by Sabrina York
“Come on in, Noah,” she answered through the speaker, as the security gate automatically opened wide. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
Emily had been performing her entire life after winning The Next American Star when she was only a kid. At the beginning, she’d been managed by her mother, who had supposedly been controlling, because back in those days, Emily had sung country music. According to her daughter Rose, who had been adopted by Emily and her husband Tim Atkinson when she was ten years old, Emily had finally taken control of her own life during her mid-twenties. Performing light rock had been the key to her success, and Emily had even won a couple Grammys.
Emily and Tim were both people who gave as good as they got. Emily, with the music scholarships she awarded, not to mention the time and money she put into her programs for aiding talented musicians and vocalists, and Tim, with his successful strays into service animal training program, which he’d begun after opting out from the Air Force, where he’d worked as a trainer.
Noah followed the road to the house, leaving his bike along the edge of the driveway where there were several cars already parked. Making his way through the open garage, he knocked on the kitchen door before opening it and stepping inside.
He gave a casual wave to all the people in the room. Noah had worked with eight of the ten instructors the previous summer and had met one of the two new girls who’d been hired a few days earlier, when Rose had brought everyone into the café for lunch. There was another instructor who wouldn’t be arriving for work until the students began checking in. Apparently, the regular school year where she was presently teaching wouldn’t end for another week.
“Hey,” Emily’s daughter Rose spoke loudly to the crowd. “Noah’s here everyone. Let’s get started, since he only has a few minutes because he’s performing tonight.”
Emily cleared her throat. “First of all, I’ve got really great news. This year we’ll have the funds to award four scholarships instead of two. And we’ve also decided to accept a few younger students. We’ve expanded our parameters somewhat, because we’re searching for students who want to do more than become successful performers. It was Rose’s idea to add some additional questions during our interviews, because we’re also looking for students who have the potential to become talented teachers.”
“That’s a great idea,” Noah muttered.
Rose looked at Noah, from where she sat at the kitchen island beside Emily. “You know, another reason we decided to do it is because we’re going to be losing you. We’re really going to miss Drew. It’s getting much more difficult to find people who are willing to be here during the summer.”
“Heck,” Noah answered, grimacing. “You guys pay pretty well. You’d think it would be easier finding teachers.”
Emily responded, “The biggest reason, I think, is the fact that most everyone coming through our program, whether it be teacher or student, is very serious about their own career. We get so many applicants for the program, it takes forever just to narrow down the number to under one-hundred.” Emily frowned. “And then we have to interview them and cut back the list even further.”
Noah had assisted with the interviews, along with the other instructors who lived in the area. The students accepted for the program had been notified in April.
The meeting went on for another forty-five minutes, and they discussed the schedule they would follow during the first week of camp. Rose and Emily had gone through the list of participants and had assigned five students to each instructor, based on their interests and qualifications.
When the meeting ended, Noah stood up to grab the bundle of folders containing pertinent information about each of the students he would be assisting.
“Hold on a second, Noah,” Rose called out as he headed toward the door. “I’ll walk out with you. I just wanted to tell you about one of the students we assigned to you.”
“Alright.” Noah held open the door for Rose, and they walked together toward his bike.
Rose stood and watched Noah as he opened the backpack he’d been carrying and stuffed the folders inside. “Okay, so you know how we talked about accepting a few younger students?”
“Sure,” Noah answered, detaching his helmet from the Harley.
“You’ve got one of them. She’s really talented too. She plays piano, violin, guitar and she says she adapts well to a keyboard. She’s got a beautiful voice. Kind of sultry and jazzy when she sings contemporary music. Her voice reminds me a little of Marielle McKinnon, as a matter of fact, but not quite as powerful.”
By this time Noah was looking at Marielle in astonishment. It couldn’t be.
Could it?
“By any chance, does she sing opera too?”
“She does.” Rose’s eyes went wide. “She’s from here in town. Although she hasn’t lived here long. I guess she’s a really great dancer too. Although I didn’t ask her to demonstrate.”
Giving her a wry smile, Noah muttered, “So, it’s Mia Michaels?”
“Wait a minute. Now I know why Mom said I should assign her to you. I didn’t stay to hear you sing last night at the beach. Is she the one you serenaded?”
“Serenaded?” Me?” Noah snorted. But then he grinned.
“Yeah, you. I can’t believe I missed it.” she moaned, elbowing him in the ribs. “We decided to take the instruments back to the conservatory after your first number since you guys had your own equipment.”
Noah laughed, feeling unusually lighthearted. Even if he hadn’t approached Mia, he would have run into her anyway at camp.
“I really like her,” Rose said, grinning.
“That’s good, because I do too.”
Rose laughed. “I knew it.”
“I’ll see you next week, Rose.”
Noah was still smiling as he drove away, because a relationship with Mia suddenly seemed to be fated.
12
Even though Mia was excited for Bree, the one bad thing about Bree having a new boyfriend was that Mia was stuck at home alone on a Saturday night.
Last night had been so exciting, having Noah approach her at the beach during the concert, and then going out with him afterwards, but today had felt like a letdown since Mia hadn’t heard from him.
