Strings of the Heart

by Katie Ashley

  Rhys bounded forward to hug the woman. “Thank you, Trudie. I do clean up well, don’t I?”

  Squeezing him tight, Trudie patted Rhys’s back. “Yes, you do. Why I almost wouldn’t have recognized you out of your ratty jeans and T-shirts.”

  With a chuckle, Rhys argued, “Hey now, you act as if I look like some homeless person. I may wear that around the house, but I always dress up at the Brandewine Institute when I come to see Ellie.”

  I couldn’t help raising my brows at Rhys’s admission of how he had been sneaking around the past two weeks. Truthfully, it was none of my business what he had done during the times he wasn’t with me. But it was surprising that I was just now learning about Ellie.

  “Yes, that’s true. It doesn’t matter what you have on. You’d be as good-looking as any movie star, even in a potato sack.”

  “Thank you, Trudie. You always flatter me.”

  Trudie grinned. “I bet Ellie is going to be excited to see you again. She lights up whenever you are around.”

  Rhys grimaced. “I know. I’ve been down to the Brandewine Institute every day since I’ve been back. But it isn’t enough. I’ve got to start coming home more when I’m on break, if only for Ellie’s sake.”

  Patting Rhys’s arm reassuringly, Trudie replied, “In her own way, she understands. And she loves to do those camera talks with you on the computer.”

  Rhys smiled. “The Skype chats.”

  Trudie snapped her fingers. “That’s it.” She then turned her attention to me as if realizing for the first time Rhys wasn’t alone. “Well, who do we have here?”

  “This is my friend, Allison. She’s my bandmate, Jake’s, little sister.”

  A knowing look came over Trudie’s face. “I see.” When I stuck out my hand for her to shake, she drew me into her embrace instead. “It’s lovely meeting you, Allison.”

  “Thank you. It’s nice meeting you, too.”

  As she pulled away, she tenderly cupped my cheek as if we were lifelong acquaintances. “What a beautiful young woman you are,” she remarked.

  Warmth rushed to my face at her compliments. “Thank you.”

  She glanced from me to Rhys. “How fortunate you are that your bandmate has such a pretty sister.”

  Rhys cleared his throat, and I could tell he was uncomfortable with the attention that Trudie was giving me. “Yes, I am. Although I’m pretty sure Jake wouldn’t appreciate me saying that.”

  “Did you make the trip down with Rhys?” Trudie asked.

  I shook my head wildly at her assumption. “No, no, I’m from Atlanta, but I’m here in Savannah for college at SCAD.”

  “Oh, how interesting. What’s your major?”

  “Fashion design.”

  Glancing at my dress, she nodded. “I can see that—you have impeccable taste.”

  “Thank you very much.”

  After clearing his throat, Rhys asked, “Where’s Ellie?”

  Trudie’s bright expression dimmed a little. “She’s at the front window. She’s been glued to watching all the catering trucks coming and going.” Trudie shook her head. “Even though she’s in her own world most of the time, she does seem to love a party.”

  Rhys clenched his jaw. “I know.” After nodding to Trudie, he once again reached for my hand, and I took it. He led me through an arched doorway into a room filled with floor-to-ceiling windows. At the far end of the room, I saw Ellie—or at least her back. Each of her hands gripped the sides of the lace curtains as if they were the lifeline to keep her upright as she leaned her entire upper body into the window. Her dark hair fell just at her shoulders, and it was styled like a pageboy. With jeans and a striped shirt, she appeared as any other twenty-something. But from the way she hummed and carried herself, you could tell there was a difference.

  “Ellie-Bellie-Mellie,” Rhys called, his voice vibrating with affection. The moment the words left his lips I thought of Jake’s nickname for me. Rhys had always called me the same thing, and although I hated it, I saw now that it meant something to him to call me that.

  Slowly, Ellie craned her neck in Rhys’s direction. A bright smile lit up her face. With her dark hair and dark eyes, she looked so much like Rhys.

  Without a word to Rhys, she hurried over to the other side of the room where a baby grand piano sat. After she eased down on the bench, Rhys grinned. “Must we play now, Ellie? I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Allison.”

