Page 39 of Speechless

“Why aren’t you more excited? This is the dessert Preston was talking about the other day, the butter cake. It’s famous.”

“Thank you. I love it, just surprised, I guess.”

“Excuse me, was it not just last week you said, and I quote, ‘Dessert is the best part of every meal. But it’s a million times better when you can eat it in your PJs, on the couch, wrapped in a warm fluffy blanket’?”

He remembered that? He had no recollection of a woman whom he’s definitely hooked up with, but he remembers me rambling on about how much I like to eat cupcakes on the couch? He looks so defeated I can’t help but laugh. He really put in some effort to plan this for me, and it’s so sweet. I wonder if this is why we went to a restaurant over thirty minutes away. I take averylarge bite of cake.

It might be the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.

“Okay, thisisamazing.” Now he looks satisfied, happy with the outcome of his little surprise. “Well, are you gonna join me? PJ up and grab a spoon, Maestro.”

“I do love it when you call me that.” He doesn’t change out of his jeans and button down—he’s always so perfectly polished—but he settles in next to me and grabs the spoon out of my hand. I guess if I have to share, I’m glad it’s with him.

“Do you think we could give Rowan a bite?” Henry’s sitting so close to me he barely moves when he nudges my shoulder questioning.

“Sure, he loves cake. Just a tiny piece though—he will definitely not appreciate the gooey perfection.”

“Row Boat, come here mate!”

“I’m sorry, what did you just call him?” I’ve never referred to my dog as anything but Rowan, Row, pal, or good boy—because he is.

“Row Boat, he loves it. It’s his favorite song.” Rowan has appeared from wherever he was hiding and is perched on Henry’s lap, happily licking every morsel he can from his fingers. Suddenly, I’m envisioningmyselfon Henry’s knee, languidly lapping at his sugarcoated digits, those long dexterous fingers that create such beautiful sounds . . .

“Luce? You okay? I swear he loves the tune.” I quickly snap myself back to reality. It’s getting more and more difficult to focus around Henry.

“What do you mean he loves it? Are you singing to him now?”

“Singing? Don’t be silly. That’s reserved for the dinner table—or my car.” He winks. “I play it for him on the piano. Never seen him so entranced.”

“Okay, I have to see this.”

Without a word, Henry moves over to the glossy black piano by the window, and to my shock and awe, he’s right. I can’t tell if it’s the song itself or the sound of the piano, but I’ve never seen Rowan sit so perfectly still for this long, gazing at Henry like he’s covered in peanut butter and string cheese.

Henry stays at the piano and plays some less childish music for me as I savor my scrumptious dessert. I’ll never tire of hearing him. When he plays theMoonlight SonataI go completely still by the third movement. And he somehow smoothly transitions from Beethoven toSomewhere Over the Rainbow, apparently remembering our conversation from the plane. His hands on those keys puts me in an actual trance.

I think I’ll have to append my earlier statement. Dessert is best in PJs, on the couch, wrapped in a warm fluffy blanket,whilelistening to Henry at the piano.

“Lucy, there you are! I’ve been looking for you all night.”

“Hey, Jayce—we just got back from dinner. What’s up? You look a little unhinged.”

“Crystal’s coming over—like right now. Can you get a swimsuit on? And bring Rowan outside. Hurry.”

“What the . . . can you slow down? What’s going on, and who’s Crystal?” Jayce is always the cool, calm and collected one of the house, the one with swagger. This nervous, frantic energy he’s giving off is completely foreign to me.

“Crystal. From the pet store! I asked her out but she was all shy about it and said she wasn’t sure because she doesn’t know me at all. So I told her we were having a pool party. And that our dog would be there.”

“I’m sorry—ourdog?” I say as Henry starts to laugh, still sitting at the piano, evidently not getting involved in this conversation.

“I know, I know. Yell at me about it later though, okay? Please just, do this for me? I’ll make it up to you I swear—anything you want. I need you. If it’s all dudes she’s gonna think I’m a creep.”

I doubt I’ll ever call in a favor, but I would love to have something hanging over him, and I’m not exactly tired—it’s just after nine.

“Fine—but she better give me a discount.”

Crystal is sweet,way too sweet for Jayce, and he knows it. It’s kind of hilarious watching him change into a different person while he tries to impress her. She seems more interested in Rowan.

Our “pool party” consists of six people—not exactly a rager. Graham, Crystal and I are sharing the pirate ship. When I asked her if she wanted to share with me I could tell she was excited to create a little distance from Jayce, but then Graham jumped on us and snuggled up next to me and it was obvious she wasn’t sure if she made the right decision. Now he has his arm wrapped around my shoulders, our bodies flush together from hip to heel, and she’s as far to the other side as she can get.

---