Enchanting Melody (11 page)

“Give me your card, kid. I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is.”

As Will handed Nathan his card, he squeezed Melody's hand under the table. He couldn't wait to have her all to himself later that night.

Melody smiled back, and Will, momentarily forgetting his surroundings, started to lean in to kiss her.

“It looks like things are getting serious between you two,” Beverly interrupted. “How long have you been dating? Melody has been very sparse with the details.”

Will leaned back in his chair feeling like a deer in the headlights, and he could see Melody was about to open her mouth with a smart remark.

“Leave her alone, Mother.” Melody's younger sister Vicky had arrived at the table with her young date in tow. He was tall and lanky, looking awkward in his ill-fitting suit. “You promised not to embarrass us in front of our dates.”

Beverly looked aghast. “I wouldn't dream of it. I'm just trying to get better acquainted with William.”

“Uh, it's just Will,” he corrected. “My father used to say, with our income, we could only afford the first four letters.”

Will felt his face heat for the second time that evening. He couldn't believe he'd volunteered that information—especially in this setting. He'd always been very careful with the details of his childhood. Particularly when in the company of those from wealthier backgrounds. But, after watching the tension mount between Melody and her mother, he realized how lucky he'd been as a child.

What his parents hadn't had to offer in luxuries, they'd more than made up for in unconditional love.

Beverly turned to Melody. “Well, at least tell me how the two of you met, dear.”

Melody was spared having to answer her mother as the bandleader announced that the bride and groom would be dancing their first dance as man and wife. The room lights dimmed and the audience watched as Stephanie and Keenan glided around the floor. Immediately afterward, the bridal party joined them, and Will got the opportunity to appreciate his hard work firsthand.

Melody looked beautiful, and he was so proud when she resisted the urge to take over the lead when the best man faltered. The flurry of activity continued with the father-daughter dance until the floor was finally opened up to everyone.

That's when Will decided to take matters into his own hands. It was time to show Melody's family just how hard she'd been working over the last few weeks.

The fifteen-piece string orchestra began playing Frank Sinatra's “The Best Is Yet to Come,” and he swept Melody into a jaunty fox-trot.

After their third spin, Melody whispered in his ear, “I don't think we're supposed to be upstaging the bride and groom.”

“Nonsense, your family paid for those lessons, didn't they? We have to show them that they got their money's worth.”

Melody just laughed and let him twirl her around the floor. They danced three more songs before the break for dinner.

As soon as they stepped off the dance floor, several guests crowded around them to find out where she'd learned to dance so beautifully.

Will stepped back to enjoy Melody taking center stage. Finally, clearly embarrassed, she said, “Really, it's impossible not to dance well when your partner—”

“Has such natural grace,” Will cut in. “Melody is so light on her feet, it's like dancing with a feather.”

When the onlookers dissipated, Melody gave him a puzzled look. “You didn't want them to know you're my dance teacher?”

“Why spoil the illusion?” he answered, escorting her back to their table.

 

Melody was amazed that she was actually enjoying herself at Stephanie's wedding. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but it had had something to do with a feeling of obligation rather than genuine fun.

It was as though she was living a dream, and in this ethereal world her mother was going easy on her, she was a fantastic dancer and she was loved by a successful businessman. Who would have thought any of those things were possible in her life, even for just one night?

And Will couldn't have been a more perfect date. He'd clung to her side all evening, making sure she wasn't thirsty or tired and gallantly helped her sidestep awkward conversation.

As the evening wore on, the guests began to thin and Melody found herself standing next to her sister.

“I think your dream wedding is officially a success,” she said to Stephanie.

“And it wouldn't have turned out so well without you. I know it wasn't fun for you, but your full participation meant so much to me.”

“Aww, it…it wasn't so bad.”

“But you have to tell me, who is that gorgeous man you brought as your date?” She paused as her eyes went wide. “You didn't hire him, did you?”

From anyone else that would have been offensive, but from Stephanie it was merely comical. “Get serious. Believe me, if I'd gone to the trouble of such an expense, I wouldn't have hired Mr. Perfect over there. I'd come through with a showstopper like a fire-eater or the lead singer of Bad Religion.”

“Of course, what was I thinking—that you'd actually do something to impress me? Must be all the champagne going to my head.”

The sisters looked at each other and burst into laughter. “Okay, so where'd you meet him?”

