I Love You Twice (Falling For Him Contemporary Romance Series Book 7) (2 page)

Melissa observed Dean leave the diner and then looked over to see Denise watching her. By the knowing look on the face of the older woman, Melissa sighed.

Denise made her way over to where she was unloading clean glasses behind the counter.
Here comes the inquisition.

Melissa liked Denise and even though she was a lot older than her, she’d become a good friend. Apart from being a friend, she had a reputation around Lake Perry as always being one in the know. Queen of Gossip, might be an appropriate title. Melissa giggled by the thought of it.

It wasn’t meant in a negative way. Most of the time Denise used her aptitude for being in the know for helping those around her. But she could be a royal pain in the ass. Whether it was to keep people from making a huge mistake, or being the little birdy that notified others of a need within their community.

In this instance, Melissa would take advantage of Denise’s knowledge and get her to spill everything she knew about Dean. She’d fill her in on what she knew of Dean, and then Melissa could make her own decision about whether she wanted to get involved with him.

“So, what did you think of Dean?” Denise asked, grabbing a few glasses and storing them alongside of the ones Melissa had just sat on the shelf.

“He’s nice. He’s some type of scientist, right?” Melissa asked her, taking the empty dishwasher tray and storing it against the back wall.

That was just the opening Denise needed and Melissa mentally high-fived herself when the other woman started spilling everything she knew about him.

“Well, you already know his first name is Dean. His last name is Armstrong and he’s one of the most renowned scientists in the field of entomology. He told you what that is, right?”

Melissa nodded her head, “Yes, something to do with the study of insects.” Melissa laughed, “I called them bugs.”

“And he didn’t have a coronary?” Denise asked, having watched others do the same only to earn themselves a lengthy lecture on the difference between the two.

“No. But he was rather excited about this beautiful dragonfly he found this morning.”

“You seem almost as excited as he was?”

Melissa blushed, “Well, it was really beautiful. And big. I’ve never seen a dragonfly so big.”

“I imagine he enjoyed sharing his find with someone who wasn’t just pretending to be interested. Anyway, he’s a professor of zoology at Princeton University and has been coming up to Lake Perry every summer for years. Even before he got the professorate.

This year he’s planning on sticking around for six months and has rented a small house about half a mile up the lake shore.”

That woman did know everything! Melissa knew that she needed to massage her ego to get even more information. She asked admiringly, “Wow! You are a treasure chest. How do you know all of that?”

Denise gave a little shake of her head and said proudly, “Well, my brother is the real estate agent and he handles most of the rental properties around the lake. He rented the house out to Dean.” She paused for impact.

Melissa made an admiring sound and immediately saw the pleased smile and Denise’s face. “Dean’s taking a sabbatical to write a new science paper and Lake Perry is his favorite haunt. He told my brother that he always finds inspiration at the lake for his studies, and he really enjoys the people up here.”

“He appears to love his work. Does he always come up here by himself?” Melissa asked, trying to find out if he had a wife or girlfriend.

Denise gave her a sly smile; “He usually comes up here with his fiancé, but not this year. My brother believes they have broken up.”

He doesn’t have a wife or girlfriend?
“That’s too bad,” Melissa murmured, her brain working overtime as she replayed their brief conversation. Her mental wanderings were soon shelved as the lunch crowd started to arrive and Melissa got her first taste of what working at the diner was going to be like.

Later in the afternoon, she left, tired, but pleased with herself for a job well done. She arrived home at Grandma Annie’s house and found her in the garden tending to the roses. Happy was digging in the dirt with a big smile on her face. Melissa’s heart took a leap; her daughter was her biggest joy. She hugged Happy and soon had little mud handprints all over her jeans.

Well, now I don’t have to change into garden clothes
.  She grabbed her gloves and headed together with Happy into the rose garden.

“Melissa! How was your first day of work?” Annie asked.

“It was wonderful! The people were so nice, and the work was easy, and steady.” She started pruning the dead blooms from the bush in front of her, Happy imitating her every move, with her own kid’s scissors. A large Monarch butterfly entered the garden and alighted on a nearby bush, making Melissa stop her work to watch it.

She looked at the majestic
insect
and immediately thought of Dean. As she watched the butterfly drink from the flowers, she paid attention to the markings of the butterfly and how fragile its wings looked. When it took flight moments later, she tipped her head back to keep it in her sight for as long as possible.
No wonder Dean loves those animals. I wonder how many other insects are just as beautiful, but I never took the time to notice?

Melissa finished the bush she was pruning, her mind still on Dean and the beauty around her.
How could he have left such an impression on me? I mean, we only talked once. And then, for only a few minutes. Nobody ever had that impact on me!

