“More than okay, babe. Come inside and look at the songs we’re talking about.” Ray stepped into the hall. He took in the scene but seemed to realize there was no romantic vibe to it. “You can pick the ones you’re most comfortable with. Since you said you can read music, does that mean you can play an instrument?”
“I never tried to sing for my supper, obviously, but played in a few girl bands, back when they were the thing. I can hold my own on the piano, guitar, trumpet in a pinch. But I’m really rusty. It was a long time ago. Back in the fifties actually.” I laughed when Ray suddenly hauled me inside.
“Are you shittin’ me? You’re a musician?” Ray couldn’t shut his mouth, gaping at me, his hand in mine as he dragged me across the floor to the stage again.
“Hey, don’t look so surprised. I’ve had plenty of time to learn quite a few things, you know. And I love music. Always have. Since I couldn’t sing, I had to do something besides just sit around and listen.”
He plunked me down on his piano bench. “Show me. Here.” He shoved a sheet of music in front of me. “We found some old tunes in the piano bench. Valdez says you like Broadway stuff. It’s not what I’d want for the showcase, but good enough for a demo here. Play a little of that.” He turned around. “Hey, Sin, come give a listen. You’re not going to believe this.”
I glanced at the sheet music. It was an old show tune from a Broadway hit, the fifties classic Brigadoon. “Almost Like Being in Love” was a song I knew very well. I didn’t even have to look at the music. I’d played it often for Jerry when we’d had access to a piano. Anything Scottish did it for him. He had a great voice and he liked to sing to me. I’d been forced to sit and listen, playing his accompanist and adoring fan. What a cool surprise if I could sing it for him when he came home. He had a piano in his house that had come furnished. We’d been busy ever since we’d gotten to Austin. Too busy for one of our musical evenings. And wasn’t that an interesting thought. I loved Austin but it seemed like I’d had a lot of problems since I’d moved here. Jerry too.
I realized the room had gone completely still when I started playing the opening notes. I did a few flourishes just because I could. Sienna and Ray grinned and high-fived each other. They settled down again when I began to sing.
I imagined how Jerry and I could sing to each other like the two lovers had done in the play I’d seen on Broadway when I’d lived in New York decades ago. I did put my heart into the song. I always had. Music meant as much to me as it did to Ray and I was glad it showed. When I finished, everyone clapped and I ducked my head, embarrassed.
I’d gotten so carried away by the music, I’d almost forgotten there was anyone else in the room. I hoped it would work that way Halloween. It would help me get through the performance in front of a crowd.
Ray laughed, sliding onto the bench next to me to go through a sheaf of other music. He was beside himself with my musical ability, talking a mile a minute about possible tunes. I wanted him to slow down and let me think. I had some ideas and needed to hit the Internet, to look up songs that might work with my own agenda. When I whispered a possible song title, Ray called Sienna over to discuss it with her, picking up his phone to find a demo on YouTube.
I glanced up and saw Aggie’s sneer. She was furious. She mouthed, “Show-off.” I nodded and smiled, stroking the keys in a little musical taunt. Why not? If you’ve got it, flaunt it. I should have known better.
Eleven
I woke up the next evening with my schedule buzzing in my brain. I would head to Ian’s as soon as possible but I wasn’t going to spend much time there. I had to hit my shop and check on inventory and see if I could scrounge up a costume for Halloween in case my mother didn’t come through.
I didn’t have time to worry about my new vampire and had left her in Danny’s capable hands. He knew not to let her be alone with mortals and was strong enough to physically control her if she got a bad case of bloodlust. Still, I did need to check in on her. Of course I’d see her at rehearsals. Another piece of my double-stuffed night.
I rolled out of my comfy bed and smelled coffee. Yes, Valdez was in the apartment and making his own meal. We needed to talk. Sure, she had some creepy creatures around her, but if Mel had bought the breakup story, then I could hope she would back off with the threats. At the very least, with her reputation to think about, the woman wouldn’t come at me with an audience. I could see the headlines: “Life coach melts down with own life in chaos.” Talk about bad for business. Maybe Rafe didn’t need to be around me as much as he thought he did. I slipped on a robe and walked into the living room. I wasn’t prepared for the scene I interrupted.
Lacy and Valdez were stretched out on the couch and in each other’s arms. Naked. Okay. I knew they were a couple but I really, really didn’t want to see them making it. I turned on my heels and jogged back into the bedroom. Seriously, where were my bodyguard’s shifter senses that he hadn’t heard me wake up and come in? I could have been staked in my sleep. Voodooed to hell and gone and he’d never have noticed. I slammed the bedroom door.
