They reached for the last jar of Delmont honey, her hand circling the top of the jar as his settled around the bottom. She pulled right, and he pulled left.
“I need this honey for my friend’s barbeque sauce. The Croydon Farms brand is also very good. Maybe you’d like that instead,” she said.
“No, my friend was very specific. He also asked for Delmont honey. Perhaps you’d like that Croydon Farms honey. I’ll give you twice what it’s worth if you’ll just let go of the jar.”
“Why don’t we ask the manager if there’s more in the back?”
“Go ahead.”
“You’re going to put this jar in your cart as soon as I move, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely. I’m meeting some people for the first time, and I want to make a good impression. I need this honey more than I need you to like me. You’re a very attractive woman, but I’m probably never going to see you again.”
“Wow! I’m not sure how to respond to that. Am I supposed to be flattered? I’m not, by the way.”
He seemed genuinely confused by her reaction.
“Telling someone they’re attractive then following it up with a ‘but’ is never a compliment. Chivalry really is dead. Keep your money. Take the honey, and have a lovely week.”
“I’m sorry. You are an incredibly attractive woman… period, not followed by anything.”
“Just take the honey.”
He smiled and watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked away.
Why couldn’t she be the woman Paul was trying to fix him up with this week instead of some widow from Pittsburgh? He’d noticed the ring on her finger. She was clearly taken. Women like that always were. He felt a little guilty for not taking the high road, but he’d been burned in the past. The high road was closed for repairs.
After checking with the manager, Melanie learned Delmont Hives was about ten miles away, and she could buy jars of honey there. She finished her shopping and entered the address in her navigation system determined to put the incident behind her, but she couldn’t stop thinking about him.
He was tall with dark hair and eyes. Most women would consider him handsome, but good looks don’t make up for bad manners. Was his back-handed compliment supposed to make everything all right? Was it an attempt at flirting? It had been so long, she wasn’t sure. Did he think she was flirting? Surely not. Whatever it was, it was over now. She was going to get the honey for Paul, and it would only make her a little bit late getting to the cabin. She’d pick up a couple of extra jars. One for home and one for her in-laws. It would serve as a nice reminder of why she wasn’t jumping back into the dating pool.
It was dark when she arrived at the cabin. Everyone else was already there. She counted four other cars. Did someone drive up separately?
Tina rushed out the door and hugged Melanie.
“We were starting to get worried about you. I tried your cell, but reception’s spotty on these back roads. I’m so happy to see you, Mel! It’s been too long. Let me help you with your bag. What’s in the cooler? Did you make your famous Buffalo chicken salad?”
“I made a few things. I stopped for some of Paul’s favorite honey at the general store. Some jerk grabbed the last jar, so I drove out to Delmont Hives to get more.”
“Paul! Mel’s here! Guess why she’s late! She drove out to Delmont Hives to get your honey because some jerk grabbed the last jar at the general store.”
“I guess that would be me.”
The voice sounded familiar.
“Apparently, we were both on a mission for Paul. No hard feelings,” he said extending his hand.
Paul gently placed his arm around Mel’s shoulder moving her toward the voice to make the formal introductions.
“Jason, meet Melanie from Pittsburgh. Mel, this is Jason, he’s my business partner. He’ll be managing the new office in Pittsburgh. He and his daughter are moving there. I thought maybe you could help them get settled.”
Mel shook his extended hand. She looked accusingly at Tina. Tina shrugged. Mel knew her well enough to know this was an attempt at matchmaking. She couldn’t imagine why Tina or Paul thought she’d be interested in this person. So what if he was moving to her city?
“How old is your daughter?”
“Claudia is almost thirteen.”
“Mel’s daughter Anna is twelve, and her son Neil is nine,” Tina chimed in.
“Paul told me your husband passed away a couple of years ago. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Melanie nodded.
Hearing those words always made her feel numb. It was the right thing to say, but she’d been hearing it for the past two years. The words reminded her anew that Declan was gone.
For fifteen years, Declan and Melanie had gotten together with their college friends, Tina, Paul, Peggy, Chip, Carol, and Steve for one week each year alternating between Paul’s family’s cabin in the Poconos and a vacation rental in Duck, North Carolina. Usually, they visited the cabin during Winter or Spring break, but Paul’s sisters called dibs this year. February was the only time he could get the cabin. It was a coincidence that Valentine’s Day happened to fall during the week. This was Mel’s first time going without Declan. She felt ambushed even though she knew her friends meant well. Was this going to be her life now? Constantly being paired up with random strangers, so the numbers would balance?
“Where is everyone?”
“They’re upstairs getting settled in their rooms. I’ll let them know you’re here. A plumbing leak damaged the walls and ceiling in one of the upstairs bedrooms. The repairs aren’t completely finished, so we thought you’d be more comfortable in one of the basement bedrooms. Jason’s staying in the other bedroom. You don’t mind sharing a bathroom, do you? There are extra blankets if you get cold.”
