Everyone was having fun, dancing, eating, talking. Kathleen was enjoying catching up with friends she hadn't seen in awhile. She was standing next to a table with Nick's parents and her Aunt Rachel. It felt like old times for everyone, especially Melissa. She and Nick were dancing to a slow song.
"You have definitely improved your dancing skills." Melissa laughed.
"I wasn't a bad dancer."
"Do you remember the prom?" She questioned him. "By the end of the night, my feet were killing me because you kept stepping on them."
"Just for that, I'm going to dip you!" Melissa laughed as he dipped her and then pulled her back up.
"It's so good to see them together again." Joyce, Nick's mother stated watching the young couple.
"It's good to see my daughter smiling again. It has been a long time since I seen that smile."
"Sis, don't look now, but we might have a problem." Rachel stated as she watched someone new join the party.
"What?"
Nick dipped Melissa again and pulled her closely to him. He gave her a kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"MEL!"
Melissa didn't have to turn to see who said that. She could tell just by their voice who it was. Jenny.
"What the hell are you doing?" She asked approaching her. It was then that Melissa realized she wasn't alone. She brought Gavin with her and he looked so hurt.
"Jenny, calm down. I can explain."
"Explain what Mel? Why you are back with this jerk?"
"Jenny, stop it!" Melissa stated firmly. "You don't' get to talk to him that way."
"Mel, come on. Don't you remember what he put you through?"
"Jenny, keep your voice down." She tried to keep the situation under control. She glanced around and noticed all eyes were on her.
"Why Mel? It is obvious you aren't worried about anyone else feelings."
"STOP JENNY!" Melissa yelled losing her control. "I will not have you ruining my mother's party. Come with me." She escorted Jenny into the house away from the guest. Gavin stood there and looked at Nick.
"Gavin..."
"You are going to hurt her again, I know it."
"I'm never going to hurt Mel again."
"Keep that promise and leave her alone." He stated and then joined Jenny and Melissa.
"What in the world did he say to convince you to forgive him?" Jenny asked with anger in her voice.
"He didn't say anything. It was my decision, Jenny. I love him, I have always loved him."
"Mel, do you remember what he did? I do, I remember you crying for weeks at a time because of what happened."
"I know what he did. I'm the one who it happened to, not you. But I have decided to let it go. I'm tired of being so angry and upset. I want to be happy."
"And he makes you happy?"
"Yes, he does." Melissa ran her hand through her hair. "And I want you to be happy for me. Can you do that?"
Jenny looked at her cousin, not understanding how this could happen. "No, I can't Mel, I'm sorry. I can't be happy for you when I know in the end; he is going to hurt you again."
"Then if you can't be happy for me then I think it is best you leave."
"Mel, are you choosing him over me? I'm your family."
"Jenny, don't do this. I love you, but I love him. I want you both here, but I will not put my mother though hell just because you can't get along with Nick.
"Fine, I hope you know what you are doing." Jenny exited the house.
Melissa stood there trying to compose herself before heading back out to the party.
"Mel?" She turned and faced him. She searched for the right words to ease his pain, but she couldn't find them.
"Gavin, I didn't want you find out this way."
"You are back with him?"
She shook her head, not trusting her voice. "I didn't want to hurt anyone."
"Too late for that." Gavin turned to leave, but Melissa grabbed his arm.
"I didn't plan this Gavin, but he is apart of me. I love him."
"For your sake, Mel, I hope you don't regret this choice." He left the same way that Jenny did.
Tears formed in her eyes, she hated hurting two people she cared about. She knew if they could just understand the feelings she had for Nick that they would know why she decided to be with him.
"Hey, are you okay?" Nick asked touching her shoulder.
She turned to look at him and quickly embraced him. Nick caressed her hair as he kissed the top of her head.
"I hate having to hurt anyone."
"I know you do."
She pulled away and looked into his eyes. "But I love you and they have to accept that."
Nick smiled at her. "I love you." He kissed her.
"There is a party going on, let's join in." Nick stated.
Gavin dropped off Jenny at her mother's house and took his rental car to a local bar. He needed to drown his sorrows in some drinks. He entered the bar and sat down on one of the empty stools.
"What will it be?" The bartender asked.
"Vodka, straight up." The bartender poured the drink and Gavin quickly drank it. "Another." He refilled the drink.
