The Bakery Sisters (25 page)

She felt the presence of others. Lisa hovered in the background, ready to take the headphones from her, trying not to look nervous. While the performance was for charity, it was a big deal for both of them. It would be the first time Claire had played in public since she'd totally lost it in the early spring and had to be helped off the stage.

Clair opened her eyes. She could see the piano from where she stood. She imagined herself there, the crowd beyond.

Some had come to support the cause. Others were there because they'd heard what had happened before and wanted to know if she had lost it. But most wanted to hear her play. They wanted the gift that flowed from her freak hands.

She looked at her fingers and smiled, knowing she wouldn't change anything about herself, even if she could. She was exactly what she needed to be.

“Are you all right?” Lisa asked. “Should I not say anything?”

Claire took off the headphones and handed them to her. “I'm fine. Nervous, but in a good way. It's anticipation, not fear.”

Which was almost the truth. Fear was there, nibbling on the edges of her consciousness, but she ignored it. She knew the music. That was easy. She'd survived the morning rush at the Keyes Bakery. Now
that
had been hard.

She heard the announcer begin to speak and touched Lisa's arm. “Thanks for not giving up on me.”

“How could I?”

Life was nothing if not ironic. She and her manager had finally become friends, just when they were going to be working less together.

Claire waited until the curtain began to lift, then she walked to the edge of the stage and out to the center. She paused in front of the piano and faced the large crowd.

There were more people than she'd expected…a sea of expectant faces. The applause washed over her.

She drew in a deep breath, then another. She was nervous, but in a way that would give her an edge to help her do her best. There was no terror, no chest-crushing fear. A sense of contentment, of pride, filled her.

She was about to turn to sit when she saw someone wave at her. She stared into the crowd and recognized Amy. To the girl's left stood Wyatt. Their eyes met and he smiled at her.

She felt her heart stumble a beat. Her breath got stuck and her whole body trembled. Wyatt? Here?

He was tall and handsome in a black tux, looking as polished as the rest of the crowd. As if he belonged in the city instead of back home in Seattle.

What was he doing here? Had he come to hear her play? Why hadn't he called?

She wanted to rush into the audience and have him hold her. She wanted him to sweep her away and never let her go. She wanted to know why he'd come to her performance.

Then she remembered the other four hundred plus people who had paid to hear her play. She bowed once and walked to the piano, then sat down.

The concert hall went still. She could feel the expectation filling the space. She put her hands on the keys and began to play.

The music was familiar—an old friend who greeted her with a perfect combination of notes. The ebb and flow of the piece filled her body, then spilled out, transporting her to another plane where there was only amazing beauty in the form of sound.

She forgot about the crowd, she forgot to be nervous. She had found herself again, in this place. It was as it had always been.

No, it was different, she thought in a small corner of her mind. Better. More connected. It was as if by loving, by opening herself to the possibilities, the pain and the hope, she'd become one with the universe.

She was aware of Wyatt, of his watchful attention. She felt only support, though, and it gave her energy and focus. She moved her body as she played, allowing herself to give everything, and when she touched that very last key, she was drained as she had never been before.

There was silence at the end, as there had been at the beginning, but this was different. She looked up and saw amazement in their faces. It was as if she'd managed to stun even the most seasoned patron. As one, the audience rose to their feet and applauded. They screamed her name. A few wiped away tears.

She stood, her exhausted legs trembling to keep her upright. Satisfaction and pride filled her. She smiled and bowed.

As she rose, she met Wyatt's gaze and saw something there. Need. Maybe even hope and she allowed herself to believe anything was possible.

 

“O
H, MY
G
OD
!” L
ISA CRIED
as the curtains closed for the fourth and final time. “That was amazing. I've never heard you play like that. People are going to be talking about this performance for weeks. Whatever you did out there in Seattle worked.”

Claire smiled. “Apparently I really needed a vacation.”

“It's more than that. You've changed as an artist. You're more…” Her manager frowned. “I want to say mature, but that's not the right word. You've found something inside of yourself that was never there before. You're one with the music.”

“Thank you.”

Lisa sighed. “Ah, they come. Your adoring public. I'll do my best to keep away the crazies.”

Claire turned to greet those who had the inside track to getting backstage. She remembered enough names to make a good impression and appreciated all the kind words, but her attention was elsewhere, wondering when she would see Wyatt and Amy.

“Riveting. I've never heard that piece played so well.”

“The best I've ever heard.”

“Dazzling.”

“Extraordinary.”

Claire thanked them, knowing she couldn't take full credit for what had happened. There was a part of her that had finally been set free, but it wasn't a conscious act on her part. She suspected it had a lot to do with facing down her fear and growing up, but she wasn't about to explain that to anyone. Except maybe her family.

At one point, she saw Lisa talking to Wyatt and pointing to the rear of the stage. As that was the way to Claire's dressing room, she relaxed, knowing they would be there when she was finally able to get away.

Thirty minutes later, she escaped and made her way to her dressing room. She opened the door, her heart thundering, her stomach swirling with anticipation.

Amy launched herself. “I miss you,” she signed as she flew across the room.

Claire caught her and hugged her. “I missed you, too,” she signed, but she only had eyes for Wyatt.

