Page 19 of Stick Side
“You have an incredible voice,” Ben said. “Where did you learn to sing like that?”
“Thank you,” she responded with only the barest trace of shyness as she used her napkin to dab at the side of her mouth. “My mom taught me.”
Ben whistled his praise. “Your mom must have a mighty fine voice.”
Here, Melody smiled the smile of someone who knows something that the other doesn’t. “She does, yes,” Melody explained, her eyes dancing. “She’s a professional opera singer.”
In his surprise, Ben dropped his cutlery onto his plate with a soft clatter. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” She chuckled a little in shared good humor at his reaction to this news. “Mom has traveled all around the world singing with some of opera’s biggest and brightest.”
“That’s incredible,” Ben praised. “Has she ever worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber?”
Melody laughed softly. “People always ask that. But she has, actually. Once or twice, I think. She said it was one of the highlights of her career.”
“Does she still perform?” Ben asked, curious to know more about Melody’s family life.
“She does, but far less so than she used to. Part of the reason my dad took the job with the Challengers is that my mom was offered a teaching position at The University of Chicago. My parents have been together since their early twenties, but this is more or less the first time in thirty years they’ve really lived in the same city.”
“Wow,” Ben commented, a little jarred by the thought. “That must have been hard.”
“Like all things, I imagine it had its pros and cons. Mom loved her job. Just imagine traveling around the world doing something you love while getting to meet some of the people who have reached the highest echelon of your chosen field. It was quite the life. That said, I think she found it hard to be away from my dad and me for months at a time.”
“I don’t know how your dad did it,” Ben mused. “I don’t think I could deal with being separated from the woman I love for months on end.”
“No?” Melody asked, her expression gently probing.
Ben locked his eyes on hers in an attempt to underscore what he was about to say.
“No,” he stated clearly. “When I’m with a woman, I want to bewitha woman. I like my relationships deep, meaningful, and part of my everyday life.” At least so far as his career would allow.
“Really?” Melody bit her lip shyly but didn’t drop eye contact.
Ben got the impression she didn’t fully believe him, but he chose to confirm anyway. “Really.”
His career required that he do a lot of traveling during the season. It also required long hours in the gym and in front of the whiteboard, significant amounts of charity work, and more marketing and administrative meetings than one might imagine. He couldn’t help any of that, but he knew he would do everything he could to connect with and be present for the right woman.
An entire unspoken conversation seemed to pass between them as their eyes held. Ben was pretty sure she wanted to believe him but was struggling. No matter. He had a growing suspicion he might be willing to put in the time and effort to prove it to her.
Ben spoke into the charged silence. “I hope Captain Thom isn’t expecting you and his grandson to be exclusive.”
Melody stared up at him from beneath her lashes. It was a sweet but seductive look that few women could manage without looking like they were trying to play a man. Melody nailed it. He imagined that was because, on her, it was a natural look born of what he thought might be subdued eagerness.
She shook her head shyly, that blush he was coming to love suffusing her cheeks. “I agreed to have dinner with Captain Thom’s grandson, but no more than that. Who knows if it will even happen. Captain Thom may be all for it, but his grandson might not even be interested.”
“Okay,” Ben acknowledged. He didn’t particularly love the idea of her going out with another man, but he couldn’t fault her for going through with a commitment she’d already made. The caveman inside him might want to claim her for himself, but his higher brain knew his inner Neanderthal would just have to deal with it. If, as Melody had just pointed out, it even happened.
Melody pulled her cellphone out of her pocket as it started to chime. “I have to go,” she said with regret as she turned it off. “I have to get ready for my next treatment.”
“Can I have your number?” Ben asked as he reached into his back pocket and moved to pass her his phone. “You know, in case you need to call someone and request another food delivery.”
Melody smiled shyly. She stared at him from beneath her lashes in that sweet but seductive manner before keying her digits into his cellphone. She appeared to give the information a once-over before passing his phone back to him.
“Can I help tidy anything up?” he asked, well aware that her time was currently more precious than his.
Melody smiled her thanks but shook her head. “No, thank you. It’s probably faster if I just do it.”
She made quick work of tidying up, placing their dirty dishes into half-hidden bins he hadn’t noticed before. She then gave the table a quick wipe before washing her hands at the bar sink.
