Part 4 (1/2)

”I thought they'd never leave,” I say when Matty and Tyler finally head outside to get the grill going. ”So what's happening? How was Vegas? Are you and my brother like ... a couple now?” I tried talking to her about this while I was on my honeymoon and I found out they were in Sin City. I half expected to come home and find they had eloped. As much as it would've killed me to miss my brother's wedding to my best friend, I'm kind of disappointed he didn't slap a ring on it and call it a day. They've been doing this dance half their lives already. What the h.e.l.l are they waiting for?

”Sh.e.l.ly?” She waves her hands in the air. ”Where are you?”

”Oh. Sorry,” I say, snapping out of my thoughts. ”Carry on. Tell me. What's happening?”

She kicks off her flip flops and tucks her feet under her as she turns toward me with her elbow resting on the back of the sofa. ”Am I talking to my best friend right now? Or Tyler's sister?”

”Can't I be both?”

She's all fidgety and serious. So unlike Mel. ”No, you can't. My best friend will listen to me and give me advice. Tyler's sister will listen and then tell him everything I say and possibly mess everything up.”

I get it. I think, anyway. ”So you're saying, you want me to listen but keep my big trap shut with my brother.”

She groans. ”When you put it that way, there's no f.u.c.king way you can do it. Anything I tell you will turn into a long drawn out convo with your bro and I'll never know how he truly feels. I'll always wonder if he's with me because he wants to be or because he's afraid of his little sister.”

I can see the tears flooding her eyes as she hangs her head. Oh no. What the h.e.l.l did he do to my friend? This is not the Mel I know. The strong Melissa who decked her ex-husband's floozy in a parking lot, had a good cry, and moved on in a matter of days. This Mel looks like she's about to drown in heartbreak with her quivering lip and gla.s.sy eyes. ”Melly belly, don't be sad. I'm your best friend and I always will be. I've got your back, even when it comes to my brother. Unless you do something to hurt him, then I'll have to kill you with my bare hands.”

She glances up at me with the corners of her mouth lifting. ”I'd never hurt him and you know that. I've loved that guy since the first time I realized I thought boys were cute. I'd never hurt him.”

”Then, is he hurting you? You're obviously upset.”

She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and sucks in a mouthful of air before exhaling slowly. ”Here's the deal. I have no idea what's going to happen once Tyler leaves tonight. We still have close to two months of school left and I don't know if I'll even see him during that time. I want to see him. I want this thing we have to continue, but I'm not sure it will.” She pauses and takes another long breath. ”But what I don't want is for you to say something to him. I can't have you telling him to be with me or not to hurt me. If he decides he wants it to work, I want it to be real. I don't want you influencing him or pressuring him to do anything he doesn't want to do.”

I nod, knowing exactly what she means. I'd want the same thing for me if I were her. ”Don't worry. I get you. I won't say a thing to him. But can I tell you something?”

Her eyes perk up. ”Sure. Shoot.”

”I want you two to stay together. Besides the fact that you're meant to be, I really love having him around. I can tell he's happy with you and I'm happy to see him. I've missed him so much since he left. So I'm being a little selfish by wanting you guys to make a go of it.”

”I'm also being selfish when I say I want it to work too, but at what cost?” She looks down at her tiny hands and perfect manicure. ”I don't want to move. And I don't want him to have to move either. But this long distance thing sucks a.s.s. He hasn't even left yet and I already miss him.”

”Honey, don't worry just yet. You're talking like a relations.h.i.+p with my brother is doomed before it's even had the chance to get started. Things have a way of working out. Look at me and Matty. Who woulda thunk it?” I sure as h.e.l.l wouldn't have. For a few years, he had been our sidekick. Like our mascot. Matty would go shopping with us, tag along to the movies to see chick-flicks, and a couple times he even went with us to get our toes done. While I always thought he was good looking, I never considered him doable. Now, I take any chance I can to do do him. him.

”I always knew,” Mel says, interrupting my thoughts of my naked husband. ”You don't think he hung around with us because he liked to talk s.h.i.+t about Summer and eat chocolate, do you? I'm sure he only went with us to see Something Borrowed Something Borrowed because he wanted to figure out a way to borrow you from Chase. He's been hot for you since the day we met him.” because he wanted to figure out a way to borrow you from Chase. He's been hot for you since the day we met him.”

