Sing for Me

by Penelope Reece

She grabbed the belt from him and fastened it herself as he put the car in drive and pulled out onto the road. They were both quiet as he headed toward Main Street near the shopping mall and restaurants.

  Chloe wiggled a little in her seat and tried to get comfortable – which shouldn’t have been hard due to the nice leather seats, but being in such close confines with Rhys was making her nervous. His arm was resting so close to her own that she could feel the heat from it making her arm prickle. Goosebumps popped up on her arm as if her skin were trying to reach across the gap to touch his.

  Chloe pulled her arm away and rubbed it before resting it in her lap. The sudden movement made Rhys glance over at her.

  “Are you cold?” He asked reaching for the dials on his dash.

  “I’m fine.” She said. “So how was your day?”

  He glanced at her. “Not good actually,” he said turning his attention back to the road. “I couldn’t seem to get a certain black hair and freckled faced girl off my mind.”

  “And why was that?” She said to his profile. He had a small mole just below his sideburn. She raised her hand to touch it before she realized what she was doing and hurriedly brought her hand back to her lap.

  He turned to look at her. Chloe bit her lip and prayed he hadn’t noticed.

  If he did he made no mention and instead said, “Because you seemed a bit grumpy with me when we said goodbye.” He turned back to the road for a second then glanced back at her. “You aren’t still cross with me are you?”

  Chloe wanted to say yes. Yes she was still mad at him. How could she not be after how he’d hurt her. But she merely shook her head. “No, I’m not cross with you. Just you know I don’t like being teased.”

  “Do you always bite your lip?”

  Chloe shrugged and turned to look out the window. If this car ride was any indication of their meal, she was in serious trouble. She needed to turn on her mental sprinklers. An internal cold shower was in order, if she was to get through this meal without her hormones boiling her alive.

  Too bad her courage wasn’t as strong as her hormones. If so she’d actually be able to say the things she’d been wanting to say ever since that night. To find out what he was trying to do now. Why had he asked her out?

  They were silent the rest of the trip, Chloe kept her focus on the scenery outside her window, while Rhys drove.

  When they turned into the restaurant parking lot, Chloe turned her attention to the front and watched as Rhys pulled into an empty parking space and killed the engine.

  Rhys got out of the car first while Chloe was nervously trying to unbuckle her seat belt. When it came free, Chloe reached for her handle, but there was a loud click. The door was locked. Thinking that she’d bumped the lock, she hit the button to unlock the door and was about to open the door but Rhys beat her too it. He held the door open for her. As she got out, she noticed the car key remote in his hand.

  “Did you lock me in?” She inquired as he stuffed his keys into his pocket.

  “I didn’t want you getting out before I could help you.” He said and took her hand. “Didn’t you know? Chivalry’s making a comeback.” He grinned.

  Chloe had the strongest urge to kiss him. With her arm resting snuggly in his, they walked across the parking lot and went inside. It being a Friday evening, the lobby was full of couples and family, as well as a few groups of friends.

  Rhys stepped up to converse with the hostess for a minute then returned to where he’d left her standing by the door.

  “It should be about ten minutes. I called in a reservation.” He said trying to talk over the loud chatter of the lobby.

  Behind them more people entered and Chloe shivered as the cold night air hit her legs. Rhys must have noticed because he pulled her farther inside and away from the door.

  It was too loud for conversation, so Chloe and Rhys spent their time waiting by studying the menu. After Chloe had flipped through the entire menu twice, Rhys’s name was called and they followed the hostess through the packed restaurant.

  “Is that booth okay?” The hostess asked pointing to a booth in the corner far from the noise of the bar and kitchen.

  “It’s fine.” Chloe said to speed things along. The walkway was pretty narrow, and people were trying to get through. Tight spaces and Chloe didn’t mix well and she wanted to get out of the crowd quickly.

  As they squeezed past a few tables, another group passed and Chloe tried to step out of the way. When she did so, she lost her balance and fell back against Rhys who caught her by the shoulders.

