Page 39 of Play Me

Chapter Thirteen

CADENCE

Another week has passed and I feel like the time is rushing past faster and faster by the day. There are about four more weeks of rehearsals scheduled before the band goes into the studio to record the pieces we’ve been working on. There are four pieces with piano which shouldn’t take more than two or three recording sessions. The guys are worse perfectionists than I am though, so who knows how many takes it could take? But I don’t care. The whole process is so much fun. I‘m already starting to wonder if I should be pursuing some more recording work after my time with the Rock Chamber Boys.

After giving Sebastian the DVD last week, things have returned somewhat to normal between us. He must’ve shown the guys though, because they’ve all come up individually to me to congratulate me on doing a good job with the school orchestra. Truth is, I was so worried giving it to Sebastian. He leads this groundbreaking, award-winning string group, it was hard imagining how my amateur school orchestra would look to him. But I wanted him to know...that it wasn’t just me, the kids appreciated it so much as well, and that it really wasn’t for me, it was all for them.

Sometimes, in those quiet moments during our breaks, I sit and watch him, and I wonder, was I really wrong to end things with him before anything could start? Was I really afraid he was going to turn out like the men in my past? Had he ever done anything to indicate that? Other than the misunderstanding with Dennis’ daughter, he hadn’t done anything to show he was the rockstar player that I was so afraid he was going to be.

But then he’ll shoot me a smile and my heart will float and sink in equal measure. And if a smile can affect me like that, how would I handle it when I was all in, and he was ready to be all out at any time? And he would. That’s just been my luck. With my heart smashed to smithereens and me on my hands and knees trying to gather up the pieces. And some would inevitable be washed away in the torrent of tears.

So, yes. I was right.

It was just a case of reminding myself of that.

Like right now.

He’s sitting in front of the window, cello in hand as he strums a quiet little melody, providing his own soundtrack to the darkening city skyline. I just want to come up behind him, run my hands up under his shirt and over the taut skin of his abdomen, and lay my face against his back. He’s made me miss that intimacy. He’s made me crave it. Crave it from him.

“Guys,” Dennis says, walking into the middle of the room, and waving them all over.

I see Brad glance over at Sebastian who just shrugs.

“My friend Patrick owns a little live music club just a few streets from here and he’s wondering if we want to play a small impromptu set there tonight around 10:00. Club fits about 2,000 people, and it’ll be early so it won’t be too bad, we can try out some of the new stuff. You guys up for it?”

As usual, they defer to Sebastian, and he just shrugs again, “Yeah, sure, why not. We’ll chuck it up on twitter and FB, get some of our regulars out.”

Dennis grins and admits, “Yeah, already did it,” and runs out of the room before they can respond.

“Fucking hell, we should’ve just changed the name to “Dennis’ hand puppets.” Jez grumbles.

“No, thanks, I don’t want the image of Dennis’ hand up my ass out there in the public subconscious.” Marius shudders.

“Guess we should all get some rest then, cut the rehearsal here. Is that all right, Cadence?” Jez asks me thoughtfully.

“Please, MIND an early minute? You HAVE been out of school for a long time.” I grin and quickly pack up my stuff and leave the guys to it.

Just as I get into the car my phone beeps and I reach for it.

“You’re coming tonight, right?” the text reads.

I don’t recognize the number and text back.“??”

“It’s Seb, Mary. How many other guys are you meant to be meeting tonight?”

“I didn’t even have plans on meeting one.”

“Ow”

“What? Did Marius’ bow poke up your bum?”I tease him.

“No, your words. They hurt.”

“Good.”

Something about texting makes it easier to say these things to him. It feels good to joke around with him freely, like in those conversations when we first met.

“So, tonight?”