The Secret Admirer Next Door (Love Next Door Series Book 1) *Editing*

Chapter 9

Melanie gunned her little Camry up the main road. Thankful she didn't get pulled over, because Vincentville had it's share of Barney Fife style deputies. She just wanted to get away from Mike. He was being a jerk. She'd never begged him to ask her to marry him in front of her family. They'd never even had a real conversation about it. Just 'I'm gonna marry you, girl.' Or 'You are going to be my wife.' Was this the fifties? She would marry when she was good and ready and she doubted it would be Mike. She was already considering taking her little money she'd saved up from the cafe and getting her own place. It was a long shot but it was better than living with someone so masochistic.

She pulled into the driveway behind Dee's Mercedes noticing that Shaggs and his wife were already at the door. Her heart sped up. She'd been wanting to meet Shagg's wife since yesterday, she'd wanted to see her best friend since they'd lost touch. She turned off her car and looked up at them.

Shaggs smiled warmly and accepted her with a warm embrace that she'd melted into. He still wore Polo cologne as always and still gave the best hugs. Rachael was a lucky girl.

He pulled away sliding his hand around his wife's back. "Mel, this is my beautiful wife Rachael."

She was a tall slender dark-haired woman with pale skin. She towered over Shaggs by at least an inch. Shaggs and her used to joke about his vertical complex, even though he was a little taller than her. Enough for the two of them to be the same height when she wore heels.

"So good to finally meet you." She smiled shaking Melanie's hand eagerly. "I feel like I know you."

Melanie's face warmed despite the cold. Shaggs talked about her. Some how she wanted to believe maybe he had moved on with his life, especially when he said he had a wife.

"Really?"

"Of course, what don't I know about the famous Bubbles."

"There isn't much to know really." Melanie admitted, "I was just the girl that kept this little chicken in line." Melanie playfully punched his gut.

Shaggs smiled as his cheeks turned a deep crimson.

"Why didn't you snatch this handsome man of mine up?" She said wrapping her arms around her husband.

"The way he talked about you at first, I thought I had something to worry about."

Melanie wanted to roll her eyes. She hated that people couldn't understand Shaggs and her friendship. She just hated they lost touch for so long. That's when Mike pulled up. Melanie blew out a long breath and wanted to pout.

He stepped out of the car with an unmistakable grimace on his face. Melanie just gnarled her lip.

"So how did you two meet?"

Shaggs looked at him nervously and then back at Melanie. "Um, college actually. She was new and turned out the class she was looking for was mine. It was like fate." He held his wife tighter.

Mike wrapped his arm possessively around Melanie. "Shaggs actually talked to you first."

Rachael smiled. "Well, yeah. I mean, he was a little soft spoken, but still might night in shining armor none the less." The two faced each other and kissed.

Melanie felt a funning feeling in the bit of her stomach. It could have been their kiss but then it could have been Mike's lips by her ear. "Are you going to introduce me babe?"

Melanie rolled her eyes.

"Issac Goodwin." Offered his hand

"Mike." He said. "Goodwin...huh? You are the nice gentleman that brought my Mel-Mel home."