Page 53 of The Breakaway

Rob glanced behind me at the phone on the counter. “What was that all about?”

I exhaled. “Not the plumber.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Well, if the plumber was planning to come to your concert, I want your secrets.”

My grin turned into a full smile. “You couldn’t handle my secrets.”

His eyes dropped to my mouth, then to the counter. He dragged a hand through his dark hair. “Do you want to talk about it?”

The room seemed to go dead silent. Like I’d stepped inside a recording booth with sound treatments. I did want to talk about it. I wanted to open my mouth and let every last thought in my head spill out like ink dumping on a page.

But it couldn’t be Rob. Not with Logan's goodbye kiss still lingering on my lips. Not with my head spinning or my nerves sparking like a downed power line.

Because I wanted to do something reckless.

I wanted to give in to whatever tugged at my centre anytime Rob was close.

And I wouldn’t be that person.

“I’m okay right now. Thanks.” I gave a tight smile and curled my arms around myself, fingers digging into my skin so I knew they weren’t reaching out and touching him.

I waited, half-hoping he would push. He didn’t. He exhaled, his breath slow and deep, then gave a short nod and returned to his room.

Chapter

Nineteen

The concert hallbuzzed with nervous energy as I sat on stage readying my violin. I glanced over at Caleb and Lily, pursing my lips and crossing my eyes in an exaggerated face. Lily stifled a giggle, and Caleb grinned. Despite the butterflies in my stomach, it felt good knowing we were all in this together. I did want a solo at some point . . . but I also dreaded the day I’d have to play a solo.

Performing was like that. Full of paradoxes. If only I could always play my solos on a darkened stage with my audience hiding in the curtains.

I had not been given that option on Wednesday at my unofficial audition with Franck. I exhaled with relief at having that over with. All I’d gotten were four words. “Begin” and “You may go.” Best believe I’d mulled over those last three during every waking moment since.

As people started filing into their seats, a familiar flash of pink hair caught my eye. Crystal and Maddie waved enthusiastically from the third row and my smile grew so big, my cheeks ached. Those two were the best, dropping everything to come support me tonight when I needed it most. I'd been tryinghard not to dwell on the empty seats that should've been filled by my family. Especially with Dad. Mom called once to let me know he was out of surgery, but I hadn’t received an update after that. I made a mental note to phone Mom as soon as the concert wrapped.

"Hey," Lily stage-whispered. "You good?"

I blinked, realizing I'd been spacing out. I drew a deep breath and nodded. “Break a leg!” She held out her right ankle, and I laughed under my breath.

The house lights dimmed and a hush fell over the audience as Ms. Franck strode onto the stage, her vibrant forest green shawl billowing behind her like a cape. She took her place at the podium, paused and straightened her shoulders, then with a dramatic flourish of her baton, the orchestra burst to life.

We moved through the program, enlivened by the applause and palpable energy that a live audience always brought. The small sounds of rustling fabric, a cough, the voice of a toddler. All of it somehow shocked us into an excellence we couldn’t achieve in the practice room.

Lily’s violin sang during her solo with such purity and grace, the notes shimmered.

Watching her naturally transported me back to my audition, but I tried to shake it off and just be there. Just enjoy and not think about myself for once. Difficult to do, but if I couldn’t achieve that at Christmas time, when could I?

As the song ended, I refocused and adjusted my sheet music. The joyful strains of "Sleigh Ride" filled the air and I let myself get swept up in the familiar melody. We played song after song, and then all too soon, the final notes of the concert echoed through the hall and we rose for our bows.

I grinned as the house lights came up a fraction, squinting across the sea of faces and our standing ovation to pick out Crystal and Maddie in the crowd. There seemed to be a family ofgiants seated directly in front of them. Hopefully, they were still able to see the stage.

I turned my head further, and my gaze snagged like a ring in a sweater. Energy zinged from my head to my toes.

Rob. He stood at the back of orchestra right, waiting for the people ahead of him to exit into the aisle. He wore a crisp burgundy button-down, dark slacks, anda tie. Since when did Rob Thompson own a tie?

That tug in my midsection flared, and I wanted to shove my stand out of the way, barrel through the musicians ahead of me and leap off the stage to get to him. To ask why the hell he was there at my concert. To see what that shirt looked like on him up close.

Before I could catch his eye, he turned on his heel and strode out of the auditorium.

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