Not Betting on Forever, page 23
“So… Any decision on what we talked about the other day?” Noah asked.
Nick paused his steps, and Noah stopped beside him, forcing the people behind them to swerve around. Nick sighed. If he had to give up Melanie, he might as well fill his time with work and public service. Just give up any hope of a personal life. If he needed to keep his mind off Melanie, the best thing to do would be to keep occupied. As a business owner, it was his responsibility to give back to the community too. And if it made him feel better about walking away from Melanie, he’d hold onto that thought. “Yeah, okay. I’ll give it a try.”
“I’ll help you campaign. It will be great to have you on the village board.”
Nick still wasn’t sure he wanted to be on any more teams, but he was committed now. He’d be too busy to think about Melanie and what might have been.
…
Melanie caught sight of Nick and Noah rounding the corner of the high school gym, and she hurried to catch up with them. There was still time before she and Lana had to be at the next event, and maybe she’d be able to have a word with Nick before they started. She had to shoulder through some of the slower-moving people to reach them, and she caught up just in time to hear Noah say, “It will be great to have you on the village board.”
What? Melanie stumbled and almost fell into them.
Nick started to stroll away again as if he hadn’t just said he didn’t have time to commit to Melanie, but he would cheerfully run for a position on the Lakeside village board.
She was glad she hadn’t caught up with him, hadn’t told him she changed her mind, didn’t mention the stupid idea that she was willing to give them a chance if his workload at the gym would lighten up soon. How could she ever fit into his life if he was going to spend all his time at the gym or on the village board? A public position that would make his personal life even more susceptible to the Lakeside gossip mill.
She didn’t know how long she stood there watching their retreating backs before Lana came up to her, blue eyes worried. “Are you okay?”
Melanie blinked and faked a smile. “I’m fine.” She needed to shake Nick Campagna out of her mind and focus on what was important. She had points to rack up. A deed to win. “Ready to kick some BoB butt?”
“You bet.”
Melanie told herself to focus on the game. She didn’t know how the points between their two teams had added up in the last three weeks, but she would do everything in her power to rack up as many more as she could. These two days were her last chance to save her tree and put in a pool for Ava.
Six cornhole boards were lined up across the lawn. Her team was up first. Nick waited on the sidelines in a tight Campagna’s tee that showed off his sculpted chest and muscled arms. The chest and arms she had stroked. And nuzzled. And licked. She couldn’t ignore him, no matter how badly she wanted to.
He caught her eye as he stood there with Joanie.
“Hi,” he said, flashing her one of those smiles that made her melt.
She gave him a quick nod and told herself she was not allowed to melt. “Nick.”
“Down to the last couple of days now,” he said, the small talk sounding stilted.
Awkward, here we come. “Yep.”
She didn’t want to talk to him. If she did, she might jump down his throat in front of all the spectators and demand to know that if he didn’t have time for her in his life, how the hell would he have time for the Lakeside board? Ha, wouldn’t that be quite a subject for the gossip mill? She could see it now. Photos. Videos. Comments. More comments. Luckily, most people seemed to have forgotten all about the photo of their kiss. But if she let go with the words whirling around in her brain, she’d be in trouble again.
She could control herself.
“Mel?” Lana’s voice cut through her musings. “We’re starting.”
“Sorry. Let’s go.”
They won their match against the owners of the Coffee Mug, though it was a close one.
“You don’t have to stand so far away, you know,” Lana told her when she chose to wait for their next match on the opposite side of the lawn from where Nick was standing. “Everyone knows you’re together.”
Melanie shrugged. “We’re not together.” What did it matter how he spent his time? They could stay friends. They would have to.
It was a fun event. The spectators, local and seasonal residents, and tourists, cheered on all the teams. Neither her team nor Nick’s made it to the final, but they both reached the same level. That meant the same amount of points, right? She wished she knew how close they were. She wished she knew who was ahead.
Their affair had started to take all her focus, and it had been easy to forget that there was a plot of land at stake. She couldn’t forget that. It was the only thing that was important now.
Nick came over to her after the event was over and the Colburn and Sons team had won. All the smiles he’d sent her this morning were gone. “We need to talk. Can we grab some lunch before the next event?”
Her stomach clenched. “I’m not very hungry.”
He started to reach out to her, then pulled his hand away. “How about we share some nachos at the Station?”
“Okay.”
Walking side by side the short distance to the Station reminded Melanie of all the times they’d walked home together in the past six weeks. She was beginning to feel the same as she had the other night when they’d left Noah and Anita’s house. Stressed. Sad. Scared. She couldn’t stand it. Before they reached the bar, Melanie stopped and whirled to face him. She couldn’t hold the words in any longer.
“So you don’t have time for dinner with me, but you can run for the village board?”
He frowned, took a step back. “How did you find out about that?”
“It’s true, isn’t it?”
He stared at her for a minute, then let out a breath. “It’s true.”
