Play with Me (With Me in Seattle, #3)(19)

After a few moments, he’s still watching me.

“Do I have something on my face?” I ask dryly.

“No, you’re just so beautiful, with your auburn hair spilling down your back and pink lips parted. I like watching you. You love this, don’t you?”

“More than almost anything,” I respond truthfully. Music saved me when I was taken from Sylvia. It was my whole life in college.

“I’ve heard there’s a place here where you can get on stage,” Will comments casually and I grin.

“There is. No, I’m not getting on it,” I murmur before he can suggest it.

“Why?”

“Stage fright,” I reply and start to lead him away from the sculpture.

“Bullshit.” Will laughs and pulls me against him, his front to my back, and wraps his arms around my waist, kissing my head. “You’re not shy, sweetheart.”

“I just don’t want to.”

“I would love to hear you. Please?”

I sigh against him. I haven’t sung for anyone other than my patients since college. Since the band broke up and Leo left town.

“Maybe,” I mutter and he chuckles behind me.

“Let’s go find it. Before you change your mind.”

“It’s not far.”

We turn a corner, and sure enough, there it is. There’s a room with a stage boasting instruments, lights, even a sound machine that will emit applause and crowd sounds if you really want to feel like a rock star.

Because it’s the middle of the week, there aren’t many people wandering through the museum today, and this room is empty, which is unusual because most people love interactive exhibits.

“Go ahead. I’m dying here.”

I grin up at him and wrinkle up my nose, then gaze back at the stage.

“Why not?” I shrug and climb on stage. I grab an acoustic guitar, plug it into the amp and sit on a stool in the middle of the stage.

There’s suddenly a spotlight on me, and one of the museum employees waves at me and speaks into a mic. “You’re ready to go, miss.”

I nod and strum the guitar, making sure it’s in tune, and speak to Will through the mic.

“What do you want to hear, sir?”

Will laughs. “Whatever you know.”

“I know a lot.” I search through the library in my head and settle on one. “Okay, this one is called I Never Told You.”

I strum the guitar and clear my throat and murmur, “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Will laughs at me, his eyes happy and trained intently on me and I just smile and shake my head and continue playing the intro, and then start singing about a blue eyed boy whom I miss after all the things we’d been through. The song is sweet and a little sad, and reminds me a little of Leo, although I was never in love with Leo.

The song comes to an end. I open my eyes and look out at Will. His face is completely sober, his eyes unblinking and still trained on me. He’s leaned his elbows on his knees and isn’t moving.

Glancing around, it occurs to me that other patrons have filed in to listen to the song, and are now applauding, snapping me into the here and now. I smile and say thanks, put the guitar away and walk down the steps toward Will, who is now standing, waiting patiently for me.

“Come here,” he crooks his finger at me and I comply, walking to him.

He pulls me into his arms and off my feet, buries his face in my neck and holds on tight. I have no choice but to wrap my arms tightly around his neck.

“That was beautiful. Meg, why did you ever stop?” he asks as he sets me down, takes my hand and leads me out of the theater. If he hears the other patrons murmur about him being ‘Will Montgomery’ and snapping our photo with their cell phones, he pays them no mind.

“Leo left.” I shrug and feel a tug on my arm as Will stops dead in his tracks.

“Who the f*ck is Leo?”

“He was my best friend since I was twelve, and band mate. He’s five years older.”

“And you were in a band together?” Will asks, his voice no softer and I sigh.

“Yes, through college. We got pretty good. He decided to pursue a career in music down in LA and I chose to stay here to pursue nursing.” Of course, I leave out the part about Leo signing with a band behind my back and that he’s now the lead singer of one of the hottest bands in the freaking world.

“Do you really prefer nursing? Honey, you’re a fantastic musician.”

“Thank you.” I kiss his cheek as he holds my door open for me to climb into his car. When he joins me in the car I continue. “I love being a nurse, Will. I’m a damn good one.”

“I know you are.” He takes my hand in his and kisses my fingers before linking them with his and lays our hands in his lap. “I’m just surprised. With a voice like yours, you could go really far.”

“I’m where I need to be,” I say softly.

“Okay.” He winks at me and grins. “Thank you for singing for me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Are you hungry?” he asks. I check the time, and gasp.

“We spent all afternoon there! It’s almost dinner time. So, yeah, I’m hungry.”

“Wanna try burgers again?” he asks with a grin and I smirk.