“WHAT?”
“Shhh, keep it down. No one knows,” Noah said to his brother, who had begun to pace.
“You fucking married Mel? How? Why? When? Holy shit, Noah, this is big.”
“Earlier this week, because having a wife will help my custody suit, and I know it’s big.”
Ryan came over and sank down onto the step beside Noah. “So what now?”
“There’s nothing more. She doesn’t love me the way I love her, so as soon as the bullshit with Gigi’s parents is over, we’ll get an annulment and try to go back to just being friends.” Noah’s voice was hollow, even to his own ears.
“That’s what she wants?” Ryan asked cautiously.
“Yeah, I mean I guess so. She only married me to help me keep Connor. Those were almost her exact words. So why would she stay married once it’s over?”
“Because that woman doesn’t look at you like a woman who wants an annulment. She looks at you like a woman in love, but in denial,” Ryan said wisely.
Noah shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. But I think she’s so wrapped up in her own head she can’t see what’s in front of her. And if it were just me, I would wait for that woman forever. But I’ve got Connor now. Life is different.”
“Well, sure it is. But so what?”
“So, I can’t push her any more than I already have, Ryan. She’s made it clear she doesn’t want to be with me. I have to respect that,” Noah replied, frustrated that his brother wasn’t just letting it go. “Look, Ryan, you can’t tell anyone about the marriage stuff, okay? Mel doesn’t want anyone to know, she thinks it would get awkward and confusing. So, you can’t even tell Anna. Please.”
Ryan raised his eyebrows at that. “You want me to lie to my fiancée?”
“No, just don’t tell her. There’s no reason for it to come up, so just keep your mouth shut. Please, man, do this for me,” Noah pleaded.
“Fine. But, for the record, you’re an idiot for giving up on her.” Ryan shoved Noah with his shoulder.
“Noted.”
Chapter 19
A week had gone by since Noah and Connor moved out, and Melanie felt their absence keenly. She missed the sound of Connor’s gurgles and noises, the smell of his head after a bath, the comforting weight of him in her arms when she fed him. She missed the sound of Noah making breakfast for her before work, his smile when she came home, and the open warmth he always had for her. There was no denying she didn’t only miss the man she called a friend; she also missed the man she had temporarily had as a lover. Noah’s arms holding her tight in bed, the feel of his body moving over hers, and that one beautiful morning waking up in his embrace. Mel missed it all.
She had spent the week wracking her brain trying to figure out a way to prove to Noah she wanted forever. Words wouldn’t cut it. She had made sure of that when she was in denial of her feelings. No, it had to be bigger than words. She had to show him how she felt. The answer came to her one morning over a cup of coffee. When Mel checked her phone, she noticed with a start that Noah was set to face the judge for his custody suit in just three days.What if I can make that go away…she thought, sitting up quickly.But how?
“Oh my god, Melanie Haynes, you’re an idiot!” she said aloud to her empty apartment. They had gotten married for a reason. To make Noah appear more suitable and stable of a parent, and to demonstrate that Connor would be raised in a loving home with two parents. That was the basis for Lois and Craig’s appeal after all, they felt that two parents were better than one. Whether she agreed with them or not about that, Mel had to admit, their custody suit had been the final blow that broke down her walls and forced her to acknowledge her feelings for Noah. If she could convince them that she was in it forever, that she loved Noah and Connor and wanted them to be a family, perhaps she could get them to drop the custody suit. Then, maybe Noah would be willing to hear her and believe her when she told him she did it because she loved him—and his son.
With a plan in place, Mel only had one thing stopping her. How could she get a hold of Lois and Craig, without Noah knowing she was doing it? As far as she knew, none of their friends had their phone numbers, the only person who would was Carla, Noah’s lawyer. It was a long shot, but Mel decided to try.
Mel must have convinced Carla somehow because she agreed to bend the rules and request a meeting with Lois and Craig in advance of the lawsuit. She had believed Mel when she said she would tell Noah about it, and Mel just hoped she wouldn’t end up making things worse when Carla, Lois, and Craig realized Noah wasn’t coming.
* * *
The meeting was confirmed for that afternoon, so Mel didn’t have long to prepare. That didn’t bother her, she planned on speaking from the heart anyway. But when she walked into Carla’s office, alone, and saw the wary looks on Lois and Craig’s face, and a strange man who she assumed was their lawyer, she briefly wondered if she had made a mistake. It was too late now to back out, so Mel decided to go for the biggest impact she could have and introduced herself.
“Hi, thank you for coming in on such short notice. I’m Doctor Melanie Haynes, Noah’s wife.” This time, the surprised expressions gave her a sense of satisfaction. They obviously hadn’t been expecting that.
“I really appreciate you agreeing to speak with me, I know it’s unconventional, meeting before a court date, but I hoped to explain a few things to you. First of all, I know why you think Connor would be better off with you. After all, he was conceived during a one-night stand, with a man you don’t even know. How could you trust a stranger who would do such thing, to properly raise your grandson? But my hope is to show you that Noah is the best man I know, and the most incredible father for Connor. When he found out about him, he did everything in his power to be a father to Connor from day one. I’m a licensed foster parent so I officially took him in, but Noah bought everything he needed, read and researched everything he could think of, and showered that boy with love. Noah has always wanted a family; being a dad is his dream. He is incredibly smart, and kind, and loving, and that comes through every moment he is with his son. He bought a house you know, a perfect house. He’s got money, but that’s his story to tell. And our friends are amazing and all love Connor, and so does his mom. There’s no shortage of people to help love and care for Connor, just as you do.” Mel paused in her speech, noticing the soft smile on Lois’s face and the way that Craig’s arms had uncrossed, as if he too were letting go of his tension and defenses.
“I know he wants you in Connor’s life, but don’t take Connor away from him—from us. We love that baby, so much.” Tears began to fall, and Mel found herself sharing more with these strangers than she had ever planned to. “I can’t have my own children, but when I hold Connor, he feels like he’s mine. I mean no disrespect to your daughter, please believe me, but I adore that baby as if he was my own. You want him to have two parents, well he does. He has the best father in the world, and he has me. And I will do whatever it takes to be a good stepmother to him. Just, please. Drop the suit. Stop trying to take Connor away from his father. If you get to know Noah, and me, I really think you’ll see we are the right people to raise him. He belongs with us.”
Mel finished, and sat across from Lois and Craig, her heart pounding as she watched them silently. Carla hadn’t said a word, but Mel could see the satisfaction on her face, which reassured Mel that she hadn’t screwed up by going behind Noah’s back like this. At least, not from his lawyer’s perspective. Then again, if this didn’t work the way she hoped it would, there was no telling what Noah’s reaction to it would be.
Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long. Lois stood up from the table with a tremulous smile, walked around to Melanie and held out her hand. Mel stood up, and Lois pulled her in to a hug.
“Thank you, Melanie. Thank you for having the courage to come here and speak with us. We never wanted to hurt Noah, but Connor is our one chance for a grandchild. When Georgia left, we thought we would never have this opportunity. All we ever wanted was to give him the best life possible. I think it’s clear you and Noah can do that.” She stopped, and Mel saw tears filling her eyes. “I hope we haven’t hurt Noah too much, and he’ll still allow us to be a part of Connor’s life, but I don’t want to take my grandson away from his father.”
