Bachelor Mother (11 page)

“Sounds good. Mel and I can drive together.” He was trying desperately to figure out something to say to end the conversation. Alicia liked to talk on the phone and he had the damnedest time getting her to hang up.

This time was no exception. “Bubba, I’m worried about her.”

“Oh?” For a split second he wondered if Mel had told her anything about their night together. Alicia had a way of worming things out of people. She was extremely persistent.

“She has this physical problem and has only a few months to get pregnant. And she hasn’t done a thing about it.”

His lips began to curve upward into a smile. How like Mel, to keep private things private.

“I was surprised she didn’t ask you to help her out. I mean, living right next door and all…” her voice trailed away suggestively.

“I think it would be wise if we left that decision in Mel’s hands, don’t you think?” He was about to terminate the conversation when Alicia’s next words caught him totally off guard.

“I don’t know how much you know about getting women pregnant, Bubba, but I‘ve set her up with a friend of mine named Joel. I mean,
someone
  has to do something, don’t you think? Melanie certainly isn’t moving ahead on this matter. Anyway, it’s the right time for her to conceive this weekend and they’re going out to dinner on Friday night. It shouldn’t be too hard for her to just let nature take its course, especially with a man like Joel.”

His stomach felt as if it were caving in. “Why are you telling me this, Alicia?”

“I just thought… look out for her, Bubba. This can’t be an easy thing for her.”

I’ll be damned. So Alicia has depths I didn’t suspect.

“She’s so… I don’t know. I took her to a few bars when she first found out and even though men are really attracted to her type, she needs someone to look out for her.”

“I’ll do my best.”

They chatted for a few more minutes. Bubba ended the conversation as gracefully as he could. After turning his phone off, he stared out the sliding glass door.

It was dusk outside, the twilight deepening into cool evening. Henry had jumped up on the chaise when he’d left it, eager for the warm spot. But he barely saw the cat as his mind raced.

Joel. He sounds just like
Phillip
. Maybe it’s because they both have l’s in their names.
This didn’t sound good. Mel was just too vulnerable and Bubba had seen one too many of Alicia’s male friends. As much as she had displayed a quiet compassion for what Mel had to be going through, he knew Alicia’s head was still swayed by stupid things – what kind of car a man drove, how much money he made, how he dressed.

You’ll just have to think of a way to head this guy off at the pass.
He walked back over to the couch in his dark living room and lay down, his hands behind his head. As a plan began to take shape in his mind, he smiled.

Mel will forgive you. Someday.

Joel reminded Melanie of Phillip. There was the same quiet touch of masculine arrogance, the same assumption of certain things due him. He took her to a very exclusive, expensively decorated French restaurant and proceeded to order for both of them. In fluent French. Without consulting her.

She had a headache by the time the main entrée was served and merely picked at her food. Mel couldn’t get over the strange sensation that one of the things he felt “due” him was herself – spread out on a platter like the unfortunate chicken he’d ordered for her.

Alicia had been right. He
was
  handsome. Dark, with classic good looks, smoldering eyes, a straight, perfect nose and a sensual mouth.

The truly unfortunate thing was that he knew it.

Over liqueurs, which she didn’t touch, she debated whether she wanted to ask him in for coffee when he dropped her off. He’d probably expect it. But she’d love to see the look on his face when she simply skipped out of his expensive sports car and said, “It's been fun, Joel, but I’ve really got to run. Let’s do lunch, hmm?”

The thought made her smile.

“What are you thinking, lovely lady?”

Melanie almost grimaced at his slightly condescending tone. She wouldn’t nurse a broken heart over this man. At least he looked healthy and whole enough for what she had planned.

But she couldn’t stop thinking about Bubba.

About all the times she’d gone over to his house to watch a movie and they’d ordered a pizza and laughed their way through one ridiculous comedy after another, or the times he’d taken her to the beach and they’d both swum out into the ocean and floated on their backs in the buoyant, salty water. She’d never been afraid of deep water with Bubba by her slide.

