The Low Notes (26 page)

“
God, Kevin,” her words were breaths coated in exasperation. “Does it matter?”

With softer eyes he lowered his head shamefully but Nina wasn’t done. Her irritation with him was pushing her far enough over the edge to make her use anything she had against him. All she wanted was to pull him out of himself and help him realize the truth.

“
You know it’s too bad Todd sucked at being my boyfriend because at least he’s fighting for me. He’s doing everything he can think of, good, bad or crazy, to try and show me he cares.”

Kevin looked as though he’d been stabbed in the chest as he shut his eyes in a wince. Nina tried not to look at him, knowing what she said had hurt him. But what would it take?

She knew James was watching her, she could feel eyes on her back.

“
But Todd's the only guy who ever hurt me so badly he could never make up for it. He’s the
only
guy who could never win me back,” she whispered. She turned from him and started walking back to James’s car, holding in threatening tears.

“
Let’s go home,” she said to James, opening the passenger side door.

Todd looked at her closely. “I guess we can talk later?”

She nodded and closed herself in the car while James sat silent for a moment. Nick leaned forward from the backseat.

“
Did you have a good birthday?” he asked.

Nina forced a smile and nodded. He was a sweet guy and as a new friend, he’d done a lot for her to make her birthday special. Nick smiled at her and she sensed he knew she was lying.

“
Are you trying to start rumors?” James whispered.

“
James!”

His hands flew off the wheel for a moment in defense. “Just saying.”

“
Well I don’t need you to
just say
anything else, okay?” she growled quietly.

Although she woke with a smile to a day she’d been waiting for to change something within her, she cried herself to sleep that night. Eighteen had done nothing for her. Same life, same loneliness and as far as she could tell, same Kevin. She wondered what else he could be waiting for.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

“
This place is pretty nice. You say she’s been singing here for a while?” Todd asked, glancing at James as he took a sip of his soda. James resisted making a rude face at Todd. He’d been trying to be nicer lately, a feat that proved to be challenging when it came to Todd. But nevertheless, the night was about supporting Nina. James’ feelings about Todd or Kevin weren’t going to keep him from being there for her while she did something she really loved. The Black Jewel was busy, only a few tables were empty and chatter filled the restaurant as the crowd waited for Nina and the Saturday night Jazz band to begin.

“
Yeah, she started singing here over the summer,” James replied, wondering if he’d been around late last summer if maybe Nina wouldn‘t have gotten involved with
that older guy
. Todd nodded and let his eyes scan the room, taking in the atmosphere.

“
Is that Mr. Reed?” Todd asked, signaling to a table near the back bar, shrouded in near pitch black. James’ eyes darted over to see him. Sure enough it was. He was sipping a beer and flipping through a stack of papers, sitting alone.

“
He--uh, he comes here sometimes. I saw him at the Halloween show,” James said. Suddenly he remembered that night. The way Mr. Reed let his eyes sit on Nina a little too long. James had met up with a good looking guy who graduated two years before for an impromptu make-out session and he hadn’t seen Nina after her set was over. He wondered what happened between them that night.

“
He’s a real dick,” Todd laughed.

“
What?” James and Nick asked in unison before glancing at each other sweetly.

“
He totally freaked out on me in class for forgetting a paper in my locker the other day. I used to think he was this quiet, regular guy, maybe even cool, but then he got all weird about this stupid assignment, almost like he was mad at me personally.”

James took another glimpse of Mr. Reed in the dark corner on the other side of the large space and fought to keep Nina’s secret inside. Then the lights dimmed on stage and the five members of the band took their places. Nina stepped out into the spotlight, a place she certainly belonged. Her raven hair was set in loose waves flowing around her perfectly porcelain face.

James looked at her dress and shook his head slightly, a reaction he didn’t want Todd or Nick to notice but one he couldn’t resist. It was the same dress she’d pulled out of the white box that had been left in her locker on her birthday. And her secret admirer was there to view her in the gift he’d given her.

The instruments began to play a soft tune and soon Nina let out the first sweet lyric. Todd sighed audibly hearing her sing the love song from the stage. Nick and James both looked over at Todd, seeing the dreamy look in his eye.

“
Um--Todd?” Nick started, holding in a laugh.

“
What?” he replied softly, his eyes not leaving the stage. A smile was lingering on Nina’s face but James knew it just the performance. He hoped she hadn’t seen Kevin in the back.

“
You know I keep carrying these around hoping one day she’ll want to put them on,” Todd said, pulling the black box out of his pocket and sitting it on the table. The earrings. Nick and James exchanged another look.

“
I thought she said she didn’t want those?” James asked.

“
She did. But I’m still holding out hope.”

“
That she’ll want the earrings or you?” James joked.

Todd let out a soft, thoughtful laugh, smiling at Nina still singing her song. “I guess love just makes me crazy, huh?”

“
Love?” Nick nearly shouted.

He finally let his eyes break away from Nina to look into two shocked faces. “I don’t know why I couldn’t realize it when I had her but that’s it guys. I think I love her.”

Nina finished and the room clapped for her until she started another song. The boys clapped for her the loudest, with whistles and hoots causing Nina to shoot them a look.

“
Todd, I think you should be careful about how you approach Nina with the earrings,” James warned.

“
Why? It’s not like there’s some other guy. It’s just a matter of time before she realizes what’s right in front of her,” he said with a smile. His delusional confidence made James want to vomit. If he only knew what he was up against.

Nina finished her set a half hour later and headed over to their table. She took a seat with them and saw something brewing in the looks between Nick and James.

“
What? Was I awful or something?” she asked.

“
No sweetie, you were great! We were just having a moment,” Nick said.