She frowned. He hadn’t asked for her number either.
It was nearly ten o’clock p.m. and she had yet to hear from Bree, so snatching her phone, Mia rushed from her room through the long hallway and then down the staircase toward her Dad’s study.
Mia noticed Amanda’s lights were still on in the cottage as she walked by and approached the beach. Living here was like having their own oasis. Dad always had to have the best, so he’d commissioned a huge all-season gazebo, housing an outdoor kitchen and hot tub, which he rarely used. Mia preferred swimming in the lake, even late at night, since it was so secluded here.
Which was what she was going to do now, she decided, letting her shorts drop and pulling her tank off from over her head. She was still wearing her bathing suit from the swim she’d taken earlier this afternoon after dancing along the beach. She loved practicing outdoors, which was something she hadn’t been able to do in their Chicago apartment.
There were a few boats cruising the lake, Mia noticed, which was typical on weekends, even at this time of night. As she looked across the lake she saw several flickering lights.
Brr—the water was still awfully cold, Mia thought, walking into the lake. Doing laps, it didn’t take long for her to feel comfortable underwater though, since the air was cool too.
Mia had been swimming about fifteen minutes when she heard the phone ring. Standing and rushing from the water toward the beach, she scooped up the phone from the sand and answered, “Hello?”
“Mia. I’m glad you’re still awake, because we’re stopping by for a few minutes.”
“Alright,” she answered, shivering.
“In fact we’re looking at you right now,” Bree said, laughing. “I can’t believe you’re swimming when it’s go
tta be around fifty-five degrees.”
Mia’s teeth were chattering, since she’d forgotten a towel. “Okay, I’m running to the gazebo for a towel. Head that way, so I can get the fireplace going.”
Mia halted, thinking about what Bree had just said. We’re looking at you right now?
Mia glanced at the path that wound around the side of the house, and sure enough, not only was Bree standing there with Phil, who was smiling, Noah had come along with them too.
And he was looking a little dazed.
Shoot. Not only was she half naked, she wasn’t wearing any makeup, and her hair was hanging in tangles around her face.
Mia scrambled toward the gazebo.
It was going to be difficult leaving Crystal Rock at the end of the summer, Noah thought, as they filed into the gazebo which looked to be about the same size of the entire ground floor of his grandparents’ cottage. The room they walked into was like a living room, with a fireplace and comfortable furnishings, and Bree motioned for Noah to be seated near the fireplace on one of the large couches, while she and Phil sat on the other which was positioned across from it, with a coffee table in between.
“Mia practices here,” Bree said. “The gazebo is just a façade. It’s winterized and there’s a huge room attached to this one where she stores her instruments, and it serves as both a dance and music studio.”
Noah asked, “Why out here? The house looks gigantic. I watched it being built.”
Bree grinned. “They used to live in an apartment. Luxurious, I know. But space costs a fortune in Chicago, and she had to go elsewhere to practice. Besides the fact that her dad works from home, when he’s actually here that is, Mia hates being closed up downstairs, where her dad had the space soundproofed, so it was quieter when he needed to work. The guesthouse was already being built, and her dad just asked the architect to make some adjustments, since they don’t really have many guests. Her dad does most of his business away from home.”
Noah inhaled a deep breath, waiting for Mia to return. When he’d seen her rush from the water while flipping wet hair over her shoulder, his heart had nearly stopped beating. Sexy and alluring wearing a bathing suit that left little to his imagination, to him, she was about the most perfect woman he’d ever met. It was going to be extremely difficult keeping his distance, especially since he was going to be an advisor for her at camp.
Ah, what the heck. That’s the last thing he needed to worry about, he realized wryly. Drew and Marielle had been in the same type of situation the previous summer, but they were the age of consent, and as long as their relationship didn’t affect the quality of the camp experience, Emily liked to keep the work situation casual anyway. Many times, the camp participants ended up doing much more than they were required, because of their love of music, and the conservatory was left open for students to freely use the instruments, as long as they signed in beforehand in case of any problems.
There must have been a shower in the structure too, because when Mia opened one of the doors and entered the room, she brought along the smell of scented soap. Her hair had been neatly combed and she was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of short shorts.
Noah inhaled deeply. He’d never wanted anyone as much as he wanted her.
She looked a little indecisive, before walking around the couch where Bree and Phil were seated and flipping a switch near the fireplace.
When the fireplace roared to life, Noah stood up from where he was sitting at the end of the couch and motioned for Mia to take his place near the heat.
After she sat down and curled her bare feet underneath her, Noah settled in closely beside her and sniffed.
“You smell good,” he muttered, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
Even though she relaxed in his arms, she was acting nervous.
“Hi, Mia,” he whispered softly.
Looking helplessly at Bree, he couldn’t help laughing, seeing the expression on Bree’s face. She was watching him and Mia with apparent fascination.
Bree grinned at Noah. “Hey, Mia? Noah was going to take you to the carnival tomorrow after he gets off from work, if you wanted to go? Phil and I had a great time tonight, and we ran into Noah when his band was packing up.”
Glancing at Bree, she looked far from apologetic, and Noah muttered, “Does she do that a lot?”
