for the first time in years.
“You have nothing to prove to him,” she told herself as she made her way along the stone path that led to the front door.
She could hear music coming from the back of the house and hoped that someone would be able to hear the door. She rang the doorbell and waited.
Less than a minute later, a man dressed in a black suit, white shirt and black bow tie answered the door. “Good afternoon,” he said, greeting her with a warm smile.
“Hello,” Melissa responded. “I’m here for the party.”
“Of course. Take this hallway on the right, then take a left when you reach the kitchen. When you walk through the kitchen, you’ll see the patio doors that lead to the backyard.”
“Thank you.” Melissa made her way to the right, following the instructions. She looked around in awe at the vivid paintings of landscapes on the walls, along with some African-inspired art, and wondered what it was like to live this kind of life. Everything about the house was grandiose. From the double staircase in the home’s entryway to the wainscoting on the walls and the absolutely massive kitchen filled with gray-and-black marble, this place was absolutely gorgeous, and immaculately decorated.
To their credit, Cynthia and Cyrus Burke did not seem pretentious, even though they were clearly living the dream.
Melissa passed staff in the kitchen preparing trays of hors d’oeuvres. The waiter pouring champagne into flutes caught her eye, and she offered him a smile before continuing on to the patio doors, where she paused and looked outside. She exhaled softly.
Wow.
She stood with her hand on the doorknob, taking it all in. Just outside the doors was a massive deck. Palm trees—yes, palm trees—stood in all corners of the deck, providing a contrast to the white wood. The tree trunks were decked out in strings of tiny white lights. Happy people congregated on the deck, drinks and plates of appetizers in hand.
Melissa opened the door and stepped outside. She made her way to the back of the deck, where a staircase led to the lawn below. The yard was massive. There was no other word to describe it. The lawn extended for at least a couple hundred yards, where it ended at the lake. There was a dock there, with a pleasure boat moored to it. Melissa remembered that years ago when they’d watched his parents cruising on the lake one summer day, Aaron had said the boat was a Boston Whaler.
A huge white tent was set up in the middle of the backyard, and inside it Melissa could see tables and chairs. Just within the entrance to the tent was a table with a giant silver punch bowl, from which punch was flowing as if it were a fountain. Well-dressed people were mingling outside the tent, some inside. Classical music played through the speakers, creating a lovely ambience.
Melissa started down the steps. Most of the people here she either didn’t know or hadn’t seen in years. Where were the members of the bridal party?
And then she spotted Carlton Burke, Aaron’s older brother. He was walking across the lawn on the far right side of the tent with a couple of other people. Melissa swallowed.
“Hello, there.”
At the sound of the warm female voice behind her, Melissa turned. She saw Cynthia Burke, wearing a simple white dress with flowing sleeves, moving toward her with the grace of an angel.
“Is that you, Melissa?” Cynthia continued, her eyes lighting up. “All grown up?”
Melissa smiled at the friendly face she hadn’t seen in years. “Yes, Mrs. Burke. It’s me. How are you?”
Cynthia pulled her into an impromptu hug. “It’s so good to see you again.” Releasing her, she took Melissa’s hand in both of hers. “My, you’ve grown up so much since your days working with Aaron as a camp counselor.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Melissa said.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Cynthia beamed as she released her hand. Then she looked up at the sky. “And I’m very happy that the weather cooperated for this dinner.”
“Yes, it’s a beautiful day,” Melissa agreed, glancing around. She felt an odd sensation and knew that it was the fear of seeing Aaron. He could appear at any moment, and she wasn’t prepared for that.
“Help yourself to some punch,” Cynthia said, pointing toward the tent. “Or if you’d like something from the bar, you can get a drink right there.” She gestured behind her to the left. There was a patio area along the entire back of the house, complete with a number of white wrought iron tables and chairs. A full-service bar was set up. Two bartenders, a man and a woman, were busy making drinks.
The walk-out lower level of the house boasted floor-to-ceiling windows, and Melissa could only imagine how lovely it was to wake up each morning and start your day with a cup of tea or coffee while enjoying the view here.
“Thank you,” she said to Cynthia. “I think I will get a drink.”
Just as she spoke the words, the waiter she’d seen in the kitchen filling champagne flutes appeared. He extended the tray, and Melissa took a glass.
Slowly, Melissa walked in the direction of the lake, continuing to survey the massive property. Every tree on the property also had angel lights wrapped around the trunk. There was the fragrant scent of roses in the air, coming from several strategically placed pots filled with lavender-colored roses, which matched the color scheme for the wedding.
In the distance, the lake shimmered beneath the sun’s rays. The beauty of this place was breathtaking. It would be a perfect spot for the wedding, if Tasha and Ryan had wanted to have it here.
Melissa took a sip of her champagne and gazed out at the lake again. In the distance, there were other homes that backed onto it. The lake bent and veered to the right a few hundred feet in the distance, and it was around that bend that the campground was.
The camp where Melissa and Aaron had worked as counselors the summer they’d fallen in love.
Well, she had fallen in love with him. She doubted that Aaron had ever been in love with her.
She sipped more champagne, needing something to help take the edge off her nerves. No matter how pleasant the view and the music, Melissa hated that she had to be here at the Burke residence right now. She wished she could skip this welcome dinner, but that wasn’t an option.
“This is certainly going to be one interesting weekend,” she muttered.
“It sure is.”
A jolt hit Melissa’s body with the force of a soccer ball slamming into her chest. That voice... A tingling sensation spread across her shoulder blades. It was a voice she hadn’t heard in a long time. Deeper than she remembered, but it most definitely belonged to him.
Holding her breath, she turned. And there he was. Aaron Burke. Looking down at her with a smile on his face and a teasing glint in his eyes.
“I thought that was you,” he said, his smile deepening.
Melissa stood there looking up at him from wide eyes, unsure what to say. Why was he grinning at her as though he was happy to see her?
“It’s good to see you, Melissa.”
Aaron spread his arms wide, an invitation. But Melissa stood still, as if paralyzed. With a little chuckle, Aaron stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
Melissa’s heart pounded wildly. Why was he doing this? Hugging her as if they were old friends? As if he hadn’t taken her virginity and then broken her heart.
“So we’re paired off for the wedding,” Aaron said as he broke the hug.
“So we are,” Melissa said tersely. She was surprised that she’d found her voice. Her entire body was taut, her head light. She was mad at herself for having any reaction to this man.
“You’re right, it’s going to be a very interesting weekend