Page 67 of Rock Strong

“How do you know that?”

My mother’s glassy stare pierced through me. “Abby, please.”

He had gone to the apartment first. Yes, of course. How else would he have known where to find me? I’d been so distraught over the whole thing, I hadn’t thought through the logistics. “What did he say to you?” I asked.

“Abby, there are worse things in this world than a man who brings you flowers and declares his love for you,” she said, ignoring my question.

“It’s not that simple,” I countered.

“It is that simple, wô de ài.” She reached out to touch my cheek. “He loves you. He wants to take care of you. Abby, my love, my silly little daughter, I would have given anything for your father to have had the same look in his eyes as Liam had when he came for you.”

“Ma…” I shook my head.

“Yes, you may get hurt, but isn’t the risk worth the love he would give you? So many people never get that chance in their entire lifetime.”

“You don’t know him. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I know a good man when I see one,” she said almost angrily.

“Are you sure about that?” I twisted my face at her.

“Oh, sarcasm, I see. Okay…” She shifted in her seat, ready for the challenge. “No, I didn’t at first—you are right—but because of my experience with your father, I do now. Now, I know what to look for. Better than anyone else.”

“Mm-hmm. What about the Philharmonic?” I gestured to Avery Fisher Hall. “Let’s suppose I do want to go back to Liam. I’m not going to give up my dream just so he can have me, Mom. I’m not a bauble or trinket to be won.”

“Like how Samuel treats you?”

“What do you mean?” I flipped my palm up at her.

“Believe me, Abby. I am not a proponent of Samuel’s.”

“Really? Because I couldn’t tell from the way you two were the other night. The way you were all chummy-chummy.”

“We weren’t chummy-chummy. You were depressed. I wanted to see you get out of the house for one night. He’s good for that, at the very least.” She folded her hands queen-like in her lap, proud of herself and her actions. “Listen, you have the rest of summer left. Go and see what develops. If it is true that he wants to give you everything, you will have an apartment in this neighborhood before you know it. That will be his doing. And you will have your cello position. That will be your doing.”

I didn’t know what to say.

I gazed across the courtyard, hoping sensible words would find their way out of my mouth. My mother had turned into a hopeless romantic. Who knew? And here I was thinking I was my mother’s daughter, all work, hard-core to the bone, making a life for myself. Meanwhile, she’d turned into a softy.

Well, she was right about one thing—risk was everywhere, and I couldn’t hide in the safety of my world any longer to avoid it. But did that mean I should actively invite danger into my world? It was a tough choice, one that might take having the actual audition packet in my hand to help me make it.

“I need to go inside now and get the audition packet,” I said, standing and slinging my purse onto my shoulder. Though I didn’t know what good it would do me to be accepted into the symphony orchestra and be happy about it if I had no one, except my mom, to share the good news with.

“Good,” Ma said, pulling out her cooking magazine. “You go. I’ll wait here.”

Chapter 24

Liam

“Good evening, Philadelphia!”

The stadium roared under darkening clouds spattered with quiet, spidery lightning.

“How y’all feeling tonight?” I cried into the mic then aimed it at the audience for a resounding reply. “Are you ready to rock?”

The whole stadium rumbled like an enormous beast emerging from the bowels of Inner Earth. Camera flashes sparkled across the blanket of undulating hands. These were my people. They loved and accepted me. I loved them back, but it wasn’t the same as my love for Abby. Never had I thought that the one person whose respect and validation I wanted most wouldn’t want me in return.

It was a fact I was going to have to live with. I’d made a mistake. Now I’d pay for it. Accepted. Not only was I out one incredible woman in my life, but the fans were out a great cello player, too, and little did they know, but they were about to lose a recently beloved song, too. We wouldn’t be performing Abby Shines tonight. I’d scratched it off the set list this morning. It hurt too much to sing it.

---