Page 5 of Passion’s Song

A dose of unease slithered through Damien’s bones.

Was April dating this guy? Why hadn’t he considered the possibility that she was in a relationship before coming up with his hastily hatched plan?

“Be there for seven,” April told the youngster.

“Awesome. See you then,” he answered, and then left them.

April took a sip of coffee and said, “Sorry about that. Now, what is it that’s so urgent that it brought you to the Ninth Ward? Don’t think that the significance of this visit escaped my attention. It’s been a long time since you came out this way.”

“Yeah, it has,” Damien said. “First, are you seeing someone?”

Her head jerked back as she released a shocked laugh. “What?”

“You know, romantically,” Damien said. “Are you involved with someone?”

He knew he’d caught her off guard. He and April had been friends since high school, but their love lives were rarely discussed. In fact, Damien couldn’t remember either of them ever overtly bringing up the subject.

“I...uh...” She stumbled. Then shook her head. “No,” she finally answered. “No, I’m not seeing anyone.”

Bone-melting relief replaced that earlier unease.

“Great,” Damien said. “Because I have a favor to ask of you. And it’s a big one.”

* * *

April didn’t know what to think as she watched Damien fidget across the table from her. If there was one thing she could usually say about him, it was that he excelled at always appearing to be completely in control.

Not today.

Right now, he seemed unsure. Nervous, even. It was unsettling.

Damien tapped his fingers on the table in an anxious rhythm. “The reason I asked you to meet with me—” he started.

“Hi. Can I get you anything?” Jelissa Cannon, one of the older girls who helped to manage the new café, interrupted.

The teen flashed a huge smile at Damien. Like most of the world’s female population, she seemed totally smitten within a second of setting eyes on him.

April held up her cup. “We already have our drinks, but thanks.”

“Oh.” Jelissa’s smile deflated. Then it brightened again. “Can I get you anything else? Refills, maybe?”

Did that child just bat her eyes?

“Actually, I think we’re good for now,” April answered, infusing a hint of warning into her voice.

“Are you sure?” Jelissa asked Damien.

“Yes,” Damien said, treating her to that megawatt smile that had no choice but to elicit the exact reaction Jelissa displayed. The teen giggled like the schoolgirl she was, her light brown cheeks darkening to a deep crimson.

“If we need refills, I’ll call you over,” April told her. She wiggled her fingers toward the counter. “You have customers to take care of. Why don’t you go and do that?”

April cast a cursory glance around the room and discovered that Jelissa wasn’t the only one with eyes trained on their table. Most of the females in the room were staring openly at them.

It wasn’t as if April could blame them. If there was one thing Damien Alexander had always been, it was easy on the eyes.

April had done her share of looking over the years.

Oh, who was she kidding? She’d nearly sprained her eyes staring at him.