The Game Changer (34 page)

“Not really.” Tears glistened in Angelica’s dark eyes. “I felt like such a jerk. She was just being so clingy, always wanting to do stuff and be with me, and not wanting me out of her sight, even to go to work. She would get panicky, and I thought it was just because she was lonely. Then she told me she was sick, and when I asked her why she hadn’t told me, she said she wanted to enjoy the time we had left together and not mar my last memories of her.”

“Didn’t she think that her suddenly dying would kind of mar your last memories of her?” Melody asked.

“That’s exactly what I said!” Angelica huffed. “Once I pointed that out to her, she realized she was wrong to keep it from me.”

“What are you going to do now?” Melody saw their waitress step outside, so she held up a hand to signal for Angelica to wait.

After the waitress left their food and coffee, Angelica took a few spoonfuls of steaming tomato soup before continuing. “I’m going to move back home,” she said matter-of-factly. “It wasn’t easy, but I’ve convinced my mom to do the chemotherapy treatments. I promised her I’d be there every step of the way, and she agreed to do it.”

“Wow,” Melody said, pausing with her club sandwich halfway to her mouth.
 
“That’s…wow.”

Angelica smiled weakly. “I know. I love Bellevue, and I love my job here…and, of course, the amazing friends I’ve made…” She tilted her head, and this time when she smiled it reached her eyes. “But I need to do this. Whatever happens, I’ll know I was there for her.”

Melody nodded. “I completely understand.” She thought of her dad and how much time she’d spent with him before he died. She had absolutely no regrets where he was concerned. “You’re a good daughter.”

They moved onto lighter subjects for the rest of lunch. Melody tried not to think that this was one more big change in her life in a time where everything else seemed to be changing. She wanted to enjoy her last hour with Angelica because she had no idea when she’d see her again. Kingston was only an hour away, but because she didn’t drive it would be hard to get there.

Melody knew how easy it was to lose touch with people, even people you genuinely cared about, and she was afraid that might be the case with Angelica. She promised herself she wouldn’t let it happen.

When they’d finished eating and the table had been cleared, they lingered over coffee for several minutes. Melody knew this was going to be hard—goodbyes always were.

“Well…I guess I’ve put off going home long enough,” Angelica said, setting her empty coffee cup on the table. Melody noticed her hands were shaking slightly, and she glanced up to see Angelica’s eyes filling with tears. “I’m sorry, I just hate having to say goodbye. You’ve been such a good friend. You and Olivia were my only real friends in Bellevue.”

Melody’s eyes burned with the threat of tears. “Do you want me to go home with you? I can take the rest of the day off and walk you home, help you pack.”

Angelica shook her head and reached for a clean napkin to wipe her eyes. “No, I’ll be fine.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, regaining her composure. “I’ll be fine,” she repeated, smiling slightly. “Thanks, though.” She stood and started rooting around in her purse, but Melody waved her off.

“My treat. Consider it a…well, not a goodbye lunch, but a going away lunch.”

Angelica gave her a tearful smile and squeezed her arm. “I’ll miss you,” she said.

“I’ll miss you, too.” Melody stood and wrapped her arms around Angelica. She’d only been in her life for a short time, but Melody would never forget the fun they’d had. “You take care of yourself and your mom. You can phone or text or email me anytime, okay?”

“Thanks.” Angelica released Melody and stepped back. “Say goodbye to Olivia for me?”

“I will,” Melody promised. “Maybe in a few weeks she and I can drive down to see you.”

“I’d like that. Or maybe you and Julian could come.” Angelica waggled her eyebrows, drawing a laugh from Melody.

“What is it with everyone trying to set Julian and me up?”

Angelica raised one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “I don’t know. You two just seem really good together.”

“Hmmm,” Melody murmured in a non-committal way.

Angelica simply laughed. “You’ll see,” she said, as if she knew something Melody didn’t. She hugged Melody again, giving her an extra tight squeeze. When she pulled away she started backing up, as if she knew that if she didn’t leave that moment, they’d both start crying. “I’ll see you soon.”

Melody nodded. “Call me if you need help with packing or…anything.
Anything
, I mean it.”

A ghost of a smile crossed Angelica’s face, and she raised her hand in a wave before turning and walking away.

Melody whirled around to face the table, unable to watch Angelica leave for fear she’d start crying right there in the middle of the café patio. Why did everything have to change all at once? Why did it feel like everyone was leaving her?

“Melly?”

Melody tensed.
You’ve gotta be kidding me
, she thought.
Could this day get any worse?
She braced her hands on the table and turned around slowly to face Rick.

“Are you okay? I was inside and I saw you out here with your friend…Angela? Angel?” He tipped his head back as if hoping to pull her name from the sky.

“Angelica,” Melody supplied wearily.

“Right, Angelica.” Rick snapped his fingers. “You looked upset.”

“Angelica’s mother is sick, so she’s moving back to Kingston with her.” Melody slid back into her seat and tilted her coffee cup toward her, but it was empty.

Rick signaled to the waitress who was passing with a coffeepot. “Can I get two fresh cups, please?” He sat in the seat Angelica had vacated, and faced Melody with a serious expression. “Let me buy you another cup of coffee. Do you have to be back to work soon?”

Melody stared at the man across from her—the man she had spent the last three years loving, the man she’d hoped to marry at one point. She couldn’t quite remember the reasons anymore. “I do, but…” She waved a hand in dismissal. She knew she should tell him she couldn’t stay, and that even if she could, she had nothing to say to him, but the words wouldn’t come.