“No problem.”
“Let me take this downstairs. I feel like I owe you an act of chivalry.”
Jason smiled and reached for her bag.
“I can manage, but thanks.”
“I insist.”
“Let the nice man help you, Mel.”
“Geez, Tina. Are you my mother now?”
“I put my stuff in this room, but you can have it if you want. I really am sorry about the whole honey thing.”
“Both rooms are the same, so it’s fine. The honey thing might take me a while.”
Jason’s smile evaporated.
“Relax, I’m kidding. No hard feelings.”
He smiled.
“I hope this won’t be weird,” he said.
“It doesn’t have to be. If Paul and Tina are playing matchmaker, I apologize. If I’d known, I never would have agreed to come.”
“So, you didn’t know I’d be here?”
“Not a clue.”
“Claudia and I could really use some help. I don’t even know where we should live. There seem to be several nice areas with good public schools similar to the Philadelphia suburb we live in now. Do you live in the city?”
“No, we live in the South Hills. Declan grew up there. Great public schools, and we like the area. Is Claudia excited about the move?”
“Not exactly. We’ve moved around a lot. Every time she starts making friends, it’s time to move again. She’ll be in high school soon, and I want to find us a permanent home.”
“That’s tough. I’m sorry. What about her mother if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Diane, my ex-wife, decided marriage and motherhood weren’t for her when Claudia was a baby. She surrendered her parental rights. Claudia has no contact with her mom. The last I heard; Diane was teaching English as a second language somewhere in China. I spend as much time with Claudia as possible, but I’ve always needed someone to help around the house and look after her when I’m working. I’ll need to find someone in Pittsburgh.”
“My in-laws live nearby, and they help with the kids, but I have friends who have hired help. I can find out which agencies they recommend. I also have a good friend in real estate if you need an agent. She can help you narrow down your search.”
“That’s really nice of you, thanks.”
“Single parents have to stick together. I’m still relatively new at it. I can’t even imagine how hard it’s been for you.”
“Claudia is a great kid, but sometimes I think she thinks she’s the parent. She’s staying with her friend Beth this week while I’m here. Beth is going to spend a week with us in the summer while her parents go on a second honeymoon.”
“Sounds like a fair trade off.”
“You still wear your wedding ring. Do you mind if I ask what happened to your husband?”
Mel twisted the ring on her finger.
“I’ve taken this ring off half a dozen times, but I always worry what the kids will think, so I always put it back on. Declan, the fitness fanatic, suffered a fatal heart attack during his morning run leaving me to raise our children alone. This is the first time I’ve left them for more than a day since he died. They’re with Declan’s parents, Lucy, and Ralph, so they won’t miss school.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Hey! Did you two get lost down there? Everyone is waiting for you in the kitchen.”
“Melanie and I will be right up, Paul.”
***
“Is that Carol’s lasagna I smell? Please tell me Steve is making garlic toast and antipasto.”
“Done and done, “ Steve answered giving Mel a big hug.
“We’ve missed you, Mel. Pease tell me you and the kids are coming to Duck next year.”
“We’ll try, I promise.”
“We’re holding you to that.” Paul chimed in.
“Jason, I promised you we would eat like kings. Tina made Tiramisu for dessert. Don’t worry, we’ll burn it all off on the slopes tomorrow. Tina posted her chore list. Tonight you and Mel are on clean up duty, and tomorrow you’re both in charge of breakfast. Tina and I have breakfast clean up.”
“We seem to be paired up for the entire week. I’m sorry, Jason. Subtlety isn’t Tina’s strong suit.”
“Looks like fun.”
“Everyone cleans up as they go, so there usually isn’t a lot of mess. Plates, glasses, and silverware in the dishwasher. Wiping down the table and the counters. A few pots and pans. Declan and I used to knock it out in fifteen or twenty minutes. The time it takes to make coffee and set up the after-dinner games.”
“Games?”
“Charades, Pictionary, Cards Against Humanity, Taboo, Trivial Pursuit. In the evenings we play games or board games, work on a jigsaw puzzle, or dance. Declan and Paul used to play chess. I’m sorry, I seem to be mentioning Declan a lot. There’s a lot of history here. We all met in college almost twenty years ago, except for Peggy. She’s a few years younger than everyone else. Her freshman year was our senior year.”
“How did you all become such good friends?”
“Declan and Paul were roommates freshman year. They moved into an apartment with Chip and Steve the next year. Declan and I met during freshman orientation. He accidentally stepped on my foot while we were touring the campus. He kept apologizing. We started talking, and that was it. We went on our first date that night, dated all through college and got married three weeks after graduation. Tina was my roommate. She and Paul started dating during our sophomore year. Carol and Steve grew up in the same small town. They were stuck in the friend zone until senior year. It took them another five years to get married. Carol’s roommate moved into an apartment senior year, but Carol’s parents made her stay in the dorms. Peggy was assigned as her new roommate. Carol wasn’t crazy about rooming with a freshman, but Peg’s a real sweetheart. Peggy and Chip didn’t date college. They reconnected two years later when they started working for the same PR firm in Washington, D.C.”
