Page 21 of All You Need Is Love

Low and throaty?

Electric?

Shaking his head, he left the room and moved toward the auditorium down the hall. Marshall peeked inside and estimated about fifty percent of the wooden pews were filled. The scent of popcorn permeated the air, and several people munched on the snack. Up front, Shannon spoke with a tech guy in black, nodding at something he was saying.

The man handed her a microphone then left her standing there alone. Her lips turned down and she fled the small stage. At the bottom, she shoved the mic into the hands of a woman with long red hair wearing a brown hippie skirt and white tank—Jules, if he remembered correctly from the introductions last night.

Supposedly she was Quinn and Shannon’s aunt, but she didn’t look a day over forty. The woman hugged Shannon and strode up onto the stage without hesitation. “Hey, family! Welcome to the annual Baker Reunion Talent Show!”

The audience clapped and whistled then quieted while Jules explained how the night would work. Marshall settled himself against the back wall, while most of the other performers sat in a designated row. He didn’t see Quinn, but maybe she was still getting ready.

Jules introduced the first act, two teenage girl cousins doing a scene from some movie Marshall didn’t recognize. He laughed along with the crowd at their antics. Then came a magic show by Mark West, Shannon and Quinn’s uncle.

The next time Jules got onstage, she introduced “everyone’s favorite star—Quinn Baker!”

Quinn strutted up the three steps toward center stage, her whole body sheathed in a tight, deep purple gown that sparkled under the lights. Her hair was swept back from her face, which was partially covered in a mask on the right side, and elbow-length black gloves covered her hands and forearms.

Dark and deep music drifted from the speakers, a song Marshall recognized from the one time he’d seen The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway when a grateful client had sent the firm tickets. In smooth tones, Quinn sang about the music of the night.

Interesting choice. Instead of the character he’d expected her to perform—Christine, the lead female—she’d chosen to voice the phantom, a lonely creature yearning for love.

Okay, he was definitely reading too much into that one. Except the woman had been dumped just a few days ago. Maybe she really did feel more deeply than she let on.

His eyes drifted from Quinn toward the spot where Shannon stood just offstage, arms folded across her chest. Even from across the room, Marshall caught the tension in her posture, the cut in her gaze.

And when Quinn finished, flourishing a curtsy, and the crowd erupted in applause, Shannon pushed her fingers underneath her eyes.

“I’m used to it.” From what he could tell, Shannon kept to the background on purpose. Who knew why? Maybe he’d never know. But in this moment, he couldn’t help but want everyone else to see what it had taken him only minutes to observe.

And maybe he could.

He shouldn’t.

But …

Before he could talk himself out of it, Marshall left the room, grabbed what he needed, then headed back to chat with the tech guys for a moment. Finally, he crossed the room to meet Shannon where she stood while her cousin Cameron performed a comedy routine.

“Hey.”

Was it just him or had her eyes brightened at his whispered greeting? Could have been the lights. “You’re up next. You ready?” She eyed the feathers in his hands. “Decided to jazz things up a bit, did you?”

“You have no idea. But this isn’t for me. It’s for you. Thought you could use a little decoration.” He placed the boa around her neck.

“I’m just the stage manager.” Her jaw flexed as if she were trying not to smile.

Not tonight.He leaned in closer on instinct. “By the way, I’m switching songs at the last minute.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “Really? What song?”

“‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.’”

“Ooo, good choice. I love that song.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Ignoring her scrunched nose, he just smiled and turned his attention back to the stage.

Cameron ended his set, thanking the crowd and blowing exaggerated kisses. From the front row, Quinn caught Marshall’s eyes and shot him a thumbs-up.

His throat tingled.

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