Gabe swallowed and sat across from the two women. He didn’t know what Nikki’s father had done to her, but he could guess. He didn’t want to know details. Wasn’t sure he could handle them.
Nikki continued talking, her voice so low that Gabe had to strain to hear her clearly.
“Also having PTSD episodes because of what happened last weekend. My symptoms might get worse before they get better.” She looked up at Melanie with tears swimming in her eyes. “I don’t want to stay here. I miss you.”
Melanie smoothed the silky brown hair from Nikki’s face and tucked it behind Nikki’s ear. “Honey, if this is the best place for you—”
Nikki’s head snapped up, blue eyes flashing fire. “It isn’t. I feel worse here. I want to go home.”
“I’m not leaving you in the apartment by yourself,” Melanie said.
Nikki glanced at Gabe, and he expected animosity in her gaze, but she smiled at him. “I get it. I’m the third wheel to your bicycle built for two.”
“If it’s okay with your doctor,” Gabe said, “we want you to come hang out with us in Austin for a few days.” He didn’t want to offer her a permanent home just yet. He and Melanie had already discussed Nikki’s trial period, but he couldn’t in good conscience separate the two of them. It was obvious that Nikki needed Melanie’s unconditional love, and Melanie needed to nurture her friend almost as much. Melanie would make a great mother, he thought with a unexpected feeling of longing in his gut. Assuming the soft-hearted woman didn’t spoil their kids too much.
“Why does he have that goofy look on his face?” Nikki asked.
“Probably inventing something in his head.”
“Actually,” he said, “I was thinking you’ll be a great mother.”
Nikki squealed. “Oh my God, are you preggers, Mel? Is that why he proposed?”
Melanie shook her head. “We’ve just been talking about our future.”
Nikki grabbed Melanie in another hug. “I’m so happy for you. And you.” She extended a leg and poked Gabe in the shin with her toe. “You’re one lucky son of a bitch. Do you have any idea what a prize she is?”
“I’m seeing it more and more,” he said, his eyes glued to his prize. “Can I go talk to Nik’s doctor about discharge or—?” He shrugged and shook his head, at a loss as to how they should proceed.
“I’ll have to,” Melanie said. “I’m on all her paperwork as her medical contact person.”
“She’s responsible for me,” Nikki said.
Gabe could see that. And Melanie didn’t take that responsibility lightly. While Melanie and Nikki went to talk to someone about her release, Gabe tried to sort through all the new complications in his life and prioritize.
Melanie hadn’t mentioned meeting her parents, but since they were in Topeka, they should probably break the news about their engagement in person. His parents had already met—and loved—Melanie, so he wasn’t worried about their reaction. From what little Melanie had said about her parents, they seemed the strict and conservative type and obviously loving and protective of their daughter. He wasn’t sure they’d warm up to the idea of her getting hitched to a tattooed rock musician currently out of a job. He rubbed a hand over his face, a bit nervous about the prospect of breaking the news to them. He definitely needed to get a ring on that woman’s finger to show he was serious about their future together.
He planned to stop in to see Adam on his way through Dallas, which would likely be tomorrow. Or the next day if Mel and Nik needed more time to get their things together. He didn’t want Nikki to know they were considering her as a fulltime roomie just yet, though, so they should be able to pack a few things and leave tomorrow.
And Amanda still hadn’t called him about Jacob’s confusing emotional state, but he wasn’t sure if she’d gotten his message, so he’d have to track her down when they got back to Austin.
Apparently Owen and Kellen were having a few issues of their own. If he couldn’t rely on the stability of that lifelong relationship, what could he rely on?
He also needed to get that paternity test. What the fuck was he going to do with a baby he didn’t want?
Round and round his thoughts stirred until Melanie returned to his side. As usual, when she was near, all his problems seemed like minor obstacles easily overcome. She was everything he’d been looking for to complete his life, and he hadn’t even known anything had been missing.
