Mel parked a few doors down from Starbucks on King Street and walked toward the entrance. A slow-moving vehicle approached from behind, and a voice called out.
“Hey, beautiful, would you like a ride?” Jax pulled over to the curb and jumped out. “Wow, you really clean up nice,” he said, joking as he opened the passenger door. “Seriously, Mel, you look great. Have you ever been to Dalia’s Wine Bar on Church Street?”
She grabbed the handle above the door of the Expedition and pulled herself up. “Nope, can’t say I have. You clean up pretty nice yourself. Do you always have a change of clothes with you?”
“Yeah, actually, I do. You never know when some idiot is going to spill something on you,” he said, closing the door behind her. He climbed into the driver’s seat, giving her a long, sexy smile before he pulled away from the curb. “Anyway, does Dalia’s sound okay with you?”
“It sounds nice. I’m anxious to see the place. You have me perplexed, Jax.”
“About?”
“About hanging out together and what it is you want to talk about. I’m curious, that’s all.”
“Soon, my pretty, very soon,” he said with smiling eyes. “Nothing gets said before you have a glass of fine wine in your hand at a cozy table.”
“You’re nuts, but I like you anyway.” I do like him anyway. Too bad there’s that age thing.
Jax parked in the tiny lot of Dalia’s and walked around the SUV to open the door for Melanie.
A gentleman, too, she thought when he reached for her hand and helped her out. “This place is cute.”
“Yeah, wait until you see the inside. I think you’ll like it.”
They entered through the heavy wooden arched door with the oversized bronze handle and into a dark, intimate setting. Dalia’s wasn’t much larger than a family room in a normal-sized house. Small crystal chandeliers hung over the tables, which were covered by white linen tablecloths, and lit candles in ruby-red votive glasses were the centerpieces. The windows of the building had been replaced with stained glass panels. When the low afternoon sun hit the panels just right, a rainbow of colors bounced off the walls of the small establishment. The wall behind the bar held racks of red wine while a large cooler to the right held the whites. An area to sample wines was to the far left, and next to the sampling table was a counter with a cash register where customers could purchase bottles of wine. Ten small round tables and a wine bar with six stools were all the establishment could hold. Customers filled four of the tables already, and they were enjoying wine with cheese and crackers.
“Well, what do you think?” Jax asked as he looked around the room once they were seated.
“This place is really cool. I love how intimate it is, and the soft background music is so pretty. I can’t believe I’ve never been here.”
“It’s relatively new and has only been in business for three months. This used to be a tiny stationery store.”
“Wow, I guess that goes to show you how any building can be converted into anything. I think Mane Attraction used to be a men’s shoe store if I remember correctly.”
“What do you prefer, red or white wine?”
“I like them both, but red sounds good.”
“Okay… would you like some cheese and crackers, too?”
“Sure, why not.”
Jax lifted his hand to get the attention of the waitress. She walked over with a smile on her face. “Hey, Jax, how’s it going?”
“Great, and how are you, Rita?”
“I’m fine. Business is really good today. There must be a lot of tourists in town for the boat races. What can I get you two?”
“First off, this is Melanie, a friend of mine. Mel, this is Rita.”
“Hi, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Melanie. Okay, what would you like?”
“We’ll have a bottle of Cab and a cheese and cracker plate.”
“Coming right up.”
“So, you come here often?” Mel asked, surprised that he knew the staff by name.
“Yeah, almost daily when I’m in town. I own the joint.” Jax laughed at Melanie’s shocked expression.
“Knock it off. You do not.”
“Okay, just wait. I’ll prove it to you. Anyway, you like the place… right?”
“Yes, it’s beautiful.”
Rita returned with a bottle of Cabernet and two glasses. She sliced the foil seal, drove the corkscrew deep into the cork, and popped it out of the bottle. She poured a little into Jax’s glass and waited. He swirled, sniffed, and swallowed. He nodded, and she poured a glass for Mel and filled Jax’s glass. Rita set the bottle on the table, left, and came back with the cheese and cracker plate. “Anything else, Jax?”
“Yeah, do you know who owns this place?”
“You do, dork.” She shook her head, smiled at Melanie, and walked away.
“See, I told you so,” he said as he sliced a few pieces of cheese.
“How is that possible? You’re so…”
“Young? I got an early start, and my folks helped with the down payment. Remember, I told you my family is in entertainment. My parents own several nightclubs and a couple of pizza joints. My mom was a lounge singer for a long time. That’s actually how she met my dad. He couldn’t take his eyes off her when he saw her singing in the first club he bought.”
Melanie smiled at the thought. “That’s kind of dreamy and very romantic. It sounds like you’re quite the entrepreneur. Why magic though?”
“Well… back when I was a kid”—he laughed at her expression—“I used to tag along with my folks to the pizza parlors to have lunch while they went over the receipts. Once in a while, they would hire magicians to entertain the kids. It was always a big draw, and the magic acts would bring in dozens of families. My folks were, and still are, good at marketing their businesses. I guess I was one of the kids that were always mesmerized by the magicians. I wanted to know how they did everything, but of course, they wouldn’t tell me. They just said if I really wanted to know how magicians did their illusions, I’d have to figure it out myself… so I did.”
“Just like that?” Melanie bit into the cheese-and-stoned-wheat-cracker concoction she had created.
“Yeah, just like that. Anyway, what would you think of being my costume designer?”
“Me… a costume designer?”
