Chapter 74: Did He Even Miss Me?
“Paying you back?” I said as Soren and I walked along the path to my cottage. I had only started my work a few days ago, and I didn‘t have enough savings yet.
But he wanted me to pay him back? And he was leading me home.
I felt panicked. What if he wanted me to do something I wasn‘t ready for?
Rosalie, stop thinking like that! I scolded myself.
Soren wasn‘t that kind of person, I should have known by now!
He had a crooked grin on his face, and even though I had never had a reason before not to trust him, all of the thoughts before that I‘d kept in the back of my mind about how odd it was that he was being so nice to me, resurfaced.
Who would do all of this without expecting something in return?
No one.
So.. did he want something from me after all?
No, no, I kept shaking my head. He wouldn‘t. I must have thought it wrong, but what if…
I felt like I was about to cry. What should I do? I regretted so much that I didn‘t insist on not buying that expensive furniture.
“Come on, Ro,” he said, reaching over and tugging on my hand. “Come into the cottage. I have something I want you to see. I think you‘re going to like it.” He made that last statement in a sing-song voice.
Cold chills ran down my spine. “I think I might not,” I thought to myself. To him, I said, “I am pregnant, you know?”
“I know,” he said, his eyebrows furrowed. We paused in the foyer. “What difference does that make?”
“A lot,” I told him. I knew I was just making excuses when I should‘ve been honest. “It wouldn‘t be… comfortable.”
“Well, you can always just scoot back.”
far,”
shrugged. “Your tummy‘s not that big, and
what my legs had to do with anything,
It‘s
bulged, “How
leaning against the door jamb to the living room. “The rear entry
Wait––what?” I realized then
it, I can have it taken
finally moved aside, that‘s when I
A baby grand piano.
of the living room. One of the
in the front windows. I covered my mouth
you like it?” Soren
it, “I love it! It‘s the most beautiful piano I‘ve ever seen!” That might not have been completely true. I remembered that white piano back at the Drogomor pack. But this one? This
Or was it?
the room, turning to look at him and remembering the
can‘t accept this, though,”
a child, and I‘d just ripped his ice cream cone from his hands and dumped it on the
too expensive!” I replied. “This had to cost a fortune!” My fingers longed to brush over the smooth ebony surface of the lid, which was open, ready for me to sit on the bench and play. I wanted to run my fingers over the keys and hear
it costs, Ro. I brought it here so that you can start paying me back. I told you, this is
buying
and you play piano, remember?” he said, grinning at me but still looking exasperated. “I want to hear it. I imagine
wasn‘t like I was a famous singer. I was just an ordinary girl who liked to sing.
the child now, one that didn‘t listen very well. “You sing, I‘ll
a repayment,” I admitted to him. “I love to sing–and I love playing the piano. I‘ve been
play. I may join you sometimes, but I‘d rather sit in that comfy chair and listen to you, my eyes shut, a nice
at him, looking all relaxed already. It was different to be around a man who knew how to let things go and separate work from the rest
If you feel that bad about
and you a nice ice water–and sit in that chair and listen to
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!