Melody chewed her lip. “I don't want to tell you.”

“Why not?” Stephanie gave her a wicked grin. “Was it somewhere nasty, like one of those S and M clubs?”

“Eew! What has gotten into you?”

“Come on, you'd better tell me. You know I'll imagine something much worse.”

“He's my dance instructor from Moonlight Dance Studio.”

Stephanie's jaw dropped. “You're kidding. You convinced him to come here and dance with you?”

Melody paused to give Stephanie an incredulous look. “No. We've been dating ever since the course ended. He's my
real
date.”

Mel had known it would be a surprise to everyone for her to be seen with a clean-cut Wall Street man, but she found herself a little hurt at just how hard it was for everyone to believe.

“Wow, did I hook you up or what, girl! He's so hot.”

“Yeah, he's okay. Just don't tell Mother. If she finds out that she's even indirectly responsible for my happiness…well, it would just ruin it.”

“Okay, but be nice to him. He's the kind we all are looking for. Does he have a brother?”

Mel lightly punched her sister's arm. “You just got married, dummy.”

“Ow, I didn't mean for me.”

Just in time, Keenan walked up, ending their conversation. Melody took the opportunity to slip away to the ladies' room.

There was a line at least twenty women deep in the bathroom just outside the ballroom, so Melody traveled to a less crowded restroom on the next floor. As soon as she pushed open the door, her Aunt Thea's voice carried to her ears from one of the stalls.

“Now that was a sight I thought I'd never see—Melody Rush in a dress.”

Melody stood there, unable to resist the urge to roll her eyes. It was just like her aunt to be caught talking about someone. What a shock that she was her present target.

“Well, I buy her dresses all the time. She just refuses to wear them.”

Melody blanched at the sound of her mother's voice.

“I've been telling you all along, Beverly, that black fingernail polish mess is just a phase. I just knew as soon as that child found herself a good
Black
man she'd settle down. And just look at her with that big old handsome date of hers. Now you mark my words, this time next year we'll be doing all this for her.”

Melody's ears started ringing as she took in her aunt's words. She braced herself for her mother's response.

“Well, it is quite a relief to finally see her with a man of our status. Clearly he's been a good influence on her.”

Embarrassment and anger rushed up her neck like lava in a volcano. If she didn't get out of there she'd blow. And while she was sorely tempted to tell them how she felt, Melody ducked out of the bathroom before she could overhear anything more.

“M
elody
, calm down, sweetheart. Better yet, let me help you,” Will said, patting the space beside him on the king-sized bed in their hotel room.

He made an enticing picture, wearing nothing but dark boxer briefs, resting on a pile of fluffy white pillows with one arm behind his head.

But Melody continued to ignore him as she paced back and forth in front of the bed. “I don't know why I'm so surprised. Even though Mother complains about Aunt Thea being one of our ‘ghetto' relatives, she can't wait to call her up when there's family gossip.”

“It was a beautiful wedding, Melody. Everything turned out perfectly for your sister. That was your job. Don't spoil that by dwelling on a snide remark from your aunt.”

“It wasn't just my aunt. My mother didn't exactly come to my rescue. It was the same with everyone. I knew they'd be a bit surprised, but why were they so damned…relieved? You know, ‘I always knew you'd pull yourself together eventually.'”

Will burst out laughing, causing Melody to pause long enough to shoot him a withering look.

“I'm sorry for laughing, but if you could just see yourself right now. The reason you've always been comfortable being different is because you never cared what people think. Why should you start now? Especially since the reactions you've received have been of approval, not rejection.”

“You're missing the point. Approval or rejection, that's not why I'm upset. Yesterday I was feckless and flighty because I like to wear black, listen to punk music and dated white boys with spiked hair. Today I'm stable and mature because my hair's in a bun and I'm dating a Black stockbroker.”

Will shrugged. “And tomorrow you'll be feckless
and
mature because you'll be listening to punk music and dating a Black stockbroker. Who cares? Those are just stereotypes.”

Melody nodded. “The thing I hate most about stereotypes is that people want to look at my skin or my clothes and say, ‘I know you.' These people are supposed to be my family. They should know it goes deeper than that. I like that people have to work to get to know the real me. They have to earn it.”

Will leaned forward, reaching for her. “Well, I'm not afraid of a little work. I'm ready to get to know you even better, and it starts with you getting out of those clothes.”

