Page 9 of Love Unlocked

‘I think Melody knows what she’s doing, hun, she’s been in the business for twenty years.’

Louise’s expression shuts Sam up but he takes her hand anyway.

‘If she’s such a professional, why did this happen?’

‘She can’t control the press.’

‘She can control the words that come out of her mouth.’

‘Babe,’ Sam says, exasperated. ‘Come on.’

‘Sorry,’ Melody says, feeling more embarrassed as time goes by.

Louise keeps looking at the article, her anger intensifying instead of subsiding with time. The subheading: Dance DJ opens up about her failed engagement.

‘Did you not think that it should be kept private?’

Melody squirms. ‘I thought it would be good publicity. For the business.’

It’s not Louise’s business, Melody shouldn’t have to ask permission for what she says about it, but Louise does take care of the bookings and the licences, the details that Melody and Sam are hopeless at.

‘I thought you were okay with us being in business together,’ Melody says.

‘What wife is okay with this? Melody and Sam, Sam and Melody. I realise that in your worlds that’s how your friends see you and I know that you’re both important to each other, I knew that getting into this, but I’m his wife.’ Her voice cracks.

‘Louise,’ Sam says.

‘No. Let me speak. You both do plenty of it. Did it ever occur to you that I might not have known about the ring?’

She’s truly crying now. Sam is massaging the bridge of his nose as if in pain. Oh goodness, what has Melody done to this beautiful couple?

‘I’d never even heard about his grandmother’s ring. He didn’t propose to me with that ring,’ she says, lifting up her hand and showing her the diamond on her ring finger.

Melody tries to conceal her own shock. She didn’t know Sam tried to propose to her with his grandmother’s ring either. She swallows, briefly catching Sam’s eye before facing Louise’s hand again. She has no interest in engagement or wedding rings, but she knows it’s not the ring that Sam had in his pocket the night of their break-up. His grandmother’s ring.

‘He told me he had inheritance money from his grandmother, and that’s what he was using to invest in the food truck. I didn’t know it was a ring, her wedding ring, the ring he proposed to you with. Which kind of seems like a betrayal,’ Louise says, her voice going up in a screech as she directs it at Sam.

Sam is massaging his nose then running his hands through his shaggy hair.

‘Louise,’ he says, his voice coming out angry, to both their surprise. ‘With all due respect, this has nothing to do with Melody. This is between you and me.’

‘Clearly, it’s not,’ she says angrier, her finger stabbing the tabloid, right through Melody’s right boob in a yellow string bikini top. ‘If it’s splashed out in this thing for the world to see.’

‘Melody didn’t know that you didn’t know, okay? You’ve made your point. She’s said sorry. In fact she has said it four or five times now.’

Louise looks at him in shock, as does Melody. How has it all turned around so quickly when only seconds ago the ball was firmly in Louise’s court? She appreciates Sam’s defence of her, but is he mad? He should be supporting his wife.

‘When are you going to let her go?’ Louise says, her voice wobbling.

Melody’s eyes widen, her heart pounding at the discomfort of this conversation. She just wants to get out of there as quickly as possible.

‘Louise is right,’ Melody says, keen to stop this from escalating. ‘I was wrong. I was selfish. I shouldn’t have mentioned it. I was thinking of the business, not about your hearts, and that was just so cruel and stupid of me.’

Justified, Louise throws Sam a look, but Sam is shaking his head.

Melody shushes him even though he’s not saying anything. ‘Your wife is right and I am wrong, and I’m sorry.’

Melody stands up, her legs are shaking and her knees feel weak. She doesn’t like confrontation with people who usually make her feel safe. She feels humiliated and like an absolute idiot. She can’t look them in the eye as she brings her full mug of cold tea to the sink, empties it, and looks around for the dishwasher.