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Before Mel could say another word, she threw herself on top of him and gave him a resounding kiss on his full lips. She bit the bottom one slightly, grazing it with her teeth.
Mel looked surprised for a moment, but he recovered quickly. He rolled her over so that she was now lying beneath him. “Hello to you, too, baby,” he murmured. “You know, you a trip.”
Their lovemaking was hot and heavy and wild that night—just like old times.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Mel woke up the next morning feeling like a new man. The previous night had not just been about sex. There had been genuine love between him and Adrienne. Maybe God has decided that I’ve suffered enough, he thought. The idea made him smile, and he stroked Adrienne’s bare back tenderly until she opened her eyes.
“Is it time for work already?” she groaned.
Mel kissed her forehead. “Yes, but you must have one hell of a hangover. Why don’t you call in sick?”
“I can’t. Regina has a report that I have to start on today or she’ll miss her deadline.”
“Okay. I’ll get you some Alka-Seltzer and dry toast. That and a shower should help a lot.”
They smiled at each other and Mel squeezed her hand. She squeezed back, and the sensation made him feel weak with relief.
The next few weeks passed by in a delicious blur. Mel continued to work double shifts to catch up on the rent. He didn’t go to the bar, and Little Jimmy never crossed his mind.
He was giving Adrienne a foot massage one evening when a long-forgotten wish resurfaced in his mind.
“Adrienne, did you ever think about leaving New York?”
She cocked her head to one side and gave him a sweet and quizzical smile. “Sure. Part of my whole performing bug came from a desire to see the world. London. Tokyo. Nigeria. Scotland.”
Damn. He wasn’t thinking that big. “I meant leaving New York to live in another American city.”
Adrienne stroked his hair. “Do you have a particular city in mind?”
“Yeah. When I was young, I wanted to live someplace that was always warm. If I never see another flake of snow again, it’ll be way too soon. What do you think about moving to Miami?”
She paused. “I don’t know.”
Mel rubbed some more baby oil on her right foot, then slipped a white cotton sock onto it. “What about Los Angeles or Phoenix?”
“Los Angeles sounds better.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “Bigger city. More jobs.”
Yeah, that made sense. “Do you think we could do that, baby?”
Adrienne sighed. “I can’t think beyond that pile of bills in my closet, Mel. Will you ask me again when they’re all paid off?”
Their eyes met. She leaned down, and they exchanged a kiss. Mel wondered silently if his marriage was really back on track, or if God was just playing some kind of game with him.
PART THREE
GOOD-BYE TO YESTERDAY
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
From the look on her supervisor’s face, Adrienne was expecting bad news. She sat down on the edge of the chair and wondered what was going on.
Regina flung her red hair from her face in one fluid motion and waved a piece of paper in the air. “I have a memo here from Human Resources. You are being offered a promotion.”