“About how pleasant this evening has been, Joel,” she lied gracefully. Her morals were going straight to hell. After tonight’s mission was accomplished, she’d have to straighten out and fly right.

He seemed pleased. His dark eyes glowed with barely concealed admiration as they swept over her. She’d worn her hair up, pinning it with several strategically placed combs. Alicia had helped her pick out a dress over the phone and she'd settled for the classic light blue silk. She couldn’t help remembering the last time she’d put it on – that night with Bubba. She hadn’t felt comfortable in it then and she certainly didn’t feel comfortable in it now. She was more herself in a bikini, running along the shoreline and laughing with Bubba.

Why can’t you stop thinking about him? You made your decision. Live with it.

Joel approved of her, she could tell. He would think the same way Phillip had – that she was there for his pleasure. That she was beautiful would only whet his appetite but Mel already had a secret emotional plan. She wouldn’t respond. She would keep that small part of herself whole, never to be violated by the likes of him.

Yeah, like he'll even notice.

Joel signaled for the waiter, paid the check with a pretentious credit card and assisted her into the expensive jacket Alicia had loaned her. They walked outside into the balmy August night air, and he spoke softly with the parking attendant. When the red Porsche pulled up, he helped Melanie into the passenger eat, his hand lingering on her elbow for just a second more than necessary.

She stared out the front windshield, forcing herself to remain calm even though she felt like she was dying.

He slid into the driver’s eat and started up the engine. It purred softly. It even sounded expensive.

“Your place or mine?” he asked, one dark brow slanting up.

Mother of God.
“Mine.” She clasped her hands together tightly in her lap and spoke quickly before she could back down. “Would you like to come in for coffee?”

He knew what that was code for. The slightly smug look on his chiseled features made her want to punch him, if only to upset that perfect symmetry.

“I’d like that. Very much.”

Why do I get the feeling this guy has said the same thing a thousand times, with the same inflection?
But Alicia had been right. He was handsome and would do the job.

Miserable, she stared out the window as he headed back to her house.

* * *

“They’re leaving the restaurant now, Bubba, and heading toward Mel’s.”

“You’re sure?” Thank God for his best buddy, Terry. Thank God for cell phones and thank God they weren’t going back to Joel the worm’s bachelor pad.

“I’m right behind them. They’re on their way.”

“Terry, if anything happens, if they go anywhere else, just follow them and when they get outside of the car, grab Mel.”

“Don’t worry, Bubba. They’re turning west on Wilshire right now.”

“Thanks, Terry. I owe you one.” He could just picture Terry’s smile, the amusement sparkling in his green eyes. Bubba had met him in college. When Terry had broken up with his wife, he’d come out west. Bubba had given him a job, helped him get back on his feet both financially and emotionally. If there was one man he could trust, it was Terry.

“Good luck, old buddy.”

"I owe you one, Terry."

Bubba smiled and hung up the phone. Henry was sitting next to the phone on the end table, stretched out and enjoying the heat of the lamp.

“I’ve left you plenty of food, Hen. Don’t worry about me, boy. I’ll be back on Monday.” He gave the cat an affectionate pat. Henry swiped at his fingertips with his paws, held them, then gently bit them.

“Same to you, whatever that means in felinese.”

He didn’t have any time to spare. For once his athletic training was going to come in handy. Locking the back door behind him, he ran to the fence separating his and Mel’s backyard and scaled the chain links easily. Dropping down into her garden, he tried not to squash too many of her flowers.

The rest was ridiculously easy. He had a set of keys to the house. Donnie had insisted in case of an emergency. Though Bubba didn’t approve of the tight rein Mel’s older brother held over her, in this case Donnie’s stubbornness had come in handy.

He opened the back door with ease then locked it behind him. Mel had left one light in the living room on and one upstairs in her bedroom. He made his way to the dining room, just off the living room. Then he sat down, his body hidden from view by the dining room table.

They’ll be here any minute.
He hoped they were really coming there. He’d hate to think of the tongue lashing he’d receive from Mel if Terry had to kidnap her.

