Page 11 of The Second Ending
“I brought a few more types in today,” Marcus grinned. “I thought you might be interested in trying something new. These are lightly flavoured, and these are a blend of black and green tea, for a different taste. Of course, if you prefer the regular stuff, we’ve got that, too.”
She beamed at him before turning her attention to the selection before her.
“Which is your favourite?” she asked.
Excellent. She was interested. He could play this game.
“I quite like this one. It’s a chai blend, heavy on the cardamom and pepper, with just a bit of allspice and cinnamon. Do you enjoy chai?”
“It’s my go-to choice at home. I love cardamom too. That’s what my granny would sometimes put in tea, when she could find it. It’s great in coffee too. Ash, you’re a coffee-drinker. Do you ever put cardamom in your coffee?”
What the hell? Marcus blinked. This was supposed to be him flirting with Lana. How did they suddenly end up focused on Ashleigh again?
They talked about coffee for a couple of minutes. Coffee, and Chile, which was, of course, where Ashleigh learned to enjoy the drink dark and sugarless.
“The school master had a special technique for making the perfect cup,” she added. “He made me promise never to tell anyone, but then I found it on his Facebook page the next week. I think he enjoyed the joke at my expense. His wife made the best cookies to go with it.”
“School master?” Had he missed part of the conversation? Marcus didn’t remember a school master. Wasn’t it all about water rights?
“Oh, that was a side project I got involved in,” Ashleigh replied. “These villages are not wealthy, and don’t always have a lot of resources. But they’re determined, and the kids are smart. There’s such a vibrant musical tradition there. Music of all sorts just flows through the community. The school has a teacher who trained in classical violin before his teaching degree, and he wanted to start a band, but they didn’t have instruments.”
Aha. This must be the music project Masako had mentioned. Marcus gestured for Ashleigh to go on. His eyes connected with hers for a moment, before she looked away. Somehow, that small gesture hurt.
“My father has his quirks, but he is well-connected,” she said, as if she hadn’t noticed what she’d just done.
Marcus could think of other descriptions for Walter Lynch, but kept his mouth closed.
“I went to some of his friends with a proposal, and it was met with enthusiasm. The next thing I knew, some of the city’s wealthiest citizens were throwing money into a pot to buy enough instruments to create a mid-sized band, and a small orchestra. We’re not talking Stradivarius violins or anything, but some decent student instruments, some new and some well-used, but all playable. There’s also a small endowment that makes enough interest to cover necessary repairs and to replace anything that is broken beyond repair, and we keep trying to raise funds to increase the size of the ensembles. My village, and a few close by, now have a rather thriving music program at the area high school. I’m so pleased to have been able to help with that. The kids are amazing, and we’re just starting a new fundraising effort to help them make a recording, to show what can happen when talent gets the resources it needs to thrive.”
She was glowing again. This project was all Ashleigh, through and through. She described her own role as being a minor go-between, but Marcus knew her. If this new Ashleigh was anything like the one she had been back then, she would have done anything in her power to make it happen. She was a helper. She drew people together, found out what they needed, and figured out how to make it happen, all while putting the glory onto other heads.
Damn, he loved her… had loved her. Once.
Damn, he thought he might love her still.
Fuck.
CHAPTER 6
THE INCIDENT
Ashleigh puther drink down on the table and shook her head at her friend. Liora had left her a message while she was in her meeting, inviting her out for a meal, and there was nothing to do but accept. Now Liora was pumping her for information with practised skill. If this was how she conducted herself in court, her poor witnesses would have no hope at all.
“I have no idea what made me tell him about the music project.” Ashleigh blew a stray wisp of hair out of her eyes. “He could hardly care about it, could he?”
“Did he stop you?” Liora’s brows floated upwards.
“No… and I suppose once I start talking about it, I can’t help myself. I’m so proud of those kids.”
“It’s your passion,” her friend replied. “It comes through. Don’t stop. No one should make you stop talking about that. I’m glad he let you tell him. Maybe he’ll realise what he’s lost.”
Ashleigh’s gaze drifted downwards. “No, he doesn’t care anymore. He can hardly bring himself to look at me.” She took a fortifying breath. “But here’s some news. We’re all going to look at the site on Friday. Masako has been in contact with City Hall, and someone from the planning department is coming along.It’s all PR, of course, but it’s helping keep things moving, so we’ll play nicely and see if this person will be a friend or foe.”
Liora’s eyes widened. “Someone from the planning department? What’s this person’s name? I know someone from high school who works there.”
Ashleigh dug in her bag for her phone, and scrolled through a series of documents until she found the information.
“Sebastian Vera. Is he the one?”
