by Zrinka Jelic
Mark nodded to him. “Your little one’s growing so fast.”
“He sure is.” The young dad strapped the boy into the child’s seat then waved at her and Mark before he slipped behind the wheel.
“That’s one super cute baby.” Mark’s voice drew her gaze back to his face. “Maybe someday. What do you say?”
“Hmm?” By his casual tone, it wasn’t a question, but a statement. Was he joking? A baby? His and hers? What would it look like? That fantasy had played in her mind too, to the point she’d caught herself browsing the baby section in a department store. The thought spread warmth through her and she smiled. “Nothing would make me happier.”
A slow smile spread over his lips. “Really?”
She nodded. Oh, she could just see Dad’s disapproving face, but there were worse things she could do than this. “Well, it’s a huge decision that comes with immense responsibilities with no option to back out. There are many implications and standing here on the parking lot is not the place to discuss it.”
“Love, I said someday and maybe, not for sure tomorrow. But you’re right.” He brushed his fingers over her cheek, stopping at her lips. “I’m glad you’re open to the idea. We’ll talk more about it.”
God, I hope so. Well, at the rate they’d been going, that someday may be sooner than either of them thought.
With her stuff placed in her car, he turned to her and pulled her into another bear hug, then gave her a bye kiss that had her curling her toes in her sandals. Whoever was inside the gym’s lobby must’ve had a great display of the two of them through the glass door and a huge window. Hopefully, that would give any bitches that always hang around him a sign that he belonged to her now and to back off.
“I’ll see you tonight if not earlier.” With one last quick kiss, she slipped inside her car and slid the key into the ignition.
He waived and entered the gym. Scantily clad girls in gym shorts and tank tops, which should be classified as illegal, surrounded him at the door. A few of the women hugged him.
Neri sat in her car, hands gripping the steering wheel. Damnit, if she had any guts, she’d march straight in there and shove her tongue down his throat to show them all he belonged to her. Something his ex would’ve done then gloated when the other women’s faces dropped. Coward that Neri was, she exhaled, started the engine, then reversed from her parking spot. This was what she would have to learn to deal with, women blatantly flocking to him, ignoring her presence. Did he truly enjoy their attention or was it just an appearance of a good businessman? She hoped it was the latter.
Her cell dinged before she pulled into the back of the Crescendo Music School. The front of the building housed the store and the lot was reserved for the customers, which there were not many, judging by the number of the cars. She parked at the spot reserved for instructors, cut the engine and fished out her phone from the purse on the passenger’s seat. The screen displayed number one on the text message symbol from Mark. She tapped the icon and a row of arrow pierced hearts appeared, followed by will you have time for lunch? Goodness, he was impatient. Another tap on the text area and the keyboard appeared. Will let you know, still on the parking lot, she hit send.
With her sun shades on, she strutted toward the door and stepped inside the school.
The grayed haired woman behind the reception lowered her glasses to the top of her nose and scrutinized Neri’s face over the rim. “You look like you’ve been run over by a steamroller.”
Well, aren’t you a peach, Glenda. Neri smiled, pulled the glasses off and proceeded to check her schedule. “It’s already healing, just the bruising and even that has gone down too. I’ll be back to my former self in no time.” Her improved self, now that the beak of her nose had been fixed. She could hardly wait to see how her new schnauz fit her face. “Any delivery for me?”
“Yep, waiting for you in your classroom. We scheduled your three missed classes for today in addition to your regular four. If you can’t handle it, we’ll try to accommodate over the week. You have three new referrals, not bad if I may say so myself,” Glenda announced with her usual flat tone. Her typical beige outfit blended with her skin, making her more washed out.
Neri gave her the once over. Not bad? No other instructor brought in more students than her. Then her efforts and expertise was rewarded with a plain ‘not bad.’ She shook her head, dispelling the anger building inside her. Her new Viper violin arrived and nothing could put a damper on her. If she didn’t love her job, she’d quit on spot, however, she refused to give Glenda any reason to gloat. At thirty minutes per lesson, she should be out in three and a half hours. Which she’d spent trying not to cringe at every flat note kids played, that would result in an ear piercing screech. Listening to nails drag over the chalkboard would sound better, but she couldn’t complain about the money.
