Page 10 of The Single Dad Grump Next Door

But the CSO only had one spot… and I was the one who got it.

And even though the BSO is still one of the best in the country, it’s not the one that he wanted the most. I assumed that he planned on hating me for the rest of his life even while he maintained a long, successful career with the orchestra in Boston.

Karina frowns. “I don’t think he is, Alina. Not anymore. I mean, did you really not know? About the Grammy?”

“That’s just not possible. He doesn’t write music. He plays it.”

Then again, I knew Gabe took quite a few composition courses during our years at Juilliard.

Karina snorts. “Well, apparently, he does. And also, he’s apparently our neighbor for the next couple months. Is that really so bad?”

I clench my hands into fists, then flinch. Karina tracks the movement, concern coloring her gaze.

“It’s worse thanbad,” I growl. “Gabe and I were vicious rivals, Karina. I beat him out for one of the most coveted positions among classical musicians in the country. And, before that, we spent four years openly despising each other. If he finds out that I—if he realizes what happened—why I’m not in Chicago… listen, I just need to go back. I don’t want to deal with this.”

“You can’t be serious.”

I shrug, hauling my suitcase upright. “I don’t want to be anywhere near that man.”

She stands firmly in the doorway, blocking my exit. “It’s been years, Alina. You’re both in your thirties now. You’ve grown up. Surely, you can let an old school rivalry go?”

Unsurprisingly, Karina doesn’t understand. She didn’t grow up in the world of classical musicians. She doesn’t know how cruel and cutthroat it can be. How demanding and unforgiving. She doesn’t know that rivalries aren’t just schoolyard conflicts. They’re life or death, because usually your entire future rests in the balance when you’re competing.

If you don’t win, you could lose a lifetime of hard work in half a second.

The worst part is that I know I was downright brutal when it came to my rivalry with Gabe, especially toward the end. When it came time to do our auditions for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, things were so tense between us that even our teachers tried to keep us separated.

When I was offered the position, I didn’t even gloat. I simply packed up my dorm, attended graduation, and moved to Chicago without a backward glance. I told myself I didn’t care what happened to Gabe. It wasn’t my problem if my success meant that his dreams had just been crushed.

But clearly, he’s not a failure. He’s composing scores for wildly successful action movies.

And he has a daughter.

Adaughter.

Which means he most definitely also has a wife roaming around somewhere on this vacation property.

Apparently, his life turned out just fine.

Mine, on the other hand…

“I can’t do this,” I repeat. “I don’t want to deal with this.”

“Are you really going to let some random guy chase you away from paradise? You deserve to enjoy the summer just as much as he does. And you literally just got here, Alina. I was looking forward to spending time with you.”

I deflate a little. She’s right. I’m being selfish. I came out here to rest my aching limbs, but I also made the journey so that I could reconnect with my cousin, my closest friend, for the first time in ages.

I swallow hard, staring down at my suitcase for a long moment.

Then, with a resigned shrug, I say, “I guess I could just… avoid him. For eight weeks. Or whatever.”

Karina grins, coming forward to wrap an arm around my shoulders and gently tugging me away from my luggage.

“That’s the spirit, Alina.”

Chapter Four: Gabe

“How’s my little Wrennie?”

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