Roman notices and shrugs off his light jacket before placing it around my shoulders. His scent envelops me, and I try to be as subtle as I can about breathing it in.
“Actually, do you mind if we take one quick detour?” he asks, pointing down a different street. Since we have nowhere to be, I shrug and gesture for him to lead the way.
As we walk through streets, I take in the wonder of all the tall buildings beginning to glow. A few people seem torecognize Roman on the street as we walk, and he simply gives them a quick smile and wave.
“How about we grab a bite to eat here?” Roman gestures to a tiny little Italian restaurant.
Staring in from the outside, I can see a series of small tables all lit up with candles. The chairs appear to be wrought iron, with cozy blankets draped over the arms. A series of large colorful lanterns hangs from the ceiling in various shades of blue and purple. To top it all off, beautiful vines crawl along the walls. It’s then that I notice the ceiling is made of glass, to allow for natural light during the day.
“What is this place?” I breathe.
“Somewhere I wanted to show you.” He grabs my hand and places a firm kiss on the back of it. “We don’t have to go in though if you’re not comfortable grabbing dinner.”
“You know what, dinner sounds perfect.”
About an hour later, after a perfect glass of wine and some cacio e pepe, I’m about ready to call it a night, especially taking into consideration our call time of four a.m.
Roman throws down some bills and takes my hand once more. When we get outside, he leads me in a different direction than I expected.
“I thought our hotel was this way?” I ask, pointing at what I think is north.
“It is.”
“Okay… so where are we going then?”
“A block this way,” he says as we turn down an alleyway. When we approach an unmarked and unassuming grey door in the alley, Roman pulls it open and ushers me inside.
“Where in the hell are you taking me?” I mutter. It’s then that I hear the softest music floating toward me. A piano accompanied by strings. Instead of Roman leading the way, I push past him, following the beckoning sounds of the music. It takes me all of a minute to realize we’re backstage at a theater somewhere. Navigating the back area, I keep listeningand moving until I make it to the stage wings, where I look out and see a pianist, along with a string quartet. They appear lost in the music on the sheets in front of them, weaving a series of beautiful notes around the space of the theater.
Roman and I sneak into some of the empty seats in the auditorium to properly appreciate their playing. I’m not sure who these musicians are, but they’re playing beautifully. I find myself swept up in the magic of the songs. Moments of joy and melancholy all strung together perfectly. The music moves me in the darkness of the theater.
“Did you organize this for us?” I whisper between songs.
Roman nods, uncharacteristically quiet. The next song plays, and instantly I recognize it asmine.
Whipping my head in his direction, I study his expression. “Are these allyoursongs, Roman?”
He shrugs, and my eyes well up. They’re beautiful, and he’s done this himself.
“I just..” he starts, clearing his throat. “I thought you might be right, and that it would be worth trying. And…” he pauses, his blue eyes cast toward the floor as he nervously admits, “I wanted to share it with you.”
I don’t know that my heart has ever been more full as the notes to my song ring out.
“Thank you,” I whisper before pressing my lips to his and kissing him deeply.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
ROMAN
“Action!” Arnold calls, and I snap into character.
It’s been two weeks in New York City, and now we’re capturing the final exterior shot for the film. Coincidentally, it is the last shot for the film in general.
Working quickly to capture what we need in the dusky light after the sun has just set, everyone is on their A-game. The lighting techs run around with their equipment, and we waste no time, having spent what feels like forever running through the blocking and all the shots we need. There are multiple cameras filming this scene from different angles, so hopefully we capture everything. If not, we’ll have to try again tomorrow.
Clover’s in character, staring from the building rooftop at the sparkling city lights beyond, coming to life as darkness steals the color from the sky. The wind blows gently, tossing strands of copper around her shoulders.
After a beat or two, she turns and notices my character standing before her.
