“I had a plan, too,” she whispered in a hiss.
“Your plan sucked.”
“It did not.”
Bijou took her arm and lowered her voice even more. “It wasn’t working, KT. But if she thinks you’re the next Beethoven, she’s not going to force you to perform at a rock concert.”
Okay, that was likely true, she had to admit. But still. She crossed her arms. “You tattled on me. You always had my back before.”
At least Bijou had the grace to look guilty. “I was trying to save you.”
“And yourself.” She wanted her sister to deny it. When Bijou just grimaced, she felt a bone-deep sadness.
Her mother propped one of the sheets on the piano and settled on the bench. She squinted at the music and then began to pick out the notes. KT winced as her mom hit a wrong note, paused, and then corrected it. Her mom didn’t even bat an eyelash. If KT had done that in front of anyone, even her family, she’d have died.
Her mom began to sing along, reading the words cold off the sheet. Lara’s voice was huskier than KT’s. Her mom was good, hitting all the right points even though this was her first time through.
Hearing her mom sing her song made her chest feel tight. KT closed her eyes and listened.
The music stopped, and she reopened her eyes to find her mother staring at her with tears streaming down her cheeks. “Karma, that’s the most beautiful piece of music I’ve heard in a long time.”
Stunned, not sure what to say, she shrugged and stuck her hands in her pockets.
“I didn’t know. How could I not know you had that”—Lara made a sweeping gesture to the sheet music—”in you?”
“KT has a good poker face,” Chance’s voice carried from the front.
She turned around and saw him leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed, and she felt oddly relieved to see him.
He must have sensed her tension, because he pushed off the wall and came directly to her and gave her a soft kiss, all the while holding her gaze. He ran his hand down her back, letting it rest on her hip. “What’s going on here?”
“Bijou ratted out my music to Mom.”
He raised his brow, glancing at her sister.
Bijou held her hand out. “I’m the rat. Nice to meet you.”
Chance accepted her hand with a nod. “I’m sure it wasn’t like that.”
“No, it pretty much was,” KT assured him.
“The heavens blessed you when they sent you a sister like Bijou,” her mother said, standing up. “You should be thanking her.”
She glared at the traitor. “Right.”
“In any case,” her mother continued, “it’s good that I’m aware of this new turn your career is taking. We’re going to have to rethink the concert.”
She perked up. “We are?”
“Of course, sweeting. This has a classical bent, and we do rock and roll. The audience will be confused.” Her mother tapped a finger to her lips, thinking. “Maybe we can have you open with a piece of your concerto and then Bijou can follow with something that riffs off your music. Bijou, can you write a song based on KT’s?”
Her sister looked panicked for a second before she schooled her expression. “Well, sure, but don’t you think KT’s music is inappropriate for this venue?”
“Good music is never inappropriate, sweeting.”
Bijou turned to her, stricken, clearly at a loss for words.
Cold fear snaked around KT’s heart so completely, she didn’t have it in herself to rub her sister’s mistake in her face. Not even Chance’s firm hold was reassuring. She swallowed thickly and said, “Maybe I should skip the performance.”
“Of course not, Karma. It’s a family event.” Her mother looked at her like she was insane. “Or I suppose you could, but then Bijou won’t be able to perform either.”
“That’s really not fair, Mother.”
“You’re thirty, sweeting, not twelve. You should know by now that life isn’t fair.”
She threw her arms in the air and began to pace. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this. I’m not like you people. How screwed up is it that you’re annoyed with me because I didn’t turn out like how you wanted me to?”
“I’m not annoyed,” her mother said calmly. “I simply want to light a fire under your derriere.”
“Oh, it’s lit.”
“It’s worked well so far.” She gestured to Chance. “You found love. You wrote an amazing piece of music. You’re even teaching. Why would I back off now?”
KT gaped at her mother. Then she looked at Bijou. “This was your great idea?”
Bijou shrugged helplessly. “I didn’t think she was so Machiavellian.”
“You girls have always underestimated me,” Lara said mildly.
Chance stepped forward. “Lara, maybe there’s some other way for KT to contribute.”
“Because Chance and I have plans next week during the concert,” KT added.
