Mrs. Matched | Complete

Chapter Sixteen

Melody and Paul really did make it to my house in just over thirty minutes. Given Paul's frazzled look, I suspect Melody may have driven just a little over the speed limit in order to achieve the feat.

"Hey, Mel!" I shouted, running down the front steps in my bare feet to greet her. "It's been forever since we saw each other."

When we met at the bottom of the stairs, she pulled me into a hug. "I missed you!"

Christopher spoke from the top of the stairs while Mel and I hugged. "Hey, you must be Paul. You want to come in while the girls catch up? I have drinks in the kitchen."

There he goes being all respectful again.

Paul didn't even pause to attempt to discuss it with Melody before answering, "Yes, please. Nice to meet you," and walking into the house. The door closed behind them with a large smack and the loud groan Christopher emitted from behind it meant his feet had probably met one of my boxes of books.

I really have to clean those up.

"So, tell me everything." Melody and I were finally speaking in private for the first time since this whole thing started.

"You first." She sat down on the swing that adorned our front porch. "I can't believe how fast this all happened. I mean, I didn't even get to help you pack."

The swing groaned as I added my own weight and settled in beside Mel. "If it will make you feel better, there's still a lot of unpacking to do."

When she laughed, I allowed myself to laugh with her. Though it hadn't really been that long since Melody's wedding, with everything going on it felt like an eternity. And Christopher's kindness did not make him someone I knew or trusted. It was so nice to have my friend back and finally not feel so alone.

"So, tell me about you. How are you feeling about all of this, really? Does he seem alright so far?" She didn't have to point to let me know who she was referring to, but she did it anyway, gently gesturing over her shoulder and pointing her thumb toward my new house.

"I think I'm okay. I'm sure you'll figure it out really soon on your own, but he's a really nice guy. I don't know if my parents picked him well or if I just got lucky but so far he's been really cool about giving me time to adjust, which is nice."

"Yeah?" She smiled and pulled her legs up onto the swing, rubbing her hands together for warmth. "So, do you like him?"

Of course she would ask that question. My explanation poured out of my mouth faster than I could keep up with it. "Yeah, I like him, but I barely know him. I have no idea if I would have married him under any other circumstances and I'm honestly freaked out that at any given moment the mask he's wearing is going to slip off and he's going to become this terrible person."

Melody opened her mouth to speak and I held up my hand to stop her. "Before you say anything, I know that's irrational, but it's possible. I barely know him. I'm just trying to focus on getting to know him and seeing what he is really like before I decide what to do next."

I should tell her about the lawyer and the dissolution plans, right? But for some reason, I didn't. I just sat in silence and stared at her silently taking in all the information I just dumped on her.

She rubbed her hands on her arms for warmth and took a deep breath. "I mean. Wow, Aubrey. That's a lot."

"There's more."

But I never got to tell her the rest because Christopher opened the front door and poked his head around the corner. "You girls want to come out back? I started a fire so we'll be a little warmer."

"Yeah," I answered for both of us. "We'll be there soon. Thanks."

Melody waits for the door to close and the footsteps to disappear before she finally answers. "Well, he's certainly not bad looking."

"Mel!" I gasped. "He's married! And so are you, for that matter."

"I still have eyes, don't I?"

I rolled my eyes at her comment and pulled her up by her arm. "Come on, I'll show you the house. No hitting on my husband, okay?"

"So you do like him then."

Do I like him? I don't think so. But maybe I could... No. I have to get out of this.

Once Melody had seen the whole main floor of the house, I pushed open the sliding door that joined the kitchen to the backyard.

"Wow," Melody breathed when she finally saw the yard. I was slightly amazed myself. Christopher had somehow made it more beautiful by adding several strings of lights.

"When did you do this?" I asked, not knowing where Christopher even was, and certainly not expecting him to answer.

"While you were fighting your books. Or maybe it was your hair. It really didn't take long." He reached his hand out, waiting for me to take it.

We have guests. But it's just Mel. Tentatively, I reach out my hand and rest it gently in his.

I'm not sure what would have happened next if Melody hadn't interrupted us with a very long and drawn out, "Awe."

Christopher either didn't notice Mel or decided to give me some space about it, because he didn't acknowledge her at all except to ask if she wanted something to drink.

"Yes, please." She danced over toward the drinks. "I would love one."

"I would, too." But when I start to walk toward the table, Christopher pulls me back with our locked hands.

"I'll get it for you. Why don't you grab a blanket and sit where you're comfortable?"

He is surprisingly good at this husband thing. I'm starting to really hope I don't ruin his chances of finding a real wife one day.

When I return with the blanket I knit with my grandma, I am met with Melody's sing-song voice. "This is delicious. Where did you find him?"

Does she mean the drink or my husband?

"I didn't find him, remember? My parents did."

"Oh, yes, the grand problem of our time." She joined her husband around the fire and I was the last to settle in, tucking my blanket around me as Christopher hands me an orange juice with soda.

"So, what's it like being married to someone you've known forever?" Christopher abruptly asked Melody and Paul. "I imagine it's a little different than it is for us. I've always wondered what that would be like."

Paul nodded like he was answering the easiest question in the world. "Yeah, it probably is. I think we dated for, what? Five years. So we know each other pretty well. Not a lot of surprises anymore--"

Melody cut him off. "But that's kind of a good thing, I think. It's nice to have someone you can trust and you know them as well as you know yourself."

I could see the exact moment she noticed my face and realized what she had said, because she was quick to add, "I'm sure you guys will have that, too, but it's just one of the areas where our marriage would be different right now, you know?" She was searching for more words to say, which would have probably just pushed her foot farther into her mouth.

Thankfully, Paul came to her rescue, placing his hand on her wrist and taking over for her. "I'm sure there's some excitement in getting to know each other, though. I remember the beginning of our relationship. There's a lot of new things to learn about each other and adventures to be had. If I know Aubrey at all, there will be a lot of adventures."

Christopher's laugh filled the whole backyard and I couldn't decide whether I should be offended or pleased so I put on a polite smile. "I do love an adventure, Paul. That's the truth."

Christopher's smile told me I shouldn't be offended. He was remembering my adventurous date plans only the night before. It seems we have inside jokes now.