My chest tightened.
Lizzie didn’t want me to teach her because I was an expert. Not even because she needed help with her recital.
She wanted a feminine figure to share her passions with, the way she would’ve with her mom. We both knew I would never,couldnever, be that. But maybe I was the closest she’d ever get to one.
“I’m sure she would,” I said. “You know, I’m really enjoying these lessons together.”
Lizzie’s smile came back, eyes a little wide. For a girl so blatant, so headstrong, she looked all too sweet and timid now. “Really?”
“Hell yeah. I get a free concert every other Friday.” She laughed, and I returned the smile. “And I love our talks.”
Cheeks rosy, her eyes glassed. “So do I.”
“We could do that more often.” Standing, I stretched my arms out at my sides, then my neck left and right. “Just talk. On the phone, or out in the world. I’ve been in the market for some new clothes. Maybe we could go shopping. The post-holiday sales are gonna be crazy in a couple weeks.”
“I need some stuff too, and Seabass sucks to shop with.” She stood too, eyes aglow with excitement. “I’d love that.”
“We’ll have to set a date then.”
The auditorium door clicked open.
Sebastian walked through it. Honey erupted in barks. When she realized it was him, she ran at full speed and jumped all over his legs.
As he squatted to greet her, Lizzie stood and said, “I’m gonna go grab my bag. Thanks again for the lesson.”
My chest warmed. “There’s nothing to thank me for.”
As she disappeared behind the stage’s curtain, Sebastian moved closer to me. “Where’s she going?”
“Getting her stuff in the back.” Now that he was only a foot or two away, I softened my voice. “How was your surgery?”
His expression reminded me of a wilted flower field after heavy rainfall. “Hard. Hard as hell. But he’s okay. I have a vet tech staying with them twenty-four seven this weekend, which means I’m on call, but I really think he’s gonna pull through. It was dicey there in the beginning, but the little guy has a lot of life left in him.”
Chest warm with hope, I had to fight the tears that burned my eyes. “That’s amazing.You’reamazing.”
“I’m just relieved.” Smiling, he leaned in and touched his lips to mine. When he tugged back, that gentle glee still twinkled in his eyes. “How was the lesson?”
“Fine,” Lizzie said, returning onto the stage behind me. “Gwen says that I’ve nailed the song and need to start working on a new one. So that’s the plan for next week. But it’s the weekend, and I got all my homework done in my free period this afternoon, so is it okay if I stay at Aubrey’s tonight? Her mom’s going to take us snow tubing on the ridge tomorrow.”
“Well, hello to you too.” Sebastian leaned against the stage beside me, facing her. “As long as that’s okay with her mom, sure.”
Grinning ear to ear, Lizzie raced down the stairs of the stage. “You’re the best!”
“But I want her to call me!” Sebastian called after her as she galloped toward the exit doors. “I’ll find you if I don’t hear from her within the hour!”
“You will, calm down,” Lizzie yelled back, waving at him over her shoulder.
Turning back to me, he narrowed his eyes, but a half smile tilted the corners of his lips. “Looks like I just got a free night. What’re your plans?”
“Is that your way of asking me out?” I returned the half smile. “Because you could’ve just asked. You already did yesterday, if memory serves.”
His eyes creased, then widened. Confirming that he’d forgotten we did, in fact, have plans. “Is that a yes then?”
“It’s a probably not, actually.” I gripped the edge of the stage and hopped down. “I also forgot I already had plans tonight.”
He crossed his arms against his chest, scanning me over. “What does that mean?”
“That you’re on-call, so I doubt you’ll want to sit at a dive bar all evening.” The watch on my wrist read 8:36. “I have a show at The Pour House at 10:30. If I want to make it on time, I need to go get ready, like, five minutes ago.”
“I can enjoy sitting at a bar and watching you perform without drinking.” Still scanning me for my true meaning, he uncrossed his arms. “Unless you don’t want me to watch you perform.”
“I’m perfectly fine with you watching me perform.” Gently, I grasped hold of his shirt and craned onto my tiptoes for another kiss. “But if you make fun of my costume, I will never play in front of you again.”
“Guess I’ll have to resist the urge.”
Scoffing, I playfully smacked his chest. “You owe me a ride back to my cabin for that.”
A chuckle, followed by, “A request I’m happy to oblige.”
