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And everything would fall into place again.
A few more seconds...
He got through the note. Opened his eyes.
And Lizzie was gone.
* * *
She wasn’t even in the SUV yet when her phone rang.
Nolan.
She didn’t want to answer. But if she didn’t he might think something happened to her—a woman alone in a club at night...
“Hello.”
“Where are you?”
“On my way home.”
“You’re walking alone?” He sounded out of breath, like he was walking fast. She unlocked his rental and got in, shutting the door, too late realizing he’d hear it shut.
“No, I’m in the SUV.”
“You’re still in the parking lot.”
“Yes.” She started the engine.
“Hold on, I’m coming out.”
“No, Nolan. You have another set to do. And I have to get home.” They had to be honest with each other, so she said, “Or rather, I just need to get away from you at the moment.”
She put the SUV in Reverse, backing out of the parking space.
“Listening to you play, it started things all over again,” she said. “Last year...the way your music sucked me in. How great it felt, how good we were together. The secret hopes and dreams that had been building in me. I can’t afford to let them come back...”
Back then, she’d actually thought they might be destined to become a family.
Now she knew better.
Hell, she didn’t even exist in his real life.
That apparently didn’t stop her from loving him.
She had no idea what to do with that.
* * *
Nolan made it to the parking lot in time to see Lizzie pulling out of the lot. “It was great, seeing you out there, Lizzie,” he told her as he watched her taillights disappear down the road. “I’m not always great at talking about what I’m feeling, but...”
“The song...the solo...it’s one I hadn’t heard.”
“It’s new this year.” And he thought of her every time he played the evocative notes.
“It’s good.” She mentioned a couple of particular phrases, the mezzo piano into mezzo forte.
“That’s it,” she said then as he stood in the parking lot alone. “Forte. That’s why you chose that name.”