“I'll be right back,” Melody said, disappearing into the bathroom.

Once in there, she didn't hasten to get undressed. Instead she sat on the toilet seat to think. All night Bass's words had been playing in her head. Like a prophecy foretold, every time she was doted on by friends or relatives for how she looked, or danced or dated, she realized how far from herself she'd gotten.

Of course Will didn't think it was a big deal. Did he even know the undiluted Melody? He'd had her at a disadvantage from day one. He'd met her out of her element and off her guard. Somehow he'd snuck under the radar without ever facing the land mines and barbed wire of her defenses.

In fact, he'd never even seen her apartment. How could he claim to love her when he'd only seen a dim shadow of her true self? He'd yet to meet her friends or participate in any of her normal activities.

Melody stared at the bathroom door. She couldn't help wondering just how long this love would last if Will had to step out of the comfort of his own world.

 

Will started loosening his tie as he trudged out of the elevator Friday evening. He unlocked his apartment door, feeling so tired he could barely think straight. He really missed finding Melody on the other side of that door when he came home. Ever since the wedding she'd been opting to sleep in her own bed.

She'd wanted him to come over to her place, but that was just impossible during the week. She was all the way over on the Lower East Side, and he had to be at work by eight o'clock every morning. In fact, he was spending more hours at the office than ever before.

He'd had to call in a substitute for his ballroom dance class for that week, and now he was seriously considering quitting the side job altogether. Since meeting Melody, his career had really begun to take off. He'd run into Rob Geddes in the elevator at work last week, and for the first time, the corporate bigwig knew his name. The man indicated that he'd been following Will's progress, and if he kept up the good work, Rob had hinted that Will might be invited to join him for golf in the near future.

Things were really beginning to fall into place for him. He knew he was being watched at the firm, and the time was ripe to make some big moves. Will had spent Monday morning calling all the contacts he'd made at the wedding, and he'd locked down three solid commitments. The biggest of which was Melody's father. No pressure there; if he messed up that investment he could ruin his career
and
his love life.

But Will was up for the challenge. This is what he'd been grooming himself for all his life. Who knew a tattooed goth girl would be the lucky charm he needed to launch his career to the next level?

Thinking of Melody brought a smile to his face. Even though he was dead tired, he wanted to see her. He'd toyed with the idea of asking her to move in, but he didn't want to spook her. She seemed to shy away from commitment.

When he'd told her he loved her, he hadn't expected an answer in return. He hadn't been expecting a rush of tears either. That outburst of emotion told him everything he needed to know. She loved him back. Melody just didn't know how to handle affection.

She was so used to criticism and prejudice that unconditional love and acceptance startled her. He knew it would only be a matter of time before she became comfortable enough to express her feelings for him.

Feeling a wave of tenderness wash over him, Will picked up the phone. “Melody?” he said when she answered. “I really want to see you. How soon can you get here?”

“Why don't you come over here? I'm meeting some friends at the Black House later.”

Will closed his eyes because he didn't have the strength to keep them open. “What the hell is the Black House?”

“It's a club. We're not heading over there until ten. That gives you plenty of time to get down here.”

Will could just imagine what type of club it was, and the idea of all that throbbing music when he was this tired made his head want to explode. “It's been a tough week. I was kind of hoping we could get some Thai food and sack out in front of the television.”

“We always do that. Why don't you try something new for a change?”

“Sweetheart, I'm all for trying new things. I just can't today. I've been on the phone all afternoon trying to—”

“Yeah, sitting on the phone sounds really tiring. It's fine. You expect me to take the subway all the way up there every night, but when I ask you to come to me, you're too tired.”

“Melody, look, it's not personal. It's just been a really hard—”

“I know, I work, too. Whatever. I have plans tonight, so I guess I'll see you when I see you.”

Will stood staring at the receiver as the dial tone hummed. He had no idea how that conversation had deteriorated so quickly.

Shaking his head, he flopped down on his bed and fell asleep without even taking off his clothes.

 

Melody stared at the phone she'd just slammed down, feeling her body vibrate with fury. Hands on her hips, she simply stood staring at the phone and shaking her head.

Had she for one moment really expected him to come out with her and her friends? Of course not. What had she been thinking?

Their relationship only worked when she came to him—when she dressed the way he liked and participated in the activities he'd planned. Once. One time, she'd asked him to do something
she
wanted to do and he'd immediately rejected her.