“At least I know where your priorities lie.” And they obviously weren’t with her. He drew back, as if surprised by her statement. Unfortunately, it made perfect sense to her. Shelby had been right all along.
“You don’t want me to share your bed anymore,” he reminded her through gritted teeth.
What she wanted was to be the most important thing in his life, and she knew that was never going to happen. She’d never admit she’d been so weak she’d been about to tell him she’d changed her mind. Wouldn’t that have been a huge mistake?
Her hands flew up in disgust. “You know what? There’s no sense in going to the Station. I can’t eat a thing.”
He nodded, his expression blank. “You’re playing pool today?”
That seemed to come out of left field. It didn’t make any sense. “Of course. Aren’t you still competing?”
“Sure I am, but you’re going to be a distraction.” He gave her a small, mischievous grin, obviously trying to lighten the mood. “You know, when you bend over the table lining up the shot…”
Was he trying to piss her off more? If they weren’t going to be together, he couldn’t talk to her like that. “I’m not worried,” she snapped. “You won’t distract me.”
He didn’t need to know he’d distracted her this morning. That watching the well-defined muscles of his arms sending the beanbags straight for their target had made her breathe harder, made her fingers itch to touch him again. Made her almost forget what she was doing.
So she distracted him? Good to know. “You can’t distract me, because I’m getting over you already.” She turned to walk away, then tossed her last words over her shoulder. “And I’m going to win that land.”
…
The land.
Talk about distraction. Over the last couple of weeks, Nick had been so caught up with Melanie that he’d practically forgotten about Herb’s wager with them. How had she become the most important thing in his life? More than the gym. More than the deed to the land. It was a good thing she called an end to this…thing they had going. He had to get his priorities back in order.
Of course, Nick was tortured by the sight of Melanie well into the evening. Every time he stepped up to the table, cue in hand, Melanie managed to slide into his view, dressed in tight shorts and an even tighter tee. She’d catch his eye and smile, throw him a wink now and then. No wonder he lost to Ginny Colburn. She didn’t get distracted by long legs, firm breasts, and kissable lips.
Turnabout was fair play, so Nick stuck around, like many of the other participants did. He decided to do a little distracting of his own. The next time she lined up her shot, he slipped behind her and murmured, “Looking good, Brat.” Then he darted out of the way of her cue stick as she jabbed it back.
She frowned at him over her shoulder. “Move out of my way.”
He tossed up his hands and backed away, grinning the whole time. But she won against Bud anyway, causing the restaurant owner to grumble good-naturedly. She finally lost against Milo, a bartender at the Legion Hall where the billiards tournament was being held. He eventually ended up winning the event.
Joanie ran up to Nick as they were leaving the hall. “Mitch won the pie-baking contest!”
“Great.” Something went right tonight.
“I told you he was awesome in the kitchen.” Joanie looked over his shoulder. “Hi, Melanie. Bridget came in second. The judges said it was close.”
“Thanks for letting me know,” Melanie said to Joanie, ignoring Nick altogether. “I’m heading home. Exhausted. Hard to believe tomorrow’s the last day.”
“I know,” Joanie agreed. “This has been so much fun.” She waved to them both. “See you in the morning.”
Nick fell into step beside Melanie.
She frowned and stopped when they reached the sidewalk. “You don’t have to walk me home.”
He kept walking. “I live next door. Remember?”
She caught up with him, but there was no easy conversation, and he knew this was sadly the way it would be from now on. It was more than no more sex. It meant no more laughter. No more mouth-watering kisses. No more snuggling under the blankets or fighting over popcorn while watching old movies.
They covered the rest of the walk in silence, parting at her driveway without a word.
…
On the last day of the BoB, there were only two events left. The afternoon had been set aside for awarding the prizes and a wrap-up party at the community center.
Shauna and Nick were both entered in the pie eating contest held in the culinary section at the college. One member from each team sat at the front of the large community room, at a series of tables pushed together to create one long stretch. One pie sat in front of each contestant. Melanie stood with the rest of her team in front of Shauna to cheer her on. Noah and Hannah secured all the participants’ hands behind their backs with Velcro straps. Then when everyone was studying the pie in front of them, Lucy came by with a can of whipped cream and covered the pies.
The crowd laughed as the contestants winced. They all knew the contest was going to be messy to begin with, but with the added whipped cream, it would be even more so. Everyone watching pulled out their phones. That picture of her and Nick would be buried so far down the social media page no one would see it again.
Melanie couldn’t help but watch Nick as much as she did Shauna. She laughed as he plunged his face into the whipped-cream-covered pie. Fruit and crusts and whipped cream flew everywhere. The crowd laughed and cheered. At the end of the event, Todd from the Colburn and Sons team won first place. He was a mess, but grinning with blueberry-stained teeth. All the contestants were covered with pie and whipped cream, but most of them were laughing too. The judges walked along the table determining points for the rest of the contestants. Melanie had no idea how her team and Nick’s ranked against each other.
