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,”
that big, and your legs are
with anything, so I just stared at him for
if it would fit. It‘s pretty big. And the
eyes bulged, “How do
measured,” he said leaning against the door jamb to the living room. “The rear entry was even tighter than
Wait––what?” I realized then I was
I can have it taken
aside, that‘s when I
A baby grand piano.
room. One of the small
it was gorgeous. The black polished surface gleamed in the sunlight coming in the front windows. I covered my mouth at the
like it?” Soren
might not have been completely true. I remembered that white piano back
Or was it?
a few steps into the room, turning to look at him and remembering the conversation we‘d just
this, though,” I
child, and I‘d just ripped his ice cream cone from his hands and
for me to sit on the bench and play. I wanted to run my fingers over the keys and hear the melody come to
it here so that you can start paying me back. I told you, this is how you‘re going to pay
admitted. “How is buying me another gift helping
said you are a singer, and you play piano, remember?” he said, grinning at me but still looking exasperated. “I want to hear it. I imagine you have a
I will pay you back? By singing?” It didn‘t seem like a real request. It wasn‘t like I was a
he said, shaking his head like I was the child now, one that didn‘t listen very well. “You sing, I‘ll listen, and that‘ll help repay your debts.” He had that twinkle in his
love playing the piano. I‘ve been itching to play again for
business transaction has to be painful, Ro. I‘m glad you like to play. I may join you sometimes, but I‘d rather sit in that comfy chair and listen
at him, looking all relaxed already. It was different to be around a man who
If you feel that bad about it, you
welcome to. For now, I‘m gonna pour myself a scotch and you a nice ice water–and sit in that chair and listen to you tell me if the tuners did a good
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