What He Never Knew (What He Doesn't Know, #3)(8)

“At your house?”

The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them, heart jolting from a steady beat to a chaotic one in a nanosecond. It hurt, it was pounding against my rib cage so hard, and I fought the urge to soothe it with a hand against my chest.

Reese may have been a piano prodigy, and one I was lucky to work with, but he was still a man. He was still a much older, much larger, much stronger human being than I was.

I didn’t want to be alone in his house with him.

Reese lifted a brow. “Yes, my house. That’s where all my private lessons are held. Is that okay?”

My throat was dry. “I just assumed we’d be at the school.” Where my uncle is. Where other people are.

Where it’s safe.

“Oh my,” Uncle Randall said with a chuckle. “I’m sorry if I didn’t make that clear, dear. School is out soon for the summer, and we try not to have any tutoring done, outside of our students, with the school equipment. If I made an exception for you, I’d have to make one for many other students who are eager to learn within those walls. But, rest assured, I’ve heard nothing but incredible praise about Reese’s private lessons in his home.”

“Will you come with me?” I squeaked out, the panic I was trying to hide more and more evident the more I spoke. “Just for the first lesson. Please.”

Uncle Randall’s brows tugged together, and he and Reese shared a look before he smiled, reaching for me. His hand folded over my shoulder, and in that moment, in his eyes, I saw my father.

I didn’t flinch away.

“Of course,” he assured me. “That would be okay, right, Reese?”

Reese nodded. “Absolutely. No problem at all.” He watched me a moment, rolling his lips together. “You know, I wouldn’t mind giving lessons at the school. If that would make you feel more comfortable.”

“No, no,” I assured him, embarrassment kicking in at my need for special treatment. “Whatever you already do, let’s do that. You’re already doing me a huge favor by agreeing to work with me when I’m sure you’re very busy.”

Reese chuckled. “I assure you, I’m far from busy — especially once school lets out. But, if you’re okay with working at my home, it’s where I’m most comfortable. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you feel the same.”

I stole a steadying breath at his words, oxygen finally making its way into my lungs.

He’s not my wolf. He’s not like him.

Breathe.

It was a little easier to do, now that I knew my uncle would be with us. I didn’t know why the news of our lessons being at Reese’s house took me by surprise, why it shocked me so. Even if we were at the school, I knew we’d have to be alone together. I knew I’d have to trust him as my teacher to respect me and my space.

I just didn’t know how to do that, not now that that trust had been obliterated by the last man to have it.

“It was very nice to meet you,” Reese said after a moment, a small crease between his brows as he watched me. “If you’ll excuse me, I should get ready for my next set,” he said, nodding toward the piano.

“Oh, of course, we didn’t want to hold you up too long. We’re really enjoying watching you play. My niece here,” Uncle Randall said, chuckling a little as he leaned in closer to Reese. “She was crying, she was so moved by the first—”

I cleared my throat, neck so hot I could fry an egg on it as I grabbed my uncle’s arm. “You heard him, Uncle Randall, he needs to get back to playing. Let’s go to our table.”

Reese smirked, his eyes watching me in that same curious way they had the first time he’d locked them on me from across the room.

And again, I wanted to shrink away.

“Thank you for the compliment,” he said simply, and I fought against the urge to groan out loud in embarrassment. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow, Mr. Henderson,” he said to my uncle first, and then he glanced at me once more. “And you, Tuesday evening, I believe?”

“Mm-hmm,” I managed.

Reese smiled again. “Have a good evening, Miss Henderson. Welcome to Pittsburgh.”

And with one last nod to my uncle, the ghost weaved his way through the shadows and back to his home.





Reese



Two years.

It had been almost two years to the day since Charlie Pierce showed up at my house and told me she was staying with her husband, that our love couldn’t be, that Cameron was her choice, and I was not.

Two years, and I still ached every time I thought of her.

Two years, and I still dreaded the fact that she was back to school today after having been gone the entire semester for maternity leave.

Two years, and I still wanted to run to her and pull her into my arms and beg her to be mine.

I was pathetic.

That was a fact I couldn’t escape, and somewhere along the line I think I’d decided to embrace it. After three months had passed, and I was still a mess, I thought she would just be a little harder to get over than I imagined. After six months, I fell into despair. After the first year, I imagined I had to be getting close to a breakthrough.

But it had been two years. And at this point, I’d come to the conclusion that this was just how my life would be now.