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He’s not going to answer. Because it’s over. I just know it.
“Hi, babe.”
I closed my eyes against the swift rush of emotion that swamped me at the sound of his voice. And he sounded terrible, hoarse and tired, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
“Hi,” I said. “I’m sorry to call you so late. Or at all. I didn’t know if you wanted to talk to me…”
“Of course, I do,” he said. “I’ve wanted to talk to you every day the last few days. But I was afraid to make it harder on us.”
“It’s already too hard.”
“I know.” He inhaled sharply. “Lucien told me about your audition. That’s incredible and yet I’m not surprised at all. I’m so proud of you.”
“I leave tomorrow,” I said, my throat threatening to close. “Did Lucien tell you that too?”
“Don’t cry, baby,” Noah said, sounding anguished. “Please don’t cry.”
“I don’t have much say in the matter. Noah, is this the right thing? Because it feels awful.”
“It is. Please trust me.” He made a harsh sound, clearing the tears out of his voice. “Lucien is going to take you to the airport tomorrow. He’ll meet you at the townhouse around eleven.”
“And where will you be?”
“Wishing I was there, to kiss you and hold you one last time before you go. I love you.”
“I love you too,” I whispered. “I love you, Noah. I do.”
There was a short pause, and then he said, “Have a safe flight, Charlotte.” Then the line went quiet.
Lucien drove me to JFK for my four o’clock flight to Vienna, Austria. I was grateful for the ride and glad he was there, so I could thank and say goodbye to the man I considered my fairy godfather in many ways.
“Oh, wonderful,” I groused, wiping my eyes. “I’m a mess already and I haven’t even gone through security.”
“Charlotte, my dear, it’s an honor knowing you,” Lucien said, his own eyes wet. He bent in a formal bow and kissed my hand. “You will no doubt be as bright a shining star to the audiences of Europe as you have been in our lives here.”
I threw my arms around his neck, inhaling his cologne and his smoky elegance. “Thank you,” I whispered. “For everything. For him.”
I felt him shake his head. “It is you who has given Noah back to us. For that, I can never repay you.”
“Keep him safe, Lucien. Whatever he does or whatever he thinks he has to do, you keep him safe.” I smiled through my tears. “That’s how you repay me.”
chapter thirty-eight
Lucien returned from taking Charlotte to the airport. Jealousy churned in my gut that he got to see her, talk to her, hug her goodbye.
“Did she make it through okay?”
“Yes, yes,” he said. I heard him lower himself into the chair across from the desk. “She made it fine.”
“How did she look?”
“Lovely, bien sûr,” Lucien replied. “Are you quite certain that you wish to do this?”
I barked a short laugh. “Hell no. But you know what’s at stake. You just took her to the airport.”
Lucien made a noise, but I could hear he was smiling. “Indeed. And I have good news. You had the winning bid for the Cuypers violin.”
I smiled in what felt like the first time in eons, since I’d left Charlotte. “Really? Hot damn. How much?”
