Page 40 of A Family Affair: The Ring
“And?”Could this bizarre tale possibly be true?
Another sniff, a long pause before she continued, “He gave me an ultimatum.Leave Magdalena, never see Joe Callahan again, andmaybehe could eventually forgive me.”
“It was Dad’s idea to leave town?”
“He couldn’t face the humiliation of people finding out what had happened and while I didn’t want to give up my home or a job I loved, I couldnotlose your father.Even knowing it might not work out, I had to try.Whatever he wanted.After we moved it was his idea to renew our vows and start again.He forgave me,trulyforgave me and I never thought that would happen.You might look at us and think we’re pretending with each other, but our love is real.”
“And he just moved on from what you did?”How did a person do that?
“He said he had to because he loved me and if we were going to have a chance, he had to let that go.It wasn’t easy, and it took a counselor and quite a few arguments, but we got through it.Our greatest regret is what happened with you and Will.”
“Grandma Esther’s letter said Dad already knew about you and Mr.Callahan, even if he pretended he didn’t.Why couldn’t you both just admit it and let Will and me go on with our lives?Why couldn’t you give us a chance to find our own happiness?”The knowledge that her father had been behind the move made it almost worse.In the past she’d been able to blame her mother for everything, store the anger and resentment and despise the actions.But for her father to be the one whomadethe decision to move and condone the lies that led to her breakup?That was unconscionable.
“I was desperate to save our marriage and he didn’t want to hear the Callahan name, especially that one wanted to marry our daughter.Melanie, if you can’t forgive me, please forgive your father.He loves you and he regrets his decision every single day.”
24
Will blew out a long breath, attacked the plate of blueberry pancakes Phyllis had placed in front of him a few seconds ago.Had he really almost kissed her?Whathad he been thinking?Oh, right.Hehadn’tbeen thinking.No, but he sure had been feeling…
And if he’d kissed her?Then what?He wasn’t fool enough to believe it would have stopped there… Oh no, they would have headed back to his place—much closer from the park than her grandmother’s—and then…
Right, and then he would have kissed her long and slow, touched her until she moaned his name, tasted that delicious skin he remembered too well… And when he buried himself deep inside her, she’d wrap her legs around his waist and they’d move together, caught in the white-hot pleasure of need and desire until they found their release.
It would not be calm or quiet and it certainly would not involve conversation, and probably not a bed.Not the first time.Maybe they would have made it to the couch or maybe not.But then what?She was still leaving, and he was still never going to trust her.She’d made a few references about small-town living and missing Magdalena but that didn’t mean she’d consider staying.Did it?The Melanie he knew would have told him what was on her mindandin her heart, so there was no guesswork involved.Nothing to speculate or question.Just honest answers, like it should be when you were in a relationship.
But Melanie and Willweren’tin a relationship.They shared a past, and they were heading toward closure so they could both move on with their lives.Period.End of the tragic story of Melanie Russell and Will Callahan.And if he’d kissed her that closure would have exploded into a million pieces and landed them somewhere between a disaster and a half-hope, opening all the old wounds.
He couldn’t do it.Hewouldn’tdo it.Visions of Melanie’s naked skin and full lips flitted through his brain, shot to his crotch.He wouldn’t do it…unless…she knew the rules.It could only be about the sex.No sharing, no opening up, no “forever and always.”Just sex.White-hot.Sizzling.
Sex with Melanie.
Couldhe do it?
Will stuffed a forkful of blueberry pancake in his mouth, chewed hard.He was not going to have a relationship with her, not again, so she could peck away at his vulnerabilities, see inside—
“Slow down, Will.”Harry Blacksworth stood before him, dressed in a navy suit and burgundy tie, his expression a mix of curiosity and humor.“You’re eating too fast, and you’ll either end up with indigestion or choke and I’m not good at that resuscitation stuff.Mind if I have a seat?”Will continued to chew, motioned toward the other side of the booth.
“So…would you like a cup of coffee or a plate of pancakes?No bacon.”If he tried to change the subject to Harry’s dietary restrictions, maybe the guy would give him a break and not ask any personal questions.But Will should have known better because the twinkle in Harry’s blue eyes and the laugh said he knew exactly what Will was trying to do.
“Sure, I think I will have a cup of coffee, but I promised Greta I’d add oatmeal to the mix, so I guess I’ll go with that and a few blueberries.”He let out a sigh, shook his head.“I think Phyllis and Greta have been talking again.A guy can’t sneak anything into his food choices with a wife like Greta who has a friend like Phyllis.”
Will shrugged, forked another piece of blueberry pancake.“You should be happy she wants to keep you around.Some wives might push all the non-heart-healthy foods.Fast track to being a widow.”
That comment made Harry howl.“Good one.Speaking of people caring about each other, what’s going on with you and Melanie Russell?”
“That was real smooth, Harry.”Will glanced at the counter, spotted Phyllis eyeing them as though waiting for the right moment to deliver Harry’s coffee.When she spotted Will watching her, she grinned and reached for the coffee pot.
“I’ve been thinking about the two of you but wanted to let things settle in, see how everything played out.Word has it you two have been seeing quite a bit of each other: the bakery… the park...her grandmother’s house…walks around town…this diner…” He raised a brow, those blue eyes narrowing.“But you don’t look like you’ve found paradise.In fact, you look miserable.”
“Hmm.Sounds like you’re turning into a real investigator.”
“I like to call it observation.And when I see two people together, I start to look at the body language, make a mental note of the facial expressions, the laughs…the tiny smiles.You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”He tapped his fingers on the table, waited for a reply and when Will remained silent, continued.“Sure you do, because if you notice the days I eat bacon and don’t need a notepad to take an order in this place, then you dialed in the looks, the tone, the body language.”
Damn, Harry certainly was persistentandobservant.“Is there a point to this, Harry?”
“You know there is.You and Melanie Russell have a thing for each other and no matter how much you want to deny or pretend you don’t, the sizzle’s still there.”He leaned back against the booth, eyed Will.“The only question is when are you going to do something about it?”
Phyllis took that exact moment to interrupt them with Harry’s coffee and a refill for Will.She snapped her gum, shook her head and settled her gaze on Will.“Is he badgering you?Just say the word and I’ll give his wife a call and she’ll settle him down real quick.”Phyllis slid Harry a look.“Won’t she?”