The last name on her list of today’s students caused her to smile. Kassandra was an advanced musician and the two of them played together during the lessons. The girl reminded her of herself throughout her teen years. While her peers obsessed over fashion, celebs and who was dating or cheating on who, she lived in her own world of music that only earned her scrutiny and sniggering behind her back. Kassandra suffered the same. Despite the social challenges, Kassandra was a musical prodigy and would soon surpass Neri’s skills.
Neri sent a quick text to Mark, letting him know she would be at his place around five, but regretfully wouldn’t have time to meet him for lunch.
His reply followed, full of sad faces, and busy as hell, most likely would skip lunch too.
“Ha,” she laughed, pocketing her phone. All that yummy food he’d packed in the cooler before leaving the house had her salivating. “The doctor who doesn’t follow his own advice.”
Her first student already waited inside the powder room sized classroom. Hard as it was, she had to tune Mark out and concentrate on the day’s work. After four lessons of beginners and intermediate classes, her ears burned and she was ready for a serious break. She stepped into the staff room and filled her cup with a stale, cold coffee. Anything would do to give her a kick and clear her head. As she stirred the sludge, images of Mark’s hands molding her body wouldn’t leave her head and she had hard time paying much attention to the kids’ playing. By the time she returned to the classroom, Kassandra played a few notes.
“Hey, girl, you’ve been practicing.” Neri placed her mug down and picked up her new violin, joining in with Kassandra’s play of a pop tune from a Disney movie.
Glenda popped her head inside the classroom. “Hey kiddo, the boss wants a word with you.”
Shit! Neri stopped playing. Was she in trouble for joining in the little jam with her student?
“Ladies,” the balding man said, stepping up to them. “How about you take a stage for a bit?”
What? Bill was offering her to play in the store on the small stage they had set up? This had never happened. Like ever. Stunned, she turned to Kassandra. “Would you like to play for a small audience?”
“We have a few people browsing around the store.” The boss’ meaty hand pointed at the door leading to the store part of the building. “Maybe you’ll spark them into actually buying something.”
Ah, so the truth comes out. Neri still searched Kassandra’s face. “What do you think?”
“I’d love to.” The young girl bounced on her feet. “And you can tryout your new Viper. I love its mauve color and glitter.”
“It’s a beauty.” Even with her teacher’s discount, the violin’s price maxed out her credit card, but Neri allowed herself so few indulgences. She followed Kassandra and her boss through the door.
He only nodded toward the shiny drums set in the corner, indicating the stage was theirs.
The onlookers sensed they could be in for an unexpected treat and started gathering in front of the podium while she plugged her and Kassandra’s violins with the amp.
“Which song would you’d like to do?” she asked Kassandra.
Neri’s eyebrows shot up. It wasn’t a particularly hard tune, but she wasn’t expecting Kassandra to play it so soon. But this pupil never ceased to surprise her. “Royals it is. Wanna lead?” Neri chose the amp setting and the rhythm for the song.
“No, you can.” Kassandra strapped her violin over her left shoulder, across her back and under her right arm.
Their audience pulled their phones out and recorded them. No doubt, they’d end up on social media.
Neri backed up, hoping to disappear into the shadows, her first public performance in a while and she looked like she’d collided with a freight train.
The song ended, earning an earnest applause from the small crowd, which seemed to grow by the end of the piece. Kassandra played an intro of the next song, Wake Me Up by Avicii. No way! That tune was a bit more complex, but Neri picked up and they carried on like pros. As she got lost in the music, she could swear the cash register rang a few times. The two of them carried on their unexpected performance, playing a few more popular songs, while drawing in an even bigger audience. Where were they coming from? By the end of the show, there had to have been at least close to a hundred people in the store.
