Page 21 of Chocolate Cherry Cabin

Louis met her eyes, and it felt like a thread of history was dangling between them, tangling the past with the present. Louis found himself wishing he could back off and let everything be. Let life be simple, the way she wanted it.

But he couldn’t.

And she knew that, too.

“This will do for another year. It just needs tuning.” She ran her fingers down the out-of-tune keys again, hitting the dead one and leaving a gap in the notes ringing through the empty building.

Louis raised his hands in surrender. “Just trying to be helpful.”

He eyed Hannah, considering her as well as his next move. Why she fought so hard to stay safe was a mystery to him.

She locked her gaze on his even though he could tell it made her uncomfortable. “Don’t try and sort me out,” she said.

“I’m not.”

“Then quit staring, and tell me this piano will work for the concert.”

“You want me to tell you that we can make it sound good? That it won’t be an embarrassment to your skills? That the town won’t think you lost your musical touch when you play on this thing?”

She crossed her arms, a sign the fight was rising inside her again. “Just carry on with your plans, Louis. We both know you won’t listen to me, what I think, what I feel, what Iwant. It’s never enough for you.”

“Why is it enough foryou?”

Her jaw clamped, locking tight, no doubt to keep her from yelling at him. “Don’t tell me what I need in my life,” she said finally.

He stepped to the piano and casually leaned against it. “You need something?”

“No. And this piano will do. A new one would need tuning after being delivered, anyway.” She stood up, shutting the piano cover. “So maybe you should just tune it like you said you would.”

Her brown eyes locked on his, challenging him.

“Maybe,” he said, taking a step closer, “despite how you try to convince yourself, it’snotgood enough.”

“And maybe you don’t know everything.” She crossed her arms again, her glare set to deep freeze.

He returned it with a wry, understanding smile.

Her expression morphed into something resembling a wounded animal who was lashing out due to pain. The fact that she was feeling this way when she’d been that strong, smart woman he’d known in high school made his heart ache.

“Maybe you should stop accepting things you shouldn’t,” he said gently.

“The piano’s fine, Louis.” She seemed strangely calm, as if caught in some weird place between emotions. “Maybe you should accept that not everything needs changing just because you want it to be different.”

Fair enough.

But not something he was willing to do.

He moved into her physical space, tempted to cup her chin and kiss her.

“Maybe you need to learn to speak up,” he said. “Demand more. Reach out and grab what you want in life.”

“Yeah?” The word came out breathy, not firm like he’d expected. Her eyes flashed with anger—at herself, no doubt, and her tone became hard, flippant. “Then bring me a glorious new piano, Louis, or fulfill your promise to make this thing work again. And while you’re at it, how about finding me a job that pays better, too?”

She clamped her mouth shut, catching herself.

Busted. She wasn’t satisfied with her job, after all. She wanted more. He rocked back on his heels, reminding himself to play it slow and not go charging in.

She let out a frustrated huff. “Quit trying to mess up my life, Louis. I’m happy! Things are good.”

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