more, but their professor walked into the room. “We’ll talk later,” he whispered.
She nodded in response.
Lorna entered the choir room a few minutes early, hoping to get her music organized before class began. She noticed Evan standing by the bulletin board across the room. She hated to admit it, but he was fun to be around. Could he be growing on her?
When she took a seat at the piano and peeked over the stack of music, she saw Vanessa Brown step up beside Evan. “Are the names posted for the choir solos yet?” the vivacious redhead asked. “I sure hope I got the female lead.” She looked up at Evan and batted her lashes. “Maybe you’ll get the male lead, and then we can practice together. Our voices would blend beautifully, don’t you think?”
Oh please
, Lorna groaned inwardly. The omelet she’d eaten for breakfast that morning had suddenly turned into a lump in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t like the sly little grin Evan was wearing, either. He was up to something, and it probably meant someone was in for a double dose of his teasing.
Evan stepped in front of Vanessa, blocking her view of the board. She let out a grunt and tugged on his shirtsleeve. “I can’t see. What’s it say?”
Evan held his position, mumbling something Lorna couldn’t quite understand.
“Well?” Vanessa shouted. “Are you going to tell me what it says or not?”
He scratched the back of his head. “Hmm …”
“What is it? Let me see!”
Evan glanced over at Lorna, but she quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be absorbed in her music.
When she lifted her head, Lorna saw Vanessa slide under Evan’s arm, until she was facing the bulletin board. She studied it for several seconds, but then her hands dropped to her hips and she whirled around. “That just figures!” She marched across the room and stopped in front of the piano, shooting Lorna a look that could have stopped traffic on the busy Seattle freeway. “I hope you’re satisfied!”
Lorna was bewildered. “What are you talking about?”
“Professor Burrows chose
you
for the female solo!” Vanessa scowled at Lorna. “Just because you’re older than the rest of us and play the piano fairly well shouldn’t mean you get special privileges.”
Lorna creased her forehead so hard she felt wrinkles form. “Why would you say such a thing?”
“The professor doesn’t think you can do any wrong. She’s always telling the class how mature you are and how you’re the only one who ever follows directions.”
Lorna opened her mouth to offer some kind of rebuttal, but before she got a word out, Evan’s deep voice cut her off. “Now wait a minute, Vanessa. Lorna got the lead part for only one reason.”
Vanessa turned to face Evan, who stood at her side in front of the piano. “And that would be?”
“This talented woman can not only play the piano, but she can sing. Beautifully, I might add.” He cast Lorna a sidelong glance, and she felt the heat of a blush warm her cheeks.
Vanessa’s dark eyes narrowed. “Are you saying
I
can’t sing?”
“I don’t think that’s what he meant,” Lorna interjected.
Vanessa slapped her hand on the piano keys with such force that Lorna worried the Baldwin might never be the same. “Let the man speak for himself!” She whirled around to face Evan. “Or does the cute little blond have you so wrapped around her finger that you can’t even think straight? It’s obvious you’re smitten with her.”
Evan opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but Vanessa cut him off. “Don’t try to deny it, Evan Bailey! I’ve seen the way you and Lorna look at each other.” She sniffed deeply. “Is she trying to rob from the cradle, or are you looking for a mother figure?”
Evan’s face had turned crimson. “I think this discussion is over,” he said firmly.
“That’s right—let’s drop it,” Lorna agreed.
Vanessa glared at Evan. “Be a good boy now, and do what Mama Lorna
She nodded in response.
Lorna entered the choir room a few minutes early, hoping to get her music organized before class began. She noticed Evan standing by the bulletin board across the room. She hated to admit it, but he was fun to be around. Could he be growing on her?
When she took a seat at the piano and peeked over the stack of music, she saw Vanessa Brown step up beside Evan. “Are the names posted for the choir solos yet?” the vivacious redhead asked. “I sure hope I got the female lead.” She looked up at Evan and batted her lashes. “Maybe you’ll get the male lead, and then we can practice together. Our voices would blend beautifully, don’t you think?”
Oh please
, Lorna groaned inwardly. The omelet she’d eaten for breakfast that morning had suddenly turned into a lump in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t like the sly little grin Evan was wearing, either. He was up to something, and it probably meant someone was in for a double dose of his teasing.
Evan stepped in front of Vanessa, blocking her view of the board. She let out a grunt and tugged on his shirtsleeve. “I can’t see. What’s it say?”
Evan held his position, mumbling something Lorna couldn’t quite understand.
“Well?” Vanessa shouted. “Are you going to tell me what it says or not?”
He scratched the back of his head. “Hmm …”
“What is it? Let me see!”
Evan glanced over at Lorna, but she quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be absorbed in her music.
When she lifted her head, Lorna saw Vanessa slide under Evan’s arm, until she was facing the bulletin board. She studied it for several seconds, but then her hands dropped to her hips and she whirled around. “That just figures!” She marched across the room and stopped in front of the piano, shooting Lorna a look that could have stopped traffic on the busy Seattle freeway. “I hope you’re satisfied!”
Lorna was bewildered. “What are you talking about?”
“Professor Burrows chose
you
for the female solo!” Vanessa scowled at Lorna. “Just because you’re older than the rest of us and play the piano fairly well shouldn’t mean you get special privileges.”
Lorna creased her forehead so hard she felt wrinkles form. “Why would you say such a thing?”
“The professor doesn’t think you can do any wrong. She’s always telling the class how mature you are and how you’re the only one who ever follows directions.”
Lorna opened her mouth to offer some kind of rebuttal, but before she got a word out, Evan’s deep voice cut her off. “Now wait a minute, Vanessa. Lorna got the lead part for only one reason.”
Vanessa turned to face Evan, who stood at her side in front of the piano. “And that would be?”
“This talented woman can not only play the piano, but she can sing. Beautifully, I might add.” He cast Lorna a sidelong glance, and she felt the heat of a blush warm her cheeks.
Vanessa’s dark eyes narrowed. “Are you saying
I
can’t sing?”
“I don’t think that’s what he meant,” Lorna interjected.
Vanessa slapped her hand on the piano keys with such force that Lorna worried the Baldwin might never be the same. “Let the man speak for himself!” She whirled around to face Evan. “Or does the cute little blond have you so wrapped around her finger that you can’t even think straight? It’s obvious you’re smitten with her.”
Evan opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but Vanessa cut him off. “Don’t try to deny it, Evan Bailey! I’ve seen the way you and Lorna look at each other.” She sniffed deeply. “Is she trying to rob from the cradle, or are you looking for a mother figure?”
Evan’s face had turned crimson. “I think this discussion is over,” he said firmly.
“That’s right—let’s drop it,” Lorna agreed.
Vanessa glared at Evan. “Be a good boy now, and do what Mama Lorna
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