With a sudden flash of inspiration, he got up and raced to her refrigerator. Quickly pulling out bologna and bread, he made himself a sandwich. Then he grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the counter, put the rest of the meat and bread away in the refrigerator and grabbed a can of Italian blood orange soda.

Stalking back into the dining room, he sat down against one of the table legs and waited.

* * *

“Well, here we are.” Mel knew she was babbling, but she was so nervous. Her instincts were screaming this was a big mistake. Part of her, the very practical, stubborn aspect of her personality, knew she had to go through with it anyway.

Joel raced around to her side of the sports car to help her out but she was already shutting the door. To hell with him. She just wanted the evening over. Why play games? It was obvious they’d never see each other after tonight. She was sure she didn’t want to.

Her hands shook as she opened the door. Joel had made a move to take her key from her, do it for her, but she clung stubbornly to the last vestiges of her independence.

Just pretend he’s Bubba.

“You have such a charming home.”

And you aren’t an Academy Award winning actress. Just get this over with.

She supposed she ought to make a token show of making coffee but Joel solved the problem for her.

“Come here, princess.”

Princess! God, what do these guys do, go to the same finishing school?
  She gritted her teeth, forced a smile and walked straight into his arms.

He kissed her and his caresses left her totally cold. Mel was surprised to find that, despite the show of masculine confidence Joel had exuded earlier, he wasn’t much of a kisser. He was clearly in love with himself. Focusing on anyone else was clearly too much of an effort.

She started when she felt something soft and hairy twine around her legs.

Joel broke the kiss. “What the – ”

Mel glanced down and had to smile. Henry was weaving around their legs, leaving a tremendous amount of white cat hair all over Joel’s impeccable dark suit pants.

“Henry, what are you doing here?”

Henry!
  Bubba swore softly as he started to get up but he bumped his head on the side of the dining room table before he realized his presence was supposed to be a secret. For now.

That damn cat. He must've smelled the bologna.

“Henry! Hen!” He could hear Mel’s voice. She was coming closer. Henry darted into the dining room and Bubba grabbed him by the leg as he skidded past.

The cat started to yowl. Bubba put his hand over Henry’s mouth and he bit him instead.

“Don’t go after that hairy little beast, Melanie. He’s gone now. Let’s relax.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Mel said softly, “All right.”

Bubba slowly removed his hand from Henry’s mouth. With the inspiration that comes from desperation, he put a chunk of the bologna sandwich in front of Henry’s face.

The cat picked it up and proceeded to drag it into the kitchen.

Bubba sighed with relief. He knew Mel kept a bowl for Henry in her kitchen and Henry had a thing about eating out of bowls. That bit of bologna would occupy him for the next fifteen minutes. That was all the time Bubba needed.

“You are so exquisite, Melanie.” Joel’s voice floated into the dining room. “Take down your hair for me. I want to see the real you, that golden mane down around your shoulders.”

I’m going to throw up.
Bubba glanced at his watch. Maybe it would only take five minutes. The thought of this creep’s hands on Mel was enough to give him cardiac arrest.

There was too much silence from the living room. The lights were too low. Sandwich, apple, and soda can in hand, Bubba began to inch toward the doorway. He had to be careful. He didn’t want either of them to see him. Not yet.

There were folding doors between the dining room and living room, the panels like shutters. Bubba crawled up behind one of them and, holding his breath, moved ever so gently – just enough to give him the view he wanted.

They were on the couch. Mel’s hair was down and Joel was running his hands through it and kissing her at the same time. She didn’t seem to be having such a good time and Bubba was suddenly fiercely glad he’d thought up his crazy plan.

“Kiss me, Melanie, like you really mean it.”

Where did this guy get his dialogue? He couldn’t have been watching the same bad cable movies he and Mel enjoyed. Maybe he read horribly written novels, or maybe he was one of those guys who ordered the books in the backs of men’s magazines:
One Thousand and One Opening Lines
  or
Girls! Girls! Girls!
  Either way, this guy’s performance was
not 
impressive.