Sonata for Springtime, page 11
I didn’t answer, unsure of how to fill the next prolonged quiet moment. She spoke first. “I won’t pretend you have any interest in piano lessons anymore.” Biting her lower lip, she tugged on the ends of her hair. “But maybe we could grab dinner together sometime soon? Even just ordering in a pizza?”
I wanted to accept her invitation, yet something held me back. A knot twisted in my stomach. “I…I don’t know.”
The resulting expression on her face made me turn away from her. Stifling a groan, I leaned my arm against the wall and rested my forehead on it. I couldn’t believe what I was about to say, yet a sudden flash of clarity had stabbed through my mind. For so long, I’d been playing a passive role in my own life, letting things happen to me instead of making my own decisions. As much as it might hurt, I needed to stand up for myself, and hope I wouldn’t regret it later on.
“Natalie, I can’t be your friend. Now that I know what it’s like to touch you, to hold you, to kiss you, I won’t be able to think of anything else while I’m around you. We can’t go back to the way things were.” Rocky nudged my leg with his nose, but it was too late to stop. Clenching my eyes shut, I tried to keep my voice steady. “It’s all or nothing. Either we give this a shot and you give me the chance to be with you, or we go our separate ways because I can’t torture myself for another week, month, or year, desperate for something just out of reach.”
My angst-laced ramblings were probably the most vulnerable and honest I’d ever been with another person. I debated making a quick exit and settled for praying a hole would open up in the floor to swallow me. When I thought I might faint from embarrassment, she responded, so quietly, I thought I might have imagined it. “Okay.”
My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t move. “W-what?”
“I said okay.”
Slowly, I faced her. She turned up her palms and offered me an exaggerated shrug. “I don’t want to give you up. Not again.”
The air whisked out of my lungs. A huge smile spread across my face, and I was sure I looked like the world’s biggest idiot, but I didn’t care. “You mean…” I shook my head. “Let’s do this right. Natalie, would you like to go out on a date with me?”
She giggled. “Of course I would.”
I stepped toward her. “I know we can’t start from the very beginning and pretend like everything we discussed never happened, but we can take things slow.”
Tilting her head to one side, she reached out and touched my hand. “I don’t want you to think this is a rebound, or I’m trying to prove something. We’re both different people from who we were even a few months ago, and now I can’t wait to see where this leads. Like you said, let’s do it right.”
I wrapped my fingers around hers, still grinning from ear to ear. “Pizza or whatever sounds great, but give me a day or two and I’ll plan something nice for us. Even if we’re not starting over, I want to make a good first impression.”
“I’m looking forward to anything you come up with.” She tugged me closer and gazed up at me. “Maybe my life isn’t such a mess after all. I’m so glad you came over today.”
Natalie looped her arms around my waist, and all the tension drained out of my body. Rocky sat at our feet, his tail swishing back and forth across the carpet. I nestled my cheek atop her head, breathing in the scent of her hair, and tried to convince myself I wasn’t imagining this perfect moment. Even if our attempt at a romantic relationship didn’t work out, at least I wouldn’t be plagued by the regret of not taking a chance.
Chapter Fourteen
I squinted into the sunlight as I stepped out of my front door and closed and locked it behind me. When I’d woken up a few hours earlier, I was thrilled to see the weather hadn’t spoiled my plans. Another beautiful spring day warmed my heart, and I couldn’t wait to find out what it had in store for me. For us.
Across the street, a second door opened and closed. Natalie dropped her keys into her purse then adjusted the strap on her shoulder. A wide smile lit up her face when she spotted me, and she hurried over to the end of my driveway.
I met her near the grass, taking a brief moment to admire how her dark-green dress with cute little flowers clung to her curves. “You’re not even going to let me pick you up today?” I teased.
She put one hand on her hip. “What, you were really going to drive the few feet over to my house to come and get me?”
“Maybe, if you’d given me the chance. At least I could have escorted you across this busy, dangerous road.”
Her chocolate-brown eyes sparkled. “If all goes well, I’ll consider letting you walk me home at the other end, okay?”
I opened the passenger door of my car for her and she slid inside. After joining her, I backed out of the driveway and proceeded toward the exit of our neighborhood. “I’ve been meaning to try this restaurant for a while,” I said. “Every time I drive past it, there’s always a lot of people eating outside, so that should be a good sign.”
She peered out the side window. “It’s so nice outside today. I hope it’s not too crowded.”
“I made a reservation.”
Swiveling back to face me, she flashed me a grin. “Of course you did. Silly me.”
It didn’t take long for us to get downtown, and I parked in one of the municipal lots. People milled about the sidewalks, though the area wasn’t overly crowded, and I guided us toward the restaurant I’d selected. The host seated us at one of the outdoor tables, and we flipped through the menus he provided us.
After we placed our orders, Natalie fiddled with her napkin, rolling the edge back and forth between her fingers. “So…I didn’t get a chance to tell you the other day.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
Spots of pink appeared on her cheeks. “I got a job playing piano. It’s nothing much—just accompanying a choral group at the seniors’ center one night a week. But it’s a start, and I’m actually getting a little money in exchange for playing, which is every musician’s dream.”
