“Really? I wouldn’t have pegged you as a Pink Floyd lover.”
“I am, but I blush to admit the reason why.”
“That sounds like a good story. Spill.”
“It’s so late, Michael. You need to get to bed.”
Yeah. With you. “I’m too wound up to sleep. Tell me your story.”
“Okay. The first time I heard “Comfortably Numb” was at a house party when I was in high school. When that song blared over the stereo, I was in the middle of a fairly steamy kissing session with David Kingston.”
“David Kingston?”
“I had a crush on the boy for two years. He thought I was a flake, but on that night, I’d had a bit to drink. It made me bold and I asked him to kiss me, which he did with enthusiasm.”
“He must have liked you too.”
“Nah. I was just willing and available and he was full of testosterone. Still, for me it was memorable, and ever since, I’ve been a Floyd fan.”
“You naughty girl. David Kingston’s a lucky man.”
“Oh, yeah. We became an item that night but he broke up with me a week later when he got a better offer. I’m sure he has no idea the broken heart he left behind. Every time I hear Pink Floyd, I think of David’s tongue.”
“You do realize I’ll never be able to perform the song again, right? Because now I’m thinking of his tongue.” When she laughed out loud, Michael felt as bold as the teenage Emily at that house party. “I might need to taste another tongue to forget it.”
As she swallowed, momentarily speechless, her throat moved in a delicate dance. Was he making her squirm? Good. She’d made him squirm too.
It would be a whole lot better if they could squirm together.
“Where did you learn to sing and play guitar?”
He tried not to groan when she changed the subject. “Our mom is a music teacher. She plays a few instruments herself, everything from piano to trumpet. She taught us everything we know. Except for Nick. She didn’t teach percussion, so he had his own instructor for that.”
“That’s amazing. You must have had music in your house all the time.”
“We had a loud house. If we weren’t wailing on our instruments, we were hammering things into the walls.”
“Your poor dad.”
“Are you kidding? He was the loudest of all. We get the handyman skills from him. He’s a master carpenter.”
“I think it’s wonderful they passed their skills onto the three of you. It sounds as if there was a lot of love in your home.”
“We were lucky that way. What about your family? I already know about Nonna Olivia, but what about your parents?”
“Oh, them. They’ve been bickering. To be honest, I think my mom is ready to walk out on my dad.”
“Really? I’m sorry.”
“I know couples get into routines and my dad takes her for granted. He’s a homebody and doesn’t understand why she isn’t content to sit on the couch with him all the time. Mom said she wants to make the most of her life before she dies. Now that my grandmother’s gone, my mother can’t stop thinking of her impending doom. I’m sure her frustration with my dad stems from grief.”
“I don’t think it’s just grief.”
“No?”
“I mean, clearly, your grandmother was well-loved, but your mother’s right. Like you said, couples get into ruts. I wouldn’t want to spend my life feeling unappreciated either. Sometimes you need to make an effort. A man should cherish his woman. She should know, beyond a doubt, she’s the most important thing in his world.”
He’d struck a chord. Her eyes glimmered with tears but she blinked them back. “Are we still talking about my mother?”
