Free The Marriage Charm (Bliss County 2) by Linda Lael Miller Page A

opened the truck door to let the dog jump in.
    When they reached the café, the joint was hopping, but that was typical for a Sunday morning. Spence nodded at just about everyone as he went to the counter to pick up the food. Maybe he’d been in Mustang Creek too long, but he knew every person in the dining area.
    Carly was the one who waited on him, and as she rang him up she asked with raised brows, “Two meals?”
    “I’m really hungry,” he said evasively, handing over the money. This town was small, and gossip spread like the proverbial wildfire.
    “You must be.” Carly’s tone was as wry as the expression on her face.
    “Ravenous,” Spence confirmed. With Melody still in his bed, there was a double meaning to that answer—a private one, anyway—so technically it wasn’t a lie. He took the bag out to the car, throwing Harley a stern look as the dog sniffed the fragrant air. “You’ve already eaten, remember?” he drawled.
    The chicken did smell great, though. The aroma tormented him all the way back to the ranch.
    Things turned awkward the moment he stepped into the house. Melody was dressed, pacing the kitchen, her eyes accusing. “You took my keys so I couldn’t leave?”
    Spence suppressed a sigh. Sure enough, the idyllic morning was headed south. He set the keys on the counter with a musical jangle. “I asked if you wanted me to feed your cats. You said yes, so I did.”
    “Oh.” She seemed chastened. “I haven’t gotten much sleep lately. Sorry.”
    “That’s okay.” She seemed flustered, so he held up the bag of food. “Lunch? Carly’s chicken, mashed potatoes and coleslaw.”
    “I should go.” Melody scooped up her keys, hoisted the three-ton handbag and then turned. “You fed the cats?” she asked, a beat behind. “How did that go?”
    He’d gained ground and then lost it. Spence knew at least enough not to push. He replied, “I asked where the food was, one of them showed me and they came and ate. End of story.”
    “You’re joking.” She sounded genuinely startled.
    It was a good thing he really was hungry since apparently he had two lunches to eat. The north fence needed repair, and digging post holes burned a lot of calories, so nothing would go to waste. “No, I’m not kidding. Why?”
    “They liked you?”
    “I have no idea one way or the other. I put food on plates and they ate it.”
    “They did?”
    This conversation was getting away from him. “Because of the food? Is there some reason they wouldn’t? Hungry cats. Someone giving them food. Seems simple enough.”
    “It’s not that simple. But never mind,” she murmured as she walked out the door.
    But hopefully not out of his life again, Spence thought as he heard her car start. He absently reached into the bag and pulled out a container.
    They’d separated once before, which had been his choice. He’d changed his mind on that score.
    Spence explained it all to Harley while he ate a double portion of fried chicken.

CHAPTER FIVE
    M ELODY WAS THINKING of starting a club for the romantically challenged. She’d be the president, treasurer and secretary, all rolled into one. As the founding and probably only member, she might even award herself a fancy plaque or a trophy, just for the hell of it.
    Thoroughly unamused by the prospect, she pulled her car into the driveway and parked, briefly resting her forehead on the steering wheel.
    The question of the hour was whether phenomenal sex was a fair substitute for common sense.
    The jury was going to be out on that one for a while. All men, and the verdict might be yes, but then again, she was proof that a few other women might vote that way, too.
    Melody walked through the door to see all three cats on the couch in their classic sphinx pose, paws forward, heads lifted as they watched her come in. She dropped her purse on the floor—she really needed to clean it out. She hated to admit Spence was right, but it had accumulated more than one human being should