  She didn’t reply, nor did she look in my direction. Instead, her posture remained ramrod straight, fingers poised over the keys. “Okay, if you’re sure,” he said. Still Ellie made no gestures or noises.

  I watched in amazement as Rhys crossed the room to Ellie and sat down next to the piano. Out of a case on the floor, he produced a sleek black cello. Easing it between his legs, he took the bow in one hand. Once he had everything adjusted properly, Ellie began to play. Within a few beats, Rhys chimed in with her. “Recognize it?” he questioned over the music.

  Closing my eyes, I tried to put a composer or a title with it. “Beethoven?” I asked, as I opened my eyes again.

  Rhys nodded. “Moonlight Sonata,” he called over the music.

  “I love Beethoven. He’s the perfect classical emo composer.”

  With a laugh, Rhys replied, “That is true.”

  Then he focused his attention back on his instrument. He had never mentioned being able to play the cello. I suppose it made sense since in a way the bass guitar was in the same family as the cello. With rapt attention, I watched as he closed his eyes and effortlessly drew the bow across the strings with infinite precision. His left hand moved deftly across the fingerboard, and I couldn’t help but shudder a little watching the strength in those fingers.

  Although sex should have been the furthest thought from my mind, there was something very erotic about watching him with his eyes closed, biting his lip in extreme concentration as he worked his fingers up and down the neck with the massive cello standing between his legs.

  As I fought the urge to fan myself, Trudie came to join me at my side. “They’re very talented, aren’t they?” she asked.

  “It’s amazing how well they complement each other.”

  “Yes, they both were born musically gifted. Ellie learned by listening to Rhys’s early music lessons. Then one day I found her repeating what she had heard on the piano.”

  “So she’s pretty much completely self-taught?”

  Trudie nodded. “She doesn’t read music. She simply hears a piece and commits it to memory.”

  As the duet came to a close and Trudie and I clapped wildly, Ellie made no move to get up from the piano, but Rhys seemed to anticipate her silent request. “Okay, but just one more. How about instead of the classics, we try Les Mis this time?” Rhys said. I sucked in a breath when he jerked his chin up at me and grinned. It meant so much that he had picked a musical he knew was my favorite. We’d just watched the new movie version the other day.

  Ellie then began the opening chords of a song I was so familiar with, Bring Him Home. As they each played their separate parts that melted into one melody, they complemented each other so well. Tears sprang to my eyes as I watched them execute the music so beautifully. Swiping my cheeks, I realized how precious these moments had to be to Rhys. For a short time, he was wholly connected with Ellie in a world where they were both equals and understood each other so completely. I couldn’t help but imagine that from the time they were little, their bond had been tightly woven through the strings of music.

  No matter where he had gone in life or what celebrity status had come to him, Rhys had never let his bond break with his sister. It warmed my heart to see him have such a wonderful connection. For someone I had feared didn’t know how to love or be loved, he had thankfully proved me wrong.

  When they finished, I clapped until my hands were stung red. “That was…” Closing my eyes, I shook my head. “I don’t even have words to express how wonderful it was.”

  Standing up from his cha
ir, Rhys gave me a beaming smile. “I’m so glad you enjoyed the concert. I’ll have to play for you again sometime.”

  “I would love it.”

  Without a word to any of us, Ellie closed the piano lid and rose off the bench. She then crossed the room to stand in front of the mirror. The humming started up again as she peered at the coming and going guests. Trudie smiled. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to get her to bed until the party is over. She wants to take it all in.”

  “Can’t she go?” I asked before I thought better of it. When Rhys stared at me in surprise, I ducked my head. “I’m sorry. I just thought maybe we could take her for a little while. Let her see everything up close and personal, rather than from the window.”

  “I think that’s a fantastic idea,” Rhys said.

  I jerked my head up. The intensity of his stare caused me to shiver. There were so many emotions radiating in his eyes, but gratitude was one that I could plainly make out. “Really?”

  He turned to Trudie. “Can you find her something more appropriate to wear?”

