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Jake's insides clenched. His entire body stiffened. Lifting his head to look her deep in the eye, his own face fell. "I thought about it a thousand times, truly, I wanted to, but with my divorce still being finalized and Sally being dropped off to me willy-nilly, I had a lot on my plate."
"I understand," Melody whispered, her gaze dropping. The hurt look in her eyes made Jake's frustration rise.
"I…I guess I didn't think you'd want to know me," Jake admitted, feeling oddly vulnerable in a way he never had been before. "I'm hardly the catch of the season."
"Try telling that to half the Silverdale she-wolves," Melody scoffed, and it was clear from the look on her face she hadn't meant to say the words aloud.
Again, he made to pick up Sally, only to pause and stand straight again. "You didn't call me, either."
"I did!" Melody exclaimed, causing Sally to twitch a little. Her face blazed with embarrassment as she lowered her voice and added, "But a woman answered and so I never tried again."
They both came to the same sudden realization, "Miranda."
Jake growled low in his throat, "That she-wolf has a lot to answer for."
Melody crossed her arms and shrugged. Her lips pursed a moment in thought before she said, "Maybe we should just forget anything ever happened?"
Jake's hackles rose. The last thing he wanted was that. To forget the one night of warm, passionate lovemaking he had made in years—he wasn't sure he could.
"Is that what you want?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Doubt flashed in Melody's chocolate-brown gaze, and Jake was hopeful. Then, her expression hardened and she said, "Yes."
Cold washed over Jake as if she had thrown a glass of iced water over him. His entire body went rigid. Scooping Sally up in his arms, he cradled her against his chest before he turned back to Melody and said, "In that case, you don't need to think about my job offer. You can start tomorrow."
The harshness of his tone made even him cringe, but before Melody could respond or even reject the idea, he turned and stormed out of the house.
Chapter 8 - Melody
Still in shock, Melody forced herself to get ready the next morning. Jake was right. If there was nothing between them, then there was no reason for her not to take his job offer. After all, she had no other option.
Besides, what better job could there be than one she only had to go right next door for. Short commute, wonderful little girl to care for, dreamy dad to work for…
She forced herself not to think on that last part. This was strictly professional now.
She had dressed in her plainest blouse, buttoned up to the collar, and pinstripe black pants, and was about to head out the door when her cell phone started to ring.
Maybe it was him calling to tell her not to bother. He had changed his mind.
When she pulled it from her pocket, she saw instead that it was Tara.
"Hey T," she answered, glad for a moment's respite from the anticipation in her stomach. "What's up?"
"I was just calling to check in," Tara responded, sounding concerned. "What's up with you? You sound tense."
Melody clenched her jaw. Even after only a year, she and Tara were good enough friends that they could read each other like open books.
"I…I guess I'm a little nervous," Melody admitted, running her free hand through her brown locks and checking her appearance one final time in the hallway mirror. "I start a new job today, nannying for the guy next door."
Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to say his name.
"Well, shoot, no wonder you're nervous!" Tara said, sounding practically giggly. "Good luck and be careful. Don't go sleeping with the boss!"
Melody imagined an over-confident wink on Tara's face as if she were daring her to do just that. And so she blurted, "I would never!"
Tara's laughter was sickening. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."
"Ugh, T, stop it!" Melody insisted. It was hard enough ignoring Jake's attractiveness without her friend shoving it in her face and basically giving her the green light to do something utterly stupid and reckless. "I'm just caring for his kid whilst he's at work."