“I knew it,” she shouted at the phone. “I always knew you didn't really have an interest in me. Most people
want
to meet your friends. That is, if they're truly interested in you as a person.”

Melody spun around on her heel and stalked away from the phone, trying to rein in her emotions. The clock on her cable box showed that she had four hours before her friends showed up.

But she had the urge to do something with the frantic energy bounding around inside her, something drastic that would fly in the face of Will's complacency with their relationship.

He'd never had to deal with her on a genuine level because she'd held that side of herself back from him. That had been her own fault. Now she had to give him a giant dose of Melody Rush, full-strength.

 

At a quarter past ten her doorbell rang, and Mel was nearly finished getting ready. Pulling a fresh black T-shirt over her head, she jogged to the door.

Bass, Tha and Roland stood in the hallway. “Wow, a new look, huh? It's about time.” Bass strolled past her into the loft.

Tha followed. “Sweetie, you should have told me you were coloring your hair. You could have done mine. I've been thinking about making the tips red.”

“Black, platinum then red. That would be killer,” Mel said, closing the door behind them.

“Why not, you already look like Cruella DeVil,” Roland said.

“That's why you should totally do it,” Melody answered. “Come over tomorrow and I'll help you. I still have plenty of red dye left.”

Melody had fleetingly considered dying all of her hair crimson, but who was she kidding? She was way too vain about her hair to risk looking like an idiot. Instead she'd opted for a bold red streak in the front.

That alone had been a substantial effort. First, she'd had to bleach the strip of hair she wanted to color. Mel had almost stopped there, but it was too late to turn back and she wasn't prepared to walk around looking as if she was prematurely gray.

Finally after three washings and a laborious drying process, she was done. She hadn't had the time or patience for the flat iron, so right now her hair radiated from her head in big full waves.

With her black baby-T, she'd paired some red shorts and tights with black-and-white horizontal stripes.

Bass looked around the room. “Where's your man? I thought we were finally meeting him tonight.”

“He bailed on me.” Try as she might, Melody couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.

“Ouch.” Bass threw himself down on the couch and propped his feet on the trunk Mel used for a coffee table.

“He was tired. He's been working a lot of long hours at the office this week.” Mel couldn't help wincing. She sounded defensive even to her own ears.

“I'll try not to take it personally,” Tha said, stalking to the kitchen. Her lightweight black coat dragged on the floor behind her.

“It's
not
personal. I'm sure he'd love to meet you guys. He just couldn't make it today.”

Roland just shrugged, propping himself against the wall near the door. He was clearly ready to leave.

“Listen to yourself, Mel,” Bass said. “I don't think I've ever heard you whine like this about some dude. Is he really worth all this trouble?”

Whining? Was she really whining? Melody felt her hackles rise. She snapped her fingers. “I have never whined about anyone ever. Don't get tart with me, Bass, just because I have a guy and you have no prospects on the horizon.”

“That's actually not true. I'm pretty sure that model Lana had a thing for me. I was hoping to see her at the wedding but someone had to go and stand me up. You should definitely try to hook me up with her. You still owe me for that one.”

Tha came back into the room drinking from a beer bottle. She leaned over the back of the couch. “That's right, Mel. You owe all of us the chance to watch Bass strike out with a model.”

Melody rolled her eyes. “So that's why you wanted to go to the wedding. Here I thought you were still carrying a torch for
me
.”

Roland huffed from over by the door. “Can we get a move on please?”

They all gathered by the door and Bass leaned down to whisper in her ear. “When that stockbroker breaks your heart, you know I'm always here for you.”

 

Melody sat at her drawing table, letting her pencil fly over her paper. Her publisher loved the new Ambassador story line, so she'd been spending a lot of time with Bass's face.

A week had passed since her confrontation with Will and Bass's disturbing pronouncement. At first she'd tried to reason that he was offering friendship in the face of a probable breakup, but reality had set in, and she knew that wasn't the case.

His gaze had been intense and even though he hadn't said anything more since, she knew he still had feelings for her. And, as awkward as that would be for their friendship, she found that knowledge completely comforting.

Since the wedding she'd spent so much time doubting herself. She was caught between two worlds, and she was torn between her family's expectations, Will's and her own. When it came to Bass, she knew where she stood. He accepted her. He understood her.