Page 149 of Of Heartbreak and Harmony
I play scales first, and the gorgeous sound that comes from the piano brings tears to my eyes. Even without concert hall acoustics, it sounds amazing. When I tap out “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” Torren chuckles, and I look over to find him seated on a couch, eyes trained on me. The way he’s looking at me sparks something in my chest, something thrilling and fearless.
Slowly, a smile stretches across my face and my heart starts to thrum faster. Then, before I lose my nerve, I look back at the keys and begin thethird movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” It’s the same piece I chickened out of playing on the roof weeks ago, but this time, I don’t hesitate. For seven minutes, my fingers glide over the keys playing the notes from memory, my body rocking with the unbridled emotion within the music. I do it almost perfectly. By the time I’ve played the last note, my hands ache and my heart pounds behind my rib cage, but I’m filled with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. I feel grounded, centered, in a way only playing classical music has ever done for me. I feelat peace.
“That was amazing,” Torren says, drawing my attention to him. “That was so fucking good, Callie.”
I give him a half-smile. “I’m no Constance Chen, but I do love it.”
“Will you play me something else?”
“I could play classical all night,” I say honestly.
He settles back into the couch and folds his hands in his lap. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”
For the next few hours, I play a solo piano recital for Torren King while he lounges on the couch, and he’s the most enthusiastic audience I’ve ever played for. Between pieces, we talk and laugh. I tell him a little about each piece and each composer, and he ask questions about my experience learning how to play them. At one point, he sits on the piano bench next to me, and I teach him how to play “Heart and Soul.” He’s a fast study, and I’m smiling so big my cheeks hurt when we’re able to play it together.
“Thank you,” I say quietly as I sit on his bed wearing one of his T-shirts. “Not for the piano—I can’t accept that—but for tonight. Thank you.”
Torren smiles, then sits on the bed beside me. Slowly, he pushes me down onto the plush mattress, so his body is between my thighs and his face is just inches above mine. His green eyes glitter in that magnetic way that makes my heart skip and my knees weaken, and just as I lean up to kiss him, he says words that take the breath from my lungs.
“Move in with me.”
39
TORREN
I pullmy car into the spot next to Sav’s Porsche and scan the underground lot for Jonah’s car.
Normally, I’d be with him. He’d have stayed at my place, or we all would have opted to stay in the hotel. Instead, I wanted to be alone with Callie, so I took her to my apartment, and I left Jo to fend for himself. I didn’t want to admit the whisper of worry that it had caused, but the relief I feel when my eyes land on his car makes it undeniable.
It all worked out fine, though. Thankfully.
As Callie and I are climbing out of my car, a pink sport bike rumbles to a stop behind me. I flash Mabel a grin as she hops off the bike and removes her helmet.
“I thought you’d ride with Sav.”
“I slept at Kat’s last night,” she says with a playful waggle of her brows, then she bounces her eyes between our vehicles. “Damn. Everyone rolled up separate. Not a single armored SUV.”
I chuckle and move toward the elevator. With the exception of Sav, band security is always a little more relaxed when we’re in LA. We don’t use drivers unless we want them. We don’t take bodyguards unless we think we’ll need them. In fact, this is the first tour where Mabel, Jonah, and I have each been assigned our own 24/7 detail, and it was difficult as hell to get used to. Having some slack on the leash again feels fucking delightful.
“Feels almost like old times.” I say the words on a dramatic sigh, sounding just as wistful and nostalgic as I intended, and Mabel laughs.
“Don’t get used to it.”
“Why not?”
Mabel looks toward Callie as she answers her. “Now that we tend to draw more attention, we always travel together for shows. Even in LA, we stay in a hotel. It kind of serves as a home base, I guess. It’s safer and easier and more efficient. This whole staying wherever and rollin’ up on our own thing before a show isnotthe norm. Ham must be getting an ulcer having so many moving parts to track.”
Callie flicks her eyes from Mabel to me. “So why did we do it this way?”
Mabes points her finger at my head, calling me out, and I shrug.
“I wanted to have you to myself for a night.” Callie’s cheeks pinken, and I pull her under my arm. “And I’m glad I did it.”
Callie hasn’t given me an answer yet. I surprised us both when I asked her to move in with me, but as soon as I said it, I knew I meant it.
I’ll think about it,she’d said, but there was a smile on her perfect lips as they formed the words, so I’m hopeful. If I could spend every night like the one I spent with her last night, I wouldn’t want for anything else. I could listen to her play Beethoven every single day and not grow tired of it. When she fell asleep naked and wrapped in my arms, I stayed awake and replayed memories with her over in my mind while listening to her soft breathing.
I’m fucking in love with her.
