life. I love my work.” Her face softened, and a smile lit her face. “But I love Ron and Shane more.”

  Feeling another twinge of jealousy, Melanie adjusted her messy bun while trying to keep herself from falling deeper into self-pity.

  She had a life…once. One she had loved. She had a dream job working at one of the most prestigious private schools in the state as a third-grade teacher. She was married to Steve, a man she adored who also happened to be the principal of the school. Early on in their relationship, they would sneak kisses between classes and he would joke about how she got preferential treatment for sleeping with the boss.

  But soon after they married, she noticed how Shannon, the school secretary always happened to either be in his office or coming out of his office when she dropped by for a private moment.

  He had claimed Shannon was going through a tough divorce and just needed a listening ear. It wasn’t long after she noticed how he and Shannon shared inside jokes and how Shannon always seemed to ‘casually’ touch him on the arm or hand. Then it happened. The thing she feared the most. She walked in on her husband and Shannon going at it on his desk. A year and a half into her marriage she found out her husband didn’t adore her as much as the school secretary.

  “Go home, Mel,” Marla said behind a yawn.

  “I don’t want to go home,” she mumbled sounding unintentionally whiney.

  Marla gave her a weak smile making Melanie’s stomach twist. She didn’t want Marla feeling sorry for her. In a voice barely above a whisper, Marla asked, “Too quiet?”

  “Too quiet, too many memories, too…everything.” It had been three years since her world fell apart. Three years since her husband moved out of their dream house. Three years since she left the job she loved because it was too difficult to see her ex-husband happy with someone else.

  Heartbroken, she left not only her job but also her career and took a job working as her sister’s assistant. Luckily for her, Marla had just fired her fourth personal assistant in as many months. Melanie knew the job would be demanding and would keep her too busy to think about what she no longer had. And it worked…well, until recently.

  Six months ago, a yearning for a connection with someone and the desire to have a family of her own had hit her hard. No amount of work had been able to keep her from dreaming about having more. Each day her dissatisfaction with her job, life, home…everything grew until she sat in her sister’s chair spinning around thinking about what she could change.

  “You need to go out and have fun. Call a girlfriend, get drunk, get laid, get…something.” Marla’s words could be abrupt and harsh which had earned her the nickname Dragon Lady by her employees, but Melanie knew her sister’s heart was in the right place. It always was when it came to family.

  Melanie laid her head on the desk and tried to hold back the tears. “I don’t have any friends.”

  “What about…”

  “His friends. They were all his friends,” she interrupted before Marla could spout out names. “They were friendly after the breakup but eventually they stopped calling, and I didn’t bother connecting with them. They’re now his and Shannon’s friends.” A growl sounded from the other side of the room. Melanie lifted her head to see her sister’s hands fisted, and a deep scowl on her face. “It’s okay, Marla. For a long time it felt like too much work to keep up friendships.”

  Marla slapped her hands on her knees and said, “Throw me my wallet.”

  Melanie rummaged through her sister’s purse while Marla tapped away on her computer, her fingers flew across the keyboard while she stared at the computer screen with intense concentration. “Here you go.” Melanie threw it across the room then leaned back in the comfy office chair and put her feet on the desk. “What are you doing?”

  Marla lifted her head for a brief moment and smiled. “Taking things into my own hands.”

  Oh shit.

  Melanie’s feet dropped to the floor, and she was across the room just as Marla’s lips turned up into a big smirk.

  “What did you do?” Melanie managed to keep her voice low and calm, but she had a feeling her life was about to change.

  Her sister leaned back with her arms crossed with a big grin. “Made hotel and air reservations. You’re heading to Grandma and Grandpa’s, and I don’t want to see you for at least a month.”

  “You did?” First of all, Melanie couldn’t remember the last time Marla made reservations for anything. That had been her job. Second, this was the busiest time of year for Marla’s company.

  “I know. I know. I actually booked stuff on my own. For the record, I’m completely capable, I just choose to have you do everything for me,” she said with a laugh.

  “There’s no way I can go. Who would take care of…”

  “If you don’t go, I’ll fire you,” her sister warned. “I’m not kidding. Go, relax and let Grandma and Grandpa spoil you.”

  “But they don’t…”

  Marla lifted her phone and dialed. “Hey, Gramps.” Marla nodded her head and laughed. “Yeah, the reason I’m calling is because I’m sending Mel to you. You think you can handle her for a month?”

  Melanie couldn’t help laugh when she heard her grandfather cheer over the phone.

  “She’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.”

  Marla grinned. “I think that’s a great idea.”

  Oh No! What was a great idea?

  It made Melanie crazy not to hear both sides of the conversation especially when it concerned her life.

  “Yeah, I’ll talk to you soon. Tell Grandma I love her.”

