Destiny Disrupted (There's Always Tomorrow Book 1) by M.D. Saperstein Page A

asks confused.
    “Yeah, I'll tell you about it in a minute. Let’s not get off track here. Did you say that Dayne was right?” Vance asks, putting his hands on his hips as he looks down at her.
    “Yeah, well, um.  I didn’t exactly say that he was right…just that he wasn’t wrong.” She lets out a nervous giggle. She runs a hand gently across his bruised cheek. “I realized last night that I was acting like a bitch. That’s why I came over today; I wanted to apologize. I know your job is important, and you would have called me if you weren't so busy. It just reminded me of an old relationship and it scared me,” Melina admits, a little embarrassed.
    Vance is staring at her with a blank expression. Dayne and Ryder, on the other hand, are smiling. Dayne steps in front of her. “Sorry I yelled at you,” he says sincerely.
    Melina nods. “I understand where you’re coming from.”
    Dayne nods. “I gotta look out for my boy,” he says and opens his arms. “Let’s hug it out.”
    Melina laughs and steps into his embrace. Dayne squeezes her. “If it doesn't work out with Vance, I'm always available,” he whispers loudly and gives her a big wink as he lets her go. Melina laughs again and gives him a playful punch in the chest.
    Dayne grunts and rubs his chest. “Ow.” He winces. “Bitch,” he teases.
    “Douchebag,” Melina shoots back with a raised eyebrow in challenge.
    Dayne chuckles. “Touché,” he says tipping a pretend hat then puts his arm around Ryder's shoulders and starts down the hall with him.
    Melina turns back to Vance, who is completely confused. “What the hell just happened?” he asks, flabbergasted.
    “I think we just bonded.” Melina giggles.
    Vance shakes his head. “That would be a first. Dayne doesn’t usually get along with our girlfriends.”
    Melina steps up to Vance and puts her hands on his chest. “I’m sorry about last night. Can you forgive me?” she asks, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout, which makes Vance smile.
    “Stop that. We were both wrong, and I'm sorry, too. I will definitely be more thoughtful when it comes to keeping in touch and letting you know what I'm doing,” Vance says, tucking her hair behind her ears.
    “Okay,” Melina says with a small smile. She lifts up to her tippy toes and kisses Vance, who wraps his arms around her and pulls her closer. Vance tucks his face into her neck and just holds her.
    When he finally lets her go, she gets a good look at his face. “Now tell me about this fight you and Tripp were in.”
    Vance takes her hand and leads her toward the stairs. “Some punk kids were beating up on my little brother, so Tripp and I went to where he was and roughed up a few of them before we got shit under control.”
    “How many kids are we talking about?” Melina asks warily.
    “About ten, and some of them were almost as big as me,” Vance says, raking a hand through his messed-up hair.
    Melina gasps. “Oh my god! Is your brother okay?” she asks, grasping his arm.
    “He's okay; a few broken ribs and a concussion. I stayed at the hospital last night with him. That's why I didn't go to work today,” Vance explains as they head down the steps and into the living room.
    “Jesus...so you were fighting multiple people at once?” she asks as they sit on the couch. Melina turns, sitting on her good leg, so that she can face Vance.
    “Yeah, that's the only reason any of them even got a shot in on me.” He snorts. Melina fights a smile but he catches it.
    “What? I'm serious,” he says frowning.
    “I believe you.” She smiles.
    “No you don't,” Vance says, narrowing his eyes at her.
    “I do. It’s just such a guy thing to say, ‘the only reason I got hit is because there were more than one,’” Melina says, using a deeper voice mockingly.
    Vance laughs. “Is that supposed to be me?”
    Melina laughs and gives him a push. “Shut up.”
    “You're so cute.” He smiles and pinches her cheek.
    The house phone starts