AllFreeNovel
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Same old, same old. At least the storyline held his attention. It didn’t always.
When his stomach let out a growl, he looked at the computer clock on the taskbar. One o’clock.
He grabbed a DiGiorno gluten-free pizza from the freezer. A salad was half-made and two minutes left on the oven timer when his phone rang. Melody’s calm voice reached his ear. The forced calm he now knew as her defensive cover.
“The snow is getting deep, and I can’t get my car out. Debra said she’s keeping Artisan’s Hope closed for two days. Public schools already announced Monday off, and it’s only Saturday. That means no play practice for us until Monday, at the earliest. Our performance is Wednesday.”
Yikes. “Don’t worry, I know my part. Everyone does.”
“Everyone but me.” The calm cracked, a bit of panic seeping in. “If I don’t put in a lot more practice, I’m going to ruin this play.”
She would not, even if they performed this very minute, but TJ was coming to understand the pressure she unnecessarily put on herself.
“I’ll come over, and we can practice at your house.”
“How? The roads aren’t plowed. The city can’t keep up with the accumulation. They’re asking people to stay off the road unless travel is essential. I’m not essential.”
Oh, but she was.
TJ closed the lid of his laptop and pulled the pizza from the oven. “Don’t expect me before 2:30. I need to eat and then layer up.”
There was a pause. “What are you planning to do?”
“I happen to have a pair of seldom-used snowshoes. Plus warm winter gear from my forsaken hobby of snowboarding before I decided Michigan winters were for the birds.”
“And yet you’re going to snowshoe your way to my house in a snowstorm? It’s more than three miles. You’re crazy!”
He was. About her.
It was after 3:00 by the time he made it, and he huddled by her heater for almost twenty minutes before he was ready to do anything but shiver.
“Lavender tea?” Melody offered him the cup she’d prepared. He couldn’t imagine coming to her house during p.m. hours andnotaccepting a cup of lavender tea.
“What’s this?” He held in laughter and indicated the strands of red hearts adorning the tops of each window in her house. “Never knew you got into Valentine’s Day so much.”
She shrugged. “Trying to get into the spirit for the play. Which brings us to the reason you’re here, unorthodox transportation method and all.”
“Indeed.” He clapped his hands. “Let’s do it. From the top?”
“Please.”
It was different practicing without the rest of the cast. Alone. In Melody’s house. When TJ said the sweet romantic lines that were part of his script, he had to remind himself that he was playing a part. This wasn’t real.
Then came the songs he sang to the recordings Melody had created on her piano. She’d even layered the recording to add the flute and violin at different parts.
She was so gifted.
“You missed your line.”
He jerked his head and found Melody waiting with expectation. “Sorry.”Focus on the play. Not Melody.
When they were almost to the end, and he’d sung his last words, Melody stepped away.
“I think I’ve got it. We’re good.”
Good as long as she didn’t have to kiss him. How were they going to kiss in front of the packed auditorium at Artisan’s Hope if they couldn’t do it in private?
TJ wanted to speak up, but he was afraid. Afraid she would say they should practice it. Afraid she’d hate it this time, too. Afraid it would destroy everything between them all over again.
