Chp 19
Tony's POV
I had never felt more giddy in my life. I wanted to cup her face, kiss her senseless, tell her how much I love her, hold her in my arms as if I hadn't been away for the last eight months. I here stood my Melody Cross, in the flesh looking at me with those beautiful blue eyes.
"Hi Mel." I said, giving a hopeful smile.
I couldn't heal it. I threaded my arms under hers and nestled my head in her neck as I hugged her tightly. She put her arms around my neck and hugged me back, going on her tip toes.
She stiffened and pulled away. She stepped aside to let me in. "Why are you here? You didn't mention you were coming the last time we spoke." She said, pulling her arms to her body. I looked at her unchanged face.
"It's a long story." I said, swallowing. She looked at me. "Well tell me over coffee." She said. So that's how I found myself sitting ext to her on the couch, drinking coffee. She looked at me with a smile.
"So, Paris? I'm sure it's really nice there." She said, trying to make this seem less awkward. I told her about the sites, the sounds, the work. She laughed as I told her about my first day of the job.
"And so it was such a compromising position with the head chefs daughter. And even better, the pipe decided to finally work and we got sopping wet." I said, laughing as I remembered the scene. "Oh my word, what did he do?" She asked, intrigued.
"He gave me a look but didn't say anything as he knows my dad is his investor. But it broke the ice and, despite trying to explain the situation, the guys think I'm great for 'trying to make a move'."
She chuckled. "So you didn't go any farther?" She joked, making me chuckle and leave that unanswered. "I dunno, have you meet someone yet?" I asked, holding my breath as I waited.
She slowly smiled, looking down at her coffee mug and nodded. "Yeah, I have." I felt gutted, my heart torn out, my whole trip feeling let down. She looked at me warily. "Oh." I said, trying to get my head straight. "I mean, uh, that's great. I'm happy for you." I said, giving a little smile.
She sighed and put down her mug. "Tony, I -" she thought for a moment and I put up my hand. "Melody, you aren't really going to give me the 'I'm sorry that this happened' talk. I know exactly what's going to be said - this has happened before." I said, predicting what might happen.
She sighed. "I don't even know how to do that. But I was going to remind you that we are broken up. That you are the one that left." She said.
"I know that - but you think this has changed how I feel about you? Mel, I feel the same about you from when I left."
"And how would I even know if you've changed?"
"I haven't! I'm the same guy. If I've changed, it's my French getting better."
"Well how do you know if I've changed?" She bursted out. "Tony, I had my heart broken when you left. I wasn't me for weeks. I've met someone that isn't treating me like a child, as if I'm fragile. I'm a women, and that's how I want to be treated."
I pulled back, shocked by her declaration. "Well then tell me you don't love me anymore. Tell me that, and I'll not bother you about this. I'll go back to France and I'll start looking for another you." I said.
She stared me in the eyes and I saw her eyes well up. "Tony, I don't know. You've messed me around really bad." She said.
I swallowed hard, knowing is had. "And I'm sorry Melody. But I can't just act like I don't feel anything for you - because I love you so much. And I've thought about you everyday since I left for Paris."
She shook her head. "I have a boyfriend now. If you think I can drop him easily and take you back, then I'm sorry for wasting your time. I can't just do that." She said. I was truly miserable.
I wanted to hear her say she loved me too. Wanted to hear she wants to still be with me. But she just made me see what an ass I am. I expected her to drop everything for me. How could I ever think that? I'm such a terrible person.
She wiped at her face. "Where are you staying?" She asked, trying to get off the subject. "I was just hoping that, if there is still space, I can stay with the guys for a while before going back." I said. She nodded, and I let the heart break sink in all over again.
~ That evening ~
I grinned, greeting all my old friends as they come in. I was busy cooking them supper at Annabeth's place. "Oh my, I can't believe you're actually here man." Percy said, smiling at me as he took a swig of his wine.
I chuckled and remembered something. "By the way, congrats on your engagement." I said, smiling at him and Annabeth. "Thanks." Annabeth said, smiling at me as she leaned into her fiancés side.
There was a knock at the door and Mel went to answer it. I was concentrating so hard on rolling out the dough that I didn't think about the person who came in. "Tony!" Will said, throwing a dish towel at me and getting my attention again as I zoned out. I looked up to see them all looking amused at me.
"Sorry, jet lag." I said, running a hand through my hair. "This is Mark Davids." Melody introduced. I noticed there intertwined fingers and swallowed, realizing this was the new boyfriend. But I gave him my best smile and said, "Hi, Tony Phillips."
Will and Annabeth seemed to look warily between us but didn't say a word. They all took a seat at the counter table to catch up. "So, Paris is good?" Kieran asked. I nodded smiling down at dough I was just finishing rolling out.
"It's great. Really enjoying it." I said. "And how's cooking with this 'world class chef'?" Annabeth asked, being her usual interested self in people lives.
"It's am amazing opportunity. Long hours where I have to go straight from lessons to work and then have to work till late in the evening, but I enjoy it. What I'm leading up to doing." I said, busily getting the pot of filling for my pasta parcels.
"Anything exciting ever happen?" Will asked, taking a sip of his beer. Mel smirked and said, "He gets caught by his boss in a compromising position with his bosses daughter on his first day." She said, laughing.
The others laughed at me as I grinned at the story. I proceeded to start explaining. "She was getting grounded or something for going out to a party. We were in the pantry and I was standing over her, getting something."
"I can already imagine what happened." Percy said, chuckling as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"So just as she stands up, I'm leaning forward to get something that is past her stomach height. And her dad walks in and we both look up, both red faced at what happened." I said, shaking my head at my stupid incident.
"I'm surprised you weren't fired." Will said, laughing hard.
"So obviously rumors started and I apparently now had a quickie in the pantry with Charnè according to the guys I work with." I finished off. They all couldn't contains themselves.
I popped the now done parcels into boiling water. "So Mark, what you studying?" I asked, trying to get off the subject. He smiled. "Neurosurgery." He said. Even better. He's good looking, blonde, tanned, and a smart ass. Shit.
"So when do you go back?" Mel asked, biting her lip. I thought for a moment. "About two weeks time." I said, sighing as I stirred the pot with the pasta parcels. "What you even down for?" Kieran asked, stealing the wine bottle to fill up his glass.
"My dad was meant to be getting married and then, uh, stuff happened, and I had already booked the tickets and decided I would come visit my favorite people ever." I said, smiling at them.
"What happened with your dad and Crystal?" Mel asked, intrigued. I chuckled. "Turns out my dad and Claire had a fling when I used to live there and then when he came to visit me just after I arrived there, they started seeing each other again and he called off the wedding to see Claire and all that crap he does." I said, shaking my head.
She hit my arm. "All that happens months ago and you don't even tell me?" She asked, laughing as I rubbed my arm. I chuckled. "Sorry." I apologized. After supper, we all settled for a cup of coffee. I was so tired, I was basically falling asleep on the couch.
The only person who noticed was me, as she sat across from me with Mark, and she kept glancing over to me. "Shame guys, Tony's jet lagged and he made supper. I think you should take him back to your place." She said, something she would have said before we started dating.
"Maybe he's just had one too many glasses of wine." Kieran said. "Ha ha ha, nice joke." I said, rolling my eyes with a smile. "Well I'll take him back. You guys can relax." Percy said, being a good friend and standing. He kissed Annabeth's cheek and hugged Mel goodbye. I gave everyone a wave before retiring to my old place.
Hope to get in two chapters tomorrow afternoon :) Night!