The Marriage Charm (Bliss County 2) (11 page)

He was gentleman enough not to blurt out that they’d slept together, so he settled for a sin of omission. He told the truth, but only part of it. “Long story short, I asked her out to dinner but she was busy that night and was supposed to get back to me. I haven’t heard from her.”

A low whistle came from the other end of the line. “You and Mel again, huh? You might want to keep in mind that if you break her heart a second time, Hadleigh and Bex will take out a hit on you.”

Spence muttered, “Can everyone give me enough credit to realize I didn’t mean to break it the first time? She needed to finish college. I still stick by that decision. And it was
her
decision not to forgive me.”

“I know. I remember we discussed this over a case of beer right after you broke it off. If it’s any consolation,
I
give you that much credit. Tell you what, I’ll ask my wife.
My wife.
I can’t believe I love saying that, but I do. I’ll ask her if Melody mentioned you, but like I said, that means Mel will probably realize you asked.”

His pride had taken a beating all week as it was, so he didn’t really care. Maybe it was better if she
did
know. “Warning duly noted.”

“The real reason I’m calling is that we’re having a party at the ranch when we get home. A week from Saturday. You on?”

“You even have to ask?”

“Kind of, since a favor is involved. I was hoping you’d be in charge of the bonfire and order refreshments of the liquid persuasion.”

“Sure thing.”

When they hung up, he sat there, staring a map of Wyoming he had framed and hanging on the wall of his office. Melody would be at the party, no doubt about it.

She couldn’t avoid him forever.

Oh, at the grocery store, she’d tried. Unfortunately for him, she’d been wearing a simple pink dress with thin straps that showed off her shapely shoulders. It was the familiar shimmer of her hair that had first caught his eye, though. Or maybe he was so aware of her that his radar signaled whenever she was in his vicinity.

It had taken some willpower not to ask her out again, but he liked to think he was a man of his word and tried to live his life that way. He’d promised her the next move was hers.

That had been a damn foolish play, but it was done, so he was stuck with it.

Tripp’s admonishment rankled, too, but his friend might have a valid point. How serious was he about Melody, about wanting a second chance with her?

The wedding had tilted his world sideways. And making love to Melody had been a revelation of sorts. He
wanted
her, he knew that.

Just when, in a relationship, did desire turn into love?

That was one hell of a question, and he didn’t have the insight to answer. Not yet.

Because if they were talking about love, he wasn’t sure he’d ever fallen out of it.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“
N
EUTERED MALES,”
Melody mused out loud to Ralph, Waldo and Emerson as she went into the Warrior Two position, “are much easier to get along with.”

They did their version of the same yoga stance, straightening their tails and lifting a front paw. She usually found it hilarious, but she wasn’t feeling all that jocular this morning.

Last night she’d run smack-dab into Spence again. This time it was at the liquor store where she’d stopped off to pick up a nice chardonnay as a special treat, since she’d finally finished the design for the bib necklace and wanted to celebrate.

He was there, he explained in that sexy drawl of his, to do Tripp a favor and order a couple of kegs for the upcoming party, since they were still out of town.

“He looked good, as usual,” she explained gloomily to the feline contingent as she switched, appropriately enough, to the cat pose, making sure her back was hollowed and then arched. “It would be helpful if he’d grow a big wart on the end of his nose or something.”

Now she’d wished that on him, it would probably happen to her, instead.

Needless to say, her cats managed the stretch perfectly.

What a bunch of show-offs.

She went on. “If I didn’t know he’s too busy for it, I’d swear he was doing it on purpose, following me around.”

He hadn’t so much as mentioned a dinner date, not last night, not at the grocery store two days ago, either. He also hadn’t called again, but he’d been unfailingly polite when they crossed paths.

She’d be unreasonably irked by that, but he was simply doing what he told her he’d do.

Okay, she
was
irked.

She’d thanked him for the flowers yesterday, at the liquor store. He’d said he was glad she liked them. Nothing more.

If only she wasn’t so confused.

