Page 25 of Whiskey Reveals

“I know we need to talk, but I think I need to go back home for a minute and just breathe. Because I don’t want to do something stupid and ruin everything. Because it’s not just you and me anymore. And that scares me.”

Fox stuffed his hands into his pockets and nodded. “Can I walk you back? I know you walked over here on your own, but it’s a nice day out. I promise I won’t touch you, I won’t even talk if you don’t want to. But I just want to be by your side. I know this is crazy, and I know we have a thousand things to talk about, but I think our being in each other’s presence is one of those things.”

“I think I’d like that. I know I sound like a tease and am throwing a hundred different things at you and then running away. But kissing you like that, when we need to talk and let our minds actually come to terms with our realities, probably wasn’t the best way to go about things.”

“Just one step at a time. We can do that. Right?”

“I have no idea, but I guess we’d better try.” Fox threw on some shoes, and because the two of them apparently liked flirting with danger, they held hands as he walked her back to her grandmother’s place. The sun was still shining, and the birds chirped in the air as they turned the corner and headed up the drive to Grandma Pearl’s beautiful home. Melody knew she was blessed that she still had family left who wanted her to be a part of their lives, and every time she walked up the stone walkway, she remembered that fact.

But as she looked at the porch and froze, she couldn’t help but think that maybe she had made a mistake.

“Someone left flowers?”

She’d almost forgotten that Fox was by her side as she stood there in front of the porch and looked down at the two-dozen roses lying in front of the door. She didn’t know why she was so creeped out, but there was something so familiar about those roses. She’d gotten countless similar bouquets back when she was dancing. They’d always just shown up in her dressing room after her performances, and she’d loved the smell of them at the time.

But these had just been casually thrown on the welcome mat, and it didn’t make any sense. And she could’ve sworn she spotted the ribbon to a ballet slipper wrapped around the stems.

She had to be imagining it. Because that just made no sense to her. Then Fox went to pick them up and held out a note.

“It’s addressed to you.”

“What does it say?” Her voice sounded hollow, even to her own ears. Fox must have heard the note in her voice, too, because he frowned and slowly read what was on the back of the card.

“I know. You can’t hide forever.” He looked up at her, eyes wide. “What the fuck does that mean?”

She shook her head, her hands shaking, as well. “I…I really don’t know.” Because she didn’t. She couldn’t. It had to be a trick or a horrible prank gone wrong. Because she didn’t know anyone who would send her those notes and emails.

And yet, here they were, written in echoes and ink, a flash from her past that made her want to curl up into a ball and hide away again.

“I don’t know,” she whispered again. And this time when Fox held her, she didn’t cling back, didn’t kiss him. She let him comfort her.

Because she had no idea what was happening, but she had a feeling this was only the beginning.

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