Her mom frowned. “What sort of plans?”
Oh geez—what sort of plans would be major enough to deter her mother? “We’re getting married,” she heard herself say.
The silence in the room was profound.
She turned horrified eyes to Chance.
He looked surprised for an instant but then his poker face slipped back into place. He pulled her into his arms and touched her face, a nonverbal
trust me
. Then he turned to Lara. “We wanted it to be a surprise.”
“It is that.” Her mother came toward them, her arms outstretched. “Congratulation, sweetings. I’m so thrilled you found each other. I knew you were the man for my Karma when I met you, Chance. Your auras mingle so nicely.”
KT met Chance’s gaze over her mother’s head. She couldn’t tell how he felt about her lie. It was one thing telling everyone they were dating, but telling them they were getting married …
Lara frowned at them. “But what’s this about getting married next week?”
“In Vegas.” Chance smiled winningly at her mom. “It’s my fault. I can’t wait to make her mine.”
Bijou stepped forward, arms crossed. “KT, you didn’t tell me you were that serious.”
She felt a pang of guilt for the hurt in her sister’s eyes, but she reminded herself that Bijou ratted her out.
Before she could reply, her mom grabbed her hand and inspected her fingers. “Where’s your ring, Karma?”
“We’re still looking for the perfect one,” Chance inserted quickly. “And you know how KT feels about shopping.”
Yes, Bijou and Lara knew, but how did Chance? She looked at him, puzzled.
Lara shook her head. “This is so much to comprehend. Not only do we have a genius on our hands, but she’s getting married. Wait until I tell Anson. And you two get it out of your head that you’re getting married without family around you. We’ll discuss that later. I can see you two want to be alone.”
KT flushed at the wink her mom gave Chance. Fortunately, Lara took Bijou by the hand and led her out, closing the cottage door behind them.
KT faced Chance. “I’m
so
sorry.”
“For what?”
“For getting you roped into a fake wedding.” She grabbed her hair, the full weight of her actions coming down on her. “I don’t know what happened.”
“It’s okay, KT.” Chance took her hands in his and squeezed. “We’ll draw it out until the concert is over and then it won’t matter. You can break it off with me.”
“Mom will think I’m crazy, letting you go.” She thought she was crazy for considering it, too.
“You can tell her I left my dirty underwear all over the place, or that I snored.”
“You don’t snore.”
He touched her cheek. “I like that you know that.”
“What did I say?” KT smacked her forehead. “She’s going to make me go dress shopping, and I get none of the fringe benefits of being engaged.”
“What fringe benefits?”
“Like cake tasting.”
“I think we can arrange cake for you.” He tugged her closer and nuzzled her neck. “And other benefits.”
She arched her neck to give him better access, sighing as her tension melted away. He had that effect on her. “How can we taste cake when we haven’t even had a proper proposal?”
“Are you fishing?” he murmured against her skin.
She pouted. “No.”
Lifting his head, he traced her lower lip with his finger, a hint of a smile lightening his expression. “You may deny it, but you’re a closet romantic. Trust me, you’ll get your cake and eat it, too.”
She tugged him closer by his belt loops. “I’d like something spicy now instead of sweet.”
“
That
I can do.” He hiked her over his shoulder, groaning dramatically. “Although maybe you shouldn’t be eating more cake.”
Laughing, she smacked his butt as he carried her to her bedroom. And then they were too busy to laugh for a long time.
Chapter Fourteen
Will didn’t look surprised to see Bijou waiting alone.
“I forgot to bring KT,” she said, facing him. “But I had a good reason.”
“Aliens abducted her?”
“Therapists aren’t supposed to be sarcastic.”
“You told me you weren’t here for therapy.” He smiled crookedly at her.
“I’m not.” She strode into his office and began to pace. “Do you think I’m selfish?”
“We’re all selfish.” He closed the door. “We need to be to a certain extent because if we don’t make ourselves happy, no one around us will be happy either.”
“Yes, but I’ve been overly focused on myself.” She remembered the betrayed look on her sister’s face and winced. “I need to change that.”
“What happened that’s causing you to feel this way?”
