startle you, Laura. Are you comfortable?”
Sort of, but definitely not now that you asked me! “Could you just tell me what this is all about?”
“Yes, sorry.” He reaches into his desk. “I received a call from someone who saw your performance at the Guchenberg.”
My heart pounds. Oh shit. Someone saw me making out with David on that table and what we did was a biohazard because they were going to lay food out on it! “Is that so?” I try to keep my voice nonchalant.
“Yes. They want you to perform at a Christmas charity dinner in two weeks.”
It takes a moment for the words to sink in. Unfortunately, during that moment he keeps talking.
“I know it’s the week before finals, but if you think you can work it, it will be a fantastic opportunity.” He slides the paper he retrieved from his drawer across the the top of the desk. “They’re offering $2,000.”
“$2,000?”
He nods.
“How long is the concert?”
“You’re not the only one performing, so only twenty minutes.”
My heart speeds up as I do a quick calculation. “Oh my god, that’s like $500 each for a twenty minute set?”
“No. It’s $2,000 for a twenty minute set. The rest of Bruigh na Boinne are not involved. They only wanted you.”
I grab the page. “This doesn’t make sense,” I whisper, but it’s all there on paper. The charity is to benefit children’s leukemia, and only my name is on the paper. Laura . “Do they really want me to sing? I’m not even a singer.”
“Well, I think they want you to play the cello too. They wanted a mix of what you did with Bruigh na Boinne, but have also requested a few specific ones. You’ll have to change the arrangements for the Bruigh na Boinne, songs, of course.”
I set the paper down on my lap and look up. “I don’t understand why they’d want only me.”
Professor Cade shrugs. “I can’t answer that, though I think this will be a good opportunity for you. A lot of your confidence comes from being able to perform with the other girls.”
“Thanks for pointing that out.”
He smiles. “So I think it would be good for you to stand on your own. What do you want me to tell them?”
I glance down, realizing that all this time I’ve been nervously folding the corner of the page. Strange. I didn’t notice that before. David’s words come back to haunt me. How did he see you? He sounds like a stalker . And, He was probably there that night. You might have even seen him .
I remember the intensity of that strange man’s blue eyes and shiver. That’s impossible, Laura. Why would he ask for you after all this time? Stop engaging in these masochistic fantasies. Still, I ask, “Who asked for me?”
“Oh, right.” Professor Cade searches through a few drawers for a piece of paper. “It’s around here somewhere.”
It feels like an hour passes before he finds it. “Here’s the name of the performance coordinator.”
I glance at the small business card. It’s pale blue and has a picture of a big, happy daffodil in the corner. Beatrice Miller . A woman’s name, not a man’s. “Was she the one who saw me at the Guchenberg?”
“I don’t think so, but she’s in charge of coordinating the event. She said you’re free to contact her with any questions.”
I fist the business card and stuff it in my pocket. “No, that’s alright.” I take a deep breath and swallow. “I think I’ll take it.”
Chapter 7
The night of the charity concert comes faster than I could have ever imagined. Between practicing for my twenty minute set and finals, I have no free time. David has been amazingly supportive. Then again, maybe he’s just giving me the space I need to think everything over. I get a rush every time I see him. Heat fills my cheeks as I remember that day in his room, the strength of his hands as they hold back my legs, the soft, warmth of his tongue as he kisses me so sweetly and so agonizingly that I fall apart in his arms.
He hasn’t made a move on me
Sort of, but definitely not now that you asked me! “Could you just tell me what this is all about?”
“Yes, sorry.” He reaches into his desk. “I received a call from someone who saw your performance at the Guchenberg.”
My heart pounds. Oh shit. Someone saw me making out with David on that table and what we did was a biohazard because they were going to lay food out on it! “Is that so?” I try to keep my voice nonchalant.
“Yes. They want you to perform at a Christmas charity dinner in two weeks.”
It takes a moment for the words to sink in. Unfortunately, during that moment he keeps talking.
“I know it’s the week before finals, but if you think you can work it, it will be a fantastic opportunity.” He slides the paper he retrieved from his drawer across the the top of the desk. “They’re offering $2,000.”
“$2,000?”
He nods.
“How long is the concert?”
“You’re not the only one performing, so only twenty minutes.”
My heart speeds up as I do a quick calculation. “Oh my god, that’s like $500 each for a twenty minute set?”
“No. It’s $2,000 for a twenty minute set. The rest of Bruigh na Boinne are not involved. They only wanted you.”
I grab the page. “This doesn’t make sense,” I whisper, but it’s all there on paper. The charity is to benefit children’s leukemia, and only my name is on the paper. Laura . “Do they really want me to sing? I’m not even a singer.”
“Well, I think they want you to play the cello too. They wanted a mix of what you did with Bruigh na Boinne, but have also requested a few specific ones. You’ll have to change the arrangements for the Bruigh na Boinne, songs, of course.”
I set the paper down on my lap and look up. “I don’t understand why they’d want only me.”
Professor Cade shrugs. “I can’t answer that, though I think this will be a good opportunity for you. A lot of your confidence comes from being able to perform with the other girls.”
“Thanks for pointing that out.”
He smiles. “So I think it would be good for you to stand on your own. What do you want me to tell them?”
I glance down, realizing that all this time I’ve been nervously folding the corner of the page. Strange. I didn’t notice that before. David’s words come back to haunt me. How did he see you? He sounds like a stalker . And, He was probably there that night. You might have even seen him .
I remember the intensity of that strange man’s blue eyes and shiver. That’s impossible, Laura. Why would he ask for you after all this time? Stop engaging in these masochistic fantasies. Still, I ask, “Who asked for me?”
“Oh, right.” Professor Cade searches through a few drawers for a piece of paper. “It’s around here somewhere.”
It feels like an hour passes before he finds it. “Here’s the name of the performance coordinator.”
I glance at the small business card. It’s pale blue and has a picture of a big, happy daffodil in the corner. Beatrice Miller . A woman’s name, not a man’s. “Was she the one who saw me at the Guchenberg?”
“I don’t think so, but she’s in charge of coordinating the event. She said you’re free to contact her with any questions.”
I fist the business card and stuff it in my pocket. “No, that’s alright.” I take a deep breath and swallow. “I think I’ll take it.”
Chapter 7
The night of the charity concert comes faster than I could have ever imagined. Between practicing for my twenty minute set and finals, I have no free time. David has been amazingly supportive. Then again, maybe he’s just giving me the space I need to think everything over. I get a rush every time I see him. Heat fills my cheeks as I remember that day in his room, the strength of his hands as they hold back my legs, the soft, warmth of his tongue as he kisses me so sweetly and so agonizingly that I fall apart in his arms.
He hasn’t made a move on me
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