Chapter 16
Guilt clawed at Melissa’s chest. She’d done her best with what little she had, reading books to Curtis late at night and teaching him as much as she could.
But she knew it wasn’t enough. “I just don’t want you to push him too hard. He’s still just a kid. He needs time.”
The tension in the air thickened. Bradley’s voice rose, his frustration spilling out. “You don’t get to tell me how to raise my
son.”
There was something raw in his tone-resentment, anger, and something unspoken. Melissa bit her lip and looked away. He was right. Curtis was his son, and she had no say in how he raised him.
Her voice wavered as she finally spoke. “He’s picky about vegetables. Try to get him to eat more. He loves toy cars, but don’t spoil him-use them as rewards. He’s sensitive, even if he doesn’t show it. And if… if you remarry and have more kids, don’t forget about him.”
She looked up at him, her eyes glassy, her voice cracking. “Bradley, can I trust you? Will you take care of him?”
Bradley opened his mouth to reply, but the retort he’d prepared never came. The raw love and desperation in her eyes stopped him in his tracks.
His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, his tone flat and emotionless as he changed the subject. “Curtis is being discharged
tomorrow.”
The words made Melissa’s stomach drop. She froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew what came next-Bradley had already told her. Once Curtis was better, she’d have to leave.
Her lips trembled, but before she could even open her mouth, Bradley cut her off. “I’ve set up an apartment for you. You can stay there until your court case is over and you’ve got the money in hand.”
Melissa’s gaze was filled with quiet frustration and a tinge of helplessness. “And if I said I wanted to stay longer? Just until Curtis starts school?” Her voice softened, almost pleading. “Would you say no?”
Bradley’s sharp eyes narrowed, his tone cold and dismissive. “Good to know you can still read the room.”
Melissa let out a slow breath, carefully choosing her next words. “If you just tell him I’ve left for good, that I’ve abandoned him, he won’t handle it. He’s not ready. Could we… could we ease him into it? Maybe let me see him once a week, just until he adjusts to everything?”
Bradley stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he gave a small nod. “Fine. But don’t try any bullshit. Don’t make me regret agreeing to this.”
The memory of Curtis ripping out his IV flashed through his mind. He wasn’t letting that happen again.
Melissa nodded quickly. “Got it.” She turned toward the door, her voice quieter as she added, “I’ll start packing.”
Curtis’s hospital room was a mini tornado of books, toys, clothes, and random odds and ends. Melissa started with his things, folding each item carefully into the suitcase.
But once Curtis’s belongings were packed, she glanced around and saw what was left-Bradley’s stuff.
Her eyes flicked to him. He was seated across the room, deep into a work call, his laptop open in front of him. After a brief hesitation, she sighed and moved toward his things. It felt like a small, polite gesture-nothing worth making a fuss about.
As she folded one of his shirts, something stopped her. A faint, familiar scent lingered on the fabric, tugging at her memory. Melissa frowned, bringing the shirt closer to her nose and taking a cautious sniff.
The smell stirred something deep in her brain, but she couldn’t quite pin it down. Leaning in closer, she sniffed again,
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Chapter 16
slower this time, as if that would help.
“What the hell are you doing?” The deep, dry voice startled her so badly she nearly dropped the shirt.
Spinning around, she found Bradley standing just a few feet away, his arms crossed, his face torn between amusement and disbelief. Melissa froze, her cheeks flushing hot as she fumbled to drop the shirt like it had caught fire.
Bradley raised an eyebrow, stepping closer and snatching the shirt out of her hands. He tossed it into the bag himself, his lips twitching with the faintest hint of a smirk. “Didn’t peg you for the type to sniff clothes. Got a thing for me?”
Melissa’s face turned scarlet. “What?! No!” she blurted, her voice embarrassingly loud. Scrambling for an explanation, she blurted, “I was just… What cologne do you wear?”
Bradley’s smirk deepened, his tone dripping with mockery. “And why exactly do you care?”
Melissa took a steadying breath, forcing herself to sound casual. “It’s familiar, that’s all. I feel like I’ve smelled it somewhere before, but I can’t remember where.”
The truth was, she’d noticed the scent the very first time she met Bradley, though it had been faint back then-barely noticeable.