She stopped pacing and faced him, hands on her hips. “You’re being a shrink again.”
He smiled unapologetically. “It’s what I do.”
“I don’t need a shrink. I need a friend.”
Will reached for his coat and took her hand. “Let’s go for a walk, then.”
“You have no problem being my friend?” she asked, trying not to get distracted by the feel of his calloused fingertips rasping her skin. “And before you ask me if I have problems with my friends, the answer is no. It’s just that men always assume it means more.”
“I wouldn’t assume anything with you, Bijou.” Flashing her a grin, he squeezed her hand as he guided her out of his office and onto the street. “Let’s take the trolley to the Ferry Building. We won’t find chocolate croissants as delicious as that café you took me to in Laurel Heights, but I’m sure we’ll find something that we like.”
She had something she liked right next to her. “You’re too attractive for your own good.”
“So you say.” The trolley pulled up to the stop just as they reached it. Will paid for their tickets and then they stood next to each other, holding onto the same pole. “Out of curiosity, why didn’t KT come today?”
“I really did forget to tell her about the appointment. I intended to drag her to the session but things happened.” She made a face. “It might be more accurate to say that I tattled on her to Mom and then it all went to crap.”
He chuckled. “My little sister used to tattle on me all the time. Drove me crazy.”
How come she didn’t know he had a little sister? It seemed like something she should know. See—she really was selfish and focused on herself. “We always talk about me, don’t we?”
“I could hardly charge people to talk about myself.”
She shook her head. “It’s a good thing you haven’t been charging me. Tell me about your family. Where does your sister live?”
“Portland, Oregon, but something’s bothering you and I want to hear what it is.”
The trolley jerked to a stop. Before Bijou could brace herself, she flew into him.
Will caught her by her waist. They looked into each other’s eyes. Bijou held her breath, afraid of stirring the sudden tension between them, one way or the other.
His fingers tightened on her waist. “I don’t like to see you unhappy,” he said softly. “Tell me what happened.”
She sighed and let go. “I overheard KT playing the most beautiful classical music ever.”
“That’s saying something.”
“You don’t even know.” She looked him in the eye. “She composed it.”
“I didn’t realize she composed classical music.”
“Neither did I.” She frowned. “It’s something I should have known. I’m her sister. We’re close, and I had no clue.”
He held her steady as the bus stopped again. “Is that why you think you’re selfish?”
“I think I’m selfish because I told Lara about KT’s music to benefit myself.”
His brow furrowed. “I don’t understand how it could benefit you.”
“Classical music has no place at a rock concert. If KT goes classical, Mom would stop insisting that KT has to perform or I can’t.” She sighed.
“I take it Lara didn’t see it the same way.”
“Hardly.”
“This is our stop,” he said, nodding toward the exit. Still holding her hand, they walked in silence into the Ferry Building.
It was midday, but the market inside was always busy. Will led the way through the throng of people to a little organic bakery and produce stand. He bought them a fruit tart to share, and they took it outside to a bench on the pier.
She tilted her head back, eyes closed, and let the sunlight warm her. Something about the rays on her reminded her of KT’s music. “You should have heard KT play her music. It was powerful.
Amazing
. You’d understand, being a musician.”
“I’m a therapist, really.”
She opened her eyes and looked at him. He looked like he could step on stage and have women throwing underwear at him. “Right. Not buying it.”
Grinning, he handed her a piece of the tart. “You’re good for my ego.”
She looked at the tart in her hand. “I didn’t work out today.”
“Live on the wild side, Bijou. A couple bites of tart won’t hurt you.” He handed her his water bottle.
She took it and sipped, conscious of the intimacy of sharing it. She passed it back to him. “I wish you could hear KT’s concerto. It was genius. KT always showed a little genius, but she’d never let on this much talent. That music was pure love and longing and strength.”
“It inspired you.”
“
Yes
.” She angled toward him; her knees touched his. “I feel a buzzing inside me, an urge to write something down.”
He brushed a strand of her hair away from her face. “You feel your magic resurfacing?”
She definitely felt something sizzling inside right now, but she was pretty sure it was because of him rather than her creative juices. “I don’t know that I’d go that far.”