Her daughter had stopped pruning roses and gone back to adding water to the dirt she’d moved into a pile. Melissa giggled as she watched her daughter paint her bare legs with the muddy goop.
We are most definitely going to need a bath tonight!

This is what’s important in life! My daughter.

She didn’t need to be distracted by a handsome face, not even if it was as gorgeous as Dean’s face. Besides, he’s way out of her league. He’s a professor at Princeton.

I don’t have time for a man.

She was going to work hard this summer and earn enough money to start college. To build a better life for her daughter and herself. Men only bring trouble. She’d seen enough disappointment in her life.
No! I’m going to stay focused. If he comes into the diner again, I’ll be polite, and listen, but that’s all!

A few days later, Melissa had her first day off. She wandered into the kitchen, lured by the smell of pancakes. Grandma Annie sure knew how to bake and cook the most mouth-watering meals. Yummy! She was handing Happy a plate of pancakes that she’d made to look like the face of a mouse.

“What are your plans for today?” Annie asked.

“Well, I thought I’d help you around the house for a while, and do a few loads of laundry…”

“You’ll do no such thing!” Annie told her. “You take your sweet baby and go down to the lake. Enjoy the sunshine and play in the sand.”

“Yay! We get’s to go to the lake!” Happy clapped her hands and started bouncing in her chair, in danger of knocking over her orange juice.

“Settle down, sweetie,” Melissa admonished her with a smile. Turning to look at Annie, “Are you sure you don’t need my help? I mean, you’ve had Happy all week…”

“Nonsense! She’s a joy to have around the house. Aren’t you sweetheart?” she asked the little girl.

“I’m a big helper, Mama!”

Melissa smiled at her, “I know you are. Well, it looks like we’re heading for the lake. You finish your breakfast and I’ll go pack up our things.” She laughed when her daughter tried to place an entire pancake in her mouth at one time, “Happy! Eat slower so you don’t choke. That lake’s not going anywhere.”

An hour later, Melissa was walking, hand-in-hand, with her exuberant daughter towards the little sandy beach. There were several other children playing in the sand while their doting parents kept watch. Melissa spread a blanket out on the sand and settled down to watch Happy begin filling a bucket with sand.

Grandma Annie had given her a small bucket and a plastic garden shovel to take with them, and Happy was in heaven! She loved to play in the dirt, and the lower she dug, the wetter the sand got. When she had the first bucket filled, she looked up and pointed at Melissa, “Mama, you dump it!”

Melissa got to her knees and picked up the bucket, keeping it close to the ground as she tipped the bucket up and dumped it out. When she lifted the plastic bucket up, the sand stayed in place, much to the excitement of Happy.

“Okay, fill it up again and we’ll build a sand castle,” Melissa suggested, seeing several other children building similar structures. Happy filled the bucket again and again, clapping and giggling each time Melissa dumped the bucket over and another pile of sand was left behind.

After several hours, Melissa suggested they take a walk and find the ice cream stand. Happy immediately stood up and began pulling on Melissa’s hand.

Lake Perry was a great place for tourists, with covered picnic spots, bike trails, and many other amenities providing a pleasant place to spend one’s vacation days. In the center of the park area, a larger walk, lined with various vendors, musicians, and entertainment, attracted the crowd.

“Let’s see who’s first at the ice cream stand.” Melissa spotted the mobile cart a short distance ahead, and they raced over there. She was amazed at how fast an almost three year old could run.

“What flavor of ice cream do you want, sweetie?”

“Stawsberry.”

“Strawberry, sweetie.”

“That’s what I said!”

“Okay, stand right here and don’t wander off, okay?”

“I won’t. I’ll stay right here.”

Melissa smiled down at her daughter. With the ice cream in sight, she wouldn’t go anywhere. Then pulled some money from her pocket, “One strawberry and one vanilla, please.”

“Sure thing, ma’am. Is the strawberry for your little one?” asked the redheaded man behind the booth.

“It sure is, so could you please make it just a little bit smaller than normal?” Melissa asked, lowering her voice so that Happy wouldn’t hear.
She has ears like an elephant and hears everything!

“Not a problem. Your daughter is cute as a button.”

“Thanks.” Melissa handed him the money and then took the two cones from the man. She turned to hand Happy her cone, and then stopped and pointed towards a nearby bench, “Sweetie, why don’t we go sit over there.” Melissa carried the cones over to the bench, keeping an eye on Happy at the same time.

Once Happy was seated, she handed the cone to her impatient little darling and then watched her take a big bite out of the top, getting pink ice cream on both her nose and her chin! Melissa reached out and wiped her chin and nose with a chuckle.

She turned her head away, watching the myriad of people milling around the park, enjoying life and each other’s company. Everyone seemed to be having such a good time! She gasped. In the distance she saw Dean walking along the promenade, a notebook in his hands, as well as his camera. Even from the distance he was breathtaking.

