Page 19 of Love is a Harmony
The letter said he had to get married.
So, he’d find someone to marry him. Because there was no way he was leaving his niece here in France.
* * *
After Noah ate—another quiet affair—Mathieu handed Stella his phone and asked her to go play games in the living room so they could have some adult talk. Stella nodded and left the two men sitting at the tiny oak table just off the kitchen.
Neither of them spoke for a long moment. Noah looked back over his shoulder into the living room. He didn’t know how he was going to do this, how he’d raise a kid in his rock star life, but he’d find a way. For Carson, he’d do anything.
Mathieu shifted in his seat. “I take it you’ve read the letter.”
Noah swung his eyes back around to the other man, noting the tired look in his eyes. He too had lost someone, but he’d had to hold it together for that little girl. “Thank you for finding me.” It wouldn’t have been easy to get in contact with him.
“Carson never told me about your parents except that he didn’t want them in Stella’s life, so I didn’t know where to find them. But you… he talked about you all the time.”
And yet, he’d disappeared for years. Noah needed to stop feeling resentful toward his brother. For leaving in the first place. For not coming back. For dying. “We used to be close.”
“I know. He wouldn’t leave Stella’s wellbeing to anyone he didn’t trust. I’m going to be honest here, Noah. My family is fully prepared to welcome her. She knows us and trusts us. I love that girl as if she were my own. But I also know the value of family, and this is what Carson wished. But still… there’s the matter of the stipulation.”
Noah’s heart rate kicked up. Would he have to fight for Stella? He could call Ava right now, and she’d marry him. For Carson, she’d do anything. He knew that. But that didn’t solve his problem now.
A knock sounded on the front door, interrupting Noah’s panic attack. He wiped his hands on his jeans and stood, crossing the small room. He peered out the window as a cab drove away. When he pulled open the door, relief washed through him. She was here. She’d come.
For him.
“Mel.” His entire body relaxed at the sound of her name on his lips.
She offered him a sad smile. “Hey, rock star.”
“You came.” He hadn’t been sure she would. Melanie Snyder was a workaholic—and that was being kind. She wasn’t the type to just drop everything.
“I came.” One shoulder lifted in a shrug.
He couldn’t stand the distance between them any longer. Reaching out, he pulled her into a soul-strengthening hug, wrapping his arms around her back. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her coconut scent. He never got to hold Melanie like this, and for a moment, he let everything go.
Since hearing Carson died, he’d felt so alone. Part of it was his fault. He hadn’t told his family yet, but they wouldn’t drop everything and fly to France. Not for him or for Carson or the little girl currently staring at the hug he realized had gone on too long.
He pulled back, giving Melanie a sheepish look. “Sorry, I just needed that.”
She flattened her palms against her peacoat, smoothing out the wrinkles. “Don’t apologize, Noah. That’s so unlike you.”
At the familiar ribbing, he almost smiled. Almost. Having Melanie here made him feel like the guy who sang on stage in front of thousands and created scandals for fun.
Mathieu cleared his throat. “Hello.” His French accent curled around the single word.
Melanie smiled and pulled her luggage in before sticking out her hand in the businesslike way she had. “Melanie Snyder.”
“Mathieu Martin.” He clasped her hand.
Noah thought back on the conversation Melanie interrupted with Mathieu, and his eyes shifted to Stella, clutching the phone to her chest and watching with apprehension in her eyes.
Without thinking, Noah wrapped an arm around Melanie’s shoulders. “She’s my fiancé.”
Melanie’s entire body went rigid at the word, but she stayed quiet, trusting him. He’d hear about it from her later, he was sure.
Mathieu’s gaze dimmed. Was he hoping Noah wouldn’t be able to fulfill Carson’s wishes? Noah tried not to let his annoyance rise, realizing the man cared about Stella, and that was the most important thing.
He skimmed his hand down Melanie’s arm, grabbing her waist to pull her tighter against him.
