Living Lies (8 page)

“What do you think, Danny?” Melanie asked, not wanting to be the one to make the decision.

“Let’s go out with your friends,” he said.

“Terrific!” Ted’s smile returned in full force.

“I need to get these flowers in water,” Melanie smiled, pulling the bundle out of Trish’s hold.

Danny followed her into the kitchen.

“That was awkward,” he said, lifting her onto the counter and situating himself between her legs.

“I missed you.” Melanie ran her fingers through the back of his hair.

“I missed you.”

Danny tugged away from her lips, resting his head on her chest.

“Mel, I’d love to stay here kissing you, but I’m starving. When did we eat last?”

“Didn’t you have lunch?”

“Five doughnuts and two Gatorades.”

Melanie laughed. “Five?” She finished filling the vase with water and dropped the roses in.

“Ready?” Carla asked, linking arms with Melanie as they walked out.

“I’m sorry, Car, it’s impossible to say no to Ted.”

“I know, thanks for trying. Besides, it gives me a chance to get to know this boyfriend of yours.”

Outside the indigo was deepening to violet and the temperature had dropped a few degrees.

“We’ll meet you there,” Danny called out as he opened the door of the old Jeep for Melanie.

“How was your day?” he asked, leaning to give her a kiss even before starting the engine.

“Good. Practice?”

He nodded, “I got pummeled but I’m sure glad we’ve been exercising.” His lips spread into a smile.

The warmth of pure happiness spread through her.

“Was everything okay with Tony?” Melanie asked as the aged engine coughed and hacked before settling into a purr.

“Why? What was wrong with Tony?” Danny asked, pulling out into traffic. “Oh, right, because of last night.” Danny accelerated and darted across two lanes to get onto Highway 163.

“Tony’s fine. We said what we had to last night.”

Saturday night traffic into downtown was light and Danny had no problem keeping up with Ted. Melanie looked up into the starless sky and felt sorry for lonely moon.

“Didn’t you tell your friends about us? They looked, um, surprised to see me.”

Melanie flushed. “I think it was the kissing that startled them.”

“Can I ask you something?” Melanie asked, as silk-screened flags flying from lampposts featuring famous cherubs sailed outside her window.

“Anything.”

“Why do I call you Danny, when everyone else, including you, calls you Dan?”

He smiled. “I have no idea. You’re the only one who calls me Danny.”

Melanie blushed. “Why had I never noticed? It’s embarrassing.”

“No, I like it.” His eyes twinkled. “I was thinking that maybe we could go to my place tonight.”

“Is that what you were thinking?” she asked coyly to hide her apprehension.

“What’s the matter?” Danny asked, pulling to a stop in front of the Fish Market.

“Nothing.”

He turned to face her directly. “Is something wrong?”

“It’s just that I don’t think your friends liked me and … um …”

“Why would you think that?’ His brows pull together in a tight furrow.

“Oh, I don’t know.” Melanie said sarcastically.

Danny shook his head. “I don’t think they care who I date.” He smiled. “You’re cute.”

“What about all the other girls you’ve had there?”

The image of Danny and Carolyn streaked across her mind.

He breathed out heavily and ignored Ted motioning them to the entrance. “I like you. You’re beautiful and smart and I wonder why you’d waste your time on a guy like me. Mel, we all have our insecurities. I could tell you that I like you more than any one of those other girls. It would be true, but it wouldn’t erase them.” His rough hand tenderly caressed her cheek and he leaned forward to kiss her. “Are we okay?”

“Yeah, but I’m still not sure about your apartment.”

“Fair enough. I hope Carla doesn’t mind.”

Melanie laughed, figuring he wasn’t serious but she wasn’t totally certain.

An old warehouse adjacent to the harbor served as both restaurant and market. Melanie crossed the clean, white linoleum to the refrigerated glass cases that displayed fresh seafood. Sport fishing propaganda hung on the exposed brick walls with the remnants of many coats of paint still clinging to the corners. Along the back wall above the cases was a chalkboard menu of sandwiches, pastas, salads and lobster dishes, all fresh and made to order. Melanie chose a tuna on whole wheat. She had never been much of a fish eater and that preference intensified as she looked over the rows of silver, pink and blue fish dead on ice, their big, bulging eyes staring out blankly and their mouths still open from the fatal intake of oxygen.

“Carla, did you know that Dan is the best rugby player our university has ever seen?” He didn’t wait for a response. “Yeah, I’ve caught a few games throughout the years. Tough sport. Dangerous. You should see how the other teams go after Dan. Last season against UCLA, didn’t you crack a rib?”

Melanie flinched.

“It’s really not that bad,” Danny said.

Melanie’s eyebrows raised automatically. “Danny, I know how many classes you missed last season.”

For almost two weeks straight Melanie Xeroxed her notes, leaving them with the professor so Danny wouldn’t fall behind. She’d been extra diligent, troubling over her handwriting and abbreviations. She was ready to breathe fire when she discovered he’d shared her notes with others in the class. She confronted him the day he returned and demanded, with as much force as she could muster given his repentant, beautiful eyes, that he not do it again.

Tonight when she looked into those same regretful eyes she knew they were sharing the same memory. His hands enclosed hers and a grin danced across his serious expression.

“Did I ever thank you for all your help while I was laid up?”

