Pulled (37 page)

I immediately had her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me, reassuring her. “Baby, it’s okay. Just stay here and be quiet.”

On the inside, I was terrified. If he found her here, I could only imagine what would happen.

I sifted through the clothes on the floor, producing my underwear and pul ing them on as fast as I could. I tossed Melanie my button up, figuring it would provide more coverage than her dress. I pressed my index finger to my lips before I walked from the room and shut the door behind me.

Whoever was there impatiently knocked on the door, spiking my nerves. I tentatively crossed the floor, peeking through the smal hole.

Erin.

I breathed a sigh of relief, before a whole new set of worries flooded me. Was Melanie ready for this? Today had been such an incredibly draining day, fil ed with so many emotions and issues, and we stil had so much to work through. I real y felt it was best that we resolved some of those things before we faced our families. Not to mention that Melanie probably wouldn’t want to be discovered under these circumstances. Resolved to tel Erin I was busy and get rid of her as quickly as possible, I swung the door open before she could use her key to unlock it. Grinning, my baby sister flung herself into my arms, hugging me tightly. “Hi, Daniel.”

“Hey.” I smiled warmly as I hugged her before taking two steps back and planting my feet to block her entrance. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were in town.”

“I came in at the last minute. A couple of houses came on the market this week that my realtor wanted me to see, so I flew in. I wanted to stop by to say hi before I went to Mom and Dad’s.” She stepped forward, but I didn’t back down.

Glancing up and down at me, she scowled as if just noticing that I was standing there in nothing but my underwear. Her voice lowered as she studied me. “You’re not alone, are you?”

My lips tightened into a line. I shook my head slowly.

She glowered at me and narrowed her eyes

before hissing under her breath, “What in the hel is wrong with you, Daniel? Haven’t you learned anything? God, you’re so stupid. Look at what happened...” Erin’s face paled, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as her other reached out to push me aside.

I turned. Melanie stood in the doorway to my bedroom, clad in nothing but my dark blue shirt. Tears streamed down her face.

Erin looked at me, her eyes wild, shocked, confused, hurt. For some reason, I felt that I had to confirm the obvious, silently nodding as I al owed a smal smile to spread across my face. Erin dug her fingers into my arm. I couldn’t tel if she was angry or faint. They remained silent as they studied each other. Slowly, they advanced toward one another, cautious, each unsure of where the other stood.

Al it took was Melanie reaching out a shaky hand for them to end up in an embrace.

“You two have some explaining to do.” Erin glared at me, probably because I’d kept my reunion with Melanie from her, but her joy was too great for her to hold on to any anger.

I clutched my steering wheel, wil ing myself to breathe as I watched her drive away from me.

We’d spent more than an hour with Erin. Melanie had sat upon my lap while Erin curled up beside us, Melanie’s hand intertwined with hers. Erin wanted to know everything, bristling as we told her about the events that had driven us apart. It was obvious their wounds would easily heal. There would be no grudges kept, no resentment over what the other had not known.

Erin final y left, but only after receiving a promise that I would join Mom and her in the morning for breakfast. I readily agreed, anxious to spend time with my family and to get her out the door. I was eager to continue the earlier conversation with Melanie.

As it turned out, I was weak and incapable of standing my ground when Melanie insisted she needed to see through what she’d started. I didn’t want to let her go, yet I realized that if I made her stay, it would be against her wil , and I didn’t want to be anything like that asshole. I refused to be the guy who wouldn’t let her make her own decisions. It left me stuck between doing what I
knew
was right and what she
felt
was right.

In the end, I had relented with the caveat that if he hurt her again in any way, that would be it and that we wouldn’t drag this shit out. She promised it was already working as proven by his sudden presence at the Preston’s this evening. She was positive she would only need to stay a few weeks.

The moment she was gone, fear saturated my every thought. Would he be waiting up for her when she got home? What if he hurt her, I mean, real y hurt her. I couldn’t even fathom it.

I was on the road to her house before I even realized what I was doing. I had to ensure she was safe. If she felt as if she had to stay here, fine, but she didn’t have to do it alone.

I must have driven faster than Melanie because the garage door had just touched down on the cement behind her car just as her house came into view.

Hopeful y, Nicholas was already asleep. It was late, the green glow from the dash displaying “two-thirteen.” Only the trees rustled in the wind, and a dog barked in the distance. Other than that, it was complete and total silence. My mind buzzed as I listened acutely for Melanie. I strained to feel her as she moved around the darkened house. The only light came from two dim lamps il uminating the porch, casting black shadows across the face of the white mansion.

A light flickered on in a downstairs window. I reasoned it was the same room we’d shared just two days ago. Somehow, that gave me a bit of comfort.

I reached for my phone and typed a quick

message to let her know I was right outside if she needed me. She responded only seconds later that she was safe and bid me a goodnight. I wished her the same, pressed send, and sent my heart with it, waiting until darkness swal owed the house before I forced myself to drive away.

