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“You’re welcome.”
That smile of his spreads warmth through my limbs as I place the book on the coffee table.
“I’m going to play a song for you,” I say, determined to show my gratitude for such an incredible gift.
One corner of his mouth tips up, dimpling his cheek adorably. “Is that so?”
“Yes, and you are going to sit beside me while I do it.”
“Someone’s feeling empowered,” he teases, walking over to the far wall to dim the lights.
When he meets me in front of the piano, he thoughtfully tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “It suits you.”
“It does?” I shake my head. “Right. I mean, of course it does.”
Rowan’s brown eyes glitter with mirth as he moves to trace my lower lip, then the edge of my jaw. “What will you play for me?”
“Oh,” I breathe, wholly entranced by him. “Why don’t we look together?”
I gather my skirt and settle it over the back of the bench, smiling shyly when he sits beside me. I feel like a teenager, head over heels for the crush they never thought they had a chance with.
“You can pick from one of these if you’d like.” I slide the song book I keep on the stand toward him.
He silently flips through each song until he reaches the end.
“If you didn’t like any of those, there may be another book on the shelf.”
I move to go look, but he stops me. “Actually, I’d like you to play their song.” My heart skips two beats, knowing exactly who he’s referring to even before he removes the folded papers from his pocket. “Please.”
I carefully straighten the pages before clipping them in place. “Are you sure?”
When he nods, I release a long breath and place my fingers on the keys. The chords float easily around us, connecting like puzzle pieces, one by one.
Rowan’s thigh is pressed against mine, grounding me while I play his mother’s song. The melody is both light and dark, full and hollow, and I wonder if that’s how she saw her husband, because that’s exactly how I see her son.
The violent storm and the vigilant lighthouse. The consuming darkness and the guiding star.
One tear falls, then the next, and I hope wherever our mothers are, they’ve forgiven us for our shortcomings. I hope they know how much they meant, and still mean, to us both.
I wouldn’t be surprised if, somewhere out there, they’re laughing as they watch us go round for round, ducking and dodging each other when the truth’s been here all along.
We may not be meant for forever, but we were made for right now.
When the last note vibrates through the air, I blink the room into view. Rowan’s deathly silent, and I’m suddenly terrified that I’ve upset him again. “I’m sorry.”
“No,” he says finally. “Don’t apologize. I enjoyed hearing it.”
Unfiltered sorrow betrays his usual stoicism. It’s so real, so tangible that I’m moving before I have a moment to think better of it.
Cupping his cheeks, I bring his misty gaze to mine, and my heart shatters at the sight of this strong man breaking in front of me. Not even crawling onto his lap can get me close enough to heal his hurt.
“What is it?”
“I’m overwhelmed, I think.” He rubs the center of his chest.
“With what, exactly?”
“I don’t know. The pain of the past… the uncertainty of the future.” He lifts his face to mine. “I’m honored to have known you, Molly.”
