she’s walking better today,” Melanie said, pausing in applying her mascara to look at Nikki in the mirror.
Nikki grinned. “She loves it. And so does Beau. I can’t leave him out.”
“It’s a good thing you’re here to take care of them when Gabe and I have to be gone.”
“Happy to be of assistance,” Nikki said, dropping a little curtsy.
Melanie almost hated to ask her next question, but she was curious. “How were your nightmares last night?”
Nikki’s smile widened, and she met Melanie’s eyes in the mirror. “The only nightmare I had last night was when Beau passed lasagna gas in my face.”
Melanie laughed and reached up to squeeze Nikki’s hand. “That’s fantastic. Well, not the doggie stink bombs, but that you didn’t have nightmares.”
Nikki licked her lips and lowered her gaze. “I feel . . . safe here.”
Before Melanie could respond, Nikki switched on the hairdryer. That was all Melanie had ever wanted for Nikki, for her to feel safe. And useful. Needed and loved. She hoped Gabe was okay with their living situation becoming permanent, because Melanie wouldn’t have the heart to send Nikki away.
When Nikki finally set the hairdryer aside, Melanie checked out her hair in the mirror. “You work miracles,” Melanie said, turning her head this way and that.
“Thanks,” Nikki said. She hugged Melanie’s head to her belly. “For never turning your back on me. Never giving up on me. Just . . . Thanks.”
“Don’t make me cry,” Melanie pleaded. “My mascara isn’t waterproof.”
Beau’s snout was suddenly under Nikki’s elbow, nudging her for attention.
“You want a hug too?” Nikki asked, releasing Melanie and dropping to her knees to hug the big black dog. He slobbered down the back of her shoulder as he panted happily, but Nikki didn’t seem to mind.
“I have to say,” Gabe said from the doorway, his eyes trained on his dog, “I’m a little jealous. You traitor.”
“Oh,” Nikki said. “Gabe needs a hug too.”
Nikki jumped to her feet and leapt against Gabe’s chest, both arms circling his neck. She squeezed him until he protested. “I can’t breathe.”
“Thanks for loving my Melanie the way she deserves to be loved,” Nikki said.
Gabe met Melanie’s eyes over Nikki’s shoulder. “It’s a privilege.”
Nikki leaned away from Gabe, and his eyes widened. “Hey,” he said. “Hands off the merchandise.”
“I’ve always wanted to know if your ass feels as good as it looks,” she said.
“Nikki!” Melanie bellowed.
“It does.” She laughed and dashed out of the bathroom with Beau on her heels. Lady took a little longer to follow as she had to get her legs under her, but once she was standing, she trotted after her two exasperating friends.
“Can’t blame her, I guess,” Melanie said, rising from the bench in front of the vanity and squeezing Gabe’s ass herself. “It is a nice ass.”
“You look amazing,” he said, nuzzling the side of her neck. “You do know we’re just going shopping for a dishwasher, right?”
“I thought you were taking me out to dinner.”
“You didn’t have to go all out for the Taco Bell drive-through.”
She poked him in the ribs, but played along. “I do love their quesadillas.”
“If you’re hungry for Mexican food, I’ll take you to Fonda San Miguel. Their food is . . .” He rolled his eyes in bliss. “Or if you’d rather have a great view of Lake Travis, we can go to the Oasis. But decide quick; I’ll need to make reservations for Fonda.”
“A Mexican restaurant that requires a reservation?” Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. “Sign me up. You’re more gorgeous a view than I can handle as it is.”
He actually blushed at her compliment and leaned in to steal a kiss. “I’ll take you to the Oasis next time. Maybe Nikki would like to join us.”
Melanie grabbed a banana to tide her over until dinner. Gabe followed her out of the house and down the driveway, wolf whistling and making suggestive comments as she concentrated on walking on gravel in heels. If any other man had been as obnoxiously obsessed with staring at her ass while she navigated the uneven terrain, she’d have told him to suck her banana, but when Gabe ogled her, it merely incited her to swing her hips a bit more.
He helped her up into the truck, his hands lingering on her waist longer than necessary.
“I should take you out more often,” he said. “Show off my prize.”
“For that,” she said, tapping him on the shoulder with her yet unopened banana. “I’m going to eat this banana just for you.” She massaged her lips with her teeth to plump them up and draw his attention to her mouth.
He released a long slow breath. “Then again, keeping you at home has certain advantages.”
He shut her inside the truck and hurried around to the driver’s side while she peeled the banana. Melanie took delicate nibbles from the tip of the sweet fruit, drawing bites into her mouth with overexaggerated licks and sucks.
“I can’t watch,” Gabe said, shaking his head and squeezing his eyes shut. “I’ll never be able to drive if I do.”
