“I thought you didn’t let strangers poke around in your studio,” Richard said.
Ben smiled with more animation than Richard had seen in months.
“But Melanie’s not a stranger, is she? From what I gather she’s practically family,” he said in a tone that sounded almost like the Ben of old, full of life and mischief.
Destiny had filled him in, all right, Richard thought grimly. Or Mack. Either way, Ben seemed to be enjoying it, and that counted for a lot these days.
Melanie linked her arm through Ben’s. “Don’t believe everything you hear,” she confided. “Some people are more confident than they should be. Now, would you mind pouring me a glass of wine, since your brother hasn’t seen fit to do it yet?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Ben said, crossing the room with her.
Richard stared after them in amazement. Even Mack looked astonished.
“Stop gaping,” Destiny scolded. “Richard, you of all people should know what an amazing woman Melanie is.”
“I had no idea she was a miracle worker,” he mumbled, his gaze still following her as she chatted with his brother. Seeing her work her magic on Ben reassured him that his plan for tomorrow’s family gathering was a wise one. It was time to raise the stakes. He simply wasn’t sure anymore whether it had anything at all to do with Destiny.
Melanie felt like the worst sort of fraud. She was beginning to hate this stupid agreement she’d made with Richard to deceive Destiny into thinking they were getting serious about each other. Half a dozen times the night before, she’d been tempted to spill the truth and let the chips fall where they may, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to utter the words. She had a feeling her reticence was just the tiniest bit self-serving. She liked Richard. She liked his family. And some part of her that was doomed to heartbreak didn’t want the charade to end.
She suspected that Richard knew that, too, and was using it to keep her in the game. He was sneaky like that, not in a mean way, but to protect his own interests. Whatever those interests were. She was no longer sure about that, not after some of the hints he’d been dropping lately. And not after he’d kissed her for so long the night before, church bells had been chiming the end of midnight services when he’d stopped. At least, she hoped those were the bells she’d heard ringing. Otherwise, she was in more trouble than she’d imagined.
“I should not be doing this,” she told herself even as she showered and began dressing to return to Destiny’s for Christmas brunch. “Nothing good can come from it.” She stared at her reflection in the steamy bathroom mirror and nodded agreement, then sighed. “But I’m going anyway.” Her tone was more resigned than defiant.
Once she was dressed, she made calls to her family to wish them a happy holiday.
“We miss you,” her mother said. “When are you coming home?”
“Soon, I hope,” Melanie promised, feeling instantly homesick.
“Stop pestering the girl,” her father said. “She’s busy. She’ll come when she can.”
“Thanks, Dad. I love you guys.”
“What are you doing today?” her mother asked.
Now there was a quagmire if ever she’d seen one, Melanie thought. “Having brunch with friends,” she said neutrally.
“Anyone we know?” her mother wanted to know.
“No.”
“You’re pestering again, Adele.”
Her mother chuckled. “How am I supposed to find out anything, if I don’t ask? Melanie never volunteers anything. She’s exactly like you.”
“Then that should tell you that poking and prodding won’t get you what you want to know,” her dad countered. “You ever have any luck with that with me?”
“Now that you mention it, no,” her mother said. “Okay, I’ll give up for now, since it’s Christmas.”
“Probably the best gift you’ve ever given the girl,” Melanie’s father teased.
“Oh, Dad, it is not,” Melanie said, laughing at the familiar bickering. “Be nice, or she’ll cut you off without any pumpkin pie.”
“Never happen,” he said. “She knows I’ve got her present hidden away where she’ll never find it and she’s not getting it till I’ve had my pie.”
“You two are a riot,” Melanie said. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?” her mother asked, sounding puzzled.
“Stay married for all these years and have so much fun with each other,” Melanie elaborated.
“Why, we love each other, of course,” her mother said.