Face the Music (33 page)

My stomach, although quite full, did
back flips
in my belly.

He appeared just as I tucked the strip
into my pocket.  “Ready to go?”

We went outside, loaded on his bike, and drove to my apartment.  “Do you want to come in?” I asked as I twisted the key around in the lock.

He glanced at his watch.  “Yeah, for a minute.  I’ve got rehearsal in an hour.”

We went in and sat on the couch.  He leaned back against the tanned leather, his hands folded behind his head.  “Only six more weeks of the show.  That’s crazy, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is.  Where has the time gone?”  I shook my head and stared at the blank TV screen.  “It doesn’t ma
ke sense.  Some days feel like they’ll never end
, yet the months pass by so quickly. 
It’s already April.  Easter is coming up. 
How is that possible?”

He smiled, his eyes on my face.
 
“Time is what you make of it,” he offered.  “That’s what
my m
om always
says
,
anyway.
”

“True enough.”  I thought about what Grams had said. 
Don’t grow too old before you decide to live your life
.
  Was I living my life?  “Can I ask you something?”

He lifted his eyebrows expectantly, waiting for my question.

“Remember when you came with Molly and me to the playground?”

“How could I forget?”

“You said that, as a kid, you hit a rough patch.
  What did you mean by that?
”

He stiffened
, his gaze shifting to the floor.

Just as I opened my mouth to say something else, he leaned over and
brushed
his lips against mine.  Surprised, I started to pull away, but he entwined his fingers through my hair, pulled me clo
se
r, and kissed me harder. 
The kiss was so raw,
so carnal.  H
e tugged on my bottom lip with his teeth and ran his tongue across it.

“Chris,” I murmured, giving in.  I leaned forward,
pressing myself
into him, but he pulled away so abruptly that I nearly did a face-plant against the couch.

“Sorry.”  He looked awkwardly around the room as he stood and smoothed out his jacket.
  “I shouldn’t have done that
.”  He barely glanced at
me
before hurrying
out the door.

My knees were so weak that I couldn’t even get up to see him out.  I just watched, confused, as he cl
osed the door behind him.

***

I dawdled around my classroom Monday
afternoon, hoping to see Chris.  I
wanted to talk to him about that kiss and
was disappointed when he didn’t stop by. 

He and Cynthia wowed the judges with amazing performances that night.  In the end
,
I cried when Sam was voted out. 

The next morning I got an email
announcing Chris’s birthday.  A few of the other contestants were throwing him a surprise party that night at the hotel, and we were all invited.  After work
,
I headed out to find a gift. 

I had no idea what to get.  After browsing for what seemed like an eternity, deciding against a t-shirt or video game, I was about to settle
for
an iTunes gift card when I spotted an Elvis poster
hanging in the back of a musty
vintage music store. 
It wasn’t an original, I was sure because of the price,
but it was a magnificent pict
ure of him in his early years.

It was perfect.

There wasn’t much time before the party, so I
hurried
home and wrapped the gift before going over to the studio hotel.  A few people, including Jake, were gathered in
the lobby. 
He
gave me a puzzled look.
 
“
What are you doing here?” 

I pretended to be insulted.  “I got an invitation.  Same as you, I suppose.”

“I’m glad!  Any excuse to see you is a good one.”

“How’s your brother?  I was so sorry to see him go last night
. 
Things will be so quiet with just Melody and me.”

“Aw, he’s bummed, but
he’ll be alright.  He’s tough.  H
e caught the early flight into Cali this morning.”

“
Poor kid.  He did a great job. 
Tell him I miss him already, will you?” 

He put his arm around my shoulders.  “Of course I will.  He really liked you, you know.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I think you made an impression on him.  He talked about you all the time.” 

I laughed. 
There were many days when I do
ubted my ability as a teacher.  I
t was nice to hear that I’d re
ached
someone
. 
“A
re you
heading back anytime soon?” I asked.

The corners of his mouth turned down, and his expression hardened.  “No, why?  Should I?  You want me gone?”