  “You okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  They were at their booth. Chloe slid onto the cushioned bench, while Rhys slid onto the bench across from her. Having already studied their menu, they ordered right away. Rhys ordered a bottle of wine with their meal.

  “Wine? You aren’t trying to get me drunk are you?” Chloe teased and instantly regretted saying it when Rhys shot her that perfect grin.

  “Maybe.” He took a sip of the complimentary water.

  Chloe took a large swallow of her own, and ended up in a coughing fit when the liquid went down the wrong way.

  What is it you are wanting from me? “So how is your brother?” Chloe asked in between coughs.

  “He’s doing well. As you probably know he and Josie are expecting a baby soon.”

  “You must be excited to be an uncle?”

  “I’m looking forward to spoiling him rotten then passing him back to mom and dad.” He smirked.

  “I just hope he takes after his daddy and not his uncle. Bill will make a great dad.”

  “So how’s your mother? Still teaching?”

  Her mother wasn’t a topic she wished to discuss. “She’s fine.”

  “I heard she took a job teaching ballet at Julliard? How’s that going? Does she regret retiring from the stage?”

  Chloe shrugged “Who knows?”

  “And what about you, kid, any regrets?”

  “No,” She said.

  Her top teeth came down crushing her bottom lip before she could stop herself. Why couldn’t he leave it alone? How many times did she have to say it?

  “Are you sure? Chloe, you were such a delight to watch on stage. Why do you think I came to every performance?” He playfully tugged on her fingers as her hand lay on the table. “I always loved hearing you sing.”

  “Thanks for the compliment. But my singing days are over.” She pulled her hand away. “It’s time for me to focus on a new career.”

  “In folklore,” Rhys said sounding as if the idea didn’t sit well with him.

  “Could be,” Chloe said putting butter on her knife. “In any case it is my choice. I wish you would respect it.” She pointed the knife at Rhys before moving it to the roll she’d snatched out of the basket.

  “I think you don’t know what you want.” Rhys said snatching the tiny cup from her to butter the roll he’d just grabbed. “What if I told you professor Wilson has decided to put on Phantom of the Opera?”

  “Really?” Chloe said her eyes bright with excitement. “You’re sure?” Never did she think that Wilson would get the okay to put on such a grand musical. She’d been hoping for something great, but the fact still made her heart beat a lively tempo.

  “He called me earlier to see if I would help.” Rhys said studying her face. “Why don’t you audition? You once told me your dream was to play Christine.”

  That sneaky devil, Chloe thought. “Dreams can change.” She took a bite of her roll glaring at him.

  “So you won’t try out?” Rhys asked and cocked a brow.

  “No. I’m excited that Phantom is coming, but my excitement will be reserved for a seat in the audience.”

  “I still think you’re making a mistake.”

  “And I think you should mind your own business.” Her tongue was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

  Rhys scoffed and tore into his roll. They were quiet for a time, and Chloe all but sighed in relie
f when their food arrived. She used her salad and chicken strips as an excuse not to talk and made sure to keep her eyes remaining on her dish and her mouth full.

  As she swallowed a mouth full of salad and chicken, Chloe raised her eyes to see that Rhys was watching her. Averting her gaze she reached for the ketchup and as she did so Rhys grabbed her hand.

  “Hey.” He said and pulled. “Look at me.”

  She did.

  “I’m sorry if I made you mad. But I’m not sorry in thinking you should return to the stage. Maybe your memories are full of stress, but the memories I have of you are full of happy moments. And the Chloe I remember was happiest when she was singing.”

  “It wasn’t because I was singing.” She said taking strength from the warmth of his hand on hers. “It was because of whom I was singing to.”

  ****

  They rode back toward her apartment in silence. The night was cold and the car heater was on full force, the warm blast pulling at the loose tendrils of Chloe’s braid. She leaned her head toward the window enjoying the way the cool glass felt on her face. Her body felt near its boiling point being once again in such close confines with Rhys. Her hormones must have been overheating. Her circuit board was melting.

