Best Friend Next Door (Love Next Door Book 2) *Rough Draft*

Chapter 38

Christian had been upbeat, Barney even gave him the okay to close the bar early so he could get an early start heading to the airport to pick up Riley and he'd be home just in time for the party the town's surprise party for his dad and Val. It business was slow enough to where that wasn't an issue. He was thankful when the last the drunk patrons got a ride he was finally got got rides home. He peeked out of the front door after hearing the chatter of the rain.

A loud thunder almost shook the building and he blew out a breath. He halfway considered riding home on his motorcycle, but decided to let the rain die down. He heard a loud noise again, but it didn't stop, and it was coming from the back of the bar. Maybe an irate drunk pissed that the place was closed early. He hadn't seen any cars in the parking lot, but the rain made things harder to see.

He strolled and undid the lock in bouncer mode. It wasn't often he had to toss anyone on their ass, but it had been known to happen. He clenched his fist and opened the door. His heart tensed at what was on the other side. A thin dress stuck to her frail frame, her big brown eyes, mascara running down her cheeks and soaked hair made her look like a some baby animal that washed up after a flood. he'd known there was one hell of a story behind Melanie's condition, especially considering the fact that hours ago he was helping Isaac arrange a long over due first date with her.

He brought set her down on a chair and found a large towel to wrap around her shoulders. She continued to shiver so he wrapped that around the towel. He brought another old back room chair and straddled it in front of Mel.

"What the happen? " He hadn't realized that his jaw tensed. This had reached another level of frustration.

She laughed harshly with her head in her hand, "I don't even know where to start." She said hoarsely. Her eyes were puffy red, and glassy. It was clear she had a long night.

"What did he do?"

She blew out an unstable sigh, "I don't know. I panicked."

"Do you need me to call your sisters?"

"I just need to lay low, for a few days while I'm planning Val's wedding." She said. "I don't think I can face him or my sisters now."

That's what he was afraid of. Christian ran his fingers through his hair. "Mel, look we've all had our share of walks of shame. Shit got too real and I bailed. Love can be some scary shit."

"No! Christian, there is a special place in hell for what I did."

"What did he propose again? Buy a house?" He laughed as he went behind the bar and poured Melanie a drink, "Buy a puppy?"

"No, I told him I loved him...after my first ever honest to god orgasm." She blurted.

Christian choked. He pinched his nose, "Okay, didn't need to hear that."

"I know. I mean it wasn't one of my most shining moments." She rested her hand on her fist, "Look I didn't know what else to go or what to do. I was going to try and walk home, pack something and go back to my apartment." Her eyes started to water again, "I can still do that."

"No, it's okay Mel. I get it. I'll sleep in Isaac's room, and you can have my apartment for the night." He shook his head.

"You're not mad at me for hurting him."

He let out an exasperated chuckle, "He'll get over it."

When the rain died down Christian snuck her into his apartment. He'd went over to his dresser and pulled out a shirt for her to sleep in and tossed it at her. "I'm going to get some more towels." He promised and left Melanie to change out of her soaked clothes.

Christian came back to find Melanie sitting on his bed studying a picture of him on the high school football field in his uniform with a far away smile on her face. He didn't know how to feel, or he did but was split in how he felt. He slid beside her. She looked up at her. "I thought you didn't like remembering this."

He shrugged and slid his fingers around the frame to look at it himself, "They were the 'glory' days." He did the finger quotes, "Or at least I thought."

"You know I never even considered walking away from California."

He studied her, "So."

"I mean, you would think if I really loved him, I would be ready to walk away from it to be with him. I never gave it two thoughts." Her head fell, "I don't deserve him."

"Did you ask him to move out with you?"

"Why would I do that? I mean, he's happy here, he wants to be here."

"Mel, it's clear you want him in your life, and he doesn't even make an effort, instead she tries to pull your arm to drop what you love, what you are for his dreams. That's not love." He said, "Love is not making someone one feel like they have to choose. You don't make him choose."

Her head fell, "I don't want him to, I want him to be happy. Even without me. This is what he wants, and I can't be that."

"You shouldn't have to be Mel." He set his picture back down on the nightstand next to his picture of a chubby smiling baby Riley. "You know I always thought, that part of the reason you hesitated for so long was because of me."

Melanie chuckled and looked at Christian, "No offense, but I kind of used you."

"Really?" He smirked.

"I mean, I took his friend to homecoming, made out with him every chance I got, cat called you at your games, I mean, I did everything but spell it out for him." She sighed, "I didn't want to do everything for him." She shrugged, "But things change and I realized that we want two different things, and maybe it just wasn't meant to be."

"Somehow I think you two will figure it out. I hope that for the sake of everyone's sanity."

Melanie giggled and Christian wrapped his arms around her. "Stay as long as you need Mel. I think he'll get the hint sooner than later."

* * * *

The rain awoken him as he slept on the bed of Christian's truck and she was gone, he'd given her the benefit of the doubt. Something had happened to her, he'd even considered aliens. Something bad. She'd left her phone, her underwear, he shoes. His heart tightened. He was going to ask Christian to help him look.

He'd called Val to see if she had gotten home, and she called the police station. Now he had to unmake those calls. He'd found her, in the last place he thought she would ever be, and it stole his very soul.

She was in his arms. He was going to ask Christian to help him look for her. He felt like an idiot. She'd told him that she loved him. She lied. It was Christian. He stood there soaked peeking into the crack of Christian door. As the two held each other in Christian's bed. He'd heard murmuring because his anger and hurt couldn't figure out what they were saying, but what could it matter, a picture was worth a thousand word. He set Christian's keys on the top step and walked away.

He gave Val a call that he had found Melanie and that she was okay and left it at that. He'd hung up, for the first time hating that this small town didn't have a bar that was opened later or a package store. He just went home. Had a shower and tried to forget that his ex best friend and his brother betrayed him. He had work in the morning.He had his kids. He needed to pull it together or at least try to.