LOGINMelody adjusted the woven basket on her arm as she walked through the farmers’ market, her boots crunching lightly against the gravel path. The sun was coming up but the breeze that was blowing helped to reduce its impact. She had come out for fresh berries.Strawberries, blueberries… maybe raspberries if she found good ones. She wanted to make jam for her doughnut fillings. Her fingers brushed over a tray of strawberries at one stall before she moved on. She kept walking, the familiar wooden stalls, the scent of fresh bread, herbs, and fruits it all wrapped around her. They had malls in SnowBrook but she would rather get her fruits, spices and herbs from the farmers market.She got everything she needed and headed for Mrs. Donnelly's store to get the berries. As she got there she noticed Mrs. Donnelly wasn't there, it was her husband.“Mr. Donnelly?”The older man looked up immediately, his face lighting up like someone had just handed him a gift. “My dearest girl!” he exclaimed, s
The moment Melody saw Brandon standing there, leaning casually against the wall just outside the restroom, her steps faltered for half a second.Of course it was him.A flicker of irritation crossed her face before she could stop it. Her brows pulled together slightly, her lips pressing into a thin line as one question echoed in her head. Why is he here?“Hey,” Brandon said, straightening up immediately when he saw her turn.Melody blinked once, forcing her expression into something neutral. “Hey.”“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he added quickly, rubbing the back of his neck like he suddenly felt awkward standing there. “I just… I needed to use the restroom too, but I’ll wait.”She stared at him for a second, not entirely convinced, not entirely interested either. “It’s fine.” Without waiting for anything else, she pushed the door open and stepped into the female restroom, letting it close behind her with a soft click.The silence inside was a relief. For a moment, she just stood there
SnowBrook Valley The smell of cinnamon and sugar filled the kitchen, warm and comforting, wrapping around Melody. She stood by the counter, carefully sliding the last batch of cinnamon rolls onto a cooling rack, her fingers moving with quiet precision.For a moment, she just stood there, staring at them. Golden brown and perfectly glazed, she loved it here in the kitchen. A small smile tugged at her lips, but it didn’t last long. Her chest felt heavy again.It had been a week since the death of her father and three days since he was laid to rest. The thought alone made something twist painfully inside her. She would never get to see him, hug him and kiss me ever again. He'll never get the chance to walk her down the aisle on her big day or even see his grandchild.The thought broke her, and she cries everyday and some nights when she can't sleep, she can hear her mum cry herself to sleep. It was a really hard time for her family and her one escape was baking.She inhaled slowly, pre
The room was a mess of dresses, heels, makeup brushes, and half-open boxes, but neither of them cared. Tara stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the strap of her dress while Melody sat on the bed, staring down at the two options in her hands like her life depended on it.“I don’t know,” Melody muttered, lifting one up. “This one feels like I’m going to church.” Tara laughed but didn’t even turn. “Girl the blue one is better, why are you even holding that big ass dress in the first place?”“Because I think it's pretty, and it's giving the boss chick vibe.”“No,” Tara said, finally glancing at her through the mirror. “It’s not giving a boss chick, it's giving, I just married the pastor.”Melody rolled her eyes. “I don't think you have any idea of what a pastor's wife looks like.”“You bet I do and I don't want you walking into a restaurant looking like you just got back from church.” Tara shot back.That pulled a laugh out of Melody. “Okay, that’s rude,” she said, tossing one dress
Logan woke up to the instant feeling of regret. For a few seconds, he didn’t move. His eyes stayed closed, his body still, as fragments of the night before flickered through his mind. Last night he got carried away and Hanni, who knew he couldn't resist her, took advantage of him. He hated himself for being so weak and gullible.Then he turned slightly, the other side of the bed was empty as he opened his eyes.He stared at the space for a moment, he remembered she said she had a shot early this morning, his best guess was that she left early, not wanting to wake him up. He almost did the happy dance because he just couldn't face her, not after all the dirty things they did together last night.He exhaled sharply and sat up, running a hand through his hair. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath. He needed to get ready for work because he'll be meeting with the members of the board today. They haven't really sat down to have a meeting since his father's death.He got out of bed and head
Logan didn’t realize how fast he was driving until the city lights started blurring past him. His hands were steady on the wheel, but his mind wasn’t.Not even close.Every few seconds, it drifted back to her, he left Melody's house with a boner. The way her voice softened as he massaged her feet. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her, bend her over on the sofa and fuck her so hard she'll beg him not to stop.The way the tension between them had built until it was almost unbearable was sickening. He wanted her so badly but he didn't want to cross the line. She's already made it very clear that she wasn't interested in any form of romance with anyone, especially with him.He exhaled sharply, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. “Damn it,” he muttered under his breath. He let out a quiet breath, shaking his head slightly as he slowed down, turning into his street.He just needed a hot shower and he'll be just fine. But as soon as his car approached the driveway, something felt o
Malibu – New Year’s DayThe whole house was busy like in the movies, everyone was moving something or carrying and arranging. Melody carried the giant salad bowl, adjusting her grip as she walked beside Camilla through the wide dining hall of the Russo mansion, careful not to let the glass tilt. T
Melody opened her eyes and tried to move her body, but the pain she felt made her lie right back. It was a reminder of the freaky things that went down last night.Every muscle felt like it had been used in ways she didn’t know were possible. Her thighs ached. Her shoulders protested when she shift
Melody had been standing in front of her wardrobe for almost twenty minutes. The emerald dress shimmered when she held it up to the light. She’s worn this dress once and it looked just perfect on her body.Then she held up the black strapless dress, it was so beautiful. The fabric was so soft. She
New YorkThe corridor outside Room 314 smelled faintly of antiseptic and overboiled vegetables. Her job was becoming depressing, Tara stood just outside the door, fingers tightening around the thin file pressed against her chest. Inside, Mrs. Pickles was humming again. The same off-key hymn she’d b







