AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She laughed and shook her head. “Yes.”
He grinned. “Good.”
Twenty-Nine
Mark unlockedhis townhouse door and pushed it open for Emily to walk inside. Yes, he wanted to find out what happened when he gave her his violin. But this was also a chance for him to ask her about what he’d learned from Sam in a private place.
She glanced over at the fireplace mantel where his family photos sat. “Do you see your family a lot?”
“No. Not unless I go to Germany. Well, I see Aunt Julia and Uncle Jason sometimes. But they live in Arizona, so not a whole lot. I see Uncle Martin more often since he lives in Boston.”
Emily nodded.
“Do you see your family?”
She turned around and blinked. “No.”
“Do you have family?”
“Everyone has family.” She glanced back at the photos and sighed. “I guess I miss my brother a little.”
“You guess?”
She shrugged. “I don’t think about him much.”
Mark sighed. “Can I ask you a question?”
She searched his eyes and swallowed. “You can ask.”
“Who are you?”
She blinked several times, staring at him. “What do you mean?”
He chewed his lip, trying to figure out how to ask. “Are you...” He shook his head and pulled out his phone, searched for the video, pressed play, and held it out to her. “That’s you, right?”
She stared at the video, mouth gaping, eyes filling with tears. “Where did you find that?”
“I took it.”
Her jaw trembled and she stared up at him. She shivered and gave a nervous smile, then sighed. “You really were at the audition?”
Mark’s shoulders relaxed. Was that her way of admitting it? “I was. You were amazing.”
She winced as she looked back at the phone. “Please turn it off,” she whispered, her voice cracking over the words. “Please.”
Mark did as she asked and shoved his phone back into his pocket. “There’s a reason you were offered a position right after you played.” He paused. “What happened?”
She scrunched her eyes closed. “I can’t tell you that.”
“Why?”
She was quiet for a moment before her eyes snapped open. “Is that why you had me come over? To find out who I am?” She stepped away from him.
“I wanted to know. Ihadto know, Emily.” He shook his head. “I wanted to ask you, and I really do want to hear you play again. Because of this.” He motioned to his pocket where his phone was. His voice dropped a level and his eyes turned earnest. “I’d never heard anyone play like you before that day.”
Tears filled her eyes. “You’re the one with the talent. I—” She sucked in a shaky breath and then shook her head. “I can’t.”
* * *
