Unbreak Me (Second Chances #1) (4 page)

“You worry about making good grades and let me worry about the men in my life, ok?” Melanie glared this time.

“Fine, I’ll drop it,” Katie sighed.

“Oh there’s this boy at school. He’s so annoying, mom. He thinks he’s soooo cool. Ugh!!! AND he thinks that he’s god’s gift to women. I mean really!!!” Katie tossed her hand in the air. “He bugged me most of the day, and then he wanted to walk me home. You should have seen his face when I shot him down. Ha!! It was priceless,” Katie laughed.

“That’s my girl. You’re too young to worry about boys right now,” Melanie smirked.

“You sound like Hannah’s dad. She told me he tells her the same thing,” Katie retorted.

“Must be a smart man,” Melanie chuckled. “Now eat. You’ve got homework to do, then bed young lady.”

“Yes, mom,” Katie sighed as she shoved another bite of food into her mouth.

The week passed by quickly for both mother and daughter. Katie had asked Hannah about coming over after school on Friday so they could work on their history project together. Hannah had agreed to meet Katie after school at the baseball field. You could see the parking lot easier from there. Melanie had agreed to pick the girls up. In addition to Hannah having soccer practice, her dad was not too keen on her riding the subway to Katie’s house.

“I’m glad your mom’s coming to get us,” Hannah told her. “My dad did not like the idea of me riding the subway. He’s afraid something might happen to me. I never get to go anywhere without a driver.”

“A driver?” Katie gasped.

“Yeah, my dad has a driver that brings me to school everyday. Usually my dad picks me up, but today I have you,” she shrugged.

Katie sat in quiet contemplation, Sam had said that Hannah’s dad was loaded but she had no idea how truly loaded he was.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. My mom never let me ride the subway in New York. She said it was too dangerous, but she doesn’t seem to have a problem with it here,” Katie laughed. “I think she’s just glad that she doesn’t have to drive me around anymore.”

Just then a dark silver F150 pulled into the parking lot. Hannah groaned, “Seriously,” and shook her head.

“What?” Katie looked at her with confusion on her face.

“That,” Hannah pointed at the truck, “is my dad’s truck. He only drives it when he’s been out checking on a job. I’m sure he’s here to check up on me. Make sure I’m going where I said I was.”

When the truck came to a stop a few feet away, the girls rose to their feet and waited. The door opened and man climbed out. He was tall, about six feet from what Katie could tell. He had sandy brown hair that kind of flopped over his brow, bright blue eyes, with a slight amount of scruff on his jaw, and a beautiful sun kissed tan. He was wearing a grey suit with a white button down shirt and a dark gray tie. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked in the direction of the girls.

“Hey dad,” Hannah groaned. “What are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too, honey,” he smirked at her. “I came to meet these people you’re going home with today. I happened to be in the area checking on the progress of a current project,” he shrugged.

“Happened to be in the area? Sure thing dad,” she rolled her eyes. “This is Katie.” She waved her arm in Katie’s direction. “Her mom should be here any minute to pick us up.”

Turning toward Katie, she continued, “This is my dad, Austin Montgomery.”

“Nice to meet you sir,” Katie reached out to shake his hand.

Just then the girls saw Melanie’s BMW pull into the parking lot beside the ball fields.

“She’s here,” Katie pointed to the sleek black car.

“Don’t embarrass me dad,” Hannah pleaded.

“When have I ever done that?” Austin chuckled.

Melanie emerged from the car dressed in a pair of blue scrubs with her hair blowing in the breeze behind her. Austin stood frozen in place. Hannah turned and smirked at Katie.

“Look,” she pointed her thumb at her dad. “It’s like he swallowed his tongue.”

Katie giggled and covered her mouth when Austin began to snap out of his trance. The girls turned to see him walking slowly towards Melanie. She had ducked her head down as she made her way to the group. She wasn’t paying attention and didn’t realize he was there until she got close enough to hear the girls laughing. Her head snapped up and she came to an abrupt halt.

“Mom,” Katie smiled. “This is Mr. Montgomery, Hannah’s dad,” Katie pointed to Austin. “Mr. Montgomery, this is my mom, Dr. Melanie Andrews.”

“Nice to meet you,” Austin reached out to shake her hand.

“Nice to meet you too,” Melanie responded. “And call me Mel, everyone else does.”

“OK Mel, I’ve got to be at a building site until 6, but I can pick up Hannah after that if it’s ok with you,” he fumbled and looked at his feet.