“That’s wonderful!” I beamed at her. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Don’t get too excited. I’m only plonking out chords while the sopranos compete to see who can sing the loudest. At least I’m not the director responsible for controlling them.” She brushed her hair away from her eyes. “It’s nice to have something consistent, though. And I’m thinking about trying to find some students again, too.”
“You should.” I sipped from my glass of water. “I may not have been the greatest student, but it doesn’t mean you weren’t a good teacher.”
She giggled. “Oh, you weren’t so bad.”
“You don’t have to be polite anymore. I’ve accepted my lack of musical talent and have moved on to other things.”
“So you were telling me.” Propping one elbow on the table, she rested her chin on her hand. “I can’t wait to hear more about what you’ve been up to.”
“Nothing too outrageous. Although…” Shaking my head, I chuckled. “Believe it or not, I somehow let myself be convinced to try skiing a few months ago, and I went to ski school for a week.”
“Really?” Her jaw dropped open, yet amusement brightened her expression. “That sounds like so much fun! How was it?”
“Well, I survived.” I laughed again. “I’ll admit I didn’t hate it, but I think I’ve decided if I’m going to be on a mountain, I would like to be wearing something a little less slippery on my feet.”
She nodded. “Like the hiking you were also telling me about?”
“Exactly.” I swirled my straw around my glass of water, sending the ice cubes tumbling into each other. “Although there, too, I’m not trying anything daring. You’re not going to find me dangling off the side of a cliff anytime soon.”
“Good to know!”
Inhaling, I fought not to squirm in my seat. “If you want, you could come with us sometime. Or, if you’re not interested in nonstop gaming and beer discussion, it could be just the two of us.”
The afternoon sun glinted in her deep-brown eyes. “I’d love to join you.”
Our food arrived before long, and we settled into comfortable conversation. It felt like catching up with an old friend…except I wanted this to be something more, to be the real date I’d promised. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any good plans for accomplishing that. Romance had never been my strong suit, and it’s not like anything had changed in the year since I’d met her. The best I could hope for was to be patient and pray some brilliant idea would eventually pop into my mind.
The waiter interrupted my jumbled thoughts by bringing the check to our table. After a brief, lighthearted argument, I paid for our food. “Ready for our next stop?” I asked as I slid my chair back.
Natalie retrieved her purse from where she’d hung it on her chair. “Lead the way!”
We wove our way through the tables, exiting onto the sidewalk. “I’ve lived here for a few years now,” I said, “and while I’ve seen posters and advertisements for the seasonal street fairs, I’ve never actually gone to one.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” She glanced up at me as we strolled along. “And if it turns out to be boring or silly, no big deal. We’ll find something else to do.”
When we turned the corner, a sea of people waited for us at the end of the block. “Oh, wow.” I scrunched up my nose. “I didn’t think it would be this crowded.”
“Must be good, then!”
As we neared the entrance to the area which had been blocked off for the fair, Natalie slipped her hand around my arm, resting it on the inside of my elbow. “I’ll try not to lose you,” she said. “What’s our strategy? Do one side of booths and then the other, or zigzag back and forth?”
My eyebrow shot up and I chuckled. “You didn’t tell me you were an expert at this.”
She gave me a little squeeze. “Shopping is one of my hidden talents, it’s true.”
We started at the first booth, which featured a display of handmade hats and gloves. “I don’t even want to think about winter right now,” I whispered to her. “Let’s just say it was not a pleasant time this year.”
“Fair enough.” She nudged me onward.
The next stall had a selection of baked goods, everything from miniature muffins to entire loaves of bread. “Look!” Natalie said, pointing. “They have homemade dog treats. We could get something for Rocky.”
I snorted. “That dog is spoiled enough as it is. I won’t stand in your way, but if I get him a present, he’s going to expect something every time he sees me.”
At the end of the first row of merchants, I spotted a familiar face. Behind a table filled with brightly colored bottles sat Evan, along with another man I’d met a few times at our gaming nights. “Hey, Jonathan!” he called, waving me over.
We inched around the crowd of people, Natalie still holding onto my arm. Evan and I made all the appropriate introductions, and then I read the banner hanging off the front of the table. “Hot sauce?” I said, gesturing toward the first row of bottles. “You’re abandoning beer so soon?”
“Nah, it was too much hassle to get the license to sell here today.” He toyed with the ends of his beard. “But Max and I are thinking of partnering up for a few events. How does a wing night at the brewery sound?”
“Maybe not at the same time as game night. It could get messy.”
“See, this is why I like having you around.” A grin spread across his face. “Though this logic is what makes you such a formidable opponent in some of our games. Either way, I should pick your brain for a better marketing strategy.”
I tapped my fingers on the edge of the table, taking care not to disturb the display. “I don’t think I’m your guy for this project. Mayonnaise is about as spicy as I get.”
Natalie poked my shoulder with her free hand. “Stop selling yourself short.”
Evan waggled his eyebrows at us. “I think you should listen to her. But I won’t make you create another spreadsheet for me quite yet. You have the rest of the afternoon to enjoy and we have some hot sauce to sell!”