“Glory?” Rafe tapped on the door a minute later.
“I’m busy.” I got out my laptop. “I have some research to do. Go on about your own business. Pretend I’m not here. That’s what you were doing anyway.”
“Shit. I’m sorry.” He opened the door. He’d pulled on a pair of jeans.
I didn’t want to see his bare chest, but it was way too fine to ignore. Lacy had been all over it. At least they hadn’t been in cat form. The thought made me want to puke.
“Don’t be sorry. You have a life. I’m glad. Tell Lacy I’m okay with it. Go on, take care of your lady.” I opened the laptop and turned it on, pulling a pillow under it for a cushion. I leaned back against the padded headboard. Nice. Maybe I’d get one similar to it. Very comfortable. If I came into some extra money, I could redecorate. This bedroom was feminine in lavender and cream. Lily must have picked out everything. I typed in my password.
“Glory, look at me.” Rafe moved to the side of the bed. “Lacy’s gone. She didn’t like the way I threw her across the room when I realized you saw us together.”
“Gee, Rafe. That was a little extreme. Is she all right?” I looked again. How could I not? The way those jeans dipped low, the zipper not quite done up? Oh, God, but I remembered how we’d been together . . . Shifter blood is so hot. And Rafe made love so fiercely. I dragged my eyes away when I saw heat flare in his eyes.
“She’s a cat. She landed on her feet.” He moved around the foot of the bed. “We’ll be fine. She just needs time to cool off.”
“Send her flowers.” I relaxed, glad I hadn’t ruined things for him.
“Lacy’s not into flowers. If I can get hold of some bluefin tuna, she’ll forget all about that interruption.” He sat beside me on the bed, making the computer slide off my lap. “You okay? I was supposed to be guarding you. Won’t happen again.”
“No, I’m sorry.” I bumped my shoulder against his arm. “This bodyguard thing has put a crimp in your social life. You and I have been done for a while now. I’m glad you have someone. Lacy’s nice.” His hand was dark against the white sheets. I itched to pick it up. To prove I could and it wouldn’t mean anything? That would be plain stupid.
“Yes, she is. I was lucky to find her. Can’t say it’s going anywhere long term but we’re having fun.” He grinned, like he was remembering that fun. Then he got serious again. “You know Blade showed me how much he loves you by swallowing his pride and feelings about us and asking me to take care of you. For the first time, I can see you two together and understand why you stick by him.”
“Good. You’re my best friend, Rafe. I want you two to get along.”
“I’ll try. But when he starts ordering me around, you know I don’t take it well.” He kissed the top of my head. “You and I had better get going. I’m showering while you do your research. Then I guess we hit Ian’s first. Right?”
“Right.” I leaned back. Rafe showering. I watched him stride to the bathroom. The bad boy dropped his jeans and kicked them away just before he hit the door. Reminding me of what I’d given up? Of course.
I sighed and fell back on the bed. Lucky Lacy. If she played her cards right, she could have Rafe forever. The girl wasn’t getting any younger and her mother had been dropping by the shop regularly lately, reminding her of that fact. Not that Mom-Cat wanted her daughter hooked up with a shifter. No, she had eligible were-cat males lined up. Lacy’s affair with Rafe was probably her way of sticking it to her mother. I could relate to that.
I got comfy with the computer again. Music. I was very familiar with what Ray and Sienna considered retro. I’d lived with that music. The fifties had been a fun time. I could go back a lot further but knew the rockers would be confused by it. It didn’t take long for me to pick out two songs that I hoped would be crowd-pleasers on a Saturday night. I sent the links to Ray and Sin then got up and dressed, glad I’d showered the night before. By the time Rafe was ready, I was good to go, the voodoo book and my laptop in my tote again.
The ride out to Ian’s was fairly quiet after we made a stop at a twenty-four-hour copy center near the University of Texas. I wasn’t about to just hand over a voodoo book to Ian MacDonald. Jerry’s distrust of the man and my own experiences with him made me more than reluctant to do that. I told Rafe Ian had tried to talk me out of messing with voodoo.
“He’s right, Glory. I can turn around right now. Even that book gives me the creeps.” Rafe was driving his SUV. It was one of those big black powerful cars that men liked. We could probably go off road if we had to. Rafe would enjoy that.
“I want Mel to stay away from Jerry. If this potion will do the trick, then I have to try it.” I’d called Sienna before we’d left and she’d told me Aggie was with her, bragging that she hadn’t bothered to go to work. I wondered what Ian would say about that. I didn’t have long to wonder.