  Dropping the phone on the coffee table, Marla looked especially proud of herself. “You better go pack. I reserved a hotel room for you near the airport since you have an early morning flight.”

  Melanie shook her head. How did she go from lamenting her life to feeling the first spark of hope in years? Swinging her purse over her shoulder she picked up her coat and went to hug her sister. She wasn’t sure if she should be thanking her or yelling at her for telling her what to do. “Thank you, Marla.”

  Marla stood and pulled her into a warm hug. “I love you. I love you so much I’m willing to give up the best assistant in the whole world for a month. Remember this at Christmas time.”

  “Love you.” Melanie chuckled, her eyes brimming with tears.

  Chapter Three

  May 2nd

  Preston

  Preston sipped his bottled water as a girl in a barely there dress leaned into him. Her bloodshot eyes drooped and when she opened her mouth to speak, her breath made his stomach churn. He pointed to his ear and shook his he
ad. “I’m sorry. I can’t hear you,” he mouthed, growing more uncomfortable with each passing minute.

  This was the second nightclub Seth and Gary had dragged him to…and the last if he had anything to say about it. He had been ready to go home after dinner, but he let them talk him into going to one club but when that club had the wrong vibe, they talked him into ‘just one more’.

  The girl put her lips to his ear and loudly said, “Can you hear me now?” while sliding her hand up his leg. Once she reached his upper thigh, he quickly placed his hand over hers and held it in place. He had never been into hook-ups not even when he was in college. Now as an adult, it was even less enticing especially when the woman was drunk.

  Wiping at the sweat dripping down his neck, he shouted over the music, “I have to go. It was nice meeting you.” Well, it might have been if she hadn’t been drunk and he could’ve caught her name.

  Preston had only a small inkling of what he had been in for when he agreed to go out tonight. He heard the rumors about the two millionaire playboys but hearing about it and being a part of it were two different things. The amount of attention they received was surprising. Who knew something as uninteresting as eating dinner would draw so much attention? Earlier in the evening when they had entered the restaurant, they were taken to the best table and within minutes they had women joining them. For Preston, it had been exhausting having small talk with women who were there just to be seen with Seth and Gary.

  By the time they left the first club the number of women who had joined their party had doubled. It made the limousine ride uncomfortable since he was forced to watch women fight over the two men. When they first arrived at the second club, they were escorted to the VIP lounge where they were surrounded by alcohol and more beautiful women. Initially, he found it fascinating to see what perks Seth and Gary received just for being rich, but as the evening progressed, he had become acutely aware that he didn’t fit in or enjoy the atmosphere.

  He pushed his way through swarms of people dancing and grinding against each other to get close enough to the brothers, “Hey, guys. I’m heading out,” he shouted. They held up their drinks and yelled something back, but he couldn’t hear. Before they could talk him into staying, he waved goodbye and pushed his way toward the exit.

  Walking into his hotel room forty-five minutes later, his ears were still ringing and he felt like his body was vibrating. After changing into jeans and a polo shirt, he decided to go to the hotel bar for a nightcap before bed. He wasn’t much of a drinker, which was one of the reasons he drank only water at the club but he needed something to help him relax.

  He took a seat in a dark corner, sipped his drink and people watched. The warmth and taste of the bourbon reminded him of his father. If he were with his parents, he and his father would be relaxing in his office with a drink in their hands talking about life. He sighed. Another reason he couldn’t wait to get home.

  Like a magnet, his eyes moved to the beautiful blonde sitting at the bar. He noticed her the moment she stepped into the room. Wearing a tight fitting skirt that showed off her every curve, a silky shirt she wore untucked and her strawberry blonde hair in a messy bun, she appeared to have just gotten off of work.

  After giving the bartender her order, she pulled out a book and seemed to get lost in its pages.

  As hard as he tried, he couldn’t stop watching her. Not a moment later her eyes widened and a light pink blush spread across her cheeks then down her neck. He was dying to know what she was reading especially after she drew in a deep breath and quickly turned the page. She was so caught up in her book she hadn’t noticed the bartender place her drink in front of her.

  He wasn’t sure what it said about him that he found watching a beautiful woman read a book more interesting and entertaining than being in a club surrounded by women, alcohol and loud music.

  Once he reached the bottom of his glass, he reluctantly decided it was time to head to bed. As much as he enjoyed watching her, he had an early morning flight and a long day ahead of him.

  Just as he stood to leave, he heard a man’s slurred voice say, “Come on, honey, just tell me your name. I won’t bite.” Preston turned around to see a man in his late fifties lean across the empty stool sitting between him and the beautiful blonde. He couldn’t hear her response but he did see her shake her head no then her body stiffen when he moved to the barstool next to hers. She leaned so far away she almost fell off her stool.

