“I didn’t think you could move so fast in those shoes.” Wes teased, but swallowed his words when Melody turned a fierce look on him.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean? I want to talk to you.”
“What are you doinghere? In Italy? At this wedding?”
Wes felt his own anger rise. This was the Melody he knew, not the polished version on display over the last two days.
“What am I doing here? What areyoudoing here?”
Melody folded her arms across her chest, making the tiny chiffon of her sleeves flutter. He waved his hand at the expensive dress. “I get it. It’s what you always wanted. Fancy clothes, mansions, wine and all the cool kids wanting to be your friend, but that’s not real life!”
Her finger came up, her fingernail pointing inches from his nose. “Itisreal life. It’smylife! You’re damn right this is my dream! What’s wrong with that?”
“You got engaged to this guy!”
“His name is Luca, and he is amazing. He loves me and I love him. We are going to have a fabulous life!”
“Fabulous life,” Wes scoffed. “Going from one event to the next, worrying about the guest list and how best you can work it to your advantage? That’s not a life.”
Melody’s eyes narrowed. “It may not be the life you want, Wes, but it is exactly what Luca and I want.”
“So, what? You were serious before? No family? Just an endless party?”
Melody reared back as if he had struck her, and Wes immediately regretted his words. “Mel, that’s not what I meant…”
“Yes, it is. At least be honest, Wes. You came into foster care late. You may not have had a Betty Crocker childhood, but you were safe and fed. In their own way, your grandparents loved you. I don’t even remember what my parents looked like!” Her chest heaved, but she lowered her voice. “We arenotthe same. You want the white-picket fence, two-and-a-half kids and the golden retriever…”
“Everyone does—”
“No!” She threw her hands up in the air. “No, Wes. Not everyone wants that. It’s whatyouwant, and that’s fine, but you can’t force me into it with you.”
Wes felt like the world had tilted off its axis. “But you always said it was you and me. We had to take care of each other.”
All the fight went out of her. Suddenly, she looked exhausted. “It will always be you and me. We have history. We always will. What we went through… But we don’t want the same things. I love Luca, and someday when you fall in love, too, you’ll find someone who wants the same things you do.”
Melody echoed Corinne’s words from the night before. As though blinders fell from his eyes, he felt like he was seeing Melody for the first time in… maybe ever.
“You really are happy? This is what you want?” Melody nodded, and he saw the truth in her eyes. To his surprise, he realized he wasn’t upset. In fact, a sense of calm and rightness flooded his body. Melody was going to be okay. He felt like a weight had fallen from his shoulders.
“I love you, Wes. I always will.”
Wes smiled before pulling her into a hug. “I love you, too, Mel. I’m sorry if I made things difficult for you back there.”
Melody pulled back with a shrug. “Luca knows about our past. He won’t mind, and as for the rest of them… Well, it’s good to be a woman of mystery.” She winked, and Wes let out a genuine laugh.
“Friends?” she asked.
“Friends.”
“Is everything okay?” Luca asked, as he approached. Despite Melody’s assertions, Luca didn’t look thrilled to see them secluded. Luca loved Melody. She would be taken care of.
“Everything’s great.” Melody slid her arm through Luca’s.
“I’m sorry if I was rude before. I’m going to blame the jet lag,” Wes joked.
“It’s all right.” Luca’s shoulders relaxed. “We always act foolish when we are in love.”