“They can’t keep her since she checked in voluntarily,” Melanie said, “but they advise against her leaving.”
“We have to do what’s best for her,” Gabe said, squeezing her hand. He could tell it was hard on Melanie to make the decision.
“She’ll check out on her own if we don’t take her with us.”
“Then we take her with us.”
“I’m not a psychiatrist. I don’t know what to do if she starts acting promiscuous or seeking trouble. Do I put ultimatums on her behavior? I don’t want to threaten her. I want her to feel safe to be herself when she’s with me.”
Gabe lifted her hand and brought her wrist to his lips, kissing her pulse point. “You do what you’ve always done for her—love her unconditionally. I’ll be the bad cop. I’ll try to keep her in check with some rules.”
Melanie snorted. “Nikki doesn’t like rules.”
“If she wants to live under my roof, she’ll follow my rules.” God, he sounded like his father.
“I guess we can try it, see how she responds.”
She grinned at him then, and he knew everything would work out because they had each other’s backs.
“I bet she never imagined the drummer of her favorite metal band would become her surrogate father.”
Speaking of her father. “Did her real father abuse her?”
Melanie glanced away, her eyes brimming with tears. “That’s a nice way of putting it.”
Nikki came into the waiting area before Melanie could say more, and Gabe stood up. He approached her, but gave her plenty of personal space. She didn’t seem to want it as she immediately slipped her arm through his and leaned her head against his shoulder.
“I’m so happy you came with Mel.”
Gabe cleared his throat and spoke in a firm voice. “Before we leave for home, I have a couple of rules you have to abide by or we’re bringing you back here immediately.”
Nikki tilted her head back to stare at him with wide eyes. “Rules?”
“No one-night stands with men.”
“What about with women?”
Even the challenge in her gaze was sexually charged. He wasn’t sure she could function without sexualizing everything in her life.
“No women either.”
“But if I go on dates and plan to make a relationship, then . . .”
“Why don’t you try not dating or hooking-up at all for a month? See how that goes.”
“A month? I’ll dry up like an old nun.”
Gabe laughed. “I seriously doubt that. If you have an addiction, the best way to break it is to quit cold turkey.”
“My therapist thinks I can talk my way through my sex addiction.”
“How’s that going for you?”
“It makes me horny to talk about it. He was very professional when I tried to seduce him. The night charge nurse was a bit easier to manipulate.”
So this place obviously wasn’t helping her.
“There’s always that treatment center in Florida,” Melanie suggested.
Nikki released Gabe’s arm and reached for Melanie, who didn’t hesitate in giving her the hug she sought.
“I want to be with you and Gabe,” Nikki said, her tone reminiscent of a compliant child. “If that means I have to give up sex for a month, then I think I can do it. Let me try. Please. I won’t let you down.”
Melanie glanced up to meet Gabe’s eyes. There was a hint of triumph behind her gaze. This plan might actually work. At least Nikki was being cooperative. And maybe they were manipulating her, but hopefully their ploy w
ould help her regain control of her life, because she was currently in a tailspin.
“We’ll let you try,” Melanie said. “Right, Gabe?”
“If she breaks my rules, she’s out,” he said, dutifully sticking to his tough-cop routine.
“I won’t.”
“She won’t, Gabe.”
Nikki smiled at Melanie’s vote of confidence, her adoration for her friend evident on her entire face.
“I have one more rule to lay out before I agree to this,” Gabe said.
The women looked at him expectantly.
“Nikki will make no further sexual advances toward my fiancée.”
Nikki glanced at Melanie. “I told you what my doctor said about that. Didn’t you explain it to him?”
“I didn’t know you wanted me to,” Melanie said.
Nikki turned to Gabe. “I was confusing platonic love with sexual love. I have a hard time understanding that there’s a difference, because . . .” She licked her lips. “ . . . my father . . . should have been platonic, but was . . .” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.