Page 2 of Silver Flirt

Malcolm cocks his head. “Who?”

I hesitate for a split second. But really, there’s only one person I trust to handle this. Only one person I know will fight like hell for what’s right.

“Melissa Graham.”

Malcolm frowns. “I thought Melissa hated you.”

Understatement of the fucking century.

“Who’s Melissa?” Celeste asks.

Melissa Graham. Brilliant, driven, takes-no-prisoners Melissa Graham. My high school English tutor. The girl I fell in love with at seventeen.

The one whose heart I broke when I was too chickenshit to tell her how I really felt.

I sigh as I rub my temples. “She’s someone I used to know. A lawyer in Houston. We went to high school together.”

Another understatement.

My mind drifts back to high school, to those long afternoons in the library with Melissa. I can still picture her so clearly - bent over a textbook, pen caught between her teeth as she concentrated. Blonde hair falling in waves around her face. Those intense hazel eyes that seemed to see right through all my bullshit.

Fuck, she was stunning.

Melissa was smart, ambitious, didn’t give a damn about being popular. She challenged me, kept me on my toes in a way no one else did.

What started as tutoring sessions slowly turned into something more. Talking, joking around, opening up in a way I never had with anyone else. Melissa got me in a way no one else did. Believed in me when I barely believed in myself.

She’s the reason I graduated, the reason I made it to the majors. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.

And how did I repay her?

By being a complete and total asshole.

Malcolm’s brow furrows. “Are you sure reaching out to Melissa is a good idea?”

No, I’m not sure.

Given the bad blood between me and Melissa, she has every reason to tell me to go to hell. Especially after the way I treated her all those years ago.

But what other options do I have? Trevor screwed us over royally. We need a legal bulldog on this, someone who will sink their teeth in and not let go until justice is served.

And that’s Melissa to a tee.

I still remember the way her hazel eyes would flash when she got passionate about something. She never backed down from an argument, even when we were just dumb teenagers.

That fire and conviction is exactly what Diamond Dreams needs right now.

“I hear you, Malcolm,” I say slowly, rubbing a hand over my stubbled jaw. “But we’re out of options. Melissa’s our best shot at recovering the money and nailing Trevor’s lying ass to the wall.”

“You really think she’ll help us? Help you?”

I shrug, trying to project a confidence I don’t quite feel. “Honestly? No idea. But I have to try. For the girls. They deserve a chance to chase their dreams.”

And maybe this is my chance to make things right with Melissa. To apologize for being a colossal dickhead back in the day.

Celeste lets out a low whistle. “Geez, what did you do to this woman? Break her heart or something?”

I shift uncomfortably in my seat. “You could say that.”

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