“
No, of course not!
”  I smacked him in the arm.  “I just thought that since you and Sam came out here together, you would go home together, that’s all.  I’m glad you’re
staying.”  That was the truth. 
I did not look forward to the end of the season when Ja
ke would go back.  Even though he had been acting weird lately,
I considered him a close friend.  The thought of him leaving brought a lump to my throat.

His face relaxed.  “Naw, I signed a contract.  Gotta stay
through
the end.  But
,
I actually kinda like it here.  I’m hoping they’ll extend
my contract into next season.”

I smiled.  “Me too.”

Just then, the elevator doors pulled open.  Chris stood inside and, with an uncertain look, gazed out suspiciously.

“Surprise!” everyone yelled.

He just stood there and looked around.  When the doors started to close
,
he
stuck out a hand
to stop them and then stepped into the lobby.  “Wow!”  He shook his head.  “I had no idea!”

People crowded around him.  Cynthia looped her arm
through
his
and led him to the cake table.

“I’ll give you three guesses at who arranged all this,” Jake said, handing me a plate.  A long table was filled with boxes of pizza.  I grabbed a slice of hamburger and mushroom and sat down
at an empty table
.

I’d just taken a huge bite when someone touched my shoulder. 

“Hi.
”  Chris smiled down at me
, but his expression was guarded
.

I grinned a little
,
but my mouth was full.  Using my napkin, I covered my lips and muttered, “Happy Birthday, Chris!”

“Thanks. 
I’m starving,” he said, eyeing my pizza.  “Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.” 

He returned within minutes, his plate p
iled high.

“Here, I have something for you.”  I handed him a brightly wrapped tube.  “Happy Birthday,” I said again.

“You di
dn’t have to get me anything.”

“Of course I did, it’s your birthday!  You should have told me, you know.  Everyone needs a present on their birthday.  It’s the law.”  I gave him a cheesy grin
.

He took his time tearing
at
the wrapping paper.  Once he had it pulled off, he wadded it into a dense ball, set it on the table, and pulled the rolled-up poster from the cardboard tube.  His brown eyes sparkled when he looked at
me.  “You really didn’t have to.
”

“Just open
it!”

I watched his face as he unrolled the poster and studied the picture. 
“Oh, wow. 
This is
great
.  Thank you, very much.”

Cynthia walked by and snickered.
“A dirty
old poster? 
Some present, Allie. 
You really went all out, didn’t you?”  In no mood to listen to her rants, I started to get up from my chair, but Chris rested a heavy hand on my thigh.  The touch made my stomach flip.

Cynthia handed him a small, neatly w
rapped box.  “Here, open this.”

Under the wrapping paper was a blue velvet box, and inside that, a watch.  It had a chunky silver band, a large black dial, and silver hands.
  It put my poster to shame.

He pulled it out and held the ba
nd between his fingers.  “T
hanks
.  You shouldn’t have.
”

“It’s titanium.  Now every time you check the time
,
you can think of me!” she said tunefully.  “Here, let me.”  She
grabbed his left hand
a
nd clasped it around his wrist.

I waited until she was gone to c
omment.  “
S
he
must have paid a fortune for that!”

“Who knows?”  He shrugged.  “I’m sure her daddy bought it.  It’s not like she has any idea of what it’s like to have a real job.”  He told me that Cynthia’s father was a wealthy
financial advisor for some big company.

We ate our pizza, and
I wondered whether or not I should
bring up
the kiss. 
It was really bothering me.  The only thing I could think of was that I had upset him with my question about his past.  But
,
he
had
kissed me after I’d asked, so that really didn’t make any sense.  Unless that was his way of getting me to back off.

Chris looked at me as he
chewed.  “
I can almost see those wheels spinning in your head.  What’s on your mind
?”

I
decided not to bring it up.  Not
here
, with all these people around, anyway.
 
“It’s going to be
st
range without Sam around,
”
I said instead.