Once More From the Top (The Women of Willow Bay)

by Nan Reinhardt

  The classical conductor whose sex appeal is bringing a new, younger audience to the symphony hall—Marty Justice had done his job well, and Liam went along without protest. He loved drawing the music from an orchestra, working with musicians all over the world, and teaching seminars and workshops, but he was tired.

  Shaking his head, he left his stateroom and pulled out his phone to send a simple text message to Marty. No, he wouldn’t be doing Tanglewood this summer. The only orchestra he intended to conduct in the next few months was the Traverse Symphony Orchestra.

  “Company!” Tony called down to him as he was shoving his suitcase into a rack in the hold.

  Company? Maybe it was her…

  Liam took the companionway stairs two at a time, hurrying to get up on deck, where he found Eliot Raines coming up the short gangplank.

  “Welcome to Michigan, laddie.” The old man’s handshake was still firm, even though he was nearing eighty.

  “Eliot, so glad to see you.” Liam was pleased to see his former teacher looking so spry. “Come sit down for a while. Sorry I can’t offer you any coffee, but I’ve got water and soft drinks. Maybe tea. We just tied up and need to hit the grocery store.”

  “Thanks, but I can’t stay.” Eliot seemed a little jumpy as he laid a large manila envelope on the table next to the railing. “Just dropped by to bring you the paperwork for the benefit. I think you’ll like this marina. Noah and Margie Dixon have a fine operation here. Been on the bay for years.”

  “It’s a beautiful harbor and they’ve been very hospitable.” Liam attributed the awkwardness between them to the fact they hadn’t seen each other in years—until Eliot’s next comment.

  “Hope you found the hotel I suggested comfortable.” Eliot’s gaze wandered out across the wide expanse of water before coming back to meet Liam’s.

  Liam was certain that particular hotel recommendation had been deliberate. Folding his arms over his chest, he gave him a wry smile. “It was fine. I, um, enjoyed the entertainment in the bar.”

  “Did you?” Eliot raised one bushy white brow and smirked.

  “Does she live in Traverse City?” He couldn’t have stopped the question if his life depended on it.

  Eliot shook his head. “She lives right here in Willow Bay.” Turning, he pointed to an apartment above a big white boathouse about a hundred yards away. “She’s the Dixons’ niece.”

  Liam’s stomach flipped over as he stared up at the boathouse gleaming in the sun that peeked through the pines behind it. When he glanced back at Eliot, the old guy wore a rather self-satisfied expression. “What are you up to?”

  Eliot shrugged. “Just trying to keep Lawson Music Camp afloat. I can’t thank you enough for taking this on, especially while you’re on vacation.” He patted Liam’s shoulder. “Gotta run. Oh, hey, if you need a cup of coffee, I’d recommend you walk up to the village. The Daily Grind on Main makes great coffee and scones. Perry Graham, the owner, is a platinum-level supporter of the TSO.”

  “Eliot—” Liam began, but Eliot was already halfway down the gangplank. He moved damn fast for a man approaching eighty.

  “We’ll catch up later, my boy,” he called over his shoulder as he hurried up the dock.

  Liam shook his head and smiled. It wasn’t exactly an admission he’d been set up, but Eliot Raines could’ve gotten any conductor for this gig—Palmer, Dudamel, even another former student like Raymond Curry. Any one of them would’ve signed on for a cause like Lawson Music Camp. The old man may or may not have had an ulterior motive when he invited him to conduct, but Liam’s curiosity was piqued.

  Remembering the flare of heat as he watched Carrie play last night, he thought, Why not? Looking up an old lover suddenly made the idea of spending time in Willow Bay even more appealing.

  * * * *

  Carrie rubbed the back of her neck and shifted her purse from one shoulder to the other as she waited in line for coffee. She’d barely slept last night. The house was so quiet without Jack—and then there was Maestro Liam Reilly. She’d deliberately left the house early to avoid a conversation with Eliot. It didn’t matter what he had to say. Liam was here, and although she’d gotten Jack away before Liam discovered his existence, she still had to face him sooner or later. Anyone who stood in the same room for longer than thirty seconds with Jack and Liam would figure out the truth.

  Not exactly rocket science…

  “Hey, kiddo.”

  She started at the light touch on her shoulder and glanced back to see her best friend Julie Miles cutting in line behind her. “Hey, Jules.”

