A Match Made by Cupid (Harlequin Special Edition) (10 page)

“Something like that. And that’s when I gave up all of my games and asked him out. We sold our houses within a year and moved into a new home together.” Veronica sighed in contentment. “A few months ago, we opened our own business. And last month, Geoffrey proposed, and here we are. That’s our story in a nutshell.”

“It’s a wonderful story,” Jace said. “And it’s obvious how much you love each other.”

“But why did you decide to get married here, instead of having a big wedding?” Melanie asked, her voice low and even. “Don’t get me wrong, but this seems…sort of rushed and, well…” She trailed off and shrugged. “Not romantic at all.”

“We started to plan a formal wedding,” Veronica admitted. “But we were getting stressed, and our families weren’t helping. Every time we turned around, they wanted to add more people to the guest list. We were beginning to dread a day that is supposed to be wonderful.”

“So we decided that the wedding itself meant far less to us than actually being married,” Geoffrey said. “But we’re having a party for our friends and family this weekend. Today we wanted just for us.”

“I see.” Melanie shifted, reached for the clipboard and the other recorder. “Jace will finish up with you. I’m going to move on to another couple before any others get away from us.” Standing, she gave Geoffrey and Veronica a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day. And, um, congratulations.”

Jace pretended he was okay with Melanie’s departure. They were here to interview as many couples as possible, after all. Yet, he couldn’t erase the suspicion that her quick-footed escape had little to do with the work that needed to be done. No, something about
this
couple’s story bothered her. He was sure of it, even if he couldn’t detail the reasons why.

Setting his questions aside, he returned his attention to Geoffrey and Veronica. He had five more minutes before they needed to leave, and he planned on using every second.

The next two and a half hours were filled with back-to-back interviews. Most of the couples were friendly, but there were only a handful that stood out in Jace’s mind.

There was the couple who’d already been married and divorced twice—to and from each other—and was going for round number three. It was clear that they loved each other, and Jace admired their perseverance, but he had to wonder what their chances of success were.

He’d also spoken to a young couple who’d decided on a last-minute wedding because the bride had received orders for deployment, which made Jace think about his younger brother. Seth was in the air force, currently deployed in Afghanistan, and wouldn’t be home for several more months. He
would
make it home, though. Jace refused to consider any other option.

Wishing the couple well, Jace gave them the L’Auberge gift certificate. Then, just before they left, unable to stop the comparisons between the young bride and his brother, he tossed in two others. He wasn’t a softie, Jace assured himself. He was simply showing his support.

Through it all, he’d pause to snap a few photos for Melanie. She seemed to be on the fast track, zipping through each interview and moving on to the next in record time. There was one couple, though, that she spent considerably longer with. The bride was obviously pregnant, the groom obviously proud. Both of them were visibly nervous about their future.

When that interview was over, Melanie made a mad dash to the restroom, but not before Jace saw the dampness in her eyes and the heavy set of her shoulders. Curious and concerned, he tried to bring his current interview to an end before she reappeared. That didn’t happen. When he finally managed to get away, she was already involved with another couple.

Now, they were heading back to the office. And again, she’d reverted to her straight-faced silent routine.

Jace gave her a sidelong glance. “I think we should exchange recorders and listen to each other’s interviews tonight. We can chat about them tomorrow, decide who we might want to follow up with.”

“Sure. I don’t think any of the couples I spoke with are worth a follow-up, though.” Melanie pivoted her upper body and stared out the passenger-side window. “But feel free to take a listen. Maybe I missed something.”

“Hmm. What about the couple who is expecting a baby? You seemed really interested in them. I noticed you, ah, sat with them longer than any of the others.”

“They were uneasy at first. Only reason I took more time with them was because they were shy. Part of my job is to make them comfortable, yes?”

“Well, yeah. Naturally. But you…” Hell, should he ask? How could he not? “You were upset when they left. Why?”

She let out a strangled-sounding laugh. “You’re imagining things. I wasn’t upset.”

“I know when a woman is upset, Mel, and you were upset.” Seeing the parking garage that the
Gazette
employees used, he slowed the car to take the turn. Dammit. He should’ve started this conversation the second they left the courthouse, because Melanie would likely fly from the car the instant it was stopped. “Your eyes were…shiny.”

“Shiny?”

“Yeah. Like you were about to cry.” He pulled the car into his spot and shut off the ignition. “Look at me, Mel. Please?”

She did, and he expected to see frustration on her face. Maybe even anger. But all he saw was confusion and hurt and an indefinable something that yanked at his heart. Hard.

“That woman is hardly more than a girl, and she’s pregnant,” Melanie said softly. “They got married because he knocked her up and they think it’s the right thing to do.”

“Do they love each other?”

“They
think
they love each other.”

“Then marriage is the right thing to do.” Jace absolutely believed that. “If they love each other and they’re bringing a baby into this world, then marriage is the appropriate step.”

“They don’t know what they’re getting into.” Shifting, Melanie unbuckled her seat belt. “They’re too young. Like barely into college young.”

“Young makes most everything harder, but not impossible.” Jace watched Melanie carefully, almost warily. He sensed this conversation was important. If he said the wrong thing, she would bolt. “On the other hand, most of us don’t realize that until we have some life experience. We just roar in, tackling everything head-on, believing that failure isn’t even an option. That can be an advantage.”

“An advantage, Jace?” Melanie tipped her chin so their gazes met. “Really?”

Jace nodded, choosing to stay quiet.

“Things will be great for them at first, I’ll give you that. Then the baby will be born. The baby will be loved and cherished and everything will be fantastic. Until they start worrying about money, doctor’s bills, stuff the kid needs…and…and maybe they’ll stick it out for a while. Maybe for years, even. Until one day, Daddy decides it’s all too much responsibility, so maybe he starts thinking about how his life could’ve been. Maybe he takes off, leaves his wife. Leaves his child.” The words poured from Melanie in a rush, each one bleeding into the next. “What happens to the kid then, Jace?”

