Page 57 of A Second Chance Christmas Kiss

“I’ll drive you,” Charles said quickly.

“One more thing,” his grandmother said. I turned in time for her arms to circle me in a huge hug. She whispered, “He never stopped loving you, you know. Just remember that. And he still does.”

I wasn’t sure what to do with that information, considering everything I was feeling, so I just nodded. “Thank you for the beautiful quilt. Goodbye.”

We said goodbye to Hazel and walked out. We returned to Charles’s room, and suddenly I was so overcome with emotion that I couldn’t stand it. “I have to go. Now.”

Charles looked confused, but he saw the tears on my face. “Yes, let’s go.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Charles

During the ride to Melody’s doll shop, she was quiet. I was unsettled. There were so many things I’d planned to tell her this morning. There was something else that I had retrieved from my grandmother that I wanted to give her, if she would have it.

She stared at the quilt, drinking in every picture. I wanted to do the same thing. I hadn’t realized that Grandmother had kept a quilt like that for her. What did that mean? Had my grandmother ever cared for Sheila like that? I didn’t think so. I’d been over Sheila a long time.

As we pulled up to the doll shop, Melody gasped.

“What’s wrong?” I looked ahead at the blue Toyota Camry with Colorado plates parked out front. “Is that your son?” Hope rose inside me. It would be perfect to meet her son and have him here for the thing I wanted to do.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “That’s my ex-husband.”

We walked into the doll shop, where he sat slumped on the couch. As he noticed us, he stood. “Melody.” He rushed toward her, and even though our hands were linked together, he pulled her into a hug. Then he pulled back, seeming like he didn’t noticeme. “I’ve been getting calls from the police here. There have been break-ins?”

She took a step away from him, anger flashing in her eyes. “What? Why would you be getting calls?”

Peter shrugged. “I got a message on the landline when this place was broken into. I think you had that set up for your mother.”

She glared at him.

I remained silent, observing. The guy looked worse than the day he’d married her. How could I forget the face of the man who’d stolen everything I’d wanted? I still remembered him yelling at me and pointing at the church door while telling me to go away.

Peter turned to face me. “It’s you,” he sputtered. “Why am I not surprised?”

If I were a younger man, I would have slammed my fist into his face. It took every scrap of maturity I’d learned in the military to control myself. “Peter,” I acknowledged. I was happy that Melody’s hand was still in mine.

He glanced down, noticing our joined hands. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. “So that’s it, then. We get divorced and you’re back with your boyfriend?”

Melody yanked her hand away and crossed her arms. “What are you talking about? You divorcedme. You gave me the papers on Christmas Eve. So, whoever I am with is none of your business.”

Peter pointed at me. “I think it is. You claim I had all these affairs, yet I show up here to check on you, because I was worried, and you’re here with the guy that you always pined after?”

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it made me feel good to think she’d pined over me.

“Really?” Melody rolled her eyes. “You found one picture that I kept in that shoebox, and you rubbed it in my face for years. Newsflash—I found emails and proof and … Well, Peter,youbrought home divorce papers. And I know you broke up with your flavor of the month and you’re dating that lady from my book club.” Understanding dawned on her face. “That’s why you’re here. You broke up with her too, didn’t you?”

I looked back and forth between them. This was like being in the middle of one of my grandmother’s soap operas.

“No, I wanted to check on you, and I actually brought this.” Peter tugged an envelope from his pocket and shoved it toward her.

She opened it, and her eyes widened. “This is a third of what you owe me.”

Peter shrugged. “On the advice of my attorney, we are going to file a motion that your mother’s house should be included in the assets.”

Melody gritted her teeth. She looked like she was two seconds from blowing up. “Get out, Peter. Just get out.”

Peter reached to grab her other hand.

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