He stood by her dressing table, looking gorgeous and hunky in his tux. She'd missed him so much, she ached, and seeing him now only brought all that pain to the surface. She wanted to go to him, but she knew she had to wait until she found out why he was here. He might simply be delivering the papers she'd left with him.

There was a knock at her door. Lisa stuck in her head.

“I promised Amy a tour of the orchestra pit,” her manager said and held out her hand. “We'll be about twenty minutes.”

“Thanks,” Wyatt said.

Amy grinned at Claire then skipped out the door.

When the door closed behind them, Claire said, “Lisa's not really a kid person, but she should be able to manage a tour.”

“Amy's talked about learning to play drums after she gets her implant,” Wyatt said.

“Technically, in an orchestra, they're percussionists.”

“Amy's thinking more about a rock band.”

“Then she'll be a drummer.”

Wyatt shoved his hands into his slacks' front pockets. “You were incredible.”

“Thank you.”

“I've heard you play before. In the studio at Nicole's house and at Amy's school. This was different.”

“I had accompaniment.”

“Not only because of that. It was something different.”

Her heart pounded so hard her chest hurt. She wanted to believe that things were going to work out, but suddenly she wasn't sure. He wouldn't look at her. That couldn't be good.

“This is who you are,” he said. “I knew in my head that you were some famous pianist, but I didn't know what that meant.”

She wanted to collapse on the floor. Whatever Wyatt
had
been going to say, he'd changed his mind. Something about the night had scared him away.

She wanted to scream out her protest. They could still make it work. Only that wasn't her decision alone. It had to be his, too, and if he couldn't handle who and what she was, better to know now.

Which was a great intellectual argument, but it made her heart scream in protest.

“I was going to ask you to come back to Seattle,” he said, finally looking at her. “To relocate there. I was going to try to convince you that you belonged there. With your sisters and with me and Amy.”

Was? Was? And now what?

“I was going to tell you that I've been a total ass about the baby, about us. My only excuse is that you scare the hell out of me, Claire. You make me feel things. I can't play by my rules when it comes to you because I can't not care. You're exactly who I've been waiting for all my life.”

He pulled his hands out of his pockets and moved toward her. “I was going to tell you that I love you. I've never said that before, not romantically. I didn't love Shanna. Maybe that's really why she left. I figured I'd never fall in love. Then you showed up. You were so beautiful, but you were also so giving. You're smart and funny and you love my daughter. You said you even love me.”

She felt tears burning in her eyes. It was everything she wanted to hear and she knew it still wasn't going to be okay.

“I can't ask you to give this up,” he continued. “That's what I didn't get before. I can't ask you to move your life to Seattle.”

She wanted to tell him that of course she could. There were flights to New York all the time. She could live anywhere. But maybe he was looking for an excuse. As much as it hurt, she had to let him back out if that's what he'd decided.

“You're having a baby,” he said. “We're having a baby. I'm not walking away from our child, or from you. So we'll figure it out. I can't leave my business right now, but I'll finish up the projects I have and Amy and I will join you here. I can get a job, or start a new company. Or open a branch office. Whatever. My point is, Claire, I'm not going to ask you to give up anything for me. I love you. I want to be with you. I want you to be happy, and if you need to be in New York, then Amy and I will move.”

He paused, and took another step closer. “If you still want us. Me, I mean. I know you love her.”

Tears spilled from her eyes. She was too happy to speak or breathe or do anything but stare at him.

He shrugged. “I know what you're thinking. I should have to work harder to prove myself. I will. I'm sorry about what I said about the baby. I know you weren't trying to trap me. I didn't expect to fall for you and when I did, I…” He looked away, then back at her. “I got scared, okay. I'll admit it. I'd never let anyone else matter as much as you did. I was looking for reasons to push you away. I want our baby. I want you. I want us to be a family. I love you, Claire. If you can forgive me for what I put you through, I'm hoping you'll marry me. If you want to get married. If you don't, we can just live together. Whatever you want.”

She brushed away her tears, then surprised them both by starting to laugh. She rushed toward him.

Wyatt held open his arms and she flung herself into them. They held on to each other.

He was strong and warm and oh, so familiar. Everything about this felt right.

She raised her head and smiled at him. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

She laughed again. “Let's argue about that forever, but first, I don't want to live in New York. Wyatt, I can work just as well in Seattle. I want to move back. I want to be near Nicole and Jesse and the bakery and your family. Even Drew, who I'm not sure I like right now. I really appreciate the offer, but I love Seattle.”

“Are you sure?”

“As sure as I am about loving you.”

He touched her face, then kissed her. “I was a total jerk.”

“I forgive you.”

“You don't have to. You can make me squirm for a while. I deserve that.”

“Do you love me?” she asked.

“More than anything. You're everything I've ever wanted. I don't know how I got so lucky to find you.”

“Good answer,” she whispered. “Consider your squirming days at an end.”

“Does this mean you'll marry me?”

She nodded.

“Do you believe me when I tell you I'm happy about the baby?”

He sounded so worried and anxious. She could see the concern is his eyes. Concern and love and hope.

“Yes,” she told him.

“I'm kind of hoping for a boy,” he admitted.