“I’m not sure I gave you opportunity.”

“That’s no excuse. Melanie, I am sorry and thank you for seeing me through these past semesters. I appreciate how much you’ve helped me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Are we going to my place, tonight?” Danny asked, as Ted and Carla looked on.

Ted cleared his throat. “Well, I think I’ll go pay the check.”

“I’m staying with Ted, so you can have our room,” Carla whispered before joining her fiancé.

Danny had left early for a full day of rugby practice, so Melanie lay in her bed dreaming up excuses to get out of her family’s Sunday dinner. It was going to be tricky. She’d wrangled out of last week’s and her mother never allowed two cancellations in a row.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, Honey, I expect you here at 4:30 for dinner. No excuses,” Rita said before Melanie had a chance to plead her case.

“But...”

“Nope. 4:30. I don’t want to hear another word.” Then the unmistakable
click
, indicating there would be no further conversation.

“Mom, Mom?” She glared at her phone as if it were to blame.

Melanie slumped on her bed.

“What’s up with you?” Carla asked, finally home.

“Sunday dinner.”

“You know you can’t invite him,” Carla said, sitting with Melanie on her bed.

“He’s coming over after practice. What am I supposed to do?”

Carla shrugged. “Come to the bookstore with me and we’ll talk about it there.”

Melanie went, but her heart and mind were on Danny. After two hours following Carla around as she bought school supplies Melanie couldn’t take any more. It was 3:45 and she’d have to make a decision, soon.

“Carla, do you mind if I ditch you?” Melanie was ready to bolt.

“Why?’

“I’ve got to talk with Danny and I think his practice is over at 4.”

“Yeah, go.” Carla waved her away. “Good luck.”

Melanie sprinted across campus to the open grassy field where the boys played rugby. She slowed to a jog as she approached the golden sea of dry grass. The team was embattled in a full-force scrimmage. She spotted Danny immediately, his blond hair matching that of the parched field. Melanie held her breath as he hugged the oval ball, tucking it tightly against his chest right before he was tackled.

As Melanie approached she noticed that the two rows of benches, which extended half the length of the field on both the north and south sides, were mostly taken. She squeezed into a small gap between the edge of the bench and a girl wearing a Greek sweatshirt. The girl scowled, scooted four inches closer to her friend and resumed her conversation.

“Thanks,” Melanie said, grateful that the sorority girl warmed half her seat and not caring that she was unwelcome. Now she was able to rest both her cheeks on the aluminum bench.

The second girl leaned forward to take a glance at Melanie. Melanie smiled and gave a quick nod.

“I have no idea. Whatever.”

“Ashe is looking hot.”

Melanie tucked her hair behind her ear so she could hear their conversation without interference.

“I know. Did you hear he broke up with that Carolyn chick?”

“No way! When did that happen? Oh my God, is he available?”

Nobody saw the small smile cross Melanie’s face.

“Rumor has it he’s already hooked up with a new bimbo.”

The comment erased Melanie’s smile.

“Are you shitting me?”

“Sorry. Do you think she’s here?”

The two girls assessed the people watching the game.

“Maybe one of those skanks.”

Melanie’s gaze crossed the field toward three co-eds, with their dark brown tresses spiraling down their backs.

They had been standing, cheering since Melanie arrived. Their identical perms, sweat pants with seemingly harmless statements embroidered on the butt and layered baby-doll tees left no doubt to which sorority they belonged.

The coach, a short muscular man, blew his whistle and yelled out to the players to gather their stuff and meet back in the locker room. The Australian accent was a surprise to Melanie and she paid closer attention to the man hollering out names. Coach was maybe 5’2” with solid muscle and a bone structure far too thick for his short frame, giving him a prehistoric quality and putting him farther to the left

on the “evolution of man” chart.

As she lost interest in Coach’s genealogy, Melanie’s mind went back to Danny. The Kappas had him surrounded, giggling and flirting, and he didn’t seem to mind. Melanie watched the group as she crossed the field.

“Hi,” she said, standing just outside the little circle.

Danny looked up at her. Dust had caked into the creases of his sweaty skin.

“Hey.” He looked and sounded happy to see her.

“Excuse me,” he didn’t take another look at the other girls. “This is a surprise. I’d kiss you but...” he opened his arms and looked down to his dusty cleats.

“I don’t mind.”

He tasted of earth and salt as he pressed his hot, sticky body against her. His scent was strong, but she didn’t mind.

“Come on Ashe, Hartnett,” the coach scolded.

“I gotta go, but I’ll be over tonight,” he said, stepping out of the embrace.

Melanie clung a little tighter to his arm and pulled him closer.

“Well, that’s why I’m here. I won’t be home tonight,” Melanie said, nervously.

“Oh, okay.” He waited half an instant. “What’s up?’

Melanie clenched her bottom lip between two teeth. “My family has a weekly dinner and I wasn’t able to get out of it.” She felt her guilt rise.

“Okay, well, that’s all right,” he said, looking back at the coach. “Call me when you get home.” He ran the back of his fingers gently across her cheek.

“Ashe!”

“I’ll be right there.” Danny looked back to Melanie. “I gotta go. Call me, I’ll come over.” After a smile and a quick kiss, Danny slung his sports bag across his shoulder.