“
Really Nina, you were amazing. And you look ravishing,” Todd said with his voice smooth and cool.

“
Ravishing?! Have you been drinking?” she asked, having a laugh at him, stealing a sip of his drink teasingly.

James stood and Nick followed and they waited, staring at Todd for a moment.

“
We should head home, don’t you think Todd?” James asked forcibly.

He didn’t want Todd making more of an ass out of himself than he already had. And James didn’t want anyone mentioning the fact they'd seen Mr. Reed sitting in the back. Better Nina didn’t know.

“
Thanks for coming, you guys. It means a lot. I’ve got to get my check and pull my stuff together. I’ll see you later, okay?” she said, watching as Todd reluctantly stood.

James pulled on Todd’s arm. “Come on, lover boy,” he whispered into his ear. With that they headed out, leaving Nina at The Black Jewel, James praying she wouldn’t come across Kevin for her own good.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Nina stepped outside and took a glance up at the sky. She could see the clouds rolling fast over the full moon. There was the smell of rain in the air. She unlocked her car and started to get in when she heard her name. Popping her head up, she peeked over the roof of her car at the figure in the dark. Nina drew in a sharp breath as she made out his face. The chiseled cheekbones and the dark eyes, the day old stubble she found irresistibly sexy.

“
Hey,” she breathed. Kevin walked toward her and the moonlight bathed his skin in a violet hue.

“
Hi.”

“
Were you in there?” she asked, closing her door, walking around timidly to meet him on the other side of her car. She noticed she didn’t see his car in the lot. He must have walked.

Kevin nodded and smiled faintly. “You look beautiful.”

He looked her over carefully, studying the way the black satin clung to her. The way the black beads shimmered down one side of her, stopping along with the hem just above her knee.

“
Yeah, it’s a great dress. Earrings not required.”

The sky lit up in a flash of lightning that caused both Kevin and Nina to glance up. Thunder rolled in the distance a few seconds later. Nina felt herself growing hot, knowing Kevin’s eyes were now fixed on her. Everything unsaid between them had been building to this worrisome peak. Her heart had been crushed by him just months ago and yet each time she looked into his eyes, especially tonight, she was reminded just how much she still loved him.

“
It’s gonna rain. You want a ride?” she asked.

Kevin’s smile became more apparent. “Sure.”

The two of them got into Nina’s car and lightning flashed again as a purple crack in the sky. The thunder was closer then, booming loudly. Nina put the key in the ignition and tried to start the car. The engine hummed and screeched. She tried again.

“
Shit,” Nina muttered as the car continued to deny her. She glanced at Kevin in the passenger seat and sighed.

“
I’ll take a look. Pop the hood,” he offered.

Kevin began looking around in the guts of the car, twisting knobs and jiggling wires and Nina started to question whether or not he knew what he was doing. She was standing next to him anxiously tapping one high-heeled foot. Being near him was more difficult than she imagined and she regretted offering him the ride. There was a lot she regretted. The lightning was getting brighter, more aggressive with the thunder coming quicker behind the flashes. It was only a matter of time.

Suddenly he stood straight and looked her in the eye. She stared back at him with a look of exasperation and confusion.

“
I made a mistake,” he blurted.

The sky lit up above them and Kevin closed the hood of her car. He came toward her and her breath quickened.
Don’t give in Nina
, she thought. Her eyes fluttered as the wind picked up and whipped the tendrils of her hair around her face. Her lips pressed together in a thin line, the devil on her shoulder forcing her to stay quiet so Kevin could go on.

“
I can‘t keep passing you in the halls and not know when the next time is I‘ll get to touch you. I can‘t continue to be jealous of high school boys to the point where I want to fail them out of spite. And I can‘t keep having the same conversation with you. The one where I always lie.” His voice was smooth and calm. He could have practiced it in a mirror for all Nina knew.

He’d gotten even closer to her, nearly pressed against her. He quieted himself and grabbed the hand that hung at her side. Their fingers interlaced and Nina felt a drop of rain hit her bare shoulder. Kevin reached up and smoothed over her hair then cupped her neck softly. A shiver ran down her spine as she was finally granted a wish she’d been begging for night after night. To be touched by Kevin again.

“
Forgive me, Nina. I’ve made
a lot
of mistakes,” he whispered as the rain started to fall on them. It was light and warm at first, almost soothing as it started to dampen their skin, hair and clothes. Nina’s worries started to fly away on the wind. She tried to hold onto them for protection but his skin against hers and the impending storm that threatened their moment stripped her of her fears and she gave in.

His head started dipping down and he stared at her parted lips and for the first time, Nina didn’t see the painful look in his eyes he’d worn for the past several months. She felt his hot breath tickling her face and then she felt the words as three little puffs of air on her lips.

“
I love you,” he said as he pressed his mouth against hers, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Thunder boomed loudly, almost shaking the ground below them and they pulled away from each other, staring into one another’s eyes. A smile grew on Nina’s face.

****

He watched as she bent over and hooked her fingers into the back of each of her shoes, slipping them off then holding them in one hand. His eyes narrowed on her, wondering what she was up to and soon her free hand slid into his and she tugged.

Before he had a moment to think, they were running hand in hand down the sidewalk to his house, rain pouring over them. Lightning flashed and thunder roared, the storm getting closer. Soon they were drenched, standing on Kevin’s porch, out of breath and laughing at each other.

Nina slicked her hands over her hair, soaking wet and completely out of place. She laughed between huffs, catching her breath. Kevin did the same, chuckling at the absurdity of running through the pouring rain like carefree children. He shook his head like a shaggy dog, flicking water all around and on to Nina. She giggled, wiping the water from her face.