I purchased a bottle of what they assured me was the mildest sauce, though I wasn’t sure what I’d do with it. After wishing them luck, we turned around at the end of the street to backtrack through the shops we’d missed. We stopped in front of each one, whispering comments about the various items for sale, but I didn’t pay much attention to them. So far, the day had been going well, and simply spending time with Natalie again was enough to make me happy.
Once we finished exploring everything the street fair had to offer, we continued down the sidewalk, past the restaurant where we’d eaten lunch. As the crowds thinned out, Natalie let go of my arm, and I felt of a twinge of disappointment. A park stretched along one side of the road, and we turned to enter at a paved footpath. She selected a wooden bench and sat down, resting her bags near her feet. I sat beside her as she examined her purchases, watching a family of ducks glide over the water in the pond across from us.
She reached into one of the paper bags and pulled out a large chocolate chip cookie. “Have you decided what you’re going to do with your hot sauce yet?” she asked as she peeled off the wrapper.
“No.” I took the half of the cookie she offered to me. “Clearly, you did a much better job of shopping today than I did.”
“I can never resist the lure of freshly baked desserts.”
“Noted.”
I finished the cookie in a few bites then reclined against the back of the bench. Natalie broke smaller pieces off of her half, wiggling closer to me as she ate. After a split second of hesitation, I slipped one arm behind her, resting it on the top rail. She pressed against my side, and I swore she could feel my heart pounding inside my chest.
Neither of us spoke, yet the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. I inhaled, taking in all of my surroundings. Everything was perfect, from the cloudless sky to the splashing ducks to the warmth emanating from the woman next to me. Despite my tendency to overthink and worry all the time, I tried to enjoy the moment and relinquish my anxiety.
Natalie brushed the crumbs off her hands when she finished eating. With a murmured hum of contentment, she leaned her head on my shoulder. I let my arm drop off the bench, curling it around her. The world around us melded into a surreal blur as my fingertips grazed her bare skin, trailing in lazy strokes along her arm.
“Jonathan?” Her soft voice cut through my reverie.
“Mm?”
She angled her head back to meet my gaze. “This is nice.”
“Very.”
Her lashes fluttered, and I took my cue when she closed her eyes. Our lips met, and time seemed to freeze and pass by far too quickly all at once. I tasted the remnants of the chocolate in her sweet kiss and felt her breathe against me. When she pulled away, her dazzling smile melted my heart before she returned her cheek to my shoulder. I held her close, glad she couldn’t see what must have been the most ridiculous grin on my face, and hoped I wouldn’t wake up from this dream.
Chapter Fifteen
Shades of pink and lavender tinted the sky by the time I pulled my car into the driveway. After putting it in park, I leaned forward and peered up through the windshield. “It’s not dark yet, but the sun’s gone down,” I said. “Would you like me to walk you home?”
Natalie let out a theatrical sigh. “I suppose if you’re so concerned about my safety, I’ll allow you to escort me.”
I opened the passenger side door for her, making a pointed effort not to look at the windows of the townhouse next door in case we were being watched. Extending my hand, I took her shopping bags as she climbed out of the car, and then we arrived on her doorstep in a matter of seconds. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and bit her lower lip. “Um…do you want to come inside for a little while?”
My pulse raced. “S…sure,” I stammered.
She unlocked the front door and I followed her through. I passed her purchases to her, and she placed them on the floor next to one of the sofas. When she straightened, she said nothing, and she shifted her weight from side to side as her gaze didn’t quite meet mine.
I broke the silence first. “So, how’s the Appassionata coming along?”
She blew out a stream of air. “Slowly. But I am making progress, and it’s not as sloppy as it was a few weeks ago.”
The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Can I hear you play it? You know I don’t care if it’s not perfect.”
Her eyes widened, but then she smiled. “All right. I need to get comfortable playing in front of people again, and I’m not including the aspiring divas at the seniors’ center.”
The music was already spread out on the piano, and I took my usual seat on the nearby armchair. So much time had passed since I’d last sat here, yet in some ways, it seemed as if my prolonged absence had never happened. I leaned back in the chair, wondering if I’d experience the same magic.
Natalie sat on the bench and raised her hands to the keyboard. Concentration furrowed her brow as she began the piece, and she wrinkled her nose at the first missed note. She continued, though, and the lines on her face relaxed as her fingers danced over the keys. The passionate musician I’d fallen for appeared in front of me, and I watched and listened, as captivated as I was the first moment I heard her play.
Music filled the room, the complex passages swelling to glorious crescendos. The melodies and chords resonated inside my head, and something stirred inside me, yearning to break free. The room felt too big and too small at the same time as a hurricane of emotion ripped through me, and I struggled to catch my breath. While I squirmed in my chair, she played on, oblivious to my agitation as her performance consumed her.
Quietly, I stood. If she noticed, she showed no signs of it. I moved behind her, searching for some way to either release some of the building pressure or draw more of her energy inside me. Dropping to my knees on the carpet, I circled my arms around her waist from behind. She stiffened and fumbled a few notes but then resumed playing with the same intensity.
