‘Alexandra,’ Bernard said. ‘I want you to close your eyes a moment and listen to the music.’
She gave him a quizzical look but followed his instructions, closing her eyes as he stood behind her and wrapped her in his arms.
‘Feel the music,’ he whispered. ‘It should be like a living thing, breathing around you, drawing you in.’
Alexandra blew out the breath she was holding and leaned back into him, holding on to his arms, her head dipped back to rest on his chest. She forgot everything then, as the lively music, so different to what the orchestra had played, seemed to echo through her heart.
‘Now open your eyes,’ he said, directly into her ear. ‘And come with me.’
Her eyes flew open. ‘Come where?’
She noticed some of his colleagues watching them, grinning at her, and when she looked up at Bernard he had the same mischievous smile on his face.
‘Bernard?’ she demanded. ‘Tell me what’s happening.’
‘Do you trust me?’
She nodded. ‘Of course.’
‘Then come with me. I’ve organised something special for you tonight.’
Alexandra would have followed Bernard to the ends of the earth if he’d asked—trusting him wasn’t the problem. The problem was wanting to know all the details of his plans, because she certainly wasn’t comfortable with surprises!
His palm was firm against hers as he walked her past the tables and the dancers, right up to the stage. The band finished a song then, and she watched as the lead singer smiled down at her, appearing to give Bernard a little wave.
‘You know her?’ Alexandra asked, feeling an unfamiliar pang of jealousy that he knew the blonde singer on stage.
‘I know a lot of people in the music world,’ he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. ‘That’s all.’
She went to open her mouth again, but he shook his head and nudged her to make her look up.
‘We have a very special guest joining us on the stage tonight,’ the singer said. ‘Alexandra, would you like to come up and introduce yourself?’
She froze.Alexandra? Why had the woman on stage just said her name?
‘Bernard, she said my name,’ she mumbled.
‘Go on,’ he said.
‘What do you mean?’
But before she could wait for him to reply, the singer was stepping down from the stage and holding out her hand. The lights on the stage were bright, and Alexandra felt like a deer caught in headlights as she stood, not sure what she was supposed to do.
‘This is for you,’ the musician holding out a violin said.
‘But—’
‘We’re playing something a little different: “Fly Me to the Moon.” I’m told you know it?’ the singer said, before holding out her hand. ‘I’m Gigi, by the way.’
Alexandra nodded, still numb as she shook Gigi’s hand. ‘How did you, I mean, what—’
‘You’ve got your man down there to thank,’ Gigi said. ‘He told me that you had dreams of being a musician, and he wanted you to know what it felt like to perform live.’
‘I can’t believe he’s done this.’
Gigi grinned. ‘Ready?’
Alexandra couldn’t even see Bernard through the bright lights, but she knew he would be out there watching. If he believed in her this much, then she supposed she was going to have to believe in herself, whether she felt ready for a live performance or not.
