Inside the sitting room, Lars was sitting by the fire, playing the guitar with effortless skill and the kids were watching with rapt attention.
He looked up, and saw me, just as he started to sing. His throaty, deep voice and talent made my knees weak. This really wasn’t going to do anything for my raging crush, except fan the flames, and yet, I couldn’t look away. With the kiss in Ivy House still frothing in my veins, I watched Lars sing and knew I was in trouble. I had reasoned with myself all day that kissing him, going further even, and finally sleeping with a man I found outrageously attractive, but would leave in a few weeks, was fine, because I’d known what I was getting myself into. I’d be able to protect my heart, by managing my expectations. Now, as I watched him sing, after the kiss only hours before, and the dinner before, I knew I was in trouble. How could I sleep with this man, and then let him go and vanish without a trace? I would already be half in love with him. I couldn’t lie to myself.
The kids clapped uproariously when Lars finished, and he set the guitar down to many groans.
“I promise to come back another time, for tonight it’s late, and I’m sure you’re supposed to be in bed,” he said.
Chris stepped in then. “They sure are. Come on, guys, let’s get to it,” he said theoretically, and the kids grumbled but complied.
Lars turned his eyes to me. There was so much I wanted to say to him at that spellbound moment, but Chris loomed between us.
“I’ll take you home,” Chris said stiffly.
“We drove separately,” I said immediately. “I’ve got my car,” I added, aware that I sounded panicked for a moment. “I mean, I’m just going to go. See you soon,” I tossed toward both Lars and Chris. The air felt full of unspoken tension, and I had to get out of there. I turned on my heel and headed for the door.
CHAPTER12
Charlie
The day of the concert finally arrived, and I couldn’t wait. We were going to raise money, and I was going to get to see Lars sing again. Win-win. I hadn’t seen him in the last two days, except for glimpses here and there around the grounds of Ivy House, as I worked with people to prepare. Now, I pulled up around the back of the manor home and rushed out of the car to join the volunteers getting ready to direct traffic for parking in a nearby field.
Chris gave me a tight smile, as I approached. Things had been awkward between us since the night with Lars and I didn’t know how to fix it.
Tonight, however, wasn’t the night to dwell on it. I fixed my headset, picked up my clipboard with my never-ending list of tasks, and got down to work.
It wasn’t until people started arriving that I headed into Ivy House.
“I’m looking for Lars, have you seen him anywhere?” I asked a server who was bustling about, organizing the drinks and snacks we were offering for sale.
“I think he’s upstairs,” she said in a rush, and I let her go, as I braved the stairs. Along the hallway, I heard the sound of Lars's voice. A door was open at the end of the long, lavishly decorated landing, and I made for it.
“Look, Phil, it really isn’t that hard. I thought you were my advocate, or are you just advocating for your own wallet?” Lar’s voice was hard, filled with none of the usual teasing that he directed at me. I knocked gently, wanting him to know that I was listening. His shoulders tensed, as he spun toward the door, and then relaxed an inch when he saw me.
“I have to go. Talk to you tomorrow,” he snapped into the phone and hung up, tossing it on the nearby bed like it was a snake trying to bite him. “Evening, beautiful,” he murmured, as he approached me.
In the two days, we hadn’t spoken, it had started to feel strange like I’d imagined our kiss, and the way I’d fallen apart in his hands, but now, as he grinned at me, everything felt normal again. Like there could be any kind of normal when it came to crushing on a rockstar, but still.
“Good evening, aren’t you going to help set up?”
“I tried, actually, and Chris sent me back inside, so as not to get in the volunteer's way,” Lars said, and arched an eyebrow at me, as his hands landed on my hips. “I don’t think that guy likes me much.”
“Yeah, don’t take it personally,” I muttered, a thrill going through me at his touch. Why did being near him feel like this? His proximity gave me a simultaneous thrill of excitement and the gentle lull of peace. I’d never felt anything like it, and by the way Lars was staring at me, I wasn’t alone.
“You still owe me a date, you know,” he muttered, brushing my hair off my cheek.
“I know. I’ve just been so busy-,”
Lars surprised me with a finger against my lips. The tip of his finger was calloused from guitar playing, and the touch of it made me shiver. “I wasn’t asking for an apology, I’m just reminding you, as I fully intend on holding you to our bargain. I want that third date Charlie, and I’m not taking no for an answer,” he said firmly. A thrill of heat filled me at those words.
“To the date or something else?” I wondered, red suffusing my cheeks as I tried my best to tease him back, feeling terribly out of my league.
“Mr. Lars – they’re looking for Charlie here,” a frail voice called from the door. We both turned to see Alfred lingering, all dressed up in his best tuxedo with white gloves. He’d told me himself he was excited to see Ivy house hosting the town.
I nodded, pulling away from Lars.
“You have an important job to do tonight, so you go and get to it,” Lars said, and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. “We have all night.”
* * *