Erin and Mom tried to keep me sufficiently distracted after they’d coerced me into joining them in their search for a new home for Erin. I just couldn’t say no, not after how unbelievably happy Mom was when Erin had
accidentally
let it slip about what she’d walked in on last night. It was as if the worry of years had been erased from Mom’s face in one passing moment. Of course, when I had to explain our circumstances, a completely new set of concerns faced her.

I spent the morning as a backseat passenger, only offering my opinion when asked as I fol owed Mom and Erin from house-to-house and room-to-room.

After what seemed like hours, we headed to the last place on the list. We were exhausted, and Erin was no closer to a decision than when we’d first started. I had blocked out the conversation happening ahead of me as we fol owed a path across a smal grassy yard and ascended three steps. My thoughts were twenty miles away, wondering what Melanie was doing and wishing that I were sharing it with her. My mind was so far away I didn’t realize Erin and Mom had stopped in the doorway. I rammed directly into Erin’s back because I’d been staring at my feet as I walked across the wooden porch. Startled, I caught her, muttering an apology. I became aware they were both studying me, their mouths slightly agape. My brow furrowed before I glanced around the room. My heart

stuttered as I processed the sight in front of me.

I braced myself against the doorframe to keep myself from fal ing.

It was so similar to our little house, but more than that, it
felt
the same.

Erin fidgeted anxiously beside me, and Mom stood rigid, giving me time. Both knew what that house had meant to me. They knew I had wanted to raise a family there, had wanted to fil it with laughter and love. Instead, I had tainted it with my mistakes, left the bed defiled. I had simply walked out the front door and never returned. Mom had dealt with clearing out my things. She’d kept what she knew I would want, what I would eventual y treasure, even if I couldn’t bear to look at them at that time. Then she sold the house to the first person who made an offer. I’d just wanted to be rid of it. It had held al my hopes of a life that was shattered, and I couldn’t bear that it had become a reminder of what would never be.

I felt Mom’s soft, warm hand slip in mine, and I glanced down at her as she nodded her wordless encouragement, tel ing me I was home.

The rest of the weekend proved to be tortuous simply because of Melanie’s absence. With Nicholas home through the weekend, we were left with texts and one quick cal spread out over too much time. By the time Monday morning rol ed around, my spirit was rumbling, churning, reaching out, demanding hers.

I glanced at the clock. It was stil two hours before lunch, which would give me plenty of time to finish what I needed to do at the office before I could take off for the rest of the afternoon.

I dialed Melanie’s number, praying she could get away. It only took one ring before my body buzzed. Even the sound of her voice had a physical affect on me.

“Hey,” she whispered in a breathy voice.

“Hey, baby. Can you get away for a couple of hours?”

“Of course,” her answer was immediate, always as anxious as I was.

“Meet me at my office at noon?”

“Okay. Love you.”

“Mmm, love you too. See you soon.” I hung up smiling, eager to see my girl. I settled quickly into work to square things away so I could enjoy the afternoon with her. I was so wrapped up in my work, sorting through seemingly endless piles of paper that I jumped when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I chuckled when I saw the name on the screen for the tenth time since Saturday.

“Hey, Mom.” She was thril ed, beside herself with excitement, wondering if I’d talked to Melanie and when I was taking her to show her the house. I laughed, saying I hoped I’d be able to take her there this afternoon. I laughed as I told her yes, I was nervous, and no, I didn’t regret it—

yet.

I just hoped it wouldn’t be the wrong kind of reminder, one that would take Melanie back to the place where we had lost each other. I prayed it would be a reminder of the hope we’d had for our future, the future that now we would be able to live. I knew there would be a big, gaping hole where Eva should have been, but it stil felt right. The energy had been there, working in ful force, and I had to take the chance.

The direct line from Lisa rang, and I asked Mom to hold on a sec with the receiver up to my other ear.

“Lisa?”

“Hi, Dr. Montgomery. You have a visitor.” I glanced at the clock; it was eleven minutes to twelve. Melanie was a few minutes early.

“Send her in.” I grinned and hung up. Turning my attention back to Mom, I smiled as I anticipated my girl walking through the door. “Hey, Mom, I have to go...” My mouth seized mid-sentence, and sweat

prickled across my forehead. I should have been paying more attention, but I’d been distracted by my conversation with Mom and thoughts of Melanie. My body hadn’t kicked in fast enough to tel me she was not here.

But Vanessa was. I hadn’t seen Vanessa since that fateful night. I had relied on correspondence from my attorney and ignored al her cal s and texts.

I didn’t want to talk to her, to see her, or to deal with her. She apparently didn’t get the picture because she entered my office and closed the door behind her. She turned to me, her chin held high as she eyed me with confidence.