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“No. It’s not. It’s not fair that you experienced that.” His voice caught.
“You should know that meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. It kept me from a lot of things I probably would have done otherwise. I didn’t sleep with another guy until college.”
She’d be a single mom with kids running all over, smoking away her sorrows from a second-story balcony in a section-eight apartment if she hadn’t met TJ when she did. She’d be like her mom if not for TJ.
He was silent for a time, and then he reached out and ran a feather-light finger over her clenched hand. “What Drew said last night was wrong. You’ll know how to give more than your body when it’s the right thing to do. None of those guys were right. None of them deserved your heart.”
Tears ran down her face, and she tried to offer a wobbly smile. But then another cramp rocked her body, and she began rolling into a ball, the only position that offered minimal relief. Too late, she realized her tea and chocolate were coming up. TJ handed her the bucket at the right moment, never leaving her side, and he offered her a tissue when she’d finished heaving.
She blew her nose and eased down with a groan. “My mom always called me a drama queen during my periods. As if I could make up this kind of pain.”
A hand smoothed against her brow. She elongated her neck to stretch into the sweet touch.
“Your mom was wrong, too. About many things, but especially about you. I think you’re perfect. I always have.”
She let out a light laugh. “No one’s perfect.” Least of all her.
“True. But you’re the perfect Melody. I hope you always stay that way. Now.” He pressed a finger to his lips and stood. “Be quiet and rest. I have a book to write. And then we have a show to put on tonight.”
Chapter Eleven
“Psst. How are you feeling?”
They had made it almost to the end of Act II. Melody and TJ were backstage, waiting for the last scene of the act to wrap up. It featured the bumbling matchmaker and other minor characters, providing the leads a brief respite, although Melody reverted to stage director in between her own scenes.
She checked the schedule. Two minutes until she had to be on stage again for the final act. And the kiss.
Butterflies fluttered in her tummy at the thought.
“I’m okay,” she said softly to TJ. It was sweet of him to ask. She was as good as she could be when her period showed up unannounced. Her doctor had ruled out endometriosis, which was a relief. But he had no plausible explanation for why she suffered from irregular periods that picked and chose when to behave—and when not to. The worst ones were accompanied by severe cramps that drained her of all energy, nausea and vomiting, and heavy blood flow.
This was the worst one in a while. What would she have done if TJ hadn’t come over? His persistent loyalty warmed her again and again. He’d saved the play in more ways than he knew.
Today, he’d saved her.
“We’re on,” she murmured and entered the stage two steps ahead of him, as per the script. The play was going over without a hitch. And the crowd loved it. Turnout was high. Everyone must have been going stir crazy with the intense winter weather the past few weeks. Whatever the cause, the auditorium was packed, and the attendees were eating up the humorous play, laughing out loud and clapping more than Melody had dared to hope. The songs she and TJ had created were the perfect element to bridge the light comedy with the deeper theme of love.
Soon it was the last café scene, which did not include Melody, so she scurried around backstage directing the last-minute things before it was her time to enter. Betsy cued TJ to go on stage for the last scene. Melody’s heart was strangely racing. She never got nervous about acting. But she was nervous now.
“Melody,” Betsy hissed. “Go!”
She entered from stage left, across from TJ, and he played his part well, as if he had no idea she was there, watching him from behind and dancing to his song. She was supposed to look entranced by his voice as he sang to himself on a wintery walk in the park, but she didn’t have to try hard because she had always been spellbound by his voice. As his rich tenor notes flooded over the audience, she noted she wasn’t alone in her appreciation of his talent.
He swung around then as she “stepped” on a “stick” that cracked, and smiled, singing directly to her.
“Won’t you come with me, won’t you stay with me? Won’t you join me now and never ever leave?”
Yes, yes!Her heart answered as she took his extended hand at center stage. She sang her part, gazing into eyes that looked impossibly tender, focused on her and her alone. Then it was time for the kiss. During yesterday’s practice, TJ’s lips had barely touched hers before he pulled back. It was as she’d instructed, but she couldn’t deny the disappointment she had experienced by the lack of sparks. It had been nothing at all like his first kiss in high school.
What would this one be like?
Her breath caught as his hands skimmed along her waist, settling onto her hips. One hand remained there, the other gliding up her back to splay against her and pull her in until their chests met. In high school, he’d been downright scrawny, not caring much for competitive sports. But years of climbing had transformed his body into a solid, firm mass filled with muscles that quivered against her. He was nervous. Nervous about kissing her.
An answering tremble vibrated through her body as he lowered his head, his nose sweetly nuzzling hers as he moved in. Her eyes closed, and then she felt his lips against hers.
So soft. So gentle.
So loving.
