Page 14 of Not Another Love Song

Her lips parted. She tried to think of anything to say to that, but instead just watched him walk out as embarrassment stained her cheeks. When a shadow fell over her, she jumped to see Nathan smiling at her.

“Gwen. Do you have time for a chat with me and Ava?”

Her breath caught. Ava and Nathan both? She shook herself out of her Xander-induced trance. “Yes, absolutely.”

“Wonderful. Once everyone’s out, we’ll sit.” He gestured to the rehearsal table, and then turned to speak with the timpanist.

Gwen glanced to Henry in the chair next to her. He lifted a gray, fuzzy eyebrow at her and said, “Be sure to ask for severance.”

“Shut up.” She nudged his shoulder and laughed, trying to push down the shaking feeling that he might be right. It was ridiculous to think that Xander had actually contacted the board about her performance at Saturday’s wedding and gotten her fired, but his parting shot was stuck in her mind.

It wasn’t a compliment.

As she waited for the last person to roll out the door, Gwen wandered to the tea and coffee cart, brewing a paper cup full of green tea. She settled at the rehearsal table, and soon after, Ava pulled a chair across from her.

“How do you like the new medley?” Ava asked, tucking a loose chestnut curl behind her ear.

“Oh, it’s great. I love Bernstein.” She smiled, trying to keep from bouncing her knee under the table.

“Are you liking the music this season?” Ava rubbed the knuckles and wrist of her left hand, her short burgundy nails a bright contrast against her light skin. “Is there anything you can think of that would be a good addition?”

“Me?” Gwen blinked at her. “Oh, umm. I mean, I love the music the Pops chooses.”

“But Nathan and I”—Ava gestured to him as he took a seat at the head of the table between them—“are old curmudgeons. I want to know what music you’re drawn to.”

Nathan muttered the word “curmudgeon” under his breath and sipped his two-hour-old cappuccino.

“Well,” Gwen started, unsure. “I did just play a wedding this weekend, and the music was awesome. Some really unexpected stuff, like not always love songs, but the guests seemed to really like the pieces when they recognized them.” They were watching her, listening like they had genuine interest. “I just wonder if it would be cool to have more medleys where people don’t know what’s coming, you know?”

Nathan nodded, and jotted something down on his notepad.

“Actually, Xander was in the wedding. It was a nice coincidence, but, um…” She was talking too much, but she couldn’t stop now that she’d started. “You should ask him too. He arranges most of the music for Thorne and Roses, so he might have some ideas or…”

Ava’s eyes were warm, but there was a tight smile on her face. Nathan cleared his throat and clicked his pen closed.

“Not a bad idea,” he said, but there was a politeness to his tone that made her think asking Xander Thorne’s opinion was out of the question. “Gwen, we wanted to take a moment to chat with you about a few things.”

“Great,” her voice croaked out.

“As the next season approaches, we’ve had to make some difficult choices,” Ava began. “I’m stepping down at the end of this season and moving into a supervisory position on the board of directors.”

Gwen stared at her. “Oh,” was all she could say. It was impossible to imagine the Pops without Ava.

“There will be some shuffling in the strings,” Nathan said, “and we wanted to ask how you felt about moving up.”

“Of—of course. I’d be honored.” Currently, Gwen was the seventh violin, four rows back. Nothing to brag about. “Whatever the orchestra needs, I’m willing to do it.”

A soft smile lifted Ava’s lips. Something glimmered in Nathan’s gaze.

“Gwen, will you come to Carnegie tomorrow to play for a few members of the board?” Nathan sat forward in his chair. “Prepare a few pieces. Very informal.”

Her pulse raced. “Informal” felt like the very opposite of what this was.

“So it’s an audition,” Gwen clarified, looking between them.

“Yes. We’re looking to replace Ava.”

Her throat went dry, and her skin suddenly felt tight and itchy. “And you’re auditioning me to—to backfill those chairs?”

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