How could Melissa take him back? After all he did to hurt her? Nick was a jerk and he would hurt her again, he knew it. He just wished he could prove it to Melissa before she got too involved. He gulped his drink down and the bartender filled it again.
"Hey Brody, give me a martini, dirty."
"Sure thing."
Gavin looked over at the young girl that sat next to him. She smiled at him and then took a sip of her drink.
He looked away and finished his drink. "Another."
"Put his drink on my tap, Brody."
"Sure."
"Hi, my name is Paige. What's yours?"
Gavin looked at her. Why does that name sound so familiar? He asked himself and then it came to him.
"My name is Gavin. It's nice to meet you Paige. I think we have a mutual friend, Nick Carter."
As much as she was hurt by her cousin's words, something made her come back to the party. From a distance, where no one could see her, she watched her cousin. Melissa was talking to Samantha as Nick came from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. A huge smile appeared on her face as she turned to face Nick.
Jenny continued to watch the interaction between the two of them. Nick affectionately brushed back a strand of hair from Melissa's face. Jenny had never seen the two of them together. He was so attentive of her, even protective of her. She couldn't believe she was thinking these thoughts. That man had hurt her cousin badly and she saw first hand the damage he had done. But watching them together, something about the two of them seemed right.
Jenny took in a deep breath and released it. "Maybe Mel is right; all I want for her is to be happy." She watched Nick and Melissa share a kiss. "She does look happy."
"Can I have everyone's attention?" Nick yelled over the music. Brian turned down the music and everyone focused on Nick.
"Thank you, I just wanted to say welcome home to Mrs. Barnes. I can speak for everyone here that it is good to have you back."
The crowd cheered and raised their glasses. "And I like to say that I'm even more grateful that Mel is back home where she belongs. " He turned and looked at her. "Fairview isn't the same without you; I'm not the same without you."
"Aww" could be heard throughout the crowd as Melissa pulled Nick for a kiss.
"I like to make a toast!" Everyone turned and saw Gavin joining the party.
"Gavin, please don't do this." Melissa pleaded with him.
"Trust me Mel; you are going to want to hear this."
"Gavin, this isn't the place or the time." Nick stated trying to usher Gavin away.
"Don't touch me." Gavin shoved him away.
"I'm not going to let you ruin this night for Mel and her mother." Nick said softly to Gavin.
"Too late for that Nick, you already did that." He walked past Nick and joined everyone else on the deck. "Tonight we all here to celebrate, celebrate Mrs. Barnes' homecoming, Mel's return, but I think we should also celebrate the truth."
Gavin walked over to Melissa. "The truth is I love this girl and I have loved her for sometime. But I never tried anything with her because she was hurting, thanks to this guy right here." Gavin pointed to Nick.
Jenny watched in horror as Gavin interrupted the party. She could tell he had been drinking, he was never this cruel.
"I thought for a moment that I had a shot with her, but that was all dash in a matter of minutes. She decided to be with Nick again ever after he cheated on her. What girl goes back to the guy that cheats on her, haven't you heard that saying Mel? Once a cheater, always a cheater."
"Shut up, Gavin!" Nick yelled.
"Have you been truthful with Mel?" Gavin faced him. "Completely truthful?"
Nick looked into his eyes and wondered what he was up to.
"Gavin, please stop this. I know all of it, Nick told me everything."
"Everything, really Mel? Everything? What about the relationship he had right after you left town?"
"What relationship? He wasn't with anyone after I left, he told me so."
"Oh really, is that true Nick? Have you been single all this time?" Gavin looked over at Nick, so did Melissa.
"I was single the whole time Mel was gone. No one mattered to me, but her."
"Rachel, help me get the crowd out of here. Mel doesn't need this." Kathleen and Rachel escorted the guests to the front of the house and to their cars.
Once the guests were gone, Rachel and Kathleen headed back to the deck. The only people left were Rachel, Nick's parents, Samantha and Brian and they all watched in dismay. A horrible feeling was in the pit of Kathleen's stomach as she watched her daughter. She knew somehow that this wasn't going to end well.
"You are lying and I can prove it."
"Gavin, stop playing these games."
"I have living and breathing proof. Mystery guest, why don't you join the party!"
Melissa looked at Nick, this isn't true. He told her that there was no one that he struggled to get through the day after she left.
In horror, Melissa watched as the girl that ruined her relationship walked up onto the porch.
"Hi Nick, it has been awhile." Paige smiled at him.
