Page 85 of Love is a Harmony
“Come on.” He wrapped an arm around her. “Everything will be fine.”
It felt nice to say, but with Melanie he was never sure.
They walked outside and down the steps to the beach before anyone saw them.
“Hey, it’s the newlyweds.” Jo lifted her hand in a wave. There wasn’t sarcasm in her voice, but Noah knew there was something behind the words. Some unhappiness.
He brushed it off and pulled Melanie toward the fire. Stella came running up the beach.
“Melanie!” The first smile Noah had seen from her all day flitted across her face before she flung herself at Melanie.
Melanie broke away from Noah to catch her in a hug. “Hey, Stell Bell. Merry Christmas.”
Stella responded by squeezing Melanie tighter and pressing her face into her chest. “I don’t want it to be Christmas.”
Dax joined them and ran a hand over his tired eyes. “Hello, Melanie.”
She smiled at him. “Dax, good to see you.”
“I’m going to leave. It’s getting late.” Dax didn’t give any of them a chance to say goodbye before he started up toward the house.
Strange man.
“He does realize it’s only eight, right?” Jo’s gaze followed Dax.
Noah turned his attention back to Melanie as she unwrapped Stella from around her.
Melanie bent to look Stella directly in the eyes. “Why don’t you sit with me and tell me all about your Christmas.”
Stella nodded and pulled Melanie around to the other side of the fire. They sat side by side, seemingly unaware there was anyone else there as they talked. Stella looked more animated than she had with Noah, more alive.
Noah couldn’t help watching them, not wanting to miss a second.
He dropped down to the sand beside Jo, his eyes never leaving Melanie and Stella.
Jo chuckled under her breath. “You’re so screwed, bro.”
Screwed or not, he didn’t care. Not that night.
For a small moment in time, he had everything he never knew he wanted. Was Carson watching? Did he approve of everything Noah had done for his daughter? The questions were never far from his mind. He’d made a career of doing things that would disappoint Carson in hopes he’d reach out to yell at his baby brother.
But now, all he wanted to do was make him proud, to prove to him and everyone else Carson had made the right decision. If he couldn’t be there, Stella belonged with Noah.
And Noah belonged with her.
But Melanie?
She had to choose where she belonged.
24
Melanie
Noah was everywhere. Professionally speaking, of course.
Melanie couldn’t keep the smile from her face as she stared at the label’s YouTube page. Ten million hits in just over a week.
She was a genius.