The solution for that, she’d discovered, was work. After she finished her yoga session, she changed into comfortable jeans and a T-shirt, whipped her hair into a tidy ponytail and prepared a cup of tea. Then she made a beeline for her worktable and started to tweak her new design, an inevitable part of the process. There were still decisions to make, like where to put the freshwater pearls, fire opals, turquoise and amethysts her client had bought on her travels. Engrossed, she didn’t look up for hours, not until she had to flip through her drawing pad to go back to some of her original ideas and found the picture she’d drawn of Spence.

Even at home she was running into him, she thought darkly, staring at his image.

Perhaps she should take a well-earned break. This shindig that Hadleigh and Tripp were throwing was supposedly casual, but she knew her friend, and Hadleigh was going to do it up right. So Melody wanted a new outfit for the occasion. Working from home, she tended to put on her “uniform,” as she called it, and wear the same thing every day with just a slight variation on that theme. All her jeans were faded, and some of her Tshirts were collecting stains and starting to look a little disreputable. New shoes, too—cute comfortable flats; heels were out of the question—might not be a bad idea.

A shopping trip might be in order. Maybe Bex was free.

She was, as it turned out, at least for a long lunch. “My eyes are crossing since I’m buying new equipment for the clubs and doing research. The best elliptical machine? Talk about a million choices. Yeah, I could use a break.”

Mustang Creek didn’t have a mall, but there were a few designer shops and the usual retail stores, so they could wing it, and she’d be in better shape than she was now.

They went to O’Henry’s on Main first. The restaurant was nestled between two buildings with wooden fronts and had a big glass window; the owner was also the chef and a native Wyoming son who’d gone off to New York. Then he’d felt the pull back to a simpler lifestyle and come home. His food was exceptional, so good it made you want to lick your plate. Since the inside room was packed, they chose a table on the patio, one with a brightly striped umbrella, and decided to split a decadent sandwich that included brie, ham and apples. They ordered sparkling water to accompany it.

“I hope the weather’s like this for the party,” Bex said, gazing upward. “Not a cloud in the sky.”

“Me, too.” As casually as possible, Melody brought up her current unshakable problem. “I ran into Spence yesterday. He was helping make some of the arrangements—the liquid kind. Sounds like it’s going to be quite the event.”

Bex smiled mischievously. “I volunteered us both to help, too.”

Melody had to laugh. “So did I. With the decorating.” She and Hadleigh had quickly discussed it at one of their prewedding get-togethers. “I’m doing the lanterns. Remember the night I drove her home because you had to leave early? That’s when she told me she wants paper lanterns. You’re far more organized at supervising staff than either of us. You’ve been nominated as the official kitchen queen.”

“I can do that.”

Bex nodded. “So...Spence asked you out to dinner, huh.”

The arrival of the waiter precluded the need to answer immediately. The sandwich looked fabulous in all its gooey glory and she was hungry, but she didn’t pick up her half right away. Instead, she stared at her friend. “How do you know that?”

“He told Tripp.”

“Who blabbed it to Hadleigh, who then shared it with you.” Melody took a sip of her water and sighed in resignation. “Are there no secrets in this town?”

“You know the answer to that already, Mel.” Bex managed to take a fairly ladylike bite, with only a small dribble landing on her plate. She rolled her eyes in enjoyment. “I could eat this every day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now, by the way, is the point in our conversation when I say I told you so.”

Melody opted for the knife and fork method to tackle her lunch. From experience she knew she couldn’t pull off the other option with any dignity left. “I said I was busy that night.”

And she’d needed privacy, time alone, after spending all morning in his bed having gymnastic sex that had brought her an entirely new perception of the big O, even after their previous relationship. She was older now and more comfortable with her sexuality, no longer that twenty-year-old with so many stars in her eyes they blurred her vision. She could enjoy the fact that he was a considerate lover, but not expect much more. She’d had a couple of short-term relationships that just hadn’t worked out, but if nothing else, those experiences had taught her a lot about herself and what she wanted. Part of the point of the marriage pact was
not
to settle.

“Were you?” Bex looked skeptical. “Busy, that is.”

The sandwich
was
absolutely delicious, the conversation not so much. “I have that new commissioned piece. So the answer is yes, I
am
really busy right now.”

