“I love their music,” Lana said. She waved her hand to take in the entire bar. “You can see how popular they are.”
Azelie wanted to enjoy the moment. Enjoy watching her man play with his band for the first time. He’d set the date up himself. Chosen to surprise her. The food had been delicious, and he had been totally focused on her, not paying any attention to the female interest directed his way. She’d noticed, but he hadn’t seemed to. Or if he had, he didn’t care. Azelie chose to put aside her questions about Andrii’s friendship with Lana and her brother until she was back home and alone. Right now, she was determined to soak in every moment of her dream date.
Lana grinned at her. “You like that man.”
Azelie nodded. “More than like. I really hope he’s real.”
Kasimir made a sound like a growling wolf. “He’s as real as it gets, honey. I’ve known him awhile now. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”
Azelie resisted the urge to ask how Kasimir knew Andrii, mostly because she didn’t want him to lie, and she had the feeling he might. Worse, he would do so convincingly. If he did, it stood to reason Andrii was doing the same.
She flashed a vague smile and turned her attention to the man announcing the band. The applause was thunderous when he said they were fortunate to get the chance for Crows Flying to play in their club. That much was true, then. There was a measure of relief knowing Andrii had told the truth about his band.
The band was well-known to some and clearly had a loyal following. The testament was the amount of people who seemed to know all the lyrics to the songs. Azelie found the band amazing. The music was incredible. They didn’t play cover songs; all the music was their own.
Her heart beat far too fast when Andrii put down his guitar and went to the piano. He leaned into the microphone. “Don’t sing as a rule. I leave that to Seychelle or one of the others. But tonight, I’ll be playing a special song I wrote for my lady. First time playing it, so forgive me if it isn’t perfect yet.”
Azelie could barely breathe. He didn’t have to announce to everyone in the room that he’d written the song for her. Or that she was his lady. He’d made the declaration in his compelling, soft tone, the one guaranteed to send heat down a woman’s spine. Those in the room broke into applause. She could feel eyes on her and was grateful Lana’s table was tucked into the shadows.
Then Andrii began to play. The music was moody at first. Then hopeful. So beautiful it brought tears to her eyes. And that was before he even began to sing.
I was once a broken man, who had learned nothing but hate.
A lonely fearful soul, who did not believe in fate.
There was a darkness around me, a blinding stormy haze.
No light could pierce the veil, nothing could bring the days.
Truth was just a stranger, and trust was just a word.
Empty promises were all I’d ever heard.
Then came the sun, there you are.
Then came the one, my shiny star.
Solnyshkuh, a beautiful song.
You sang to me, you’re where I belong.
This is something real, this is something new.
Love took pain’s place, and it’s because of you.
Never had much of my own, never really needed it.
A soldier without a home, lonelier than I’d admit.
Never believed I’d have a life, not one worth living.
Not in this cold dark world, one so unforgiving.
On the brink of extinction, I fought hard on my own.
So few connections, betrayal was all I’d ever known.
Then came the sun, there you are.
