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He ushered me into the room, leaving Blue out in the hall to wait for his dinner. Was it only a week or so ago that he’d showed me his Stradivarius? He opened other cabinets this time, took out a Cecilio and an Amati, a Guarneri, and a Knelling that looked very orange. He had a few Fierros too, and I played each one, but none of them felt like my Grapeleaf. I bowed a few notes on a Pressenda and felt more connection. Milo smiled knowingly. “Similar design, same type of wood as your Fierro,” he said. “Although it’s a bit older.”
I played a few more notes, did a run of scales. It was a great violin. I tried to smile, tried to look happy, but he wasn’t fooled.
“Don’t worry,” he said, his dark eyes holding my gaze. “This is just for now. If you want, we can look for another Fierro together. I have some contacts who might be willing to sell one. Or…” He looked away, then back at me again. “If you want, we can make you a new one. I mean, I can make you one from scratch. It won’t be my father’s work, like the Grapeleaf, but I can tailor it to you, to your exact specifications.”
I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. People waited years for a violin from Milo’s workshop, now that he’d made a name for himself. “Are you serious?”
“I’m very serious, Alice. I’d love to do it. I’d love the challenge of making the perfect instrument for you.”
Love to do it. Love to. I love you, even if we’re just friends.That’s what he was saying. The generosity of his offer brought tears to my eyes.
“Don’t cry,” he said. “Seriously.” He waved a hand through the air. “This room is also dampness-controlled.”
I laughed then, instead. “Yes, please. I’d love you to make me one.” What could be more special than a violin he made me with his own hands? I’d treasure it beyond bearing. It would be, truly, my own heart, made by the man I loved. “You’re going to make me one? Really?”
“Yes. It’ll take a while, but if you don’t mind waiting a few months…” He touched the Pressenda. “You can play this in the meantime.”
I felt like I might choke on my emotions. My heart felt so full. “I don’t know what to say. I want to hug you. Can I hug you?”
He gave one of his reticent, reluctant smiles, the ones that made him even more handsome. I put down the Pressenda and threw my arms around him, and there was a little bit of tension between us, but also love. I loved him, even if he wouldn’t accept romantic love from me. I adored him. It was okay if he held himself a little stiff, a bit away from me.
He went to the kitchen and fed Blue, then put together a veggie and steak stir-fry for his dinner. All that perfection, and he could cook without breaking a sweat. I wasn’t that hungry, so I toasted some tortillas to eat with hummus.
“That smells good,” I told him, as we sat at his kitchen counter together.
“I have a secret recipe for the spices.”
“Really?”
“No.” He laughed. “It comes out of a jar. Want to try a bite?”
“Yes, I freaking do.”
He fed me some steak and broccoli, and a slice of green pepper, dangling them from his chopsticks so I could take them into my mouth.
“It’s so good, Milo.” I might have lost everything, but maybe it was worth it, to have these moments with him. I hadn’t even put the claim together for the insurance. I was too damn comfortable here, which was dangerous.
He took a few more bites of his food, swirling the vegetables and steak together in the sauce, then paused and looked over at me. “Do you have any plans for New Year’s?”
The tortillas I’d eaten flopped around in my stomach.Don’t get excited, Alice. He doesn’t mean it in your fantasy way.“Uh, no. Not really. I was going to stay in. Stay here, if that’s okay.”
“That’s fine.” He pushed his food around and took a breath. “But if you want, you can hang out with me and my friends.”
“The paired-up ones? With the girlfriends who only tolerate you?”
“Yeah. If you came with me, you could run interference. Keep the girlfriends occupied while I hang out with my buds.”
I burst into laughter, and he smiled. Oh, that smile.
“I’m kidding,” he said. “They’re great. Juliet and Ella. They’ve been asking to meet you, so maybe we could all hang out, drink champagne and eat canapés until the ball drops, that kind of thing.”
He wore a guarded expression, like he didn’t want me to take this the wrong way. I wasn’t going to. I was glad to be invited, and curious to meet his friends.
“Thanks for the invite,” I said, stealing a bit of steak from his plate and passing it under the counter to Blue. “I’d love to go.”
Chapter Five: Milo
Ihad noidea why I’d invited her to New Year’s at Fort’s house. I wasn’t known for being a masochist, but the evening had been booked and planned. My two best friends and their partners were expecting us in half an hour.