A hard and long applause called them back to the podium and after they performed another song, Neri ushered Kassandra away and back into the school part of the building.
“Wow,” the girl gasped. “Wish I could do that every day.”
“Fun, wasn’t it?” Neri placed her violin back into its case. “Don’t let it go to your head. Preforming is a hard job.”
“I could do it. I know I can.”
“I have an opportunity for you. In two weeks my boyfriend’s mom is throwing a tea fundraising party.” Talking about her boyfriend sounded strange and would take some getting used to.
Kassandra’s mouth opened into an o shape. “Izzy Warren’s tea party? My mom attends her events all the time. Oh, my God, Mark’s your boyfriend? He’s a cutie and a sweetheart. I’d love to play with you!”
Wow, it was a small world. Or maybe the upper class in this small town formed a tight circle. The bell over the front door dinged and Neri nodded to the middle aged woman waiting in the lobby. “Your mom’s here. See you next week.”
“You bet.” Kassandra’s face beamed.
“Just practice…um…well, practice that’s all.” What could she say to her student? She didn’t teach her anything new today, yet they both learned a valuable lesson. They were both born to play.
Her thoughts returned to Mark and his promise to talk about a baby. Her chest squeezed. She must not get carried away thinking any of that would happen. Music was her real love. No, getting tied up in a serious relationship was not in her plans. Neither was having a child, no matter how hard she wished upon the star. Her violin never disappointed her, or made her cry, used her, stood her up, or treaded her badly. Those treatments she reserved for humans.
She did promise him a dinner, and that she could deliver. First, she needed to go shopping for the heels he wanted her to wear. That should be fun, considering she’d never owned a pair. Neri could almost feel the blisters.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Mark spotted Neri’s white car parked on his driveway as soon as he turned onto his street. The sight brought a smile to his face. He pressed his foot on the gas pedal harder, making his Jeep propel faster. He pulled into the double car garage, with enough space for her coupe, so she didn’t have to leave it outside overnight. Parking to the side instead in the center, felt a bit strange, since he hadn’t done it in almost a year. Old habits die hard.
He popped open the garage side door leading into the house, expecting to find Tag waiting for him with a toy in his mouth and wagging his tail expectantly, but the hallway stood empty. “Neri,” he called, scanning the house for Tag or her.
Silence greeted him.
Takeout food waited on the counter. The smells wafted as he inspected the containers. Still warm, she couldn’t have gone too far. A handwritten note stuck to the fridge by the magnet drew his attention. Forgot to charge my phone, need to stretch my legs, took Tag for a walk around the pond.
He would join her, as soon as he popped the food into the oven on the lowest heat setting to keep it warm. For a moment, he contemplated to change his high-top trainers for a pair of flip-flops, but decided to jog to the pond.
In a few minutes, he arrived to the two vertical black iron bars that marked the entrance to the footpath circling the small body of water. He crouched to tie his shoelace, as the parks and recs sign of things not allowed on the path flashed in front of his face. Good thing no one obeyed the leashed-dogs regulation. Neri could let Tag roam freely. The mutt knew to stick close by his human. A pair of neon pink and green sneakers entered his vision as someone towered over him.
“Hey, Mark, did you hire a dog walker?” A woman’s crude voice reached him.
He drew his gaze along skinny, white legs beneath wide hips in neon orange and pink shorts with yellow trim, to small bosoms and long face. The girl’s fake blonde hair was pulled into a tight ponytail. Music seeped from the earbuds hanging around her neck.
He pulled hard on the shoelaces. The frail end broke off and stayed in his hand. “Shit,” he muttered, disposing of the snapped end, then straightened and looked her in the eyes. “No.”
“I saw some girl walking your dog. Talk about a dog walking a dog.” She sniggered.
He waved his finger between him and the girl. “Sorry, but have we met?”
“I live in the area, work out in your gym.” She pulled her ponytail over her shoulder and combed her fingers though the tresses.