“Sure, that works for me. Hannah can stay for dinner. That is if you’d like to Hannah,” Melanie turned to look at Hannah.

“Can I dad? We’ve got a lot to do tonight,” Hannah begged.

“Sure, I’ll pick you up at 8 then?” he glanced at Melanie.

“That’s fine,” she finished and turned to walk away. “It was nice meeting you Mr. Montgomery,” she said over her shoulder.

“You too, and it’s Austin,” he smiled back at her and then walked over to his truck.

As Melanie walked back to her car with the girls in tow, she couldn’t help the feeling that had washed over her. It was like excitement and peace all rolled together. She shook her head and rolled her eyes
you’re acting like a crazy schoolgirl
she told herself.

“Hey Hannah,” Melanie looked to the side, “what does your dad do for a living?”

“He’s an architect, why?” she tilted her head to the side.

“His name just sounds really familiar,” Melanie shook her head and tried to remember where she’d heard the name before. Then it suddenly came to her and she gasped in recognition, “Is your dad the Montgomery in Montgomery, Sloan, and Matthews?”

“Yeah, you’ve heard of them?” Hannah questioned.

“They built the new wing on the hospital. Everyone at work talks about Austin Montgomery and what a shame it is that he‘s still single,” she blushed.

“My dad just hasn’t found the right person,” Hannah shrugged. “I think he still might be hurt over loosing my mom.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to your mom?” Melanie glanced at Hannah.

“She was killed in a car accident. Drunk driver,” she sighed. “I don’t remember her. I was only a year old when it happened. I don’t think he thinks he’ll find someone to love like he loved my mom.”

“I can understand that,” Melanie looked wistfully out across the schoolyard.

“Well, we better get going if we’re going to have time to work on this project,” Katie swung open the car door and climbed in.

“Yeah, homework awaits,” Hannah threw her hands in the air. “My dad, he never acts like that. He usually gives my friend’s parents the third degree. He never lets me go anywhere without tons of questions about who I’m going to be with,” she shook her head.

The group piled into Melanie’s car and headed back to the house. She smiled as she watched the girls laughing and talking in the back seat. Katie was settling into Boston perfectly.

Chapter 4

August 2012

A few days had passed since Hannah and Katie’s work day, and Melanie found herself day dreaming about Austin a lot. Those piercing blue eyes and perfect smile haunted her thoughts. She wasn’t planning on it, but her mind seemed to drift back to him whenever she was relaxing. Currently, she was sitting on the couch going over a medical chart. She had a surgery to perform the next afternoon and she wanted to make sure she was prepared. She’d referred to her books, met with the parents, and examined the patient, but she was having a hard time concentrating on what she was doing and it frightened her.
I can’t be thinking about him when I’m with patients
she thought.
What’s wrong with me?
He was consuming her thoughts and she was worried she’d make a careless mistake.

Just then, a sleepy Katie came into the room rubbing her eyes, “Mom, is everything ok?”

“Sure honey, go back to bed. I’m calling it a night shortly,” Melanie set the half finished wine glass on the coffee table. “I just need to go over this chart one more time.”

“Is it okay if I stay with Sam this weekend?” Katie yawned. “I told her I’d ask you, and I forgot.”

“Sure, honey, we’ll talk about it in the morning. Now go back to bed.”

Katie ambled back toward her room, and Melanie flopped back on the couch and tossed the chart on the table. It was going to be a rough day if she couldn’t get her head on straight. What was wrong with her? She shouldn’t feel this way about another man. She needed to get her life back together before jumping into something else. She leaned back against the soft cushions of the couch and rubbed her eyes, closing them only for a moment as her thoughts began to drift back to him.

They were on a secluded tropical beach somewhere. As if watching a video, she watched as a pile of tangled limbs on the soft warm sand began to come into view. As he pressed the length of his body to hers, she gasped in pleasure, feeling his hard muscles against her soft form. One hand trailed along her ribs caressing her skin as it made its way toward her hip, the other propped his body up above her. As she trailed her fingers along the ridges of his chest and abs, they quivered in her wake. Austin leaned in, covering her mouth with his as he ground his hips forward into her. Melanie threw her head back and moaned at the sensation. Breathing heavily, he began to pull the ties that held her bikini top in place. “You’re so beautiful, I want to see you,” he groaned. She connected with his mouth again and ran her tongue along his lips begging for entrance. He parted them just as his hand began to tease her breast.

