Another Love Another time

Chapter 31: Imagine my surprise

Auggie

When I walk into the party, I know I'm running late. I'm looking for River, I need to talk to her about a case we are working on. Melissa has been texting me asking me where I'm at. So was River, but I was on a call with someone in the department. I texted them both back that I was about five minutes from the house. As soon as I'm through the gate I'm looking for River when someone grabs my hand and I'm pulled in another direction. I've been in Melissa's backyard before, but it's never been this crowded or this put together. I'm not sure who is dragging me through the crowd until I run my eyes up the length of the person's arm: Melissa. I start to pull back; at my motion she turns her head and gives me a small smile. "Hey, slow down. What's with the fire?" I ask joking with her.

"I need you, you're late." She answers back.

"Ok, ok." She pulls me up on a stage. I let her, maybe she needs my help with something. Her mom is talking to the crowd. I'm not paying attention to what is being said. I'm looking in the crowd to see if I can see River, but I can't see her from where I'm at. The next thing I know I hear something about Melissa being engaged. I'm confused not sure what's going on. I look around for River again and I smile when I finally find her, I see hurt in her eyes and then all a sudden Melissa's lips are on mine. I'm frozen in shock for a second, I don't return the kiss, not sure what is going on, but when I finally come to my senses I immediately pull away. I look for River, but she's gone. I know I need to talk to her, but I need to find out what the hell is going on first. River had to see how confused I was. I need to talk to Melissa alone, but before I have a chance to talk to her; Melissa and I are swarmed with friends and family who would like to congratulate us. I know my parents are here. I seen a few people from work here. How the hell am I going to explain this?

~~

I know I'm wearing a tight smile, before I hear another person congratulate us, I turn to Melissa and tell her we need to talk. I excuse us from the crowd. I drag her into the house and pull her into a guest room. I need to understand how she could have concluded that I had asked her to marry me. When I shut the door, I turn on her.

"Melissa what's going on?" I demand.

She pulls me closer going in for a kiss, but I pull back putting distance between us. "What is going on?"

She furrows her brows. "What do you mean?"

"Melissa we both know I did not ask you to marry me." I growl at her.

"What do you mean, I thought..." I interrupt her. "Melissa, I'm telling you I did not propose. If I did it would have been clear. I would have given you a ring. Where the hell did the one on your finger even come from? Forget it, I don't even want to know. I just need to know what is going on. What did I say to make you think we are engaged." I can see tears in her eyes, but they don't look real. For the first time I can see the Melissa River sees. The manipulator. She's putting on a show. She definitely had the wool pulled over my eyes. Now I see it for what it is, she played me, used me and the only person I can blame is myself, because I allowed it to happen. The only girl I've ever imagined marrying is River. God how am I going to have to explain myself to her. She going to think I'm engaged to Melissa. We were doing so good rebuilding our friendship and now this I know will take us backwards, but I will fix this.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts I get back to the discussion that is long overdue. I always thought Melissa was a friend to me, but I'm starting to see what River has been telling me all these years. What Logan warned me about. I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but something is telling me she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Look Melissa, I didn't ask you to marry." I fist my hands at my sides trying to control my anger.

"What do you mean? You said you were ready to be serious, you said you were ready for the next step." What the fuck? The conversation from the restaurant. Fuck I'm an idiot. I thought she understood. Mackey is going to have a field day with this.