“That was…” She couldn’t quite find the words.
“Yeah,” Jules said, sounding similarly awed. She raked a hand through her hair, sweeping it over her shoulders as she rolled to the side, snuggling in beside Sophie. They lay like that for a few minutes, catching their breath. “Shower?” Jules suggested eventually.
“Definitely,” Sophie agreed.
They got up, and Jules lent her an elastic for her hair while they rinsed off in the shower. Afterward, they ordered a small feast from a nearby Greek restaurant, both having realized they were famished. They ate, rehydrating with tall glasses of water after their Christmassy drinks and extracurricular activities.
“How were you going to play the piano for me?” Sophie asked, glancing around the studio apartment. “You don’t have one.”
Jules gave her an amused look. “Ye of little faith. Do you really want me to play for you?”
“Yes,” Sophie told her. She’d been thinking about it while they ate, and yes, she wanted to experienceallof Jules’s talents tonight, up close and personal.
Jules stood and walked to the closet, bringing out a keyboard, which she set up on the desk in the living room. “The best I can do in this place, but it’s almost as good as the real thing.”
“Perfect,” Sophie told her. “Will you play your solo for me?”
Jules gave her a shy smile. “Yeah, but go easy on me, okay?”
“I won’t have to,” Sophie said.
“I also have to keep the volume turned all the way down, because…neighbors,” Jules told her, making a silly face. She was nervous, and it was impossibly adorable.
“Fair enough,” Sophie said.
“Here goes,” Jules whispered as she splayed her fingers over the keys and cleared her throat. She shook her hair over her shoulders and straightened her back, tossing a shy glance at Sophie.
And Sophie found herself holding her breath, poised on the edge of the couch, hands clasped tightly in anticipation, even though she’d already heard Jules perform this song dozens of times during rehearsals.
Jules began to play, hands moving gracefully over the keys. Her voice filled the apartment, rich and clear. Tonight, there was a hush to the way she sang. No doubt, she was keeping her voice down for the neighbors, but somehow, it added an extra layer of emotion to the song.
This would be Jules’s breakout moment. There was no doubt in Sophie’s mind.It’s in Her Kisswas going to launch Jules’s career, and Sophie was so happy for her, she could hardly stand it. Jules deserved this. She’d worked so hard, and she had the talent to back it up. More than enough talent.
Jules finished the song, and Sophie clapped, grinning at her. “It was even more beautiful this way. Seriously. It’s powerful when you belt it out from the stage, but this quiet version was really, really special.”
“Thanks.” Tears shone in Jules’s eyes. “Want to sing it with me?”
Of course, Sophie knew all the words. She’d observed Jules’s every move from the sidelines as she prepared for her role as understudy and then gone home to practice alone in her apartment. “Yeah,” she said. “I’d like that.”
“Me too.”
And so they sang it together, harmonizing on the chorus and alternating lines during the verses. Sophie squeezed in next to her on the chair, resting a hand on Jules’s waist as she played the keyboard. When they’d finished the song, Jules rested her head on Sophie’s shoulder.
“I think that might be my new favorite version,” Jules said softly.
“Nah, your version is the best. I’ll be first in line to buy the cast recording.”
“Wish they’d cast you as Melissa,” Jules said. “Then I could kiss you on stage in front of all those people.”
Sophie shrugged. She wished a lot of things, but this wasn’t the time for them, because she and Jules were having the most perfect night, the most perfect weekend, and none of her bitterness was going to creep in and ruin it. “It will all work out the way it’s supposed to, right?”
“Yes,” Jules agreed. “And your moment is coming, Soph. I have absolutely no doubt about it.”
“I sure hope so.”
They climbed into bed that night tired and happy, and Sophie fell asleep almost immediately, with Jules at her side. When she woke, sunlight streamed into the apartment. As she rolled over in bed, she realized she was alone. Curious, she tugged at the curtain that surrounded the bed. There was Jules, standing in the kitchen wearing a white robe, thumbing through messages on her phone as she waited for the espresso machine to heat up. Her hair hung loose over her shoulders, her face bare of makeup, giving her a fresh-faced, youthful look that Sophie couldn’t seem to get enough of.
“Morning,” Jules called.
