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‘Just enjoy it,’ she told her reflection. ‘Nothing is going to happen and at least you’ll have some nice memories to combat the awful ones.’ With a firm nod, she collected her bag and keys before heading out the door.
* * *
Melody arrived just over an hour later, but when George saw her he knew it had been worth the wait. The same reaction he’d experienced the night before hit him again. She was a vision of loveliness, dressed in a rich burgundy fabric that shimmered when she walked. Her hair was loose and he had the sudden urge to thread his fingers through her glorious mane that shone reddish-gold beneath the artificial lights. He was amazed at how strongly she affected him and although he’d done his best to fight it, he’d found he was losing the battle.
‘Hey. Here’s Melody,’ Andy announced, breaking into George’s intimate thoughts. George watched her look their way as Andy called her name and waved. She waved back and said something to the people who had waylaid her before heading in their direction. She walked with such grace and poise, holding her shoulders back. She was one elegant lady.
George waited impatiently for their gazes to meet and when they did he found it hard to disguise the desire he felt. He smiled quickly, hoping she hadn’t seen, but he doubted it. Even though he’d only met her yesterday morning, George knew she was a very perceptive woman.
He stood and held the back of the vacant chair next to him. ‘Here, have a seat. You must be exhausted.’
‘Thank you.’
‘How did the operation go?’ Andy asked from across the round table.
‘Routine,’ Melody replied. ‘How did you know?’
‘George said you’d been called to Theatre. So it was nothing interesting?’
‘Not really. Dislocated shoulder, fractured ulna, radius and Colles’.’
‘Sports injury?’
‘No. Actually, the patient sustained a fall.’ As she spoke, George motioned to the waiter, who nodded in understanding and soon brought out a meal for Melody.
‘I had the kitchen hold a meal for you. I knew you’d be hungry after being in clinic and then Theatre,’ he told her when she looked at him with delighted surprise.
‘That’s so considerate. Thank you, George.’ His thoughtfulness touched her deeply. How was she supposed to resist him when he did such nice things? ‘I thought I might have missed out.’
‘I knew you’d be hungry,’ he told her softly, delighted that he’d impressed her. He felt himself preen like a peacock and couldn’t stop it. ‘After all, you’ve been going non-stop since lunchtime.’
‘I’m famished,’ she agreed, and tucked right in. He was pleased to see she had a healthy appetite and didn’t appear concerned about her figure. Veronique had been the same. In fact, Melody had many of the same qualities as Veronique and in a strange way it comforted him. Perhaps that was the reason he’d been drawn to Melody in the first place.
As far as looks went, they were like chalk and cheese. Veronique had been a bit shorter than Melody, who he guessed to be about five feet eight inches. Where Melody had long auburn hair, Veronique’s had been blonde and short. Melody had green eyes, Veronique’s had been brown.
Yet a lot of their mannerisms were very similar. The way they walked. The intelligence, which was reflected in their eyes, and the way they could both make him laugh. It was uncanny and nerve-racking at the same time. The main difference he could see was that Melody was a surgeon and, therefore, understood every aspect of his work. That hadn’t always been the case with his wife. The simple delight he’d felt standing at the operating table by Melody’s side, assisting her with a routine procedure, had surprised him. The knowledge made him feel guilty, as though he was cheating on Veronique because he could share a part of his life with Melody that he hadn’t been able to completely share with his wife.
Melody was a giving, caring and open person, just as Veronique had been. It stood to reason that he’d be attracted to a woman with similar qualities, but where his feelings for Veronique had grown over time, his immediate awareness of Melody had caught him completely off guard. He wasn’t being fair to himself or to Melody—his guilt for feeling as he did, for even thinking about moving forward with his life, was a huge obstacle between them and, quite frankly, Melody deserved better.
What awaited him on his return was the life he’d left, the life of a confused, grieving man. He had an empty house, an empty car, an empty life without his wife. All of those possessions, even his job, held no delight for him any more and that’s why he wasn’t looking forward to the end of the tour.
