Page 34 of Romancing Melanie
He flashed her a quick grin back. “Nope.”
The drive to the office where they were meeting the justice of the peace was thankfully short. Long enough for nerves to set in, but not so long that Noah had time to question his sanity for what was about to happen.
Once they were parked, Noah climbed out and jogged around to open Mel’s door for her. She got out with a smile, and when he grabbed her hand without thinking, he breathed a sigh of relief to feel her squeeze his right back.
“This is going to work, Noah. I promise I will do whatever it takes to give you everything you ever wanted.”
Not everything, I’ll never have you.Instead of saying those words, he simply nodded and flashed a quick smile her way.
Everything was done in less than an hour, and soon Noah was walking out of the office building a married man. Strangely enough, he didn’t feel any different. Well, maybe a little sad that his wedding had felt like a formality, not a celebration. They had said their vows, exchanged rings that Noah had bought earlier in the week, and signed some paperwork. When the person officiating pronounced them and said they may kiss, Noah had hesitated for just a second, before deciding to take his last chance to feel Mel’s lips pressed against his. The kiss had started sweet, but quickly turned passionate, so much so that Noah had to pull away before his reaction to their embrace became embarrassingly obvious.
When they reached his car, he again opened Mel’s door for her. “Where do you want to go for lunch, wife?” he asked, trying to inject a tone of teasing into his voice.
She grinned back, and he knew he had made the right call. Perhaps there was a chance they could salvage some of their old ease and friendship.
“I don’t know, husband, where does one go for lunch after an impromptu wedding?”
Noah chuckled at that, then closed her door and rounded the front of his car to climb in.
“How about we head out of town, go over the river to Vancouver for some privacy.” He saw the flash of understanding in her eyes and knew that she understood his intention. Leaving Portland would significantly lower the chances of seeing someone they knew, who would undoubtedly ask questions about their dressy clothes and the simple bands on their fingers. His fingers twisted his ring as he sat there, and he realized he didn’t actually have to keep it on. But he wanted to. At least for today.
* * *
It felt strange to be married again. Melanie had never imagined being in this position again, even if it was only temporary. Saying her vows to Noah had been bittersweet. She wished the circumstances were different, that she had been brave enough to tell him how she felt before it was too late, and that their wedding was in front of their friends and family. But it wasn’t. She had dug her own grave, and now she had to lay in it. The ring on her finger felt heavy, as if it carried the weight of her mistakes.
As they drove to the restaurant for lunch, Mel was grateful for the silence between them. Lord knew she needed to process things, and she suspected Noah did too. It wasn’t as if she regretted their decision, she truly did want to do whatever she could to help Noah and Connor. No, if there was anything she would go back and change, it would be her own indecision. If they had never blurred the lines between them physically, maybe she could have kept her feelings locked tight. Then, neither of them would be hurting.Why don’t you just tell him now?She had asked herself this question many times over the past twenty-four hours, and the answer was always the same. She was terrified he wouldn’t believe her. In a way, she felt like the boy who cried wolf. She knew that she had gone back and forth with her emotions over Noah one too many times, so he must have lost faith in her. Where did that leave them? Could they manage to put this entire crazy month behind them, and return to being friends? Or had they ruined it forever by giving in to their baser temptations?
The restaurant they chose was an upscale bistro, and Mel was surprised when Noah ordered them both a glass of champagne.
“Might as well toast our marriage at least once,” he said with a wry grin.
She lifted her glass and smiled in return. “Cheers to us, and cheers to you being able to keep Connor.”
Their glasses clinked lightly and they both drank, their eyes never leaving each other. Melanie felt herself begin to flush under his penetrating stare. He was so undeniably sexy sitting there, seemingly at ease in the fancy restaurant with his top button undone, just a hint of his muscular chest showing. He had rolled up his sleeves when they sat down, and his strong forearms rested on the table. Forearms shouldn’t be sexy, but on Noah they were. To Mel, they were the perfect example of his strength, and his gentle nature. Those arms could lift her to the heights of passion or hold her tenderly in comfort.
“I have to drop off the paperwork the justice of the peace gave us at my lawyer’s office. Any chance you mind coming with me? I think Carla wanted to ask you a few questions,” Noah asked casually.
Even though her heart pounded at the thought of having to portray the happily married couple in front of his lawyer, Mel knew there was only one answer.
“Of course.”
Just over an hour later they were in the elevator headed up to Carla’s office. Noah had explained to Mel that Carla had been the one to confirm that them being married would look good to whichever judge would preside over his case. Mel didn’t know what to expect from a custody lawyer; would she be a cold-hearted shark, or worse would she see right through their lie of a marriage?
When Noah reached for her hand again, and his thumb brushed over her wedding band, she felt her body exhale. She could do this, for him. Even if lying to a lawyer felt wrong.
It turned out Carla was a very warm, older woman, but she was also astute. Mel was terrified her nerves were showing on her face the entire time, and all of her usual bold confidence seemed to flee the instant she sat down in the chair across from the lawyer. And when Carla started right in with the heavy questions, Mel struggled to keep her composure.
“So, Melanie, you’re a busy doctor. Are you excited about also becoming a mother?”
Mel squirmed in her chair. “I, well, yes I am. I’ve always wanted kids but can’t have them myself.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. And your relationship with Noah, it’s fairly new I assume, seeing as he was with another woman less than a year ago.”
Mel blushed furiously and felt Noah shift in his seat as well. “I guess it is, but we were friends for so long before… things changed.” At least that wasn’t a complete lie.
“Surely you can see how a judge might question how quickly your relationship progressed to marriage, how will you handle that question in court?”
Again, Mel stumbled over how to respond. She had been completely unprepared for this level of questioning.