There was something different about Rick. He didn’t appear as puffed up and self-important as he had previously. He seemed almost deflated in a way. Like Angelica with her normally pristine appearance, Rick looked slightly disheveled—his hair was just a bit too long, his tie was crooked, and it appeared that he’d shaved quickly that morning, because he’d missed a few spots on his chin.

“I’m sorry about your friend,” Rick said with a sincerity Melody didn’t recognize.

“I am, too.” Melody smiled at the waitress when she set a fresh cup of coffee in front of her. She knew her nerves were going to be frayed after drinking so much caffeine, but she couldn’t muster up the effort to care. “I didn’t even get much of a chance to really know her. I think maybe I feel worse about that than anything.” She was surprised to find herself confiding in Rick, and even more surprised to discover he was listening.

“I can understand that.” Rick opened a creamer and dumped it into his coffee, then stirred it absently, staring into the milky concoction. “That’s kind of how I feel about you.”

Taken aback, Melody paused with her coffee cup halfway to her lips, then set it back on the table. It was still too hot anyway. “You…I’m sorry, what?”

Rick let out a little sigh and smiled sadly. “We were together three years, but I don’t think I ever really took the time to get to know you.”

Melody’s first instinct was to argue, to make him feel better, but he was right. He’d never really
seen
her. She knew all about his family, his childhood, former friends and girlfriends, all of his habits and weird little quirks. But did he know that she didn’t like to drink her coffee when it was steaming hot? Or that she loved silver bracelets because her dad had started her collection? Or that she was self-conscious when she was alone in public? “No, I don’t suppose you did,” she agreed finally.

Rick was still for a moment, then he nodded his head slowly. “I never understood what people meant when they said you don’t realize what you’ve got until it’s gone.” With his head bowed, he peered up at her, his gray eyes locking with hers. “I’m sorry for that, Melody. I’ve regretted it every day since we broke up.”

Melody was more surprised at his confession than she would have been if he’d told her he was running off to Vegas to marry Sydney.

Before she had a chance to respond, he continued, “Things have been so…so messed up since you left. I met Sydney almost right away, and she just…took over.” He sighed heavily, and took several sips of his coffee before carrying on. “I wasn’t looking for a relationship. It didn’t even feel right to
date
, but then there she was.”

“How did you meet?” Melody asked, despite her better judgment. She really didn’t want to talk about crazy Sydney or their warped relationship.

“I was at a business dinner and she was the waitress in the restaurant. She kept hitting on me throughout dinner, then when we were leaving, she asked me out. I was so surprised, I said yes. I mean, she was sweet and bubbly and pretty…and persistent…why shouldn’t I go out with her?”

Melody nearly gagged. She just barely managed to contain an eye roll.

“We went out for drinks when her shift finished, and right away I knew she was bossy. She liked things her way, and she liked being in control. By the end of the night, she was calling me her boyfriend.” When Rick cradled his head in his hands, Melody had a sudden, inexplicable urge to laugh.

It’s not funny, it’s not funny, it’s not funny
, she chanted over and over in her head.

“I didn’t know what to do.” Rick straightened up and looked at his coffee intently, probably wishing for something stronger. “She’s jealous and possessive, and I think she might be a little crazy.”

Now Melody did laugh. She couldn’t help herself. It started out as a quick burst, but within seconds, she was bent over the table, laughing almost hysterically. She heard Rick give a disgruntled huff, and she was sure people were staring at her, but she couldn’t stop.

Still giggling uncontrollably, she glanced up and saw Rick’s shoulders shaking with barely contained laughter. When their eyes met, the laughter tumbled from him, big belly laughs that reminded Melody why she’d fallen in love with him all those years ago, before he’d become so serious and vain.

When their laughter subsided, they sat in silence, looking at each other as if they shared a secret.

“Sorry about that,” Melody finally said, accepting a napkin from Rick so she could wipe the tears from her face.

Rick shook his head, a slight smile still curving the corners of his mouth. He looked much more relaxed now, and his demeanor put Melody at ease. “Don’t be. I realize how ridiculous it sounds, believe me. And I wish I were joking, but I really do think she’s got a screw loose. I just don’t know how I got myself into this.” He paused and studied Melody’s face for a moment. “You probably think I deserve this.”

Did she? “Do you really think I want you to be miserable?” She was surprised by the hurt in her own voice.

Rick leaned forward, closing some of the distance between them. “Not necessarily
miserable
, no. But let’s face it, I was a shitty boyfriend to you. You deserved so much better than I ever gave you.” He reached out and covered her hand where it lay on the table. “There are so many things I’d change if I could. You have no idea.”

Melody stared at his hand covering hers. It was warm and dry and familiar, and for a second—just one second—she missed that familiarity in a world where everything was changing. Shaking her head, she gently pulled her hand from under Rick’s and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. “You can’t change it,” she said quietly. “But I appreciate you saying it anyway.”

Rick’s answering smile was full of regret. “Sometimes I think about what it would be like if we got back together. Dating a crazy person has been a very humbling experience.” His smile widened when Melody let out a loud laugh, then clapped her hand over her mouth. “Do you ever…think about it?” His voice was so hopeful Melody almost wished her answer were different.

“No,” she answered honestly. “I didn’t even know I needed to change my life until the changes happened all on their own. Then I realized how unhappy I’d been. And even if
you’ve
changed…” She shook her head and smiled ruefully. “I just can’t go back.”

“But we could go forward,” Rick said quickly. “Start fresh?” His face fell when Melody simply shook her head, unable to respond. “No? I figured you’d say that, but I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t at least try.”