  “Yes, I believe she has a few dresses in the closet.”

  Rhys nodded and then went to Ellie’s side. Tenderly, he touched her shoulder. “Ellie, do you want to go with Trudie and find a dress to wear to the party? You’ll look so pretty, and you’ll get to see all the people you’ve been watching tonight.”

  Slowly, she released her hold on the curtains. Turning from the window, she went to Trudie’s side. “Let’s find you something to wear, shall we?” Trudie asked. She and Ellie left the living room and went into one of the bedrooms.

  When the door closed behind them, Rhys exhaled a long breath. With a gracious expression, he said, “Thank you for suggesting that.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know if it was the right thing. I mean, your mother and father didn’t think she should go.”

  Rhys shook his head. “Don’t worry about what they said. They’re just trying to save face in front of their stuck-up friends.”

  I hoped he was right. The door opened, and Ellie appeared in a demure, beaded black dress. Her hair had been swept back with a glittering headband.

  “Don’t you look beautiful?” Rhys exclaimed, closing the gap between them. He hugged her gently, as if careful not to crowd her. She patted his back with one of her hands. “I’m so lucky to have two beautiful ladies escorting me to the party.” Glancing over his shoulder at me, Rhys’s wide smile lit up his entire face. It was good seeing him so happy, and I was so grateful that he was letting me share the moment with him and his sister.

  As we started to the door, Trudie stopped Rhys. “If you need me, I’ll be here.” I could tell that although she was thrilled that Ellie was going to the party, Trudie was also worried.

  Rhys nodded. “It’ll be fine. I’ll let her see everyone and listen to the music. I’ll make sure to bring her back in an hour so she doesn’t get overstimulated by the crowd.”

  “That sounds good.” Trudie patted Ellie’s arm. “Have fun, honey.”

  As we started up the brick pathway, Ellie walked slightly ahead of us, craning her neck to take in the sound of the string quartet coming from the tent off to the side of the house. “She’s going to enjoy the hell out of the music,” Rhys said, as we walked up the stairs and into the kitchen.

  Ellie paid little attention to the people overfilling the main hallway and other rooms. She had a singular focus it seemed, to find the source of the music she was humming. Rhys, on the other hand, was the consummate Southern gentleman. He spoke to everyone he saw—shook hands with the men and kissed a few women’s cheeks. Each and every time, he made sure to introduce me. All the while as he socialized, he kept a cautious eye on Ellie.

  When she had gotten to the ballroom door that led out onto the veranda, she had stopped. It seemed she had found her perfect spot to listen to the music and watch the dancing partygoers. Those who didn’t know her cast frustrated looks when she wouldn’t move aside for them.

  “Excuse me, Eddie,” Rhys said to a bald man in a red and black checked kilt. He then crossed the room to go to Ellie’s side. He gently took her by the arm. “Why don’t we sit at a table, so you can see and hear better?”

  While she didn’t appear to acknowledge him, Ellie did let Rhys lead her over to a table in the back of the veranda. I eased down beside Rhys. Glad to be off my feet for a moment, I, too, enjoyed listening to the quartet. My gaze flickered around the room, taking in the guests. Several were in kilts like Rhys, but most of the men wore tuxes. When a waiter stopped at the table, I gladly took a flute of bubbly. Thankfully another appeared with a tray of hors d’ oeuvres. After I greedily devoured the napkin of goodies, I craned my neck to see where another waiter was.

  Rhys chuckled beside me. “What?” I asked.

  “There is real food in the dining room if you’re hungry.”

  Embarrassment warmed my cheeks. “I guess scarfing that down didn’t look too ladylike, huh?”

  With a roll of his eyes, Rhys said, “Like I give two shits about anything ladylike.” He leaned forward. “What I do care about is if you’re hungry.”

  “I am.” And for more than just food. I’d like to have you as the appetizer, main course, and dessert. Those were the thoughts derailing my mind in the middle of the party.

