Page 94 of Unspoken Words
“Yeah, mostly school kids. Some adults too.”
“Do you still teach?”
“No. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time. And offering lessons every now and again isn’t fair to my students. They need consistency.”
She nodded her agreement.
“Anyway, the venue I taught at doubled as an open mic night on a Thursday and Saturday. I often performed to encourage my students to do the same and step out of their comfort zones. Then one night, unbeknown to myself and my boss, Sony sent a talent scout to watch, and the rest is history.”
“Wow!” Her face lit up and the sight of it near knocked me off my seat. Those eyes; that damn emerald sparkle. It had haunted my sleep every night since she’d left and now it was here, right in front of me once again, and I’d made her do it.
“Yeah.” I choked as I swallowed. “I’m still kicking myself.”
“Well, don’t kick too hard. You’re very talented. You always were.”
Unable to help myself any longer, I reached across the table for her hand, heat crawling over my skin when our fingers touched. “That means a lot, Ellie.”
She jolted, as if I’d given her an electric shock, and retracted her hand, her cheeks almost as red as her hair used to be. “Um … so, the contract … is it for one album, two albums? How many songs?” She fidgeted in her seat, the hand I just touched awkwardly resting by her ear.
“One album, twelve songs. I’ve also negotiated the option to include three acoustic versions of selected material.”
“Impressive. What have you completed already?”
“Ever After, The Fall—”
Her hand fell to her lap. “Ever After? You’re going to record and release Ever After?”
“Yeah. If that’s okay with you?”
She shook her head as if to shake away what I’d just said. “Of … of course. It’s your song.”
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Anthony approach, a drink tray balanced at head height on one hand. “One Coke for the pretty lady,” he said, politely interrupting as he placed a glass in front of Ellie and poured her drink. “And one for the handsome man,” he added, repeating the same process for me.
Ellie smiled at Anthony, and I internally high-fived him for lightening the mood.
“I’ll be back soon with your meals, yes?”
We thanked him before I continued our conversation. “It’syoursong, Ellie, not mine. I wrote Ever After for you.”
She picked up her glass, and I watched her glossy lips wrap around the straw, the motion stirring my dick. It had felt like a lifetime since a woman had turned me on, and she managed to do it so easily.Faaaaark.
I dropped my hand below the table and gave myself a quick inconspicuous readjustment while focussing on the red and white chequered tablecloth.Red squares. White Squares.Red squares. White Squares. There was nothing remotely sexy about them.
Ellie paused sipping her drink. “Technically, Connor, you own the copyright, so it’syoursong, not mine.”
“It’syoursong. Always was, always will be. End of story.” I lifted my glass and took a swig. “So feel free to say no to me recording it, or suggest any changes it may need—”
“It doesn’t need anything. What you sang over the phone last night was raw, honest, and perfect. Don’t decorate it any further. Leave it as is.”
I swallowed my drink and nearly choked again with emotion as words I didn’t want to say too soon tumbled from my mouth, because they were true and needed to be said. “You’re so beautiful.”
Her eyes instantly welled with tears, but she blinked them away just as quickly as they’d come. “Please don’t.”
“Don’t what? Tell you you’re beautiful?”
“Yes.”
“But you are. I may not be used to the blonde, but you’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, inside and out.”
