here?” I croak as she stands and starts toward me.
Even dressed in a wrinkled pair of khaki shorts and a faded brown Fun Mud Run T-shirt, she’s gorgeous. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Despite the menacing look she’s still aiming my way, a smile tugs at my lips.
I’m just so happy to see her that every ache and pain is banished by the wave of hope that swells inside my chest.
Maybe I was wrong.
Maybe Melody isn’t finished with me, after all.
“What is wrong with you?” she snaps.
Or maybe not…
“Good morning?” I say as she reaches me, stopping so close I get a whiff of the lingering scent of medicine and hospital cleaner clinging to her hair, so close that all I want to do is pull her into my arms and tell her how glad I am to see her out of bed and feeling good enough to be mad at me.
“No, seriously, I want an answer,” she continues. “What is the matter with you? Why did you send my call to voicemail? Why didn’t you call me? I mean, after the night we had, don’t you think I deserved a phone call? At the very least?”
“I’m sorry,” I say, exhaustion making my brain slower than usual. “Your mom told me to go.”
“So? Since when is my mom your boss?” She huffs with frustration. “She’s not even my boss, and she’s my mom.”
“And then your ex was there,” I say, scrambling to explain myself. “I heard your mom say you’d be glad to see him and—”
“I was not glad to see him. The only person I wanted to see when I woke up this morning was you. But you weren’t there.”
“I would have been,” I say, stomach clenching again at the memory of the yearning in her voice when she said stupid Brian’s stupid name. “But when I went to your room last night, you were moaning for Brian in your sleep. It made me think you wouldn’t want me hanging around, interrupting your reunion.”
“Are you freaking serious?” Her eyes go wide.
“Yes. I wouldn’t make up something like—”
“No, I didn’t mean that,” she cuts in with a shake of her head. “I mean, that you bailed because of something I said in my sleep. I was having a nightmare, Nick. Brian and I were trapped in his parents’ creepy old barn with zombies, and I’d just watched one tear his face off. I don’t love him or want to be with him anymore, but I don’t want him to lose his face.” She takes a deep breath and barrels on. “Dreams are dreams, and I can’t be held accountable for what I mumble in my sleep. I mean, seriously, I’ve had steamy dreams about people I hate. One time, I dreamed I was making out with my soccer coach from third grade who had hair all over his back.”
She shudders and sticks her tongue out in a way that’s so cute I want to pull her into my arms and kiss her adorable, angry face.
“Would you be jealous if I called out his name in my sleep?” she continues with an arched brow. “Is that the kind of person you are?”
“Melody, please I—”
“If so, tell me now.” Unshed tears begin to shine in her eyes. “Tell me, so we can end this before I scandalize my entire family by announcing that I’m moving in with you, and that I don’t care what they think about it, and that I don’t care if we’re engaged or not because I’m a full-grown woman and I’m going to do what I think is right.” She sucks in a shaky breath. “And you are the only thing that feels right. Except I’m so hurt by you right now that I could just spit.” She finishes with a soft sob as she crosses her arms over her chest and glares up at me expectantly.
I stand frozen for a moment, so overwhelmed and happy and sorry and hopeful that I don’t know what to say first.
I can’t believe she still wants to be with me, that she’s still planning to move in—assuming I can convince her I’m not a complete asshole.
“Well?” she asks after a beat. “Should I leave?”
“No. No, please!” I reach for her, cupping her elbows and holding her gently in place. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t jealous of Brian. I was…”
I pause, searching for the right words.
“Okay, maybe I was jealous,” I admit. “But mostly, I was hurt. I jumped to the