“What would you like me to say, Mr. Wallach?” Her voice now had a touch of humor to it.
The lyrical quality of her words flowed into the music around them. Ezreal’s body was moving with it now, and he mentally added some woodwinds.Yes. Yes. He wished he had his computer so he could capture it for the new champion’s illusive theme song. He waved his hand for her to keep speaking.
“Sing something.” Still trying to capture the melody, he didn’t look at her.
When she didn’t say anything else, he beckoned faster with his hand.
“Casey would waltz with a strawberry blonde and the band played on. He’d glide ‘cross the floor with the girl he adored and the band played on.”
At first, her rich contralto voice had captured him so thoroughly that he didn’t recognize the old-time lyrics. When he did, it was like someone had smashed their hands on a piano and the discordant sound made the lovely music in his mind come to a crashing halt.
“No. No. That doesn’t fit at all.” Ezreal looked at her and found her watching him, a definite twinkle in her eyes. His stomach knotted. She was mocking him; theyalwaysmocked him. “I’m s-s-sorry—” He snapped his mouth shut, his fingers tingling again. He had to get away.
Ezreal jumped to his feet and dashed inside the B&B, letting the screen door slam behind him. Rafe and his mother looked up from where they were entertaining his younger brother Nik and little boy about three years old.
“Everything okay?” Rafe stood.
“I can’t do this.”
“I hope you will, Mr. Wallach.”
Ezreal grimaced at the sound of those musical words from behind him. What was it about her voice and that of her daughter that woke up the orchestra in his mind?
“Mama.” The little boy jumped up from the blocks he’d been playing with and ran to the woman.
Ezreal turned around and backed up until he was by Rafe, who shot him a quizzical look.
Laughing, the two little girls skipped in from the kitchen. Janna looked at the cookie she held and shot her mother a guilty glance.
“It's okay, mama. It’s healthy.”
“It better not ruin your appetite for dinner,” Mrs. Fortune said.
“Oh, it won't. I promise.” Janna surprised Ezreal by skipping over to him and sliding her hand in his. Her mother’s eyes widened, then narrowed, and something flashed across her face. Alarm? “Ezreal is going to help with your classes.” The little girl grinned. “He hears the music too.”