“I’ll behave,” she said. “In public. But the next time I get you alone in private, I’ll be repaying you for inventing that Sex Stallion.”
He chuckled and started the truck. “I’ll be counting the seconds.”
“You’ll be getting more than seconds, Banner. I’m talking thirds and fourths here.”
“I meant seconds of time, but I can go for thirds. Not sure about fourths.”
He backed out of the driveway, and they were finally off to run their errands. Because they’d left late, they had to go to the OB/GYN clinic first so he could give his blood sample. Part of Melanie didn’t want to know if he was about to become the father of some other woman’s child, but she knew she’d need a couple of months to wrap her head around the idea and get her jealousy in check. She promised herself that if Gabe was to become a father, she’d be nothing but supportive and would never burden him with any hurt or negative feelings she continued to harbor. What had happened with Lindsey had occurred before they met, and while she didn’t like the idea of him having had orgies with groupies, it wasn’t her place to make him feel bad about it.
“Do you want to go inside or wait here?” Gabe said. “I’ll leave the truck’s AC running so you don’t melt.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded and opened the door, struggling not to face plant out of the huge truck as she tried to get her spiky heels safely to the ground without having her skirt fly up over her head. Gabe hurried around the truck to help her, and once they were walking toward the entrance, she noticed his hands were trembling as he clutched her fingers.
“Are you nervous?”
“I don’t want this baby to be mine,” he said quietly. “Happy, healthy and loved, but not mine.”
She squeezed his hand because she felt exactly the same way, but said, “But if it is yours, I know it will be happy and loved.” She leaned into his arm, her heart full to bursting as she imagined the children they’d have together in the future. She hoped he didn’t make her wait too long to start a family. She couldn’t think of anything grander than watching him hold their child for the first time.
At the reception desk, Gabe gave his name and informed the woman that he was supposed to give a sample for a paternity test. They sat among a room of women, a few obviously pregnant, while he waited to be called back. A few minutes later, Owen and Caitlyn emerged from the back of the office. Gabe was so busy staring at the floor that he didn’t notice, so Melanie elbowed him and then called out, “Owen.” She lifted her arm and waved.
Owen smiled and hurried over to meet them, towing Caitlyn behind him by one hand.
“Here for the paternity test?” Owen asked.
“Why else?” Gabe replied.
“You
look queasy,” he said to Gabe. “Lindsey had to give blood, but they just rubbed the inside of my cheek with a cotton swab.”
“That’s a relief,” Gabe said, though he didn’t look any less queasy. “Has everyone else already tested?”
“Tex was here earlier, and I’ll let Kellen know later.”
“Avoiding him is not going to solve your problem,” Caitlyn said, giving Melanie a pointed look that she didn’t understand.
Owen continued as if Caitlyn hadn’t spoken. “I still can’t get ahold of Jacob, and Adam’s supposed to get his sample taken up in Dallas.”
“How’s your brother?” Gabe asked, and Melanie’s heart twisted.
“Conscious,” Owen said, but he didn’t elaborate.
A nurse peeked out the door that led to the back of the office, and called Gabe’s name. Melanie started to rise with him, but he pressed her back into the seat. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Melanie watched Gabe follow the nurse, wondering why he didn’t want her to go with him.
“Is there a bathroom around here?” Caitlyn asked.
Owen pointed toward the far corner of the room, and Caitlyn grabbed Melanie’s wrist.
“Come with me,” Caitlyn said. Girl code for I need to talk to you without my man listening.
Melanie excused herself and followed Caitlyn to the single unisex bathroom. Sharing it was not the least bit suspicious. Right . . .
Caitlyn switched on the light, and they both entered the fairly large bathroom. Melanie frowned at the exposed toilet while Caitlyn locked the door.
“I’m so glad I ran into you,” Caitlyn said. “I don’t have your number.”
“What’s this about?” Melanie asked. She scarcely knew Caitlyn and wasn’t sure why Caitlyn wanted to talk to her.
“These men have made an absolute mess of their lives. Dawn and I are trying to figure out how to get them all back together. We were thinking of throwing a party, but don’t think Jacob and Adam will come. What about Gabe? Is he as pissed off at them all as Owen is?”
Melanie scowled. “I don’t think he’s pissed at all. A bit lost and not sure what to do, but not angry. Well, maybe a little mad at Jacob, but we saw Adam yesterday and they got along just fine.”
“You saw Adam?” Caitlyn sounded disbelieving, as if Melanie had said she’d met the pope.
“He’s in Dallas with Madison. The poor woman is stuck in a plaster cast from her waist to her wrist. I guess that horse really messed up her shoulder.”
“Has Adam made up with Jacob?”