“So this whole thing started because a guy stepped on your foot.”
“More or less.”
“That’s a great story. Thanks for telling me.”
“How did you and Paul meet?”
“We met at a convention in Dallas. The keynote speaker was terrible, and we both kept rolling our eyes at exactly the same time. We bonded about it over a few drinks, exchanged contact information, and went our separate ways. He called me three weeks later with an offer too good to pass up. Claudia and I moved to Philadelphia. It’s where I grew up. My mom and sister were there, so it was nice to be around family. My dad passed away when I was fifteen. Mom has always been our rock.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your dad. Isn’t it hard to think of moving to Pittsburgh and leaving them?”
“My sister’s husband accepted a new job in Aspen last year. My mom went with them. She has her own Granny flat, and she absolutely loves it there. She offered to come to Pittsburgh with us and stay until Claudia gets settled, but I don’t want her to uproot her life. You mentioned your in-laws, are your parents close by, too?”
“They live in Sacramento. My younger sister and her family live there, too. My older brother lives in Portland. They came for the funeral and tried to get us to move to Sacramento. It didn’t go well when I declined their offer. They felt like I was choosing Declan’s family over them. Maybe I was. Lucy and Ralph live close by. They get the kids off the bus in the afternoon, give them a snack, make sure homework gets done, and take them to all their after-school activities if I’m tied up with a client. Declan’s siblings are all within forty minutes, so Anna and Neil get to spend a lot of time with their cousins. I didn’t think it would be fair to take the kids away from their home, their friends, their family and make them start over so soon after losing their dad. I’m a California girl, born and raised, but Pittsburgh is my home now.”
“That’s a tough call, but I understand your reasoning. It’s why I want to put down some roots for Claudia. If the company ever opens an office in Aspen, I might be tempted to move again to be near my family. I love working with Paul. I’m so excited about our partnership, and starting the Pittsburgh office. I can’t imagine doing anything else. What about you? Paul never told me what you do.”
“I’m an artist. I illustrate children’s books, and I also design artwork for boutique office spaces. I did some of the artwork for Paul’s Philadelphia offices.”
“It’s embarrassing that I didn’t know that. Did you paint the abstract of the library?”
“I did.”
“It’s my favorite painting. Claudia loves it, too. Paul let me hang it in my office. It’s the first thing anyone sees.”
“I’m glad you like it. Paul commissioned a few pieces for the Pittsburgh office. He’s been incredibly supportive of my career. I’ve gifted his family a few paintings for the cabin over the years.”
“Well, I’m impressed. If I can afford you, maybe you’ll design something for Claudia’s new room after we find a house.”
“Maybe it can be a housewarming gift.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t. I offered. Are you any good at trivia? I bet we’re partnered up, and just so you know, I hate to lose.”
“Me, too. I have a good feeling about our chances.”
***
“I can’t believe you won, again.” Paul grumbled.
Melanie and Jason high-fived. He pulled her in for what was supposed to be a quick hug. She seemed to fit perfectly in his arms, and he wanted to keep her there. It caught them both off guard. They pulled away reluctantly, but quickly hoping no one else had noticed. Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the comfort of making a human connection again. Whatever it was, he hoped she was also feeling it. It seemed like she was, but he’d been fooled before. Diane was all-in until things became real, then she bailed in spectacular fashion, leaving him and Claudia.
Melanie took another sip of wine. She could still smell his aftershave, a subtle mix of citrus and bergamot mixed with the faintest hint of sweat. She liked being close to him. It alarmed her, but in a good way. She felt alive again for the first time in a long time. She felt guilty, but at least she didn’t feel numb.
The week was almost over, and Jason had been the perfect companion. He was funny, and surprisingly considerate compared to the man she met in the grocery store. While everyone else was skiing they went snowboarding. He was a great partner for games nights… just as competitive, but he also knew how to have fun. They’d talked a lot about the move and getting their families together.
Carol’s voice roused her from her thoughts.
“You really do have a lot in common.”
Mel looked at Carol.
“I’m just saying. You’re both trivia sharks, snowboarders, single parents, and soon to be fellow Pittsburghers. Since all the wines Jason brought are this good, we have to make him an honorary member of the group instead of an honored guest.”
“Cheers to new friends and new beginnings!” Steve said.
Glasses clanked, and Mel looked at Jason. He was looking at her.
“It’s after midnight. Happy Valentine’s Day!” Peggy exclaimed.
She kissed Chip. Tina kissed Paul, and Carol kissed Steve. Jason reached for Mel’s hand and brought it to his lips.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he whispered.