Melanie waited for Shauna in the lobby while all the participants headed for the restrooms to get the worst of the mess cleaned off.
Nick approached Melanie when he left the men’s room. His face and hair were clean, but there were smears of whipped cream on the neck of his black T-shirt. Her mouth watered as she imagined licking whipped cream off him.
No more licking.
“How was your pie?” she asked, then glanced around. None of their other friends were there. It made her sad that she felt the need for a buffer between them. She didn’t know how to act with him. That awkwardness she’d feared was already there.
He shrugged. “Didn’t have time to appreciate it. How soon before the rock wall event?”
She glanced at her phone for the time. “An hour.”
“Gonna go home and change real quick.” He started to go, then turned back to face her. “You’re an experienced climber, so I know you’re going to do great.”
“Joanie’s my biggest competitor.” At least, she was the only one who mattered.
“I know.” His face lit up. “Last event. Tonight one of us will own that piece of land.”
She forced a smile. “Can’t wait to call Ava and let her know we’re putting in a pool.”
He stepped into her space and smiled back. God, would his scent always make her tingle? “Can’t wait to get a garage built before the snow comes.”
…
Joanie Washington was fifteen years younger, but that didn’t mean Melanie couldn’t scale that wall faster than her. Sure, the younger contestants from the Y and the college were going to make better times than she ever would, but all she had to worry about was keeping ahead of Joanie.
Melanie stood back and studied the wall, studied the other contestants. This event had always felt important to her. The final push, the pinnacle of the competition. She told herself that if she won the rock climb, not only would her team edge out Nick’s, but she’d win the lot. Then she’d be able to give Ava what she wanted and show her daughter how much she loved her. And what the heck, if everything went that well, she’d even reconcile with Shelby, and Nick would declare his never-ending love. If only she could win the rock climb.
The crowd was noisy and animated. It was the last event, and Melanie was encouraged to see so much enthusiasm, even after four consecutive weekends. It boded well for continuing the BoB in coming years.
She studied the first few participants. Two people at a time could climb the rock wall set up in the middle of the community center’s parking lot. Thick mats covered the blacktop, and there were two people from the rental company to help the participants into their harnesses and to make sure the auto belays were clipped correctly. Few contestants made it all the way to the top of the twenty-something-foot wall, but some seemed to scamper up in only a few seconds. Yeah, Melanie wasn’t going to win this one.
But she didn’t need to win the whole thing. She just needed to be faster than Joanie.
Her team rallied around her, and her heart soared at the way the BoB had brought them closer together. The BoB had been more of a bonding experience than she’d expected. When she was finally called up for her turn—in the last group to climb—the women engulfed her in a group hug, then cheered as she approached the wall.
Joanie had been part of the previous group, and one of those participants who’d scrambled right up to the top. Her eyes were bright as she got out of her safety gear. “That was fun. I love to climb. I’ve been trying to talk Nick into putting in a rock wall at the gym. We have to drive around the lake right now if we want to climb indoors.”
Melanie’s stomach sank. Of course Joanie would be an experienced climber. She studied the wall as she was clipped into the gear. All she could do was get to the top as fast as she could.
Climbing the wall was a challenge, choosing the best colorful hand- and toeholds, but it was fun, too. She was almost to the top. She was definitely going to make it ahead of the waitress from the Legion, maybe as fast as—faster than—Joanie. But then she heard the shout.
“Oh my God, is that Melly?”
Shelby? In Lakeside?
Instinct and surprise broke her focus, and before she could stop herself, Melanie turned her head to search for her sister. It was a good thing the auto belay worked, because she lost her grip and started to fall.
Chapter Fifteen
Nick whirled around when he heard Shelby’s voice calling out at the top of her lungs. What was she doing here? As far as he knew, it had been years since she’d been in Lakeside.
But then the gasps and groans going through the crowd had him turning back around in time to see Melanie flailing in the air before she began to be lowered slowly, thanks to the auto belay, to the padded parking lot.
He should have been celebrating because her aborted climb improved the odds that his team would come out ahead of hers. But knowing it was Shelby’s fault that Melanie fell pissed him off.
His first ex-wife stood at the back of the crowd beside Noah and Herb. When Nick caught her eye, she grinned and shrugged. Yeah, she wouldn’t care that she was the reason her sister fell.
He pushed through the crowd. “What are you doing here?”
Shelby’s big blue eyes and wide mouth were the same as he remembered, as was the crooked little smirk she’d often used. She wore tight shorts and a tee, similar to what he remembered her wearing as a teenager.
“Happy to see me?” she asked smugly. He recognized that snarky mouth of hers, but while he used to like it, it wasn’t at all appealing now.
“What are you doing here?” he repeated. She must have come to Lakeside to cause more drama. It was what she did.
“I can’t come visit my sister? Or see old friends?” She threaded her arm through Noah’s, who shrugged at Nick.
“You haven’t before now,” Nick grumbled.