  He smiled. “Then let me get you a plate.” After waving one of the waiters over, Rhys said, “Please bring me three settings of the dinner course.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  As the waiter hurried off, I cocked my brows at Rhys. “Wow, that was impressive.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Having someone at your beck and call like that. No standing in line with the other peasants. Not to mention, you get table side service.”

  Rhys laughed. “It’s basically the same thing as ordering something at a restaurant. The wait-staff always know to keep my parents’ guests happy and give them what they ask for.”

  “So he wasn’t falling over himself to give you what you wanted because you were lord of the manor?” I teasingly questioned.

  “Maybe.” Then he shook his head at me. “I’m not lord of the manor. I told you my branch of the family didn’t have a title.”

  I opened my mouth to tease him more, but the waiter arrived with our plates. “That was fast,” I murmured, after he left the table.

  “And I’m sure the fast service was because of me being Lord McGowan?” Rhys asked, cocking his brows at me.

  “You can’t tell me any different.”

  “Whatever,” he replied, with a good-natured chuckle.

  While I dug into the deliciously aromatic roast chicken, Rhys coaxed Ellie to eat a little. His efforts went to waste when two bagpipers in full regalia strolled past our table. Ellie dropped her fork and sat up a little straighter, her curiosity piqued.

  “You weren’t kidding about celebrating Tartan Day, were you?” I asked.

  He grinned. “Do you think I’d be rocking this kilt if we weren’t hardcore about it?”

  “Probably not.” Reaching for my purse, I took out my phone. “I should seriously take a pic and send it to Jake.”

  Before I knew what was happening, Rhys had snatched the phone out of my hand. “No fucking way!”

  “Why not?”

  “Because he and the others will be ragging my ass for days, if not weeks, if they saw that.”

  Since I’d often seen firsthand how Jake and AJ loved to tease Rhys, I knew I had to respect his wishes. “Okay, okay. I’ll put the phone away.” When I held out my hand, Rhys reluctantly slipped it into it. Once I’d put it into my purse, he seemed relieved. We sat back in our chairs to enjoy the rest of the performance by the bagpipers.

  Once it had ended and the quartet started up again, Rhys looked over at me and smiled. Motioning out onto the floor filled with swaying couples, he asked, “How about a dance?”

  While Ellie seemed content, I wasn’t sure about leaving her. I didn’t want to upset her by making her feel abandoned. I
guess Rhys sensed my apprehension. “It’ll be fine, and we can keep an eye on her from the dance floor,” he reassured me.

  “Okay, I’d love to dance with you.”

  As Rhys rose out of his chair, he leaned in close to Ellie’s ear. “Allison and I are going to dance. We’ll be right back, and then I’ll take you back to Trudie.”

  Once again, she didn’t acknowledge him. She just kept staring straight ahead with a serene expression on her face. She didn’t appear to be upset that we were leaving her. Taking my hand, Rhys led me away from the table. As we weaved in and out of the other couples, the quartet began playing Moon River, the theme song from one of my mom’s favorite movies, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

  We didn’t move far into the dance floor. Instead, we stayed on the fringes so that we could see Ellie. Once we had found the perfect place, Rhys pulled me closer to him. Of course, since we were at a society party, we didn’t dance like I was accustomed to. It was much more formal. I would have rather wrapped my arms around Rhys’s neck than to have had one hand in his and the other on his shoulder. It seemed like there was always something keeping us apart.

  When the song ended, Ellie got up from the table. Both Rhys and I froze as we watched her carefully. She went just inside the door to sit at the grand piano. When she began playing along with the quartet, Rhys exhaled a relieved breath.

  As we danced to the music, I tried not to think about how frustrated I was with how things were moving along. Then a thought popped into my mind, and I couldn’t help giggling. “What is it?” Rhys asked.

  “Oh nothing,” I muttered, refusing to meet his eye. I couldn’t believe I had laughed out loud.

  Rhys eyed me with a skeptical look. “Come on. You expect me to buy that? It was obviously something amusing, or you wouldn’t have laughed.”

  At his imploring look, I decided to come clean with him. “Dancing as close as we are, I couldn’t help but wonder about Cassie’s question from earlier.”

  Rhys’s brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”