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“He could just as easily record in LA.” And oh how Kyle wished he would. “I’m sure most of his artists would prefer that.”
“Hunter likes the vibe at Ugly Trout. And you know how fantastic Nate is to work with. I’m sure he’s hoping to do a little collaborating with him.”
Kyle stared at his penne in spicy vodka tomato cream sauce and found his appetite had vanished. Somehow this delightful surprise for Melody had led to a disagreeable revelation for him.
“You really need to get over this antagonism you have toward Hunter.”
“I’ll get over it when you convince me he doesn’t want you back.” And when she convinced him that she was going to stop running from their problems.
“He doesn’t. In fact, he’s been seeing Ivy Bliss.”
“I thought he was just producing her new album.” The pop princess had been recording her latest album with Nate at Ugly Trout Records up until a couple weeks ago when artistic differences caused Ivy to walk away.
“Apparently they’ve been involved professionally and personally. So you can see there’s no reason for you to worry.”
Kyle nodded. Upsetting Melody with his suspicions was only going to drive her further away. The smart thing to do would be to figure out a different way to get the DJ to back off. Except that Hunter wasn’t the whole problem.
“There’s just one last thing that’s been on my mind,” he said in careful tones. The question that had been eating at him for a long time could no longer be contained.
“What?”
“When things started to go wrong. First between you and Hunter and later between us.” His heart thundered as her full attention became locked on him. “Why did you fight for Hunter and run away from me?”
* * *
At Kyle’s question, Melody found herself opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. Her brain seized like an overtaxed computer. He was right. She had done that and it wasn’t at all fair. She couldn’t explain why for a year and a half she’d put up with Hunter taking her for granted, but when Kyle challenged her on
one thing—granted it was a pretty huge thing—she’d shut him down the same way she had...her father.
“It was different with Hunter.” Immediately she saw this was the wrong thing to say. She shouldn’t compare the two relationships. Yet how else to explain? “He neglected me. I was always chasing after him, never quite knowing if he wanted me or not.”
“And I never did any of those things. You know I want you in my life.”
She gave a reluctant nod, unsure how to explain herself. Maybe it was that her relationship with Kyle felt more important than what she’d had with Hunter.
“You hurt me.”
Kyle’s eyes widened. “How many times did Hunter make you cry?”
“Dozens.”
The media had linked him with several women while he’d been seeing Melody. Hunter had claimed they were just friends, but she’d never known if things were truly innocent. And then there were all the times when he’d forgotten to call when he promised he would or to show up for a date. He’d even forgotten her birthday.
“And yet you hung in with him.”
“Okay, I see your point,” she grumbled. But it was different. Somehow. She recognized it in her gut. “I don’t have a reason I can point to.”
The way his lips thinned as he pressed them together infuriated her. What did he expect? She couldn’t explain to him something she didn’t understand herself.
“We could get to the bottom of it if we went to see someone.”
Again, his offer made her blood freeze. She couldn’t understand why. “Can it wait until after I’ve finished my album?”
“Of course.” He sounded agreeable, but worry shadowed his expression. “But I think we need to do something in the meantime. That’s why after we left the doctor’s appointment earlier, I called a counselor in LA I trust.”
Feeling ambushed, Melody demanded, “You talked to someone about our problems?”
“Relax,” Kyle said. “She’s someone I’ve been going to for years.”