Melanie snorted. “He said he’d talk to Jacob, but I honestly don’t see that happening.”
“The guys have to get this band back together. Or we have to get this band back together.” Caitlyn waved one hand back and forth between them.
Melanie rather liked having Gabe all to herself and was in no rush to send him back on the road with all his fangirls trying to get a piece of her pie. She scratched her nose, trying to decide how best to explain her position to Caitlyn.
“Is that an engagement ring?” Caitlyn sputtered, grabbing Melanie’s hand and staring down at her new rock.
“Oh. Yeah. Gabe proposed.”
“That’s it!” Caitlyn shouted, making Melanie’s heart thump in surprise. “We’ll throw an engagement party for you two. Kellen, Jacob, and Adam will have to come.”
“Well, to be fair, you’d better throw one for Madison and Adam as well. He also popped the question.”
Caitlyn’s eyes went wide. “Shut up!”
Melanie pressed her lips together and drew her chin back. “Excuse me?”
“Here.” Caitlyn handed her cellphone to Melanie. “We don’t have time to sort this out right now. Give me your number. I’ll hash out some details with Dawn and keep you in the loop.”
“I’m not sure what you want from me.” But Melanie obediently added her number to Caitlyn’s contacts.
The door handle jiggled, and Caitlyn called out, “Occupied!” To Melanie, she said, “I’ll explain better when we have more time to talk.”
Still not sure what the woman was up to, Melanie returned Caitlyn’s phone and followed her out of the bathroom. The woman waiting to use the facilities gave them an odd look but didn’t say anything about the two of them hanging out in a unisex bathroom designed for one occupant.
Owen had taken a seat and was staring down at his phone, a troubled crease in his brow.
Caitlyn sat in the chair beside him and took his hand. “Any news?”
“Chad will be stateside on Wednesday,” he said.
“That soon? That has to be good news, doesn’t it?” Caitlyn rubbed his back and nodded encouragingly.
Melanie was glad he had someone to depend on. The poor guy had been through a lot in the past week.
“I could sure use some good news,” Owen said.
“Gabe has a little,” Caitlyn said, pointing at Melanie’s left hand with an ear-to-ear grin on her face.
Owen stared at Melanie’s hand and then his eyes lifted to meet hers. “You’re getting married?”
She grinned and nodded.
Owen jumped to his feet, hugging her as if she’d just told him he’d won the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. “That’s fantastic,” he said. “Does Gabe know?”
Melanie laughed. “Well, I hope so. He’s the one I’m marrying.”
Caitlyn winked repeatedly at Melanie as if she had something in her eye. “I was just telling Melanie that we should throw an engagement party for them. What do you think?”
“Will Kellen be there?” Owen asked, giving Caitlyn the evil eye, which stopped her spastic winking.
“We’d have to invite him, Owen. He’s one of Gabe’s best friends.”
“Then I’m not coming.”
Melanie tried to read Owen’s and Caitlyn’s minds, but she had no idea why Owen wouldn’t want to see his best friend. Owen and Kellen were inseparable whenever she was around them. She didn’t understand how that could have changed so quickly.
“Did Kellen . . . do something?” she asked, her curiosity sending politeness packing.
“Yeah,” Owen said, his expression dark. “He kissed me. On the fucking lips.” He pointed to his mouth as if Melanie would be able to see the evidence still there.
“Oh,” Melanie said, and then she laughed. “I had a friend—a female friend—do that to me not long ago. It is rather upsetting.”
“I’m assuming you told her to take a hike and to never speak to you again,” Owen said, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding smugly at Caitlyn.
“Well, no.” Melanie wasn’t sure how much she should reveal about Nikki’s psychological problems, so settled on telling her half of the truth. “She’s currently living with me and Gabe. She was confused and knows she crossed a line. But people make mistakes. I’d hate to lose something as precious as a friendship over something as trivial as a little kiss.”
“Thank you!” Caitlyn said emphatically, throwing her hands toward the ceiling.
“It wasn’t trivial,” Owen said between clenched teeth.
“Why?” Caitlyn said. “Because he made you feel something you aren’t prepared to admit?”
People were starting to stare. Melanie touched Owen’s arm to try to calm him—he was obviously very upset—but he pulled away. “I’m leaving,” he said. “Tell Gabe I’ll talk to him soon.” And he stalked off.
“I’ll call you,” Caitlyn said quickly to Melanie and then hurried after Owen. “Don’t walk away mad. Let’s talk about this.”
“I’ve already talked about it, but you don’t seem to understand . . .”
Melanie didn’t catch the end of his complaint as he exited through the first set of glass double doors that led outside.
Melanie smiled at the women staring at her—seeing as they could no longer stare at Owen and Caitlyn—then plopped down in the