  Before the man could say another word, Preston was at her side. “Hi, sweetheart, I’m sorry I’m late, my meeting went over.” He faked a groan as he put an arm around the back of her stool and took the seat on the other side of her. He had been tempted to kiss her cheek or place his hand on her back as a sign of affection, but she already had issues with one man forcing himself on her.

  For a brief moment she stared up at him with her mouth gaping open then she seemed to catch on and gave him the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. A soft sigh of relief escaped her lips, “I’m so glad you’re here.” He could see the sincerity in the way her eyes softened and held his. He was so caught up in her gentle, feminine voice he hadn’t expected her to lean into him and kiss him right on the lips.

  For a brief moment he swore time stood still and they were the only two people in the room. Her plump soft slips were warm against his and her breath tasted of wine. His heart beat wildly in his chest as he fisted his hands to keep from touching her, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss. Then, too soon, she pulled away and like a rush, all the sound returned and they were no longer alone.

  Their eyes met and once again that blush was back. Her light blues eyes stared into his and he felt this strange sense of knowing her. Before he could ask for her name the drunken man asked, “Hey, honey, who’s he?”

  He reluctantly took his eyes off of her and looked over her shoulder. She took Preston’s hand and gripped it tightly, then turned toward the man. “He’s my husband,” she gushed.

  “Why didn’t you say you were married?” he asked, then his brows turned in as he stared at her hand. “Hey, where’s your ring?”

  Her body tensed next to his. Preston smiled while waving his bare hand in the air. “We’re getting our rings cleaned for our vow renewal ceremony next week. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”

  She turned to him and bit the corner of her lip to keep from laughing. Her eyes shone and he felt warmth rush through his body. “That’s right,” she said just loud enough for him to hear. “Thank you,” she mouthed.

  Once again he was so caught up in her smile, he hadn’t realized the other man had left until the bartender stopped by to ask if they’d like another drink. She blinked in confusion then looked at their connected hands. “Sorry,” she mumbled as she let go of his hand and looked at the bartender. “I’ll have another glass of wine.” Then she turned to Preston. “Let me buy you a drink as a thank you for saving me.”

  “You don’t have to do that but I will take a beer. Whatever is on tap,” he said to the bartender.

  Once they had their drinks in front of them, she gave Preston a flirty smile. “Since we’re married and about to renew our vows, it’s sort of awkward to ask this but what’s your name?”

  Laughing, he put his hand out to shake hers. “I’m Preston Reed, and you are?”

  “Melanie Campbell. It’s nice to meet you, Preston.”

  They turned in their seats at the same time to face each other. Their knees touched but neither moved. After that kiss, he wanted to keep her talking because the last thing he wanted to do was say goodnight to her. “So, Melanie, I feel like I should know more about you considering you’re my wife. Tell me everything.”

  Her smiled brightened and she braced her hands on her thighs. “Goodness, I guess I’ll start at the beginning.” The tone in her voice made it sound like it was a warning, but he genuinely wanted to know about her so he leaned in and waited for her to go on.

  “I was born and raised here in Chicago. I currently wo
rk as a personal assistant for my sister.” She raised her brows. “And, yes, it is as difficult as you imagine.” He laughed but didn’t say a word. “But,” she emphasized holding up a finger. “I have a teaching degree, and eventually I’d like to go back to teaching.” There had to be a story behind it and he was determined to find out what that story was before he was forced to say goodbye to her.

  “I only have the one sister who is extremely bossy, a very patient brother-in-law and an adorable three-year-old nephew whom I adore.” The way her body relaxed as she talked about her family made him smile. He felt the same way about his.

  When she mentioned her Funday with her nephew and all the things they did together, he pictured her being one of those teachers every boy fell in love with and not just because she was pretty.

  “Let’s see…” She tilted her head and bit the corner of her lip in thought. “I don’t really have any hobbies and I don’t get out much since I work long hours but starting about…” She looked at her watch “four hours ago, my sister put me on mandatory vacation time. I’m not allowed to return to work for a whole month.”

  “Mandatory, huh?”

  “Yeah. I’m going to try to muscle through it, you know, for the sake of my sister. I don’t want to let her down,” she grinned.

  “That’s the decent thing to do.” He shook his head and managed to keep a straight face. “Any big plans?”

  “Oh, yeah. Huge plans. I’m going to sleep in every single day. Eat as much junk food as possible and not feel guilty, and lounge next to the pool and read every dirty book I can get my hands on.”

  “You had me at ‘every dirty book.’” Speaking of, he looked at the cover of the book she had been reading and finally understood the blush. With its creased cover, it was obviously a well-read Harlequin romance like the ones his mother read. I need to read more, he thought to himself.