Ah, the paying customer who just insulted his girlfriend. So what? He cared about Neri more than this girl’s monthly membership fee. “She’s my girlfriend, and you calling her a dog pisses me off.”
The blonde pulled her sunglasses down, revealing her dark eyebrows and brown eyes.
Yep, he’d guessed it, her hair color came from a bottle.
“Her? Your girlfriend? I heard you became a real man whore since Brook left, but I didn’t think you’d hit that—much less date it.”
“What did you just say?” He took a threatening step toward her. A paying customer or not, he’d forgo her business, if she had audacity to insult Neri and him.
“Everyone knows you sleep with anything that comes your way, but I honestly thought there were some things you wouldn’t touch.” She took a step back, increasing the distance between them. Her voice and face soured.
“I haven’t slept with you, so I guess I’m not a whore.” Dammit, how had this reputation come about? A few blind dates he’d gone on could hardly qualify him as a man whore.
The girl pursed her lips and lowered her gaze at her sneakers.
“I see, still waiting your turn and bitter about it.” He didn’t need this aggravation. “You can tell your friends I’m not a single guy anymore.”
The girl’s eyes widened as in realization. “She’s that slob Ashley tapped on the nose, then the woman made it look like Ashley did something horrible to her.”
“Tapped? No, Ashley whacked her, causing a fracture. I was there, took her to the doctor. She had to have a surgery to fix the broken nose.” For the first time he wished a guy stood in front of him instead of this woman. Then he could freely throw a punch in his face. Sometimes, he wished his mom hadn’t raised a gentleman.
The corners of the girl’s lips dipped down and she shook her head, released a hissy breath and stuck the buds into her ears. “Whatever.” She resumed her slow pace jog, resembling prancing with some awkward hip movement that made her butt bounce in strange way.
He thought her body was sickly looking and disgusting. Mark continued down the unpaved footpath, taking slow steps to steady his breathing and get out of his foul mood. Damn people and their perceptions, he’d date whom he pleased not whom others think he should.
The sight of Neri bent over the dog a
nd petting Tag’s broad head calmed Mark’s anger. Her shapely legs in those black leotards and long top covering her taut ass gave him pause. He wouldn’t change her and didn’t care about anyone’s opinion. In an instant, he decided not to mention the incident with Ashley’s friend. Neri didn’t need to hear of that kind of negativity.
Tag’s ears perked up, the dog faced him, then bolted at him, rising on his hind legs to greet him.
Mark patted the dog’s side. “Whoa! Down boy. Have you taken good care of her?”
Neri approached with slow, seductive steps. “Yes, he’s been good for me. If I didn’t take him out, we’d have to order our dinner all over again.”
“Yeah, I forgot to mention to feed him.” He pulled her into a hug. Her sweet essence entered his senses, he couldn’t help it, he’d fallen hard for her. “Missed me? Give me a kiss.”
“Terribly.” She kissed him on the lips and leaned her head on his shoulder, looking at Tag. “I filled up his food bowl and gave him fresh water.”
Capturing her chin between his index finger and thumb, he pressed another kiss to her mouth. “Lucky pooch. How many scoops did you give him?”
She shrugged, upturning her bottom lip. “About three. Why? Was that too many or too few?”
“Too many. He may start to expect the same from me.” Mark chuckled, pulling her closer. “He lucked out today. I’m sure he’s in love with you.”
“As long as I didn’t totally spoil your dog, it’s all good.” She wrapped her arm around his waist and they continued along the path. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Yeah? Good I hope. I love surprises.”
“I think you’ll find this one explosive.”
He nudged her with his shoulder. “Give me a hint.”
“All I’ll say is that I went shoe shopping and…” she stretched out the syllable. “I got sidetracked and picked up something little extra.”
“Ooh, now I’m intrigued.” He sped up his steps. A seductive tone in her voice, one he hadn’t heard before, told him this surprise was the kind best served hot. Walking with their arms crossed over each other’s back proved cumbersome while trying to hurry up, so he let go of her waist and laced his fingers with hers. “How was your day?” he asked to pass the time.
