Page 32 of The Mouse and the Maestro

“Why?”

“Long story,” Jane said.

“I didn’t think you’d be home for a while. I was working on an art project in your room, but I can move it,” he turned helplessly toward her room.

“It’s fine, leave it,” Jane said, her tone listless.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said and promptly burst into tears.

Nick, who was used to Jane’s tendency toward easy tears, wasn’t alarmed. He sat beside her on the couch. “Are these sad tears, angry tears, or exhausted tears?”

“Everything tears,” she said.

“I take it things with the guy did not go well,” he said.

“Things did not go well,” she said, scrubbing her eyes. “And I had to call in a favor from one of my dad’s contacts to get home.”

“Have you ever had to call in a favor before?” he asked.

“No,” she wailed, miserable. She had tried so hard to survive on her own over the years, never depending on her dad’s name or reputation for anything. And now at the age of twenty seven, she’d been forced to regress to a childlike dependency on that which she had eschewed for so long.

“I’m sorry,” Nick said, pulling her close for a hug.

“No you’re not,” Jane murmured.

“No I’m not,” he agreed. “It killed me to see you go off with him, knowing you might end up liking him more than me. And it makes me incredibly gleeful to see how miserably he’s failed you. I bet I’m looking pretty good now, in comparison.”

She raised her head to glare at him.

“Or possibly not.” He pulled her into his lap, and she rested her head on his shoulder. His hand rubbed her back in a soothing circle. He was safe and familiar, and Jane began to relax. And then he tried to kiss her.

Jane put up her hand, pushing him away. “Nick, no.”

“Come on, Jane. Look, you tried it with someone else, and it didn’t work out. I think that’s because you’re still in love with me.”

She laughed a little, sniffing. “I’m sure you do.”

“It’s been a while since we gave it a go. Let’s try us again. We can make it this time, I know it.”

“And when some other woman comes along you believe might be your true soul mate, what happens to me then?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I’ve tried it three times with other women, and it never works. I always come back to you.”

“This is the crux of the problem between us, Nick. You think the coming back should please me, but it’s the going away in the first place that destroys me. Last time you swore, youswore, you wouldn’t cheat on me again. You said we’d get back together, get things smoothed out, and get married. And instead I walked in on you with another woman because you’re not even good at hiding it.”

“I’m good at hiding,” he said, offended.

“Really, incredibly not helping. The point is that you’ve been a big part of my life since I was seventeen years old, and I love you for that. You’ll always have that sweet spot in my heart, my first love. And you miraculously remain one of my best friends. But in the immortal words of the great philosopher Taylor Swift, we are never, ever, ever getting back together.”

“We’ll see,” Nick replied undaunted.

Jane groaned. He rubbed her back again. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“No. I’m exhausted, I want to sleep. Is your art project on my bed?”

“No.”

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