Page 42 of Latte Girl
“Really?” Jordan teases, the familiar sarcasm back in his voice. “You call yourself aguitarhero?”
“I was justwarmingup!”
I try to imitate a strumming motion on the screen, and the statue lets out a few faltering crescendos and decrescendos. I hear Jordansnort.
“I’d like to seeyoutry,” Itellhim.
“Prepare to be bested,” he announces, taking the phone from my hands, “for you are in the company of thePianoMan.”
“Riiiiiight,” Idrawl.
A few seconds later lights begin pulsing in the keyboard and I recognize the theme of ‘Swan Lake’ as it starts drifting throughtheair.
“You actually play the piano?” I ask, a bit shocked. I was expecting him to bang out a few random notes like I did on theguitar.
“I was a rich kid raised by a nanny, remember? Of course I took pianolessons.”
He continues the song for a moment and then stops, the lights in the keyboardfading.
“Fine. You win,” Igrumble.
I start walking through the park, running my hands over the instruments. Jordan followsbehindme.
“So you’re a big fan of technology?”Iask.
“I guess, yeah,” he answers. “Mostly I’m into apps. There are just so many possibilities for what theycando.”
I think back on the papers I found in his office the first daywemet.
“Those files you had, that day I was hiding under your desk,” I begin, and we both smile at the memory, “those were app designs? Did youmakethem?”
He pauses, trailing a finger along the giant keyboard. “I did. I went to school for it, at least for a bit. There’s this one project I got really into, but Knox Security has to comefirst.”
He gets that faraway look in his eye, and I try to pullhimback.
“Well now you have to tell me about the project. I already told you about my secretdream.”
“Fair enough,” he laughs, and then takes in a deep breath to start his explanation. “I did an MBA in business, all financed by my father. I looked around and realized most of the people there also had rich parents to pay their bills. There wasn’t a lot of variety. I felt like there were so many other creative people with these great ideas for businesses who just lacked the thousands of dollars it takes to go to school. I don’t think knowledge should be inaccessible to people who want tolearn.”
I nod, my eyes glued to him as he keeps moving his finger along thekeyboard.
“So that’s where the app comes in. I want it to be a sort of everyman’s business school, a community where people share information and develop the skills they need. It’s still sort of vague and I haven’t got very far, but the concept is importanttome.”
I keep watching him, impressed by the strength of his passion, and more than a little turned on byittoo.
“So you’re a piano man and an app designer. Any other secret talents I should knowabout?”
He catches my eye and gives me an up-to-no-good look that instantly has my heartracing.
“None that I can show you inpublic.”
He turns just an inch farther in my direction and in the next second I have my arms thrown around his neck. I bring my lips to his, hoping that as we kiss he’ll taste all the words I’m too afraid tospeak.
I’m scared to give you another chance to letmedown.
He wraps one arm around me, pressing me hard against hischest.
I’m scared to let this thing between us keepgoing.