I like her way of thinking. I never saw it but I must say, it makes me feel pretty d.a.m.n good to hear it. I glance over my shoulder at the sliding door leading to our back yard. Beyond the patio, my husband and brother are chatting, both with beers in hand, and Matty holding a long spatula in his other. Ty must have said something funny, causing my man to tip his head back with laughter. ”They look so cute out there. I'm so relieved they get along so well.”

Mel nods. ”They're both easy going so there's no surprise there.”

I down what's left of my beer and hop to my feet. ”Let's go join them. I haven't spent this much time without touching my husband since the night before our wedding. I'm itching to get my hands in his pants so we might need to cut this dinner short.”

Mel snorts at this just as she's taking a drink of her wine. Her face scrunches up as she tries to get the liquid down before she starts coughing. ”Are you trying to kill me?”

”It's that d.a.m.n wine again. I think you're finally starting to come to your senses. You've barely had a sip.”

”I blame it on your wedding. I haven't been able to drink much of anything since.”

”An open bar has that effect on people.”

”I guess,” she says, placing her gla.s.s on the counter.

”There's some water in the cooler outside. I should probably drink some too to cool me down.” I wave my hand in front of my face.

She shakes her head with a chuckle. ”Don't worry, we only have a few hours before I have to get your brother off to the airport again. So you'll have a handful of nuts in no time.”

I rub my hands together as we walk out onto the patio. ”I can't wait.”

Chapter 6

The wheels are turning at G force speeds in my head. Before I can grasp anything I'm actually thinking, my mind wanders to something new. I gaze at Tyler, driving my car, while we head to the airport.

We had a great dinner with Sh.e.l.ly and Matt. They look amazing, and so very happy. I was married before, but I don't remember feeling that sweet glow that Shel exudes with such intensity and sincerity. And the way Matt looks at her makes my heart swell with joy. His eyes light up when she walks into the room. He hangs on her every word like it's the most important thing he'll hear that day. The love in their eyes when they look at each other is that of a movie. I swear they're Noah and Allie. Only they didn't have to wait so long to finally end up together. But that love, everlasting and true? It's there.

”What are you thinking about?” Ty asks, glancing over at me as he turns into a parking structure.

I can't help but smile, in awe of my friends. ”Shel and Matt.”

”They're kinda perfect together, aren't they?” His smile reaches all the way to his eyes as he speaks of his sister. ”I'm so happy for her. He's a great guy and it makes me feel good knowing how much he loves my little sister. I can see just how much every time he looks at her.”

”Well, they're not kinda perfect. They really are perfect. They could bottle up their happiness and sell that stuff. Just thinking of them puts a smile on my face.”

He reaches across the center console of my car and places his hand over mine. ”I love it when you smile.”

As much as I'd like to flash him my pearly whites, the reality of what's about to happen sets in as he parks the car, and my smile fades. ”Why are we parking? I can't go in the terminal.”

”I know. But we have some extra time. I thought I could spend my last few minutes with you talking, and maybe a little kissing.”

My belly is filled with b.u.t.terflies, skittering around, wings flapping and sending flutters of nerves bouncing around my insides.

The thought of kissing Tyler for the final minutes of him being in the same city as me sounds fantastic, but it doesn't stop the uneasiness I feel down deep in my gut.

I'm so in love with him, my heart doesn't know whether to beat like crazy out of sheer happiness, or pound out of pain. Every time he leaves, it's like a hole rips open in my chest and I can't stop reliving having to say goodbye and wondering what will happen next.

The mind is an evil thing.

Especially when my over eager imagination is working hard at giving me an ulcer. Last night, I had a dream that I sent him off on the plane today with a scorching hot kiss. But when he landed in Frisco, some faceless hot woman with long legs, a curvy a.s.s, and wavy black hair met him at the gate with a smooch that set off fire alarms. Just thinking of it again makes me want to punch Tyler even though I know he didn't do anything. And even if he does have some hussy waiting for him at home, what does it matter? It's not like we've made any commitments to each other. Not that walking down that road really makes a difference either. My lying-cheating-no-good-sappy-country-song of an ex-husband taught me that.

”What's got your beautiful face all crumpled up?” Ty asks, brus.h.i.+ng his index finger in the crease between my eyes.

There's not a thing I can do to hide my emotions. Everyone knows I can never keep my lips zipped and I always say the first thing that comes to my mind. And even when I try hard to bite my tongue, my facial expressions give it away. Like now.

”Fine. Want to know?”