Melissa was startled from her observation of him by a sharp cry from Happy. Turning her head quickly, she saw that Happy had become a little too exuberant in her eating of the cone, sending the ice cream atop the cone tumbling to the ground.

The little one was crying loudly and Melissa hurried to calm her down, “Happy, it’s okay, sweetie.” She hated when Happy got upset; she never quite felt adequate to handling her tantrums.
Now what do I do?

“Melissa?”

She looked up to see Dean standing in front of their bench, watching Happy with a concerned look upon his face. “Dean!”

“It looks like somebody needs a new ice cream cone. May I?” he offered.

Confused and without words, she slowly nodded her head, watching in stunned amazement as he squatted down to talk with Happy.

“Hi! My name’s Dean and you look like you need another ice cream cone. Want to come with me and we’ll go get one?”

Happy dried up her tears and looked first at her mother, and then at the newcomer. She slowly nodded and slipped off the bench, readily taking the hand he held out to her.

Melissa watched in awe as her normally shy daughter went with a complete stranger! When Happy had a new cone in hand, she looked up at Dean and smiled at him, “Tank you.”

Dean’s entire face transformed as he accepted her thanks. He instantly went from a sad, serious face, to a bright shining smile. Her daughter responded by smiling back just as big!

Happy even reached up and took Dean’s hand in her tiny one.
She’s usually not so trusting!
As the pair came back towards her, she got to her feet and headed in their direction.  “If she’s a burden, I’ll take her.”

Dean looked down at the little girl, who had now decided that she would rather be carried, than walk.

“I’s wants up,” she told Dean, ignoring the fact that her mother was trying to get her attention.

He responded by bending over and carefully lifting her up it ride on his shoulders, steadying her arm so that the new cone didn’t meet the same fate as the first one. Happy put her little hands into his dark unruly hair and Melissa wished she could do the same.

Looking up, he met Melissa’s eyes, “She’s not a burden. Is she yours?”

“Yes.” Melissa answered hesitantly, already preparing herself for his defection.
This is when they normally come up with an excuse to be someplace else.

“What a wonderful little girl! What’s her name?”

What?! He wasn’t running the other direction as fast as he could?
He’d just earned himself a million points. Melissa glanced at him and slowly answered, “Happy.”

“Why don’t I play with her while you finish your ice cream?” Dean offered. That answer had Melissa almost drop her jaw to the floor. Never, ever, had this happened to her.

“I’s want to build the castle.”

Dean took the girl down from his shoulder, apparently without any effort, and set her carefully down. Melissa’s eyes popped out, appreciating his defined biceps. That man was so hot. And sweet. Hot and sweet? That didn’t fit together. Either they were really hot, or they were sweet and liked children. How come this outstanding specimen of a man was both?

“You have some sand in your hair. Were you building a sand castle?”

“Yup! With a bucket! And a shovel! Mama made the sand stand up tall.”

Dean smiled at Melissa, “Is that so?”

She nodded her head. “Dean, you don’t have to entertain her.”

“Maybe she’s going to entertain me?” Dean countered with a smile for Happy. “Come on, little one. Let’s go play in the sand.”

Melissa followed along, amazed at the constant string of conversation the pair had. When they reached the beach once again, she was pleased to see their sand castle was still there, right besides her blanket and the sand toys. She settled herself on the blanket, finishing her cone as she watched Dean sit himself down in the sand next to Happy.

Happy methodically began filling the bucket up with sand once again. Dean did such a good job of entertaining Happy, Melissa had lots of time to watch them and let her mind wander.

He’s different. I’m so used to men treating me like an outcast once they find out about Happy, yet here he is playing with her in the sand!
Melissa looked at him closer, once again amazed at how good-looking he was. She guessed he was probably in his early thirties, at least ten years older than herself. That fact didn’t alarm her; quite the contrary, it made him even more attractive.

Melissa had enough of young and immature boys. Most of the boys her age were only interested in partying and getting laid. They didn’t care about responsibilities, and they definitely didn’t want to be a parent!  She’d played their games, and she’d ended up alone and pregnant as a result!

Not that she’d trade having her daughter for anything in the world, but just thinking about that bleak period of her life was enough to swear her off younger men for life! Things had been much harder than she could have ever imagined. As much as she loved Happy, those days had been the darkest in her lifetime.

Hearing her daughter’s laughter, dragged Melissa from her sad thoughts. Now, looking at the gorgeous man playing with her daughter, she felt like she was witnessing a miracle. Dean seemed as enthralled with Happy as he’d been with the dragonfly he’d shown her. A true anomaly in her limited experience with men!