Melody & Styx - Anne Mercier Page 0,8

he poured over me in the cool shower felt like heaven. It's always that little line where your ass and top of the leg meet, where the swimsuit crinkles in the crease that's the killer.

Trace walks in with a folded sheet.

"Let's try this," he murmurs, then unfolds the sheet. "It's going to be cold."

When he rests the sheet gently over the back of my legs and my back, I sigh.

"Oh my God. That feels so good. How…?"

"I called the concierge and asked if they could help with sunburn. The milk, the aloe, and now the sheets. When we're done with this sheet, I'll put this concoction on you."

"What is it?"

"Aloe and hydrocortisone. The hydrocortisone eases inflammation."

I'm impressed. "That's clever. I suppose they deal with this a lot."

Trace shrugs. "Probably. I'm just glad they found a way to make you feel better."

"We already closed the bungalow windows and turned on the air conditioning, but this. This is perfection."

"Too bad it only lasts ten minutes or so. But they'll keep bringing them every forty-five minutes. The aloe mixture is refrigerated, too," he tells me.

"You always take such good care of me. I want you to know how much I appreciate that. I will never take that for granted."

"I know, Meg."

"Do you think Ethan and Linc are upset? I mean, Linc's back got hurt again just when it was almost healed."

"I'm sure they are."

"I wonder what's going on back there at CFD," I whisper.

"Nothing good. You know this is going to get worse before it gets better, right?"

"I do. It makes me sad. I know I said this already, but I can't believe they'd do that. I just can't get past it." My heart hurts, but I'm angry too.

"I never would have expected something like that," Trace tells me as he removes the sheet and starts in with the aloe.

"Famiglia," I spit out. "Mafia. Mobsters." Trace just lets me seethe. "What was the purpose?" I sigh. How will they be able to protect those babies? Four toddlers. Good God, no thanks. I snicker.

"What's funny?"

"Remember when Sera put one of the babies in your arms," I snicker again. "You looked at it like it was a bomb or something. Until that moment, I'd never seen you afraid."

He scoffs. "I wasn't afraid. I was shocked. I mean, I don't do babies. I don't do kids, and then Sera drops one in my arms. I had no idea what to do with it."

I giggle. "I know. At least I was able to fake my way through. I don't mind babies or kids, so long as I can give them back—quickly. Your mom is going to be so disappointed."

"Nah. If she wants grandkids my sister can keep pumping them out. She knows where we stand on that from when she asked me."

"Oh, I remember."

Marriage and Kids

We visited Trace's parents quite a bit when we wanted to get away. Especially in winter so we could ski and snowboard. We'd just sat down for dinner. His mom is an amazing cook. What she can do with a pot roast—yum.

"So, you two have been together for a while now," Trace's mom, Stephanie begins, and I know right then this is going to be a tricky conversation.

"We have," Trace agrees.

"Steph," Tim, Trace's dad warns.

She gives him a look. I'm chewing one of the cooked carrots when she asks.

"Have you two considered marriage?"

I nearly choke, but I take a sip of water to wash down the food. Then I grab my wine glass and chug. Tim lifts the bottle and gives me a refill with a wink. He knows. Oh boy. He knows this is uncomfortable.

"Mom, when we're ready, we'll talk about it. We're not in a rush," Trace tells her.

"Honestly, it's just a piece of paper," I blurt out. The look on Stephanie's face. Sweet baby Jesus, that was the wrong thing to say.

"It's more than a piece of paper. It's a pledge to one another in front of God and all your loved ones, a binding of souls," she corrects.

"I think our souls bind just fine," Trace jokes with an eyebrow wiggle.

Stephanie sighs. "Well, what about children?"

I chug the second glass of wine. "Nope. Not having them," I admit.

"You know I don't want kids, Mom. What's going on? Why are you pushing?" Trace asks.

"I'd love to have little Trace and Meggie babies running around."

"Mom, we're still young. Even if we wanted kids, we wouldn't have them yet. We have a lot of music to make and living to do before