Free His Melody by Nicole Green Page A

stories, Austin?” Donnie gave him a challenging look.
    “I don’t have any worth telling,” he said, giving his brother a warning look.
    “Aw, he’s just puttin’ on,” Donnie said. “ There’s lots he could tell you.” Donnie put his elbows on his knees, leaned forward, and smirked before saying, “Don’t let him fool you.”
    “I reckon you’d be best off keeping your mouth shut when it comes to things that don’t concern you,” Austin said.
    Donnie chuckled. “That’s my brother for you.” He paused and put on an exaggerated show of tapping his chin with his finger and trying to look like he was thinking about something. Must have been hard since thinking wasn’t something Donnie had a lot of experience with. Finally, he said, “Yeah, Austin. I guess you’re right. Your life in New York couldn’t have been all that great. I guess you screwed that life up and then had to come down here looking for someone else’s life to steal.”
    Melody looked back and forth between the two of them. He could tell from the tilt of her head and the confusion in her eyes that she didn’t know whether she should say anything or not.
    “Ignore him,” Austin said. “He’s bitter about the fact that he’s never really been good at anything his whole life.”
    “You know.” Donnie shot to his feet. “You, Grayson Meadows, can go fuck yourself.” He turned to Melody. “Sorry you had to hear that.” He walked out of the room.
    Austin turned to Melody and cut off the question forming on her lips by speaking first. “I think I’ll go see if Mom needs any help in the kitchen.”
    “I’ll come with you.” She stood.
    As they walked out of the room, the scent of vanilla trailed her. He wanted to push her soft black hair away from the sides of her face and find the source of that smell with his mouth. His charming brother had just reminded him of why he had to stay away, though. One thing Donnie had right—Austin screwed up lives. He’d done it to his own and to the people he cared about too many times to count. He wasn’t going to drag Melody into that mess as well.
    He’d made his decision about this long ago after he and Regan broke up. It was best for everybody if he didn’t get involved with anybody.

 
 
 
    Chapter Nine

 
    That evening, after dinner, Austin said, “There’s something I want to show you.”
    Melody raised her eyebrows. “Oh yeah?”
    “In the basement. C’mon.” He waved her toward the basement, and she followed him down there. As they descended the stairs, he said, “I used to be a D.J.” He flipped on a light.
    “Looks like it. You have an impressive collection here,” she said as she looked at the crates full of records stacked all around her. In a corner were several sets of speakers, a turntable, and other D.J. equipment. Out of all the rooms in this huge house she could probably get lost in if she went wandering around by herself, this small room in the basement was easily her favorite. Music was a big part of her life, and down here, it surrounded her.
    He reached into a bin, grabbed an album, and handed it to her.
    She looked down at the sleeve and grinned. “Miles Davis.”
    He handed her another .
    “John Coltrane.”
    And another.
    “Peabo Bryson.” She nodded. “Very eclectic.”
    He shrugged. “I like what I like.” The once over he gave her as he said that made her shiver.
    “I see,” was all she could think of to say in response.
    “I thought this might cheer you up, but we can go back upstairs if all this is a painful reminder.” His green eyes were filled with concern.
    She warmed all over. “What? Oh. No.” He must’ve taken her silence as a sign that she was upset. “No. I like it down here.” She liked that it was just the two of them and that he wanted to share this with her. She fanned herself with an album sleeve.
    He shifted a few crates to the floor from an old tattered loveseat. He sat down and patted the space next to him. She