Her gaze shifted to the violin in his hand. “The GuarneriVieuxtemps,” she said, unable to hide the awe in her voice. “One of the most beautiful sounding instruments in the world.”
His eyes narrowed. “Some would argue with you. Strads are a crowd favorite.”
“I had a—” She clapped her hand over her mouth. Admitting she’d played on a Stradivarius would reveal far more of her past than she ever wanted to do. “I mean, I’ve heard that.”
He narrowed his eyes as he studied her for a long time, then he smiled. “What did you think of the music?” He nodded toward the open doorway. “Horrible, isn’t it?”
She chewed her lip. “I wouldn’t call it horrible. It was...” She paused and pursed her lips, staring at the buildings across the river. “It engaged me more because I knew the piece, but I didn’t... if that makes sense. I had to listen closer than before.”
He clenched his jaw and she worried she’d offended him, but she wouldn’t deny what she’d heard and felt.
“Guess I hadn’t thought about it that way,” he said after a long pause.
She studied his dark eyes, so full of intensity and passion. She liked the way his dark hair flopped over his forehead and moved when he got animated. She remembered the videos she’d seen online and smiled, remembering how his hair caught the light as he moved with the music. She shook her head. “I should have recognized you.”
“Why?”
“I just... should have.” She shrugged and glanced behind him at the open glass door. “Don’t you need to get back to rehearsal?”
Mark sighed, remembering what Maestro Pavolini had said. “Yeah, I guess.”
“What’s so bad? There are tons of people out there who would love to be in your place.”
His brows knit together as he jutted his jaw to the side, looking ashamed. “I suppose you’re right.”
She turned to go.
“Wait!”
He hurried over to her. “Listen. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we met in the metro station.”
“What?”
“Do you want to go out tonight?”
He wanted to go out with her? With her?Mark Piercewanted to go out withher? “I can’t—”
“Please?” His face turned sad and boyish at the same time and she laughed.
“Does that really work on girls?”
His cheeks turned dark and he shrugged. “Did it work on you?”
She searched his eyes. He seemed perfectly sincere. But he could go out with anyone. “Why me?”
“Why not you?” He tilted his head and studied her for a long moment. “Because you understand music, somehow, in a way very few people do. I want to talk more about it with you.”
Alarm bells screamed in her head. The last thing she needed to do was open old musical wounds. “I shouldn’t...”
“Please? Nothing... formal, if that is what you’re concerned about. Just... coffee? After I finish rehearsal? Hell, do you want to come watch?”
The offer was tempting. Too tempting. “When do you finish rehearsal?”
He glanced at his watch. “Hour and a half?”
She shouldn’t. She shouldn’t open this door. It was too painful. But somehow, she found herself nodding and agreeing to meet him at the coffee shop around the corner in two hours. He looked so happy when she nodded, she was confused. Why? She was a nobody. He was... He wasMark Pierce!
“I’ll see you then.” He turned and hurried back inside.