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,” I reminded
big, and your legs are pretty long. It‘ll
couldn‘t figure out what my legs had to do with anything,
sure if it would fit. It‘s pretty big. And the
“How do you know
measured,” he said leaning against the door jamb to the living room. “The rear entry was even tighter
then I
you don‘t like it, I can have it taken back out,
he finally moved aside, that‘s when
A baby grand piano.
room. One of the small
coming in the front windows. I covered my mouth at the sight of its
it?”
the most beautiful piano I‘ve ever seen!” That might not have been completely true. I remembered that white piano back at the
Or was it?
room, turning to look at him and remembering the conversation we‘d just had and what I‘d thought
accept this,
looked like he was a child, and I‘d just ripped his ice cream cone
the lid, which was open, ready for me to sit on the bench and play. I wanted to run my fingers
Ro. I brought it here so that you can start
“How is buying me another gift helping me
me but still looking exasperated. “I want to hear it. I imagine you have a beautiful voice. If you‘ll sing for me, then you can start
back? By singing?” It didn‘t seem like a real request. It wasn‘t like I was a famous singer. I was just
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
I admitted to him. “I love to sing–and I love playing the piano. I‘ve been itching
up for a moment before he dropped them again. “Not every 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
smiled at him, looking all relaxed already. It was different to be around a man who knew how to let things
the gift–or another job offer. If you feel that bad
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 job
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