“Sure, why not? It doesn’t mean you’re going to quit your day job or anything. I get all of my costumes from a specialty entertainment catalog store, but I have to order everything online. To be honest, I think the costumes are made overseas, and the quality is poor. The designs are dull, too, and every magician and clown in the United States probably has the exact same outfit. If we put our heads together and you designed the outfits for me, we could have a seamstress make them right here in Charleston. They would be originals, too.”
“I’ll admit, it sounds kind of fun. Okay, sure, I’m game.”
“There’s that wild child I knew was buried in you somewhere. This is going to be a blast, Mel. I guarantee it.”
***
By the time Jax dropped Melanie off at her car, it was seven o’clock. “So, how soon can we begin this fun journey together?” he asked.
“I’m going to do a little research first. Text me photos of the costumes you already have. When do you go out of town next?” she asked as she stood at his driver’s side window.
“I’m actually leaving Monday for a gig in Atlantic City. I’ll be back Friday. Let’s talk and see if there’s a chance to get together next weekend. Weekends work better for you, don’t they?”
“Usually, but most of the time I’m home from work by five thirty. Weeknights are okay, too, so I’m pretty flexible. Here’s my phone number. Today was fun. Thank you.”
“Thank you, too, Mel. Talk to you soon.”
She watched as he drove away. Why the hell did I say I was flexible? In other words, I don’t have a life. Geez, Mel, don’t be so transparent.
Melanie found Ellie sitting on the veranda when she arrived home. She punched the code into the keypad on the gate column, swung it open, and walked up the steps. She sat down next to Ellie at the table. “What are you doing out here by yourself?”
“Nothing anymore, I just hung up. My mom called to berate me for the twenty-thousandth time, and I prefer to be alone when she’s doing that.”
“Is she still mad that you didn’t go back to Wisconsin with Luke?”
“Yeah… crazy, huh? I’m a firm believer that every person’s life is their own to live in whatever manner makes them happy, as long as it isn’t illegal or immoral. I’ve never been happier in my life. I love Don with all my heart and can’t wait to be his wife.”
“Have you guys set a date? What are you drinking?”
“Lemonade. Go ahead, have a sip. No, we haven’t set a date yet, but we’re thinking fall when it isn’t so hot outside. We’re having the wedding at the Angel Oak, you know.” Ellie looked at Melanie and smiled. “I’m living my dream. Even before I met Don, I knew in my heart that I wanted to get married at Angel Oak. I was willing to give up that dream for Luke. I’m so over letting other people decide my life and fate. I want to do what makes me happy. I love having the booth at City Market and doing my digital art. Soon I’ll be married to the most wonderful guy on earth. I’m over-the-moon happy.”
“I can tell. Do you want something else to drink? I’m going to grab a beer, but I’d like to come back out and talk to you for a bit. You seem to have all the right answers these days.”
Ellie handed Mel her empty glass. “A refill would be great, thanks.”
Melanie returned and sat across from Ellie. They both put their feet up on the empty chairs in front of them.
“So, what’s on your mind?” Ellie asked. She chewed on the straw bobbing in her glass.
Mel popped the top on the can of beer and exhaled a deep sigh. She laughed before speaking, likely from nervousness. “I don’t know… why is it so easy for some of you to get guys?”
“Really, that’s what you wanted to talk about?”
“Well, yeah. The problem didn’t become apparent until I realized that everyone in this house has a guy except me. I’m not counting anyone over thirty-five, so Betsy and Lucille aren’t included. Betsy is already thirty-six and totally not looking for a guy anyway. I don’t think Lucille is either. I’m twenty-eight and have never been in a serious relationship. A year ago, it was Abby, Betsy, and me in this house right after Charlotte died. There wasn’t a guy for any of us, and we didn’t care at the time. Now everyone that moves in here has a boyfriend within a month, it seems, and I’m still without one.”
“Are you opening yourself up to the possibility of having a boyfriend? You’ve never mentioned it before.”
“That’s the problem. Am I thinking about it because I want one, too, or is it just because everyone has a partner except me? How do you think Adam and Gina are getting along?”
“Really well as far as I know. You’ve known Adam a year longer than Gina. Did you have your eye on him?”
“Oh no… that isn’t what I meant. Adam is a doll, but he never hit on me, or vice-versa. We’re just housemates. Gina is three years older than Adam, right?”
“Uh-huh. Does that matter?”
“Do you think the girl being older than the guy is a problem?” Mel asked.
“I’m not sure. I guess it could be if it’s a significant difference but not if it’s only a few years.”
“How about six years?”
Ellie laughed. “You’re talking about the magician, aren’t you? I’ll be damned. You’re blushing, Melanie Davis. I’ve never seen you blush in the four months I’ve known you.”
“Shush… you’re embarrassing me.” Mel took a large gulp of beer. “Okay, fine… I am talking about the magician. Granted, I just met him today, but I’m really impressed with him.”
“Here’s my two cents’ worth of advice. It’s your life, and who in the world has any right to tell you how to live it? Get to know this guy and see what happens. Time will tell if you really should be in a relationship with him, or in a relationship at all.”
“How did you get so smart, El?”
“From a lot of heartbreak. You have to pay your dues, hon. That’s all I really know for sure. How about a walk over to the park? We can watch the sun go down with all the crazy tourists.”
“That sounds great.”
Mel and Ellie walked arm in arm to the park and sat on the grass by the cannons. The benches had long been filled by the tourists, but they didn’t care. They had the privilege of seeing the gorgeous sunset every evening from the mansion’s widow’s walk if they wanted to. That was one of the great perks of living on South Battery.