When the Music Ends (The Winter Rose Chronicles) (2 page)

            "My
parents are splitting up," she said it flatly.

            "That’s
too bad. Why?"

            "My
dad’s always gone on business, you know?" Sean nodded. "Well
Mom met someone. She’s spending the weekend with her new guy and Dad’s
gone for work again. So I’m on my own."

            "That
sucks. Sorry, Erin."

            "It’s
okay. It’s not like they actually liked each other or anything."

            He
put his hand on top of hers, gently. "Still. I don’t care about
them, but I’m sorry for you."

            "Don’t
pity me, Sean," she pleaded, "the one thing I can’t stand is
for you to see me as pathetic."

            "You’re
not pathetic Erin," he reassured her, "Let’s say I’m
sorry about your situation, okay?"

            "Okay,
thanks." She fell silent for a moment, considering what to say next,
nibbling her knuckle. At last she added, "I’m so glad finally to be
a senior. If I can just get through this year, I’ll be an adult. I’ll
go off to college, and I won’t be at the mercy of their choices
anymore."

            "Where
are you going? Sheridan mentioned a conservatory in Texas."

            "I’m
not sure. I have an appointment with their recruiter in two weeks to play an
audition, but I’m also considering going to state with Sheridan. That
would be nice."

            "Can
you be a performance major at a state university?"

            "Sure.
It wouldn’t be as prestigious but I would save a ton of money, and I
would be likely to get better scholarships too. With everything that’s
been happening, I’m probably going to need them. Didn’t you go to
state, Sean, to get your business degree, before you started working with your
dad’s construction company? Isn’t that why he made you assistant
foreman, because you learned so much about handling all the aspects of the
company there?"

            "Yeah,
it’s a good school. Don’t sell yourself short though. Saving money
is good but not if you miss out on your dreams. I know you want to play that
oboe professionally. You’re good enough to do it, so go for it if you
can, okay?"

            "Good
advice. Thanks."

            They
drove along in silence. Erin looked out the window at the masses of oak and
maple trees that crowded the neighborhood, beautifully dressed in their
colorful autumn garments, interspersed with fragrant green pine and spruce. She
felt a thrill of nervous excitement. She hadn’t expected to be going to
the dance at all. That she was going with her crush made it even better. Forget
David Landry. He could score with Lindsey. Erin now had without a doubt the
sexiest date of all. A motorcycle roared by, it’s growl interrupting her
train of thought. She refocused on reality. Oh, she wasn’t fooling
herself that he was here because he liked her. No, it was a favor, that’s
all, but she appreciated it. And he was being very sweet, not acting like it
was a chore, pretending he was enjoying escorting his sister’s shy and
uninteresting friend to a dance he didn’t want to go to at all. Sean was
the definition of a true gentleman.

            He
parked at the high school and escorted Erin, his hand on the small of her back,
into the crowded and noisy gym, hung with paper streamers in the school’s
colors of maroon and white, with its hand-painted cougar roaring from the far
wall. The noise inside was oppressive. Why did so many girls giggle so shrilly?
Did they really think their dates would find that appealing? She shook her
head. She could barely hear the music over the roaring of adolescent voices.

As they waited in line to have their picture taken, Erin glanced around. Just as she expected, people were looking at her, and some of the
girls had envious expressions on their faces at the sight of Sean’s
mature good looks.

Oh, he was so handsome. Sean had neatly cut mahogany brown hair. It
was much sharper looking than the shaggy style most of the boys were wearing.
His face was tanned from working outside, which made his slightly crooked front
teeth look even whiter and his dark blue eyes stand out in sharp relief. His
arms, chest, and shoulders were muscular from long hours on the construction
site, but his waist was narrow, his hips slim. In short, he was every
girl’s dream. Or if not, he was certainly Erin’s. Why did he have
to be six impossible years older than her?

            At
last they reached the head of the line. A chubby photographer with a lot of
gray sprinkled in his dark bushy hair motioned them to stand in front of a
mottled gray screen.

"Okay, Buddy," he told them in a scratchy voice,
"put your arms around your girl."

Erin
opened her mouth to argue, to suggest that
they pose side by side, but Sean didn’t give her the chance. He wrapped
his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against his front. The noise in
the room receded as the warmth and wonderful scent of Sean wafted over her.

"Now you, Sugar, arms around his neck."

She obeyed without protest.

"Face the camera."

They turned their heads. The shutter clicked loudly.

"Right, now go dance. Next!"

Keeping one arm around her waist, Sean escorted Erin to the gym. She
could feel the noise buffeting her, but the sound was lost over the pounding of
her own heart. She knew she would cherish that photo forever.

            "You
know," Sean said, his lips very close to her ear in order to be heard
over the din, "I thought of a solution to your dancing dilemma."

            "What’s
that?"

            "Only
dance the slow ones. Those are the easiest. You just hold onto me and
sway."

            "I
think I can manage that. What about the fast ones?"

            "Walk
around. Mingle. Get a snack or drink. It’s easy."

            "You’re
smart, Sean. Thanks."

            "Shall
we start right out? This is a slow song."

            "Okay."

            Erin placed her hands on the back of Sean’s neck. Sean put his arms loosely around Erin’s waist and demonstrated to her how to move in time to the music. While it was a
different kind of movement than she was used to making, it was not very
difficult to understand. What was difficult was making herself remember that
this wasn’t really a date, especially not when Sean’s body heat was
sinking sinuously into her. She could hear the soft sighing of fabric as his
shirt and slacks moved with his body. She strived not to lose her sense of what
she was doing. This was not a romance. It was just a dance. It didn’t
mean anything to him. Oh, but it meant something to her. The song was
passionate, romantic. It was "I Swear" sung by the group All for
One. She slid her eyes shut and just concentrated on her physical sensations.

