Page 49 of Love is a Harmony
Why didn’t they tell anyone?
Why were they gone so long?
Are they going to parent Stella together?
What did she mean by fake?
Melanie let the questions all fester in her mind, not answering a single one. “I’m going to need a drink for this. Dax?” Ben and Drew weren’t big drinkers. Noah and Jo were the casual glass of beer or wine people, but they didn’t actually know much about either.
But Dax. She could always count on him for the good stuff.
Behind his nerdy exterior was a sophistication not many knew about. A slow smile spread across his lips. “I have a bottle of scotch even older than the one I gave you for Christmas last year.” That bottle had been heaven. “I’ll go get it.”
Drew made a face on screen. “You two are disgusting.”
She took her seat and clenched her hands together, trying to think of what to tell them. The truth would be a start, but she wouldn’t forget what Drew had said when he found out.
He’d thought Melanie and Noah were perfect for each other.
Definitely not.
Noah was… Noah, a rock star with a reputation. She had no delusions that the man she’d spent weeks with in France wasn’t the one who’d return to L.A. They didn’t get to be those people here.
Dax returned carrying two glasses and a rounded bottle. He poured the amber liquid and held a glass out to her. Scotch was meant to be savored, tasted, but Melanie downed it in one gulp, hoping it gave her courage.
She was supposed to be the woman running these meetings, the calm one, the confident one. It was the image she projected. Now, here, in travel-worn clothing and exhaustion weighing her down, she couldn’t muster up the practiced expressions.
“So…” She set her glass down on the coffee table. “Noah called me after he got to France. His brother… he’d just found out. You guys should have heard him. You’d have dropped everything to go to him too.”
“Why didn’t you call us?” Ben pursed his lips. “I would have gone with you.”
Dax nodded in agreement.
“I didn’t think he needed a lot of commotion. He just needed someone there with him.”
“But why did he call you?” Jo twisted a lock of hair around her finger.
Melanie shrugged. “I’ve asked myself that many times. I keep things running for all of you, maybe he thought I could help him deal with his brother’s estate. I didn’t know about Stella until I got there.”
“Who is Stella?” Drew asked.
Ben waved the question away. “Noah’s niece. He has custody of her now.”
Drew whistled. “Our Noah?”
Melanie smiled. “Stella… she’s special.” Her smile dropped. “And she’s been through a lot. She needed Noah, and he’d have done anything to keep her with him. But his brother’s will only gave him custody if he was married.”
Understanding dawned on all their faces. Understanding and a little awe.
“Mel.” Jo covered her mouth with her hand, tears coming to her eyes. “I was expecting some story about you two drinking too much and making a stupid decision. But this…” She leaned toward Melanie and wrapped her arms around her.
Strong arms wrapped around them both as Ben joined the hug.
“Not fair,” Drew whined. “If you’re going to do a group hug, it needs to be when I’m there.”
Dax patted Melanie’s back in his awkward way, not joining in.
Another face appeared on the screen as Melanie pulled away.
