I could also see him here with me but it was way too soon to voice that. ‘Better explore the rest.’
I turned, intending to head into the kitchen but something at the opposite end caught my eye and I grabbed Will’s arm. ‘Look!’
The owners were evidently musical as there was a cello on a stand at the end of the room and a baby grand piano positioned so the pianist could look out over the view as they played.
‘I don’t suppose I can tempt you?’ I asked, but Will was already on his way over to it. He pulled out the wide stool and we sat down beside each other and, without a word, began the same first duet we’d played in Pianos of Distinction – ‘Fly Me to the Moon’. Will’s playing was exquisite and note-perfect. Mine was a little clumsy without the music but it somehow worked. Just like us. We played ‘Clair de Lune’ followed by ‘Piano Man’ again and it was like the years had melted away and we were back in Manchester, although the electricity between us was even stronger than it had been back then.
‘I loved that,’ I said a little breathlessly as we came to the end of ‘Piano Man’. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t remember all the notes.’
‘I’m impressed you could remember any of them after all this time.’
‘I might not have played them on the keys but I’ve played them in my mind so many times.’
We were so close and the air was fizzing. I longed to kiss him but I didn’t want to make the first move. I was in a brilliant place in my life right now and so ready for this but I wasn’t the one who’d been hurt. Will was going through a tough time and he’d only just found out why I left. He needed time to process that.
‘How is it that we’ve spent so little time together yet I feel like I’ve known you for my whole lifetime?’ he said.
‘Because I think that, on some level, we have.’
He gave me such a tender smile. ‘I wrote a melody for you.’
My heart leapt. ‘You did? Will you play it?’
I’d never heard anything quite so beautiful and couldn’t speak when he finished. He hadn’t told me he loved me but that piece of music just had. I gazed at him, tears pooling in my eyes and I don’t know who made the move but, next moment, we were locked in a passionate embrace. His tongue teased mine, his fingers ran through my hair and down my back and I clung to him, my body yearning for so much more than kisses. As we tumbled against the piano keys, eliciting an uncomfortable clash of notes, we pulled apart breathlessly, laughing.
‘That was beautiful,’ I whispered.
‘The music or the kiss?’
‘Both.’
He kissed me once more, a little slower this time, but we had to reluctantly break apart to finish our tour and find Lorna.
‘What did you think?’ she asked.
‘I think you’ve found me my new house.’
‘Really? Yes! I was certain it would be the perfect match for you.’
I glanced at Will before answering. ‘Definitely the perfect match.’
Lorna reminded me of the asking price but said the owner had accepted an offer and was happy for Lorna to accept the same offer from me. It sounded reasonable so we had a deal. She went inside to switch off the lights and lock up.
‘You’ve just bought a house,’ Will said, smiling at me.
‘I can’t believe it! I usually take way longer than that to think about things but I’ve been making all sorts of spontaneous decisions lately.’
He took my hand in his. ‘I think we all know when something’s right.’
‘I think we do.’
‘I know we said we’d go out for a drink tonight, but I’m thinking we should go for a celebratory one right now.’
I nodded. ‘Definitely.’
As we walked through the village towards The Hardy Herdwick, I felt as though I was encased in a bubble of happiness. I had wonderful friends, an exciting new business, a new home and the man of my dreams back in my life with whom I’d just shared the most incredible kisses. A man who had written a melody just for me. A man who made my heart sing.
My phone rang and I took it out my pocket, assuming it would be Lorna checking something, but I didn’t recognise the number.