Melanie’s eyes shot open and she sprang up to a sitting position. Her breathing was coming in ragged pants as she searched her surroundings trying to reorient herself.
It was only a dream
she told herself. She glanced at her half finished glass of wine and assumed that the alcohol mixed with her tiredness had not been a winning combination for the evening. After deciding that she’d gone over her charts as much as she could stand in one night, she stood, turned out the lights, and made her way to bed.

If she thought sleep would help her brain, she was wrong. The dream from the couch was only the beginning. Tanned skin, crystal blue eyes, and wavy brown hair continued to run wild through her fantasies. She tossed and turned begging for sleep to consume her until she finally passed out from exhaustion.

Austin, on the other hand, had been having his own problems…HER. Everywhere he looked he saw her. He’d hear a laugh, see a flash of brown hair, or the clicking of heels on the hard floor and he would turn thinking it was her, only to be disappointed that it wasn’t. Just now, he was sitting at the kitchen table of his luxury loft apartment drinking coffee and staring into the cup.

Hannah was getting a bowl of cereal when she broke him out of his thoughts, “What are you thinking about, Dad?”

“Huh, nothing sweetie. Just have a lot on my mind this morning,” he grimaced at being caught daydreaming.

“Can I go to Sam’s this weekend?” Hannah asked. “I meant to ask yesterday, but I forgot. She wanted Katie and I to come over for a girl’s night. We’re going to have a spa day,” she added with a giggle.

“Sure, I don’t see why not. So, Katie’s going?” he raised his brow in interest.

“As far as I know,” Hannah shrugged his interest off as no big deal.

“Say Hannah, what’s Katie’s dad like?” Austin was prying and he knew it, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Don’t know. She never talks about him,” she shrugged.

“Have you ever met him?”, no comma Austin glanced back at her as she made her way over with her cereal.

“No, why?” she asked.

“Just wondering,” he continued to swirl his coffee in his cup. The week before, when Hannah had been working on a project at Katie’s and he’d gone to pick her up, he had seen a family picture on a table. Katie was just a baby in the picture. The more recent photos that were scattered around the house didn’t have a man in them. At first he thought that maybe Melanie was divorced, but then he noticed the wedding band on her left hand when she offered him a drink. He didn’t ask about a husband, and she didn’t volunteer the information, so he’d dropped all thoughts of it from his mind.

After waking up late, Melanie sighed as she stood in front of the mirror. She looked tired and stressed. It was going to be a long day. She could hear Katie fixing herself breakfast in the kitchen and she knew she needed to hurry. She was supposed to assist in an infant surgery this afternoon. A little boy that had come into the hospital two days before had a hole in his heart. The doctors had tried to alleviate the problem with only medications, but it wasn’t working. She was to be teamed with the cardiology department. This surgery was going to take most of the afternoon, and she was tired already.
Pull it together
she told herself as she grabbed some scrubs out of a drawer and tugged them on. After gathering her hair into a ponytail, she rushed to throw on some makeup, and then dashed out to the kitchen.

“Running late today, Mom?” Katie smiled.

“Very funny,” Melanie smirked.

“I’ve gotta go,” Katie turned and headed toward the door. She had the train schedule memorized. Melanie had bought her a Link Pass to use, that way she could ride the bus to the train station, and then hop on the Red Line to take her downtown to school. “Don’t forget I’m staying with Sam tonight. I’ll stop by after school and grab an overnight bag. See you tomorrow afternoon,” she smiled and ran out the door.

A night to myself
Melanie mused.
I haven’t had one of those in years.
She quickly finished her breakfast and made her way out the door, deciding to take the MBTA to work due to the fact that parking was so expensive. She’d been doing a lot of walking and subway trips lately. It gave her time to think, and save money. Other than the days that she picked up Katie, she’d hardly driven her car at all.

As she made her way to the subway station, the sun warmed her skin. It was a beautiful day out.
Maybe I’ll take a trip to the park after work today
she thought. She didn’t need to worry about getting home so fast. Katie wouldn’t be there. She could stop for coffee after work and then maybe a walk along the Charles.

Once arriving at the hospital, she went to her office to prepare for her day. William stopped by a few times to say hello, the surgery went well, and the patient was recovering nicely. When she finished up, she made her way to Cool Beans, the espresso shop that she’d visited with William when she first arrived in Boston. She ordered her Carmel Latte, and went to have a seat on one of the couches in the back. As she glanced to her left, she saw a young couple so wrapped up in each other that they were oblivious to everything around them. It was all that was needed to send her back in time...

September 1996

“Sean, people are watching, “ Melanie giggled as he moved his hand higher on her thigh.

“Let ‘em watch,” he growled.

