Page 34 of A Family Affair: The Ring
“Yeah, but trust me, all heads will turn.”
“Lucky me.”She glanced at the tank top.“We better get that on me before Nate arrives.The man is very punctual, and this could be awkward.”
But you don’t find it awkward being here with me, half-dressed and stuck to a door?He wanted to ask her that question, but he wouldn’t.Truth was he’d been too worried about her and getting her out of this predicament to let awkwardness overtake him.Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
Maybe it depended on what the goal was?
“There’s a sewing basket in the living room,” Melanie said, slicing through his thoughts on awkwardness or lack thereof.“It’s got a burgundy-and-cream design on it.Open it and you’ll find sewing scissors.If you bring them in here, we can cut the tank top and get me dressed before Nate pulls in the drive.”
“Sure thing.”No mention of being half-dressed in front of him.Okay then, he’d take that as long as he didn’t have to think about what he was doing or why.Or how he’d been the one who almost panicked when he saw her blood-smeared hand sticking through the door.Not good.And after he’d opened the door and seen she was safe, he should not have looked at her in that pink bra as though he’d never seen a woman in one before...never—
“Will?Hurry, Nate will be here soon.”
“Just a minute.”He found the sewing basket, removed the scissors and cut the two-inch shoulder band.“All set.”Will rushed back to the basement door, eased the tank top over her head and tied a knot at the shoulder.“This should do it.”He worked the fabric in place, careful not to touch her skin.She’d always had the softest skin...the silkiest hair...He cleared his throat, blocked out the memories.“Now if we can get Nate to cut the area so you can fit in the car?”He offered a smile, shook his head.“I’ll bet you’ll be the first person walking into the ER attached to a door.”
“Hopefully the last.”Those hazel eyes shimmered, her voice cracked.“Thank you.I know how much you don’t want to be doing this, but I truly appreciate it.”
“Hey, don’t talk like that.Of course, I want to help you.”Hedidwant to help her, and he couldn’t stand to see her like this—in pain, scared, uncertain.“What were you doing in the basement anyway?”He pointed to the bread wrapped in foil.“After Grandma Esther’s goodies?”
“Guilty.I started thinking about her banana and zucchini breads and thought about making some.But I wanted to check the freezer first to see if she had any left…” She blew out a long sigh.“I left my phone on the table, sandals by my chair, because I thought I’d only be a minute.However....”She shuddered.“You know how much I hate that basement.”
“I remember.”Melanie had once told him that her grandmother’s basement could be the scene from a horror movie, and when she told her grandma, the woman had laughed and saidThere are scarier things than a musty old basement with cobwebs.She’d been right about that.
“So, why were you stopping by?I didn’t think I’d hear from you again.”
The confusion in her voice matched her expression, made him spill the truth.“I was thinking about what you said, and I realized you might’ve been right.”He did not want to do this, and yet, he had to...“I think it’s time that we—”
The rest of his thoughts were cut off by a knock on the front door followed by Nate Desantro’s deep “Will?It’s me, Nate.”
“In the kitchen!”He forced a smile, said in a soft voice, “He’ll get you out of here.”Nate Desantro was a take-charge, own-the-room kind of guy who didn’t back down from a problem or a situation.
Nate entered the kitchen, moved toward the basement door, and nodded at Melanie.“Looks like you’ve got yourself into an interesting predicament.”
The woman actually smiled.“A bit of an understatement, wouldn’t you say?”
A shake of his dark head, a gentle rumble of laughter said he agreed.Nate set his tools on the floor next to the door and examined her hand and the point of entry and exit.“Hmm.”
One sound that meant the man was thinking and assessing, figuring out a plan.
“I really appreciate you coming.”Will didn’t need to tell the man he had no idea how to extract Melanie from the door, because everyone knew about his lack of carpentry skills or expertise with power tools.“I would have called Cash but he’s not home.”
The man shot him a look.“If you’d called him, he’d have to tell you a few stories, add on a joke or two, and it would be dinnertime before he figured a way to get Melanie out of here.Leave the fancy words and the smiles to Cash and let me do the heavy lifting.”
A person might believe those words if he didn’t know that Nate and Cash were best friends.They loved to tease and posture but you never saw it coming from Nate and that’s what made you second guess yourself and wonder if he were serious.Like now.“Well, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Another rumble of laughter as those dark eyes sparkled.“Don’t tell pretty boy I said that, or he’ll come after me with everything he’s got.”
“From what Cash tells me, you and he are best friends.”Curiosity laced Melanie’s words.“He says he welcomes the jokes because then he can come up with his own prank except you won’t think it’s funny.”
The dark look said she was right.“That guy is such a pain in the butt.”
Melanie’s smile spread, inched to her eyes.“Can you get me out of here, Nate?”
The man the whole town trusted rubbed his stubbled jaw.“I’ve got a plan.I’m going to cut through the door around your arm.Will, I want you to hold the door as steady as you can, and Melanie, keep your eyes on Will.Don’t look at the saw.It’s going to get a little loud and there will be sawdust.I’ll get as close as I can, and then you can take the section of door with you to the ER.”
“Uh...sure.”Will stood next to Melanie and gripped the door with both hands.His gaze slid to Melanie’s, held it, as they waited for Nate to begin.
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