Nikki squealed and grabbed Melanie in another crushing bear hug, but this time she jumped up and down as if they were on some Let’s Get Laid game show and Melanie had won the grand prize. She couldn’t deny that Gabe was a fabulous showcase.

“I knew he liked you.” Nikki squealed. “I just knew it. I’ll go get my bag.”

Nikki released her and was dashing off into the small, windowless office she was using to store her personal belongings while she stayed on Melanie’s couch. Temporarily.

What? Wait. Oh no. No no no.

Melanie dropped her armload of clothes into her suitcase and hurried to stop her friend from packing.

“Nikki, you can’t come with me.”

The delighted smile slid from Nikki’s face. Her bottom lip quivered, and Mel’s damnable soft heart twisted in her chest. “I’m sorry, hon. We’ll do something fun together next week. I promise.”

“But… Just before you came home, Shade called and said I should come with you to the concert. He wants to see me again.”

Melanie was floored. Despite his torrid one-night fling with Nikki, Shade—the lead singer of Gabe’s band—hadn’t called her roommate all week. That had resulted in Nikki’s need to consume copious amounts of chocolate ice cream and cry herself to sleep in Melanie’s bed for three nights. She had just progressed to sleeping on the sofa a few nights ago when she’d finally accepted the inevitable. At least Melanie had thought Nikki was over the guy.

So why would Shade call out of the blue and get Nikki’s hopes up again?

He wouldn’t.

“Nikki, stop making shit up. The thing with Shade isn’t going to happen.”

“If he sees me again, then he’ll have to admit there was something special between us.”

She’d started saying things like that as soon as she’d moved into Melanie’s apartment. Initially, Nikki had been fine with the casual sex with Shade thing—even bragged about it—until Gabe had proven so attentive to Melanie, and then suddenly Nikki had decided she was actually in love with Shade and that he’d used her for sex. Nikki was positively heartbroken over the entire ordeal and needed constant coddling and a perpetual sympathetic ear. The way Nikki’s emotions did 180 degree reversals in a matter of minutes always sent Melanie’s head spinning. But she’d known Nikki for a long time, and she was used to her friend making up problems when life took a break from kicking her for real.

“Nikki…”

“Please take me with you, Mel. Please. Please!” She clasped her hands in front of her chest and shook them for emphasis. “I promise I’ll never ask you for anything ever again.”

Melanie had heard that before. “I’m sorry, hon. Maybe next time. I only have one ticket.” She checked the time on her cellphone and cringed. “And I need to hurry or it’s not going to matter, because I’m going to miss my flight.” And if she missed her first flight, that would set off a chain reaction of fail. She had to switch planes in Houston. Ironic because Gabe had been in Houston only two nights ago. She’d have loved to have seen him then as well. That night and every night. But it just wasn’t possible. Curse her responsibilities for destroying her opportunity at perpetual bliss.

“I can’t believe you don’t care about my happiness,” Nikki said.

Oh for f**k’s sake, Nikki. “But I do care. That’s why you’re never seeing Shade Silverton again.”

“Then why do you get to see Force?” Nikki crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.

“Because he asked me to come and I like him, so I’m going. You can sleep in my bed while I’m gone. I know my sofa is hard on your back.” An excuse she’d given Melanie when she’d crawled into bed with her the night before. The woman was a complete bed hog. Melanie had given up fighting for covers sometime around three a.m.

“You’re sure I can’t come?”

If Nikki’s lip pouted any further from her face, it was liable to fall off.

“I’m sure.”

“Fine then. I’ll just go get wasted and pick up some weekend company at a bar.”

Melanie rubbed her forehead. Why did everything have to be drama with Nikki? Why couldn’t she for once give Melanie a break?

“Just stay home this weekend, Nik. You know I’ll worry about you if you go out by yourself.”

“Why should you get to have all the fun?”

“Because I’ve earned it!” Melanie snapped and marched back to her bedroom to finish packing. Nikki was a grown woman—though sometimes it was hard to tell based on her behavior—and Melanie couldn’t spend all her time worrying over Nikki’s poor decisions. She had better things to do. Namely, Gabriel “Force” Banner.

Trying not to picture Nikki lying dead in a gutter, Melanie yanked clothes from hangers and stuffed them into her suitcase in a big tangled ball. She hoped Gabe owned an iron. Did rock stars press their own clothes? She had no idea. She didn’t know much about him yet, other than they were insanely hot for each other even when hundreds of miles separated them. She thought about changing out of her work clothes—a simple gray pencil skirt and fitted white blouse—and poking her contact lenses into her eyes, but another glance at the clock had her scrambling for her travel-sized toiletries and make-up kit before rushing for the front door.

Hopping from one foot to the other, she slipped into her pumps and called to Nikki, “Don’t do anything stupid, Nikki. Please, for me, just stay home this weekend.”

Nikki didn’t answer, and Melanie didn’t have time to check on her. She was likely just sulking.

“I love you!” Still no response. “Have a good time, Melanie,” she answered for the silent Nikki. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll behave.”

Maybe if she said it aloud, her wish would come true.

Torn between elation at seeing Gabe and guilt for deserting her needy best friend, Melanie squared her shoulders and left the apartment. She was not going to allow Nikki to dictate her life. Not with the promise of nirvana waiting for her in the Big Easy.

Chapter Three

Melanie left her sedan in long-term parking and made surprisingly good time in the airport. As luck would have it, the rear section of the plane was called first to board and she hurried to take her place in line. Things were definitely going her way. She took it as a sign that she’d made the right decision. She was going to have a great time this weekend, and Nikki was going to be just fine at home. By herself. Melanie was worrying over nothing. At least that’s what she tried to tell herself. Nikki could be a pain in the ass, but Melanie loved her. Perhaps their relationship was a tad unhealthy, but something about Nikki’s dependence appealed to Melanie in a way she didn’t understand. Maybe it had something to do with being an only child and never having to look out for anyone but herself. Melanie liked looking after Nikki most of the time. And she worried about her all of the time.