Bex pointed at her plate. “But you still need to eat, don’t you? I assume you didn’t skip dinner.”

Was she being censured for turning Spence down? Here she’d thought both Hadleigh and Bex would warn her against a second involvement. “If you make a comment about how
hefty
I am, I’m going to make you pay for lunch.”

“Huh?” Bex sounded puzzled. “Hefty? You? You have the kind of body the rest of the world works out to achieve. If everyone looked like you, I wouldn’t have a business. What are you talking about?”

“Never mind.” Melody waved her fork for emphasis. “I am extremely leery of getting involved with Spencer Hogan again, even if it’s only dinner. Your faith that his reputation isn’t deserved might just spring from the fact that you’ve always liked him.”

“Not always.” Bex sobered, and her voice was quiet. She dabbed at her mouth with her napkin then carefully laid it back in her lap. “Not that summer nine years ago. I wanted to strangle him for hurting you. But... Have you ever read a historical romance novel?” She made a theatrical pretense of introspection, tapping her finger on her cheek. “Wait, yes, you have, since you and I traded copies for years. There’s a well-worn saying in those books that reformed rakes make the best husbands. Maybe you remember it.”

“I’m familiar with it, and very funny.” Melody used her fork to sweep up an errant chunk of brie that had escaped her sandwich. “Can I delicately point out that’s fiction?”

“There’s usually truth in those classic plots.” She suddenly changed the subject. “Do you really think Spence is shallow?”

What a question. Spence? There was probably an incredulous expression on her face.

“Oh, please. I think he’s the total opposite of shallow. He’s...he’s an extraordinarily complicated man.” Time for another change of subject. “Okay, can we discuss our shopping trip now? I need head to toe. Except for a few dressy dresses, most of my current wardrobe looks like I borrowed it from some local hobo. The other night I went to the grocery store in a dress—because I was too embarrassed to wear my casual clothes. It’s the definite downside of working at home. I don’t think I own a pair of jeans without a ragged hem or a hole somewhere.”

Either the distraction worked, or more likely, Bex knew when to back off. They finished lunch in a companionable mood and then hit the shops. Two new pairs of jeans, plus two silk blouses later—one red and another in a blue-green shade Bex swore matched her eyes—they parted ways. Oh, and she was also the proud possessor of a cute pair of navy open-toed flats. That was a particularly happy purchase, since they were a name brand
and
they happened to be on sale.

As Melody walked back to her car, she thought about Spence. Of course. He was like the refrain of a popular song playing on her personal radio. She’d bumped into him so often lately she was almost surprised she hadn’t seen him in the women’s shoe section of the downtown store. What he’d be doing there, she had no idea. Maybe he’d be apprehending a stilettos thief. Or chasing a shoplifter...

She chewed her lower lip. Why had he mentioned the dinner invitation to Tripp? Men didn’t usually share that sort of information, did they? Especially if they’d been turned down.

Though, technically, she hadn’t said no; she just hadn’t said yes.

As she loaded her purchases into the trunk, she contemplated her choices.

Call him.

Bad idea.

Right?

Right.

She slammed the trunk lid with more force than necessary.

*

S
PENCE PICKED UP
his pen and made a note then figured he’d call it quits for the day, since his various personnel issues finally seemed resolved. He’d worked several days of back-to-back shifts. It was time to close his files and turn off the computer. Leave the office, head home.

A nice ride beckoned. He’d neglected both his horse and his dog for too long.

Besides, he needed to clear his head.

An hour later, on horseback, he took a deep breath and stopped at the edge of a meadow full of Indian paintbrush. Reb shook his head, restive at the rein, obviously wanting to run. A horse had a special way of communicating that left no doubt what he was thinking. Next to them Harley yipped in agreement.

Fine. It suited his mood, too.

He loosened the reins, touched his heels to Reb’s sides, and they were suddenly gone. Nothing like it when the power of the horse was beneath you, the sky was a very wide blue and the air smelled of pine-scented mountains. The ridges were thick and dark this time of year, layered like sedimentary rock, the different trees defining the elevation at which they grew.