Page 2 of Melissa's Mates (Blissful Bets)

“My friend. Now put me down.”

He dropped her on command. Melissa hit the ground hard, knocking the breath from her. Damn, she was going to have a bruise on her ass tomorrow. But she would worry about that later. Right now, all she could feel was rage.

Jumping up, Melissa dusted off her pants. Stephen pulled her toward him and glared at the cowboy. “I don’t think that’s what she meant by put her down. Can you give me a reason why I shouldn’t kick your ass right now?”

A female voice had Chris stepping away from Stephen.

“Chris! What in the hell do you think you’re doing? You said you were having poker night with the guys? You promised you wouldn’t do the bars anymore!”

“I was just grabbing a beer on my

way over there, baby. Everything’s cool.”

In shock, Melissa could feel her lips part. Oh, hell no. Throwing a glance at Stephen, she stepped around him and walked forward. “He’s lying.”

“You shut your mouth.” Chris threw her an angry expression and looked back at the petite blonde. “I don’t know who this is, honey.”

The woman looked back and forth between them. Melissa cocked her head to the side giving the girl a “don’t be stupid” look. “Listen, I have no reason to lie to you. He was about to take me to a motel. Insisted we take my truck. You’d be stupid to stay with this piece of shit.”

“Hey, fuck you! Crazy, bitch,” Chris said.

“Crazy?” The word made Melissa literally see red. He could have called her anything in the world and she would have walked away like she intended, but no one called her crazy.

Before she even knew she’d moved, her fist was clutching Chris’s shirt and Stephen was pulling her off. “Call me crazy again, you fucking bastard. All men are the same! Fucking assholes.”

“Mel, calm down. Come on, let’s go.”

“Yeah. Get her out of here. She needs help,” the girl spat.

Chris threw her a glance and then wrapped his arm around the blonde while he whispered and led her away.

Wiggling out of Stephen’s arms, Melissa pulled down her shirt, trying to calm herself. Damn, that one word triggered her like nothing else. It opened wounds she knew she’d never be able to forget.

“Actually, Stephen, I think I’m going home. Don’t worry, I’m not drunk. Go ahead and go inside. I’m not sure if Nat has left yet, but Jules is still inside.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Melissa watched as Chris and the girl walked off. Turning her attention back to Evelyn’s boyfriend, she nodded. “You know me. I’ll be fine.”

“And you’ll call me the moment you get home?”

“Yes, officer. I promise.” Melissa laughed and opened her door, climbing into her truck. Leaving it opened, she watched the tall blond peer up at her.

“Mel, please be careful. Evelyn would be lost without you.”

Growing serious, she nodded. “I’d be lost without her, too. I’ll call. Tell her I hope she gets to feeling better.” Shutting the door, she watched as he waited for her to pull out. The traffic wasn’t too bad as she headed back toward the island. The drive wasn’t but a half hour tops, so she’d make great time.

Cranking up the country music, she let herself get lost in the lyrics while she went over her life. Reflection was something she kept getting sucked into lately, and it was getting worse as the weeks went by. Everything started with Evelyn getting back together with Stephen while also having Brandon as a boyfriend. Their ménage relationship had really taken her by surprise. Then Sarah got into one, too, and bam, Melissa’s reality took a blow.

Seeing the lights from town coming into view, she let her thoughts drift to the morning. Tomorrow would be Monday. The truck’s clock read fifteen after midnight. Perfect. She was going to be tired as hell. Another great start to a never-ending routine. Damn.

Chapter 2

The week didn’t go as badly as she thought it would. Evelyn didn’t show up to work until Thursday. Even then, she didn’t look very good. Now, as Melissa sat at the table at their favorite Cajun restaurant, she was having a hard time focusing with the words she’d just heard. Confused, she looked back and forth between her two best friends, unable to get over the shock of what just passed their lips.

Again, she let the words process in her mind, repeating them over and over. After a few seconds, she shook her head. Nope, she still couldn’t believe it.

“You’re both what?”

---