“Come on, stop,” she begged.

“I want to celebrate that my baby said yes to me today,” he held up her left hand and kissed the ring he’d slid on it only moments earlier. They’d been together for three years. Sean had waited patiently for her to graduate and settle into college before he’d made it official. However, he knew they were meant to be the moment he laid eyes on her.

“I love you,” she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

“I love you too. I don’t want to wait. I want to get married as soon as we can. No more waiting!!!” he leaned in and kissed her neck as she giggled and sighed.

August 2012

She shook the memory from her head as she began to rise and head for the door.
I gotta get out of here
she thought as she wiped the single tear that was beginning to fall from her eye. It seemed no matter where she went or who she was with, Sean and the memories always came back. It had been eleven years, when was it going to stop hurting so bad?

Austin’s day had been uneventful. The usual complaints coming from his latest client about the placement of the bathrooms and such, and Hannah stopping by his office to tell him that she’d see him tomorrow was all his day had held.
What am I going to do with myself
he thought. He couldn’t remember the last time that Hannah had gone to a sleepover. She was a homebody and didn’t spend very many nights away. It seemed that Katie had been a good influence on Hannah in bringing her out of her shell.

Finally he decided to ask Colin to meet him at O’Bryan’s bar downtown. He figured he hadn’t had a drink with his best friend in forever, and they could catch up. Colin had agreed, and the two planned to meet up in a few hours.

Austin made his way to a table next to the front window, and was soon sipping a beer and watching the world go by.

“Can I get you anything else?” the server asked.

“No, I’m waiting on a friend, thanks,” he glanced up at her.

She offered a flirty smile, “Well let me know if you change your mind.” She turned and headed back in the direction of the kitchen, only glancing back once at him.

He smirked. He knew women found him attractive and it felt nice to be desired, but he hadn’t found anyone that he wanted to pursue...that is until he met “her“. Melanie Andrews. Somehow he HAD to get to know her. If he couldn’t get her out of his head, then he needed to get to know her better. She had consumed his thoughts so much that he was even willing to pursue a friendship with her if that was all he could get. While he was lost in his thoughts, Colin came in and sat across from him, groaning as he slumped into the chair.

“Long day?” Austin chuckled.

“Ha, you’re funny. Teaching history all day can wear on your brain. I don’t get to relax in a posh office like you, or go to that fancy gym you have at your loft at the end of every day,” Colin huffed.

“Trust me when I tell you my job is not relaxing. I have a client that has been insisting that the layout of their office building doesn’t meet the criteria for Feng Shui. Something about where the bathrooms are placed is messing up the energy flow,” he tossed his hand in the air waving it around. “I have redrawn the plans five times and have had the interns work on them, and they’re still not satisfied. I’m not sure how much more I can put up with before I pass on the project.”

Colin laughed, “Ok, I see your point. The hospital was happy with the renovations though, right?”

“Yeah, that project was monster sized and I did have fun working on it, but I’m glad it’s done.” Austin took another pull off his beer and motioned for the server to come over as he pointed to Colin. She nodded and brought him a beer.

“So, what’s new?” Colin asked.

“What do you mean?” Austin quirked an eyebrow.

“Well, the only time you ask me out for drinks is when you’re having an issue with Hannah, or when you’re thinking about a woman,” Colin laughed as Austin choked on his beer. “It’s a woman, isn’t it?”

“Maybe, what if it is?” Austin raised his brow.

“You know, you haven’t dated anyone seriously in several years. You owe it to yourself to at least try,” his best friend smiled.

“This one’s different,” Austin gripped the beer bottle and proceeded to peel the label off. “I’m not sure if she’s even available. I haven’t heard her talk about any men in her life, but she wears a wedding band.”

“Well, have you asked?” Colin cocked his head to the side.

“No,” Austin blushed. “I can’t be that forward.”

“Ask her for coffee,” he suggested. “Talk about Hannah, all women like to talk about kids. Then just slip in something about family and see if you can get her to talk about her husband.”

“This is why you’ve never been married,” Austin laughed. “You have to woo a woman. It’s not like car shopping. There’s no smooth talking. I need to be honest with her. I just don’t know how I want to approach her yet.”

The two men spent another hour talking and laughing, something that they both missed, until Austin decided to call it a night.

“I’ve gotta get home,” he told Colin. “This has been fun, we really need to do it more often.”

The two embraced in a manly hug before parting ways. Austin headed for the door, while Colin headed to the bathroom.

“See you later,” he shouted before disappearing onto the street.