AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Next time?”
He gave a boyish pout. “You don’t want to see me again?”
Her eyes widened. “Youwantto see me again?”
“I do. Is that okay?”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“Isn’t that the point of spending time with someone? To get to know them?” He smiled. “I know you played violin, now that you’ve finally admitted it. I know you love music. It’s a good start.” He chuckled. “Maybe with your help I can make it through the next year of dealing with Maestro Novak’s insane music selections.”
She tried not to wince at his mention of Gabriel’s name. What would Mark think if he found out she’d slept with the man the previous night? “What happened to Maestro Pavolini?”
“He retired.”
“That’s too bad.”
“It is. He was a fantastic conductor.”
“Do you know him?”
“I do. He’s a good friend.”
She nodded, wondering what life would have been like if she hadn’t run away from Juilliard. If she’d stayed on the path she’d chosen when she was a girl...
Her phone rang in her purse and she was glad for the distraction. For a moment.
“Where the fuck are you?” Geoffrey’s angry voice came through loud and clear.
She winced, pulling the phone away from her ear as he yelled, wondering if Mark could hear him. “I-I’m out.”
“Where?” Geoffrey growled.
She glanced at Mark, not sure what she should say, and turned away from him. She’d never gone out with anyone not from the restaurant, and even those times were few and far between. The occasional girl’s-night-out with Amber, so to speak, only involved going over to Amber’s condo to hang out and watch TV.
“Did you need something?” she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She wasn’t due at the Café for several hours.
“Yes. I needed to shove my dick into your cunt.”
She closed her eyes and hung her head. “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
“Come to my place.”
Geoffrey hung up without waiting for her response and Emily dropped the phone to her chest, wondering what the afternoon would hold. Angry Geoffrey never boded well. “I have to go,” she said, forcing a smile onto her face as she turned around.
* * *
Mark heardthe cursing and the harsh tone coming through Emily’s phone, and her face went pale before she turned away. When she turned back, she had plastered a fake smile on her face.
She picked up her purse and shoved her phone into it. “Thank you for lunch.” She waved her hand around the room and her smile softened. “And inviting me here. This is a lovely room.” Her soft gaze rested on his violin and slid over the carved wood. She closed her eyes and shook her head.
His stomach churned. He didn’t like the fear in her eyes. It made him think of Alex and his friend Chase, who rescued girls who were in trouble. She couldn’t be in that kind of trouble, could she? Not walking around free... ? “Who was that?”
She gave a small shrug. “My boss. Needs to talk to me about something for work.”
“You said you were a waitress.”
“I am.” She slid the strap of her purse onto her shoulder. “I’m one of the leads and he... asks me for my opinion sometimes.”
