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“That is a very nice suit, Noah,” she said.
“Thank you, Marit,” I replied. “I’m sure you look very nice too.”
She made a noncommittal sound. “So, this is weird,” she said after a moment.
“What is?”
“Well…it’s not every day that girls like me meet men like you.”
“Blind bastards, lying in parking lots, bleeding all over themselves? Yeah, we’re a rare breed.”
She laughed, but it faded quickly. “Noah, before we go out in public together, I think you should know that I’m not really the type for dinners and concerts. I mean, while I was out, I went home and dressed up. And by ‘dressed up’ I mean I put on black pants instead of jeans and a shirt that doesn’t have a comic book character on it. I need to lose a few kilos, and I have piercings and tattoos all up my arms—”
I stopped and looked toward her. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Just…fair warning.”
“Well, thanks for thewarning,” I said lightly, “but I don’t even know what a kilo is.”
“I just mean, we look about as mismatched as can be, you and I, and I think it’s only fair that you know that. I know this is not a date,” she added seriously. “I’m not putting that pressure on you. You love Charlotte, and I’m not going to sit around wondering why you didn’t call me tomorrow. But you are…very handsome, Noah. And kind. And it’s not every day that a girl like me meets a man who is both and spends the day with him. It’s a little…strange. I’m afraid I’m going to embarrass myself.”
“First of all, Marit, you didn’tmeetme,” I said, my neck craned to tie my tie. “You found me left for dead in a parking lot. If one of us is going to be embarrassed in this little scenario, it sure as hell isn’t going to be you.”
She scoffed a laugh. “Well, since you put it that way…”
“Secondly, you saved my ass this morning. You saved my entire trip. I don’t know how to repay you but to buy you dinner and take you to listen to Charlotte. And even that is more of a favor to me. I’ve been to sixteen concerts in the last month, alone. It’d be nice to share her talent with someone…to have someone appreciate her a little, like I do.”
“That sounds lovely,” Marit said, and I could hear her smile.
“So…we’re good?”
“We’re good,” she agreed, and I knew that was the truth.
“Is it straight?” I asked, indicating my tie.
“No.” She approached, and her fingers tugged and straightened. The earthy smell of whatever oil or perfume she wore was strong but not unpleasant. “There. Come on, Noah Lake. Let’s go before we’re late to your date with Charlotte.”
I reached out and she put the crook of her arm to my fingers. There was more of her to hold, but so fucking what? Marit was an angel of mercy, and she was beautiful.
And it didn’t matter what she looked like, anyway. She could have been as gorgeous as Valentina in real life, but she’d never get any closer to my heart. Charlotte owned that particular piece of me. Hell, she owned all of me, heart and soul, but thanks to Marit, instead of heading to the airport in defeat, I was back on that long, dark road to where Charlotte was waiting. Saint Marit, that’s what she was and always would be.
We arrived at the Koninklijk Theater Carré and took our seats in the corner, uppermost row.
“My nose is bleeding,” Marit joked. “This is where you always sit? So far away?”
I smirked. “I’m not here for the view. And I can’t let Charlotte see me.”
“Well, I’m going to get a pair of those fancy glasses so I can seeher. The violin players are all bunched together. What does she look like?”
“Do you have a program?”
“Yes.”
“If she’s doing a solo tonight, you’ll see her,” I said and wished I could borrow Marit’s eyes just for the night.
“She’s playing the andante to Mozart’s Sonata in A for piano and violin.” Marit shifted toward me. “Is that a good one?”
I smiled. “You’ll see.”