  She laid her head on the door and closed her eyes. It had been a long day, and her emotions were being put to the test. What she needed was a good night’s sleep, maybe even a cold shower. Tomorrow everything would be completely out of her mind and she could feel more like herself.

  “Are you all right over there?” Rhys asked touching her shoulder.

  “Just it’s pretty cold tonight.” She refused to open her eyes. Didn’t he know what his touch was doing to her? Hadn’t she all but confessed her old feelings during dinner? Feelings that had lain dormant until he’d popped back into her life.

  It had been torture sitting so close to him during dinner. She’d felt so flustered and had to keep herself from staring or from foolishly trying to flirt. Even though she was angry with him for pushing her, she couldn’t hate him for that. If nothing else, he was acting just like her mother. And she should have never confessed what she had, especially when he’d said nothing in return. Instead he’d flashed her with that devilish smile.

  When Rhys made a sudden turn and pulled to a stop, Chloe opened her eyes and looked out the window. They were at the coffee shop at the mall.

  “How about some hot chocolate?” He asked and turned off the ignition. “That should help warm you up.”

  Chloe frowned at him and tried not to groan. If she got any warmer she’d spontaneously combust.

  “So did you spend your summer in New York?” Rhys asked as they sat at a table hidden in the corner.

  Chloe leaned back into the squishy leather arm chair, glad that the shadows would help hide her features.

  “No. I haven’t been to New York since I moved here.”

  “Not even to visit your mother?”

  “No.”

  “Did you two have a falling out or something?”

  Chloe turned her head to watch a couple nearby cuddling on a sofa sharing a chocolate cake. “So…Why did you leave New York?”

  As she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, there was no mistaking the look of surprise on his face. She’d caught him off guard. Good for her.

  “You don’t remember? I got offered a job in California.”

  “Yeah I remember.” I also remember how you kissed me then left even though I’d begged you not to go.

  Chloe rolled her eyes up to the ceiling in an attempt to keep herself from crying. Why couldn’t she just ask him? Why had he led her on then abandoned her? Was that what he was planning to do again?

  “So how did that job work out? Wasn’t it at a recording studio or record label or something?”

  “Yeah, something like that. I stayed with it for a year then quit. The job just wasn’t right for me.”

  “And neither was I apparently.” The words slipped out of her mouth in a sarcastic whisper. When Rhys said nothing, she prayed he hadn’t heard her.

  “Chloe, listen…”

  She held up her hand. God not now! Not when she was already fighting off the tears. She would rather hear his excuse when she was emotionally ready. “Take me home please.”

  ****

  “Thanks for dinner and hot chocolate,” Chloe said as they stood in front of her door. She was trying to fish her keys out of her purse while Rhys stood on the step waiting.

  “I’d like to see you again.” He said giving her tiny hand a squeeze.

  “Why?” She asked and searched his blue-grey eyes for an answer.

  “Now you want to talk about it?”

  “Why not?” She said feeling her temper rise. “Was it just because of the job? Or our age difference? Or was I just not good enough for you?”

  “It was none of those.” He said and touched her shoulder.

  “Then what?” She asked knocking his hand away.

  Rhys sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Is it really that important?”

  “It is. Why did you dump me?” Rhys turned away from her. Maybe he was too ashamed to look at her. Perhaps he was feeling guilty after all.

  Chloe gave his sleeve a tug to get him to look at her. “I deserve to know.”

  When he continued to look at her, she gave his sleeve a yank. “Tell me Rhys.”

  “Why don’t we talk about this later? It’s late.” He took a step back.

  He was going to try to wiggle out of this. She wasn’t going to allow that.

  “I don’t care how late it is. I deserve to know, so stop jerking me around.” Chloe crossed her arms over her chest so that she wouldn’t be tempted to punch him. God, she really wanted to hit him. “You made me believe you actually cared. When the truth of it was, you’re just a heartless jerk.”

  A muscle twinged in his jaw, and his eyes turned dark and dangerous. Perhaps she’d taken it too far.

  “Damn it Chloe, I left because of you.”

