Page 18 of Forbidden Secrets
Keeley’s tone was crisp.“You said you’d teach me, Owen.So teach me.”
“I said I’d teach you, but not when you’re four months pregnant.”Mel shifted to peek over the bar and sure enough, baby bump.The guy—Owen—rumbled, “I want you sitting, princess, not standing all night behind a bar.Take a booth and work on the lesson plans you said you have to do this weekend.”
She took a fistful of his shirt and pulled him down until they were nose to nose.“You can ask but not order, and I don’t want to do school stuff right now.I’m four months pregnant not nine.I feel fine.And I want to learn bartending.”She gave him a peck on the lips and when she would have stepped back, Owen reeled her back for a kiss that was a hundred degrees hotter.
Yay, Keeley.She’d gotten herself a sexy one.
A man in a Sisters FD sweatshirt came in from the back door holding hands with a curly-haired redhead.“You two get a room.”
Melanie’s couldn’t stop the smile.“Mateo?”
Another pal from high school.Nothing like ripping off the Band-Aid on all the worry she had about meeting up with the old group.In addition to being a friend, Mateo was another person to talk with about the night of the assault.
But for the moment, she wanted to enjoy seeing him after so many years.Mateo Reynoso had been hands down one of the nicest boys at Sierra High.And the cutest.
The wide grin that flashed across his face made the nerves jumping under her skin settle, and when he gave her a warm, one-armed hug, they disappeared completely.“Hey, Mel.Welcome home.”
“Thanks, Matty.”
He tugged the redhead closer.“This is my fiancée, Juliette.”
“Oh, you’re getting married.That’s wonderful.You’ve got a good guy, Juliette.”
Juliette smiled.“Thank you.I think so too.”
The couple took seats at the bar.
“Melanie, you’re really here.”Keeley skirted around the bar to give Melanie a hug.Owen dipped his head when Keeley introduced them.
“Congratulations to you both on the baby.”
“We’re excited.I heard you made the move back to Sisters with your little girl,” Keeley said.“This is your home, and I’m glad you’ve brought your daughter here.”
Melanie hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear that.Her school friends could have blamed her for Walker being sent to prison.That they didn’t appear to helped ease her anxiety about returning to Sisters.
Keeley moved back around the bar, and, with a haughty look at Owen, turned to those seated on barstools.“I’ll be your bartender this evening even if my overprotective husband thinks he’s the boss of me.What can I get for you all?”
Melanie had fun watching the couple who clearly enjoyed simply being near each other.“I’m waiting for someone.”
Mateo ordered a Coke and Juliette a glass of wine.While Keeley was getting their order, Owen dropped ice in a glass and filled it with water, adding a twist of lemon before setting it on a coaster in front of Melanie.
He braced his arms on the bar, gaze direct.Mel figured that intense look had sucked Keeley right in.“Welcome home.My wife shared what happened with you.Anyone bothers you or makes you uncomfortable, let me know.”
A lump rose in her throat.“Oh, thanks.I can take care of myself.”
Owen shook his head and grabbed a pen from behind the counter.He used it to scrawl across a paper napkin that he slid in front of her.“That’s my number.Put it in your phone.We look out for each other around here.”Which was much the same as what Gage had said.
She swallowed down the stupid lump, and not trusting her voice, nodded.“Thank you,” she whispered.
Her neighborhood in Stockton had been fine, but there hadn’t been the sense of community she was finding in Sisters.She’d had that as a teenager until all sense of safety had been shattered.Maybe she could find it again.
Owen moved down the bar and Melanie checked her phone.Chase was ten minutes late.She entered Owen’s number.She wouldn’t call him, but it wouldn’t hurt to have the number just in case.
Someone slid onto the stool on her other side and she turned, expecting Chase, and instead her heart gave a kick when she recognized her neighbor.
“Mateo, Juliette.”Gage gave the couple on her other side a nod, then shifted his attention to her.“Melanie.”
Okay, it was totally unfair for a man to look that good.The black sweater Gage wore with jeans encased broad shoulders and gave a hint of the lean muscle underneath.Then there was all that dark hair swept back from a high forehead and the slash of dark brows that gave him a barely tamed look.Add the way he said her name with his growly voice and she was getting decidedly hot and bothered.