“Whoa, Mel.” Jace grasped her hand and squeezed. His brain was buzzing as he began to put two and two together. “Take a breath. You have no way of knowing—”

“I’ll tell you what happens. That kid grows up wondering where her father went, wondering why he left, wondering if he ever loved her at all.” Melanie shook her head, and tears pooled in her eyes. “And the wife…she’ll spend
her
life trying to find love again, trying to replace the relationship she thought was going to last forever. But she’ll miss him. She’ll always miss him, even twenty years later.”

Melanie blinked, as if surprised she’d said so much. Her tears, which she’d managed to hold back until now, slid down her face and dripped off her chin. She angrily swiped them away, but they kept coming. Jace ached to pull her into his arms, hold her tight, comfort her until she stopped crying. But he was afraid she’d run if he tried.

Instead, he brushed his thumbs along her cheeks, capturing her tears as they fell. “How old were you when your dad took off?”

“Seven,” she said quietly, her brown eyes centered on his. “I never saw him again.”

“No every other weekend at his place or summer trips to the lake?” Jace had to ask, even though she’d already stated she’d never seen her father again. Mostly because the idea of it just didn’t compute. “Just gone?”

“Just gone,” she confirmed. “And he never warned me. Never even hinted that he might not be around when I woke up. Just read a few pages from my book, like he did every night, and that was the last time I saw him.”

Lacing his fingers into her hair, Jace leaned over and dropped a light kiss on her forehead. It was pure instinct to do so, and he was shocked when she didn’t pull back. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. So very sorry you’ve carried this around with you.”

“But that’s just it. I haven’t.” She inhaled a jagged breath. “Or at least, I don’t think I have. Recently, though, I’ve been—” She sort of shook herself. “Today, I mean. That interview… I guess it dredged up memories I thought were long forgotten.”

Jace knew that wasn’t the complete truth, and while he wanted to push, wanted her to trust him enough to tell him everything, he chose not to. He couldn’t. Not when Melanie seemed so fragile. “That can happen. I…I had a moment today, myself.”

Now she shifted away, as if suddenly realizing her close proximity to Jace. He dropped his hands to his lap, missing the feel of her immediately. She wrapped her arms around herself and asked, “Really? What, um, what happened?”

So he told her about his younger brother and how the couple with the soon-to-be-deployed bride had stirred up memories of Seth. The fear that often struck Jace out of nowhere, that his out-to-save-the-world brother might never make it home. Words poured out of Jace’s mouth that he barely admitted to himself, let alone spoke to another person.

He finished with, “I respect the hell out of Seth and what he’s doing, but I also hate what he’s doing. Why couldn’t he have chosen a safer career? One that kept him here…where I could look after him?” Jace shrugged to lessen the tension tightening his shoulders. “I mostly try not to think about it, but every now and then—like today—something or someone reminds me, and that’s all it takes.”

Melanie’s gaze softened as she looked at him. “It’s natural to worry about the people we love. I’ve spent most of my life worrying about my mom. Is Seth able to check in every so often?”

“Oh, yeah. He calls whenever he can, and we get emails more regularly.”

“It’s sweet you want to look out for him. How old is Seth?”

“Two years younger than me. Thirty-two. Why?”

“You’re thirty-four?” Melanie’s lips spread into a grin when he nodded. “Why, Jace, you’re almost an old man.”

“I am nowhere near being an old man,” Jace said quickly, wanting to strike that thought out of her head right away. He knew they were seven years apart, but hell, that wasn’t so much. Besides, what did age have to do with anything? “Nowhere near,” he repeated.

“Okay,” she said easily, though the smile remained. “But Seth is older than I am, doing what he wants to do. I doubt he needs looking after.”

“He’s still my baby brother. It is still my job to watch over him.”

She seemed to consider that for a minute before asking, “Who watches out for you?”

“My brothers, my parents.” Jace lifted his hand, ready to reach over and stroke her cheek again, but had second thoughts. This was the most honest conversation he’d had with a woman in a long, long time. Well, a woman who wasn’t a relative. He didn’t want to ruin it. “My sister-in-law. Hell, my entire family.”

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to have so many people in your corner. It’s just been me and my mom for…well, nearly forever.” There was a sad, almost melancholy note to her voice that struck Jace deep. “But we’ve managed.”

Anger at a man he’d never met boiled in Jace’s blood. “Your father isn’t worth a second thought, Mel. You and your mom deserved a hell of a lot more.
Still
deserve more.”

“Wow, Jace,” Melanie said in an overly bright voice. “For once, we actually agree on something.” In a snap, the atmosphere in the car changed. Melanie leaned over to grab her bag from the floor, unzipped it and took out the digital voice recorder she’d used that day. “Let’s make the switch now and get back to work. We’ve been out here for a while.”

Yep, their conversation—and this moment—was over. “Sure,” he said, retrieving his recorder. They made the exchange, and Melanie went for the door. “Wait a minute, Mello Yello. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m always fine, Jace, but thanks for asking.” With that, she let herself out, gave a little wave before closing the door and headed toward the elevator.

Jace didn’t move right away, and Melanie didn’t look back, not even to check to see if he was following. He let the information he’d learned sift through his brain, let it merge with what he already knew about her and tried to fill in the missing pieces.

A dad who’d taken off with no warning and no explanation. A mom who, while loving and supportive of her daughter, had dated one man after another in her search to replace the husband who’d broken her heart. Melanie had said that love was the theme of Loretta’s life, so that made sense. It fit.