  “But you said….” Her words trailed off and she shook her head. “So I was just your little play thing?”

  “It wasn’t like that.” He growled and clenched his fists. She hoped he was trying to keep his own temper in check. Either that or he was going to hit her. “You were so young and talented. You were fresh into your career and I didn’t want to ruin that. We both had our careers to think about. The job in California was too good to pass up.”

  “So you thought fame was more important than us? That’s such a petty excuse. You’re just as selfish as my mother!” Her own temper was spiraling out of control.

  Rhys’s eyes widened and he flinched. She’d hit a nerve. “Maybe I am.” He said heatedly. “What’s wrong with wanting a successful career? You seemed pretty content with your own success.”

  Chloe scoffed. “You’re wrong. Dead wrong. The only one who ever cared about my success was Sophie.” She took a breath and started again. She had to get this off her chest. “You asked me earlier if my mother and I had a falling out. And you’re right, we did. You have no idea what I went through getting away from her. Getting away from the theatre. I know it’s terrible, but I hate her and I hated that show even more. She tried so hard to run my life. Oh, she claimed that it was for me. But it wasn’t, everything she did, she did for her own benefit. She only cared for herself. I was miserable and in pain. And she did nothing. So how can you say I was content?”

  Rhys looked at her. His eyes shone in the darkness. “I had no idea. I thought you were happy. I thought it was what you wanted.”

  “What I wanted? How would you know what I wanted? You never asked me!”

  You should have stayed. You should have protected me! Chloe’s mind screamed. She wished she could say the words out loud. But she couldn’t trust him with the truth. He wouldn’t believe her anyway.

  Chloe smiled sadly. She couldn’t trust him. And if she couldn’t trust him then there was definitely no hope for them to be together. Not even as friends.
She sighed and tried to harden her heart.

  “You know what, it’s fine.” She shook her head. “Whatever.”

  Not waiting for a reply, Chloe turned and unlocked her door. So this is what closure felt like.

  “Please leave.” She said over her shoulder and took a step inside.

  “So that’s it? You’re just going inside? You can’t just put all the blame on me.” Rhys said stepping up onto the porch. “If what we had meant so much to you, then why didn’t you beg me to stay? Why didn’t you ever confide in me? You acted like everything was no big deal.”

  “How was I supposed to act? You dumped me! Did you want me to beg? To cry? Then I’d have been the pitiful girl whose heart you broke. I didn’t want your pity damn you! I wanted your love. You may have taken our relationship lightly, but I didn’t. I loved you!” She rubbed her eyes. They were starting to sting. “I guess we were doomed from the start. We both hid things from each other. And we still are. So unless you want to admit the truth, that I was just some conquest, I have nothing more to say.”

  “You weren’t some conquest.” He said. “You know it wasn’t like that.”

  “Do I? Well whatever. It doesn’t matter anymore. You don’t matter anymore.” Her lips trembled. It had taken all her energy to force the lie out of her mouth.

  Rhys said nothing else and stood there, his silent stare too much for her.

  “What is it you want from me?” Chloe said her hand gripping the screen door as if a strong wind were about to blow it out of her hold. “Why did you ask me to dinner? Is it because you were expecting me to fall madly into your arms? I’m not that naïve girl anymore. I won’t let you use me again.”

  “Damn it, it wasn’t like that and you know it!” He rubbed his jaw. “I’m not some player.”

  Chloe rolled her eyes. So many emotions were wrapping themselves around her heart. A dozen lassoes all squeezing and pulling her this way and that. “Two years is a long time. Plenty of time to get over someone.”

  “If you’re so angry with me then why did you accept my invitation?” Rhys asked.

  “I don’t know either. For closure I guess. No matter the reason, I can see now that it was a mistake.” She hoped he couldn’t see her tears. They were streaming down her face. She didn’t dare brush them away for fear he’d see. “Look, I’m tired of arguing and want to go inside.” She stared at his chest, afraid if she looked him in the eye she’d lose her nerve. “Good-bye Rhys.”