            Sean
could see the effect he was having in his sister’s friend. Maybe this
wasn’t a good idea. He was nervous that her shy crush would turn into a
full blown infatuation, and that just wasn’t appropriate. Not least of
all because he wasn’t as immune to her as he pretended. His off-handed
charm concealed a rather alarming attraction. She was pretty, really pretty. He
also suspected that beneath her timid demeanor, she must have a passionate
soul. Otherwise how could she play her instrument so well? Some day, maybe,
when she was finished growing up, he would ask her out for real. Of course, if
she moved to Texas, he might never see her again. This night would only be a
remembered possibility, unfulfilled, but never forgotten, to be thought of
occasionally with fondness and a touch of regret.

            Hmmm,
it wouldn’t do to relegate the evening to memory before it had scarcely
begun. And Sean did want Erin to have a good time, so he hugged her a little
tighter. Surely there could be no harm in that. He had to have enough self-control
to dance with a pretty girl without getting too turned on. It wasn’t easy
though. Every time Erin brushed the front of her body against his, his ability
to remember why this wasn’t real took a blow, especially now that she was
more comfortable with him. Her shyness melted away minute by minute allowing
her lovely spirit to shine through. Sean was enchanted. He had always known she
was nice. Sheridan was too wise a girl to surround herself with substandard
friends, but he had never known how truly special Erin was. It was impossible
for his growing admiration not to show a little. And he could see she felt it,
and liked it.

            In
this way, Erin and Sean passed a pleasant evening. They danced together several
times, and when the songs became too fast, they wandered the periphery of the
room, watching, conversing, drinking punch, and generally just enjoying themselves.

            About
half way through, in the middle of a song Erin was surprised to hear played at
a high school dance, she and Sean ran into Sheridan. Her friend, very red in
the face, was telling off her boyfriend in a hissing undertone. It looked
rather ugly, so the two of them intervened.

            "Danny,"
Sean said, "is everything all right?" He gave the handsome faced
blond haired boy a hard look.

            "No,
I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to go home."

            "I’ll
drive you," Sean offered. "You don’t mind, do you, Erin?"

            She
didn’t want the evening to end so soon, but Sheridan was more important.
"Of course not."

            "No,
I’ll take her," Jake sighed wearily.

            "Danny,
is that what you want?"

            Sheridan looked at Erin for a long moment. "I don’t want to interrupt your
evening. Jake can drive me. I’ll see you Monday, okay?"

            "Sure
sweetie." She hugged her friend. "Thanks."

            The
couple left.

            "I
hope she breaks up with him soon. I really don’t like that guy."

            "Me
either. You know, I may encourage her not to wait until after the S.A.T. She
needs him out of her life now. He’s becoming a pest."

            "What
do you mean?"

            "It’s
high school, Sean. He wants to sleep with her."

            Sean’s
jaw clenched.

            "She
keeps telling him no, but he’s not listening. I’m a little worried
about all the pressure he’s putting on her."

            "Sheridan won’t succumb. She’s one of the most stubbornly upright people
I’ve ever known."

            "Yeah,
but she doesn’t need it. It’s disrespectful, you know?"

            "Yes,
it is. Erin, do you want to dance some more?"

            "Not
really. Actually, it’s kind of stuffy in here. Would it be all right if
we step outside for a minute?"

            "Okay."

            Out
in the parking lot, the evergreen-scented coolness of an autumn evening quickly
washed away the sweaty sensation of a crowded dance floor. The quiet whispering
of the breeze through the pines surrounding the back lot of the school sounded
sensual, sweet. Erin’s dress was not particularly warm though, and she
shivered a little. Sean put his arm around her waist, lending her his heat. She
leaned on him, her head against his shoulder.

            Neither
of them wanted to speak. Both knew they shouldn’t be this close,
especially in a semi-private setting, but maybe if no one said anything, maybe
it wouldn’t really be wrong. A little gust of icy wind sent Erin even closer into the shelter of Sean’s body. His free arm angled across her back
to rest on her shoulder. Her forehead warmed as Sean leaned his cheek against
it. She slid her arms around his neck.

            Afterwards,
neither one was sure who moved first, but suddenly, unexpectedly, they were
kissing. It started simply enough, a feather light brush of mouth on mouth. The
second kiss was more, much more, harder, sweeter. Another moment passed and
Sean’s mouth opened on Erin’s, his tongue pressing her lips. She
let him in. He kissed her deeply and she responded with all the innocent
eagerness of youth. She wanted this. The amazing thing was that he seemed to as
well.

            After
several long moments, Sean released Erin’s mouth, and they both stood,
slightly winded, looking at each other with dazed expressions.

            Sean
spoke first. "I’m sorry, Erin. I don’t know what came over
me."

            "Maybe
you were entranced by my stunning beauty," she said, her voice harshly
ironic.

            "Don’t
put yourself down. You are beautiful. But it’s not right for me to kiss
you."

            "Why?
This goes a bit beyond trying to do your sister a favor. Am I wrong to say you
kissed me because you wanted to?"

            "No,
you’re not wrong. I did want to. And I didn’t come tonight as a
favor to Danny. It was a favor to you. But Erin, you’re too young. I
can’t be with you now, even if I really want to."

            Erin looked at him for a moment, considering whether it was worthwhile to ask a question.
Finally she steeled herself and said, "Do you?"