“This is the story of how I croaked,” came Franz’s gruff voice. A frog hopped into the picture. “Literally.” Its throat swelled and out came a manlyCROAK.
The children in front of themgiggled.
Maia turned to London and they exchanged a smile. Genuine laughter in the first two minutes waspromising.
The show continued. Maia struggled, at times, when the stepmother was on-screen. London sensed her discomfort and would hold her hand tighter as if he could bear the burden, the uncomfortable itch she couldn’t scratch, right along withher.
At the moment when the frog changed into a handsome prince with a goatee and warm brown eyes, London’s thumb brushed across her knuckles and stole her breath away. She had sung every word of the love song hundreds of times, but in that moment, she couldn’t have found one note because all she could see, all she could feel, was London’s softcaress.
The attraction they’d shared emanated from their clasped hands. It flooded up her arm like warm liquid in an IV, and filled her whole body. And then, to her surprise, it continued out of her. She wondered if Franz and his date could feel it, too. The passion, the wanting, was strong and continued to build as each scene built upon thenext.
The heat was too strong—toomuch.
Just when she thought she’d expire or completely pass out, the lights came on, lifting the spell. Maia removed her hand under the pretense of stretching her arms out in front of her. She was swarmed with congratulations from allsides.
The strange swirling of the past and the present spiraled up and out until it disappeared and all she was left with was the hearty handshakes, hugs, and London, who stood back with his hands in his pockets. The look on his face startled her, because she’d been all warm and fuzzy sitting next to him and enjoying the present. Then again, he had been tricked into coming tonight and her first reception wasn’t all thatwelcoming.
Did she really want this non-date to continue? The longer she spent with London, the deeper she would fall into her past, and there were times she didn’t want torehash.
Since they were in the middle of the row, they had to wait for people to clear out before they could attempt toleave.
“See you at the after-party?” askedFranz.
“I’ll be there.” Maia wasn’t sure what London’s plans were, and she didn’t want to commit him to attend if he wasn’t comfortable. She spoke with a few more people before the path opened up. When she reached for London, he was staring at his phone with afrown.
“Are we done here?” he askedquickly.
Maia fingered the single pearl hanging from a silver chain around her neck. “There’s an after-party upstairs …” Her invitation trailed off as he checked his phone again. “Is something thematter?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.” He took her by the shoulders and pressed his hot lips to her forehead. “You blew them out of the park tonight, Maia. I always knew you had it inyou.”
She took a deep breath and barely caught the scent of his cologne. The scent was light and hardly there. It was all she could do not to bury her face in his neck and breathe himin.
“Thank you for tonight—for letting me share this withyou.”
“Thank you for coming.” She meant it. She may have been upset when she first saw him, but tonight was the best night. There was this chorus of excitement and silliness and realness that swelled when they were together. For the whole rest of her life, that music was too quiet to enjoy. London’s presence turned up thevolume.
“Good night.” He stepped quickly away and up the slanted floor to the back doors, and then he wasgone.
Maia rubbed her bare arms. All around her families and couples chatted and laughed, their eyes dancing with success. No one paid her any notice. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt alone in the middle of a large group of people. The sensation happened quite often. She’d once heard an interview of Elvis Presley where he said he wanted to settle down so he didn’t feel so lonesome—she understood. Right here, in the middle of her biggest career boost, surrounded by the people who were truly happy with and for her success, she felt completelyalone.
She tipped her head way back and closed her eyes. She’d talked herself into believing the time with London was a gift from God, but if so, it was a mixed blessing. She knew what it felt like to be the highest-esteemed person in a room, but she hadn’t known what it felt like to be the most important person to one person until tonight. Before now, she didn’t have the sense of belonging, of being held dear, to compare the rest of her life to—and now that she did, she needed to do something aboutit.
“Maia, are you coming?” Gerald, the director, motioned for her to join the group heading to the after-party.
Maia threw her shoulders back and wrestled her dress free with as much dignity as she could muster. There were cameras to smile for, questions to answer, and people to praise. She folded up her loneliness and tucked it onto the backshelf.
Tonight, with her hand tucked into London’s, had been a gift—God didn’t make mistakes, nor was He cruel. He wanted her to learn something from all of this, and if she’d learned that she could still laugh with London, then that too was agift.
Even though he’d been tricked, he came. That said something, and the current that grew and grew between them said even more. The next few weeks were busy because of the opening, but she’d find a way to see himagain.
Chapter Nine
Shards of terracottacrunched under London’s thick-soled work boots. Black potting soil with the white pieces of perlite carpeted the walkway. Jagged pieces of wood threatened his legs as he passed what used to be a table ofperennials.
The police were in the office, reviewing the footage from the securitycamera.
“At least he didn’t touch anythinginside.”