Mia laughed suddenly, gazing at Noah. “All the time.”
Noah stared into her eyes. “So. Pretend you weren’t listening to Bree. Would you like to go to Lofton tomorrow afternoon? They have a huge Founder’s Day celebration going on through tomorrow night. We’ve got to practice for a few hours after I get off from work. But if you’re not doing anything, you could come and listen before we take off?”
“Alright. I’d love to.” She looked at Bree and Phil. “What about you two? You don’t mind if we don’t do our usual Sunday movie, Bree?”
“Nope,” Phil answered instead of Bree. “In fact if Noah wasn’t free, I was going to ask if you minded if I came along with the two of you tomorrow.”
Mia answered, “That would have been fine, as long as Bree didn’t mind.”
“It looks like the four of us might be spending some time together this summer, but you and Noah need to have a real date, like Bree and I had tonight.”
Mia smiled, looking at Noah.
He grinned and winked.
13
The next afternoon, Mia was pacing the kitchen, waiting for Noah to arrive and pick her up, while Amanda sat at the kitchen table, searching through messages on her computer.
Looking at Mia with a grin, Amanda said dryly, “You’re going to wear out the wood floor.”
Mia bit her lip. “Do I look alright, Amanda?”
She was wearing a short jean skirt paired with a t-shirt and vest and was carrying a lined jean jacket over her arm. The weather had cooled off again today, and it was around sixty, which was the temperature of a typical spring Wisconsin day.
Amanda stood up, laying her hands over Mia’s shoulders. “You look beautiful. I can’t believe you’re almost seventeen, and this is your first real date.”
Mia huffed out a breath. “Yep. I don’t consider the dates that Dad arranged for me with some of his friends’ sons actual dates.”
Amanda definitely looked concerned. “I’m going to have a talk with your dad about all of this if he ever gets back. Why didn’t you mention this to me before? Where was I when this was going on?”
Mia’s gaze dropped to the floor. “It’s been happening on the vacation trips I’ve been taking with Dad. Last summer in St. Louis for one, and then a few months earlier in Florida, during spring break of my Sophomore year.”
Mia heard Amanda mutter under her breath, “How much money does he need to have to make himself happy?”
The doorbell rang.
Tears were in Amanda’s eyes. “Okay. Sounds like your Noah’s finally here. I’m glad he’s using his grandparents’ truck. I don’t want to have to explain to your dad why I let you go off with a boy on a motorcycle. Remember, you’re like a daughter to me, Mia. Don’t forget that, whatever happens in the future.”
Mia’s eyes went wide. “Why?”
“Because I don’t know what your dad will do when I tell him just how upset I am with him.” Amanda kissed her on the forehead. “But don’t let that worry you. I have a lot of money put away. I’ll be fine whatever happens. But I’ve needed to sit down and have a deep discussion with him for a while now. And sending you on dates and using you to aid in his business dealings is the final straw.”
Mia had always suspected there was something romantic going on between her dad and Amanda. In fact, when she’d been younger, Mia has secretly hoped they would end up married. But they argued a lot, and each time Dad went away on business, it seemed to be for a longer period of time since they’d moved to Wisconsin.
Approaching the front door, Mia opened it, and her eyes went wide, because Noah was carrying flowers in his hand. There was something about th
e look in his eyes, and the intensity in his expression that made her want to cry.
No one had ever brought her flowers before. She’d gone to a few dances back in junior high where she’d been given a wrist corsage, but that didn’t count.
He smiled, handing them over. “You look great.”
“Thank you.” She held the bouquet to her nose, inhaling the fragrance of miniature lavender roses. They’d lived close to a flower shop in Chicago, and Mia had loved going inside and asking questions. Dad had weekly orders going out to his regular customers and Mia got to choose what he sent. Back in those days, she’d spent a lot of time with her dad and Amanda because she’d gone to three different schools. Every time Dad’s business began growing, they moved to a more exclusive neighborhood, and the older she became, the harder it had been to make friends. But she loved it here in Crystal Rock, because she and Bree had hit it off right away.
Noah looked great himself, dressed in his usual dark jeans, this time wearing a button-down shirt under his black leather jacket.
Mia heard a click coming from the kitchen and glanced at Noah to see if he’d noticed Amanda was taking pictures, before turning back to Amanda and glaring.
Amanda ignored her. “Noah. You don’t mind if I get a shot of you with Mia?”
Noah laughed. “No. Not at all.”
Amanda said, “Get closer to Mia.”
Noah wrapped his arm over her shoulders, like he seemed to be fond of doing. He still hadn’t kissed her, and it was kind of driving Mia nuts. Noah, Phil and Bree had stuck around until midnight last night, just talking, and finally left because Bree was expected home. They’d all walked together until reaching the driveway, where Noah had given her a hug before getting into his grandparents’ truck and driving away.
Amanda took a few extra shots, and finally put down her phone. “Okay. What time can I expect you home?”
Mia shrugged, looking at Noah. “Are you working tomorrow?”
“Yes. But it won’t be too busy on a Monday.” Noah turned to Amanda. “Would eleven be alright?”
