Page 76 of Forbidden Whispers
Back at her apartment, Maggie sat on her bed and puffed in frustration. Most of the contents of her closet and dresser drawers were strewn across the bed and floor. Boon had already attempted several of his doggie hugs—as she now thought of them—but he had finally given up and was lying on the bed beside her, regarding the disarray.
“Don’t judge me!” she said, meeting his watchful brown gaze. “I need to find something that’s nice but not too nice. Comfortable yet classy. Something that says non-date, but...date?
“Whatever!” she said, and made her choice. “Just because it’s not a date doesn’t mean I can’t feel pretty.” She picked up a white, pleated skort off the floor and paired it with a clingy black top with a flattering sweetheart neckline. In the bathroom, she touched up the spiraling curls that bounced around her shoulders and freshened up her makeup. She studied her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were bright.
“You know what?” she said to the dog who had trailed in behind her. “If this is my last night with him, at least I can play my part with class,” she said with a lift of her chin.
Just then, there was a rhythmic tapping at her door.
Boon gave a bark and followed her as she hurried to peer through her front door peephole. It was Noah, right on time.
She swung the door wide, and Boon danced around in happy circles, jumping up on Noah in greeting. “Down, boy,” he laughed. Maggie noted that Noah’s smoky gray eyes were brighter than usual as he looked at her.
“You look really pretty, Maggie,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said, hoping that there was no way he could hear how much faster her heart beat at the compliment.
Noah looked gorgeous as always. The bruises on his fine-cut jawline and handsome face had faded a bit over the past few days. And she loved the way his milk chocolate curls always broke free from his attempts to tame them, swirling on top of his head and behind his ears. As he led the way out of her apartment, she noted how his pale blue polo shirt accentuated the sun-kissed tan of his skin, and how the black jeans he wore nicely followed the long lines of his muscular thighs to the curve of his... She jerked her eyes to the back of his head. We’re just friends. Get a grip, Milena.
There was a strange energy about him tonight, she observed as they got into his car. She wondered if he was picking up on her own nervousness. “Tell me about your students that will be performing tonight,” she said, partly to distract herself and partly because she wanted to know more about this side of him.
“Well, there’s Ben, who you met this morning. He’s fifteen and he’s participated in the JAMZ program for about five years,” Noah said, pulling out onto the road. “He’s being raised by a single mom, his father is in prison. His mom has told us over and over again what a lifesaver this program has been for him. Sometimes, even when these kids are only elementary school age, they can start getting into real trouble. And Ben was headed down that path. His mom likes to say that music saved him.”
He shared stories about several of his other students, many of whom shared a similar story in that they came from single parent households.
Maggie was touched by the passion she saw in Noah as described them all to her.
“It’s clear how much you really care for these kids,” she said.
“I do,” Noah admitted, pulling into the coffee shop parking lot. “It’s always gratifying to discover kids with talent like Ben’s. But it’s more than that. I want to be a part of shifting the perception that making music is only for musicians. It’s for everyone.”
“I like that,” Maggie said, smiling at him.
He got out of the car and ran around to open her door for her, before letting Boon out. Always the gentlemen.
Her gaze swept the crowded parking lot. “Wow, I wonder if we’ll still be able to get a good table like you planned. It’s so crowded already!”
The corner of his mouth lifted and there was an inexplicable glimmer in his eyes. “I think we’ll be all right.”
It was a warm summer evening, with just the hint of a breeze. The sun was on its downward trajectory toward the horizon and the overhead sky was a vibrant blend of oranges and fuchsia pink. A small platform was set up with a stool and microphone, and Maggie could see a sound system set up behind it. On the outside patio, Olivia had arranged tables in a loose semi-circle around the platform with tiny candles flickering on each of them. Twinkly lights were draped around the perimeter, adding to the magic of the scene.
Most of the tables were already taken and small clusters of people stood chatting together. As they approached the patio, Noah was immediately swarmed by a group of teens. He made so many introductions that Maggie’s head was spinning with names and smiling faces.
“And last but not least, this is Ani, Hugo’s daughter,” Noah said after hugging a beautiful dark-haired Latina girl.
“Hi!” the girl greeted Maggie with a bright smile, then she was distracted by Boon who was sitting quietly by Maggie’s side.
“Oooh! I love your dog, Mr. R.! Have I met him before? There’s something familiar about him.” She ran her hands over the silky fur of the dog’s gold-and-black head. Then she leaned over to give his back a thorough two-handed scratch, which caused Boon to lean against her in appreciation.
“Nope, I just found him a few days ago,” Noah said.
“Hmmm, I feel like I know him from somewhere. I’m sure I’ll think of it,” she said. Then she stood back up she returned her attention to Maggie. “So, are you Mr. R.’s girlfriend?”
Maggie laughed awkwardly. “No, no, we’re just friends.”
“Too bad,” Ani said with a toss of her dark hair. “He could really use a nice lady in his life.”
“Ani!” Noah cried.