  “What are you doing here? I thought Jack had to be up at Lawson at nine.” Julie waved away the protests of the other patrons in the queue. “I’m not getting coffee, I’m just here to chat.” That perfect grin and shapely body bought her a lot of good will from the men she’d moved aside.

  Carrie shook her head. “I took him up yesterday.”

  “Why? I thought you guys were going to do one last day together.”

  “He really wanted to go up when Max did, so I caved.” Carrie kept her tone casual as she met her friend’s curious gaze.

  “You okay?”

  “Yep.” There was no hiding anything from Jules, so it was best to keep her answers succinct. She could be relentless as a terrier and Carrie wasn’t in the mood to be grilled.

  Kelly, the barista, gave her a nod and Carrie placed her order. With a raised brow at Jules, she pointed to the counter. “You want anything?”

  “I’d better not.” Jules shook her head, making her long blonde hair shimmer in the sunlight streaming that streamed in the window. “Don’t make a liar out of me.”

  “Oh, for God’s sake, just order her a venti white chocolate mocha and get it over with.” Ben, the owner of the hardware store, grinned good-naturedly from his place in line.

  “Yeah and put her damn bran muffin in the microwave, Kelly,” Al, the barber, added from the doorway. “Whose turn is it to pay?”

  “I think I’m up.” This from Gary, who owned the bookstore next door.

  Julie held up her wallet. “Not necessary, guys. I actually remembered my money today. Coffee’s on me.” She nudged Carrie to one side. “Hey Perry, run me a tab for these guys, okay?”

  A cheer went up from the men in line and Carrie rolled her eyes. At fifty, Julie was still a knockout and her career as a catalogue model made her a celebrity in Willow Bay. But it was her sense of fun and vivacious personality that made most of the men in town lust after her. Alas, she was hopelessly devoted to her husband.

  “Let’s find a table.” Scanning the room, Carrie spotted one near the back window.

  “I can’t stay more than ten minutes. I’ve got a mani-pedi at nine.” Julie set her coffee and muffin down and plopped into the chair across from Carrie. “Was it as tough as you thought it would be? Leaving him for the whole summer?”

  “Worse. I lost it. He stood by the car and patted my head like I was the kid and he was the parent. So in addition to being painful, it was also embarrassing.” She shrugged. “But I know this is the best thing for him.”

  “It is. He needs to feel free to explore where he’s going and what he’s about. You were right to ship him up there.” Julie added a packet of raw sugar to her latte as Carrie cringed. Julie’s sweet tooth was notorious in the village. “And hell, don’t apologize for crying. I’m still a mess when I leave the twins at school, and they’re in college. Why do you think they asked Charlie to take them back Ann Arbor for summer session today? They know their dad won’t lose it. They hate it when I cry during goodbyes, but it’s a mom thing. We’re allowed.”

  Julie had been Carrie’s dear friend for ten years and was one of her first customers. When she brought her twins in for portraits, the two women clicked immediately despite the fact that their lives, and their personalities, couldn’t have been more different. Julie was bubbly and flamboyant, adored Elvis and Brooks & Dunn, and had three grown kids and a successful surgeon husband, Char
lie Miles. Life at Julie and Charlie’s house was chaotic and noisy and hectic.

  Carrie was quiet, private, and settled into a routine. She adored Jack, her photography studio, and her orderly apartment above the boathouse at Dixon’s Marina. Her life was low-key and modest. But she and Jack shared a love of music, movies, swimming, and sailing on Willow Bay. She worked hard to keep life simple and full of love.

  That life was about to get very complicated, and she wanted to spill the whole story of Liam’s reappearance to Jules, but she couldn’t do it in five minutes at the coffee shop. They’d need a quiet place to talk, several bottles of wine, and chocolate.

  “He’ll have a ball working with those little kids, don’t worry about him.” Jules took a big bite of the muffin before washing it down with a gulp of coffee.

  “It’s not him I’m worried about.” Carrie said. “It’s me. I’ll be lost without him.”

  “The experience will be great for you too, if you let it. Maybe it would be a good time for you to try getting a life. Like, I don’t know, dating?” Julie arched one brow. “You’re forty and—”

  “Hey, you’ve got me by ten years, so watch it. And my life is just fine, thank you.” She waved away Julie’s concern like an annoying fly. “I have two weddings to photograph this summer, the church directory photos, and senior pictures. I can help Uncle Noah at the marina, sail, swim, and do my thing at the bar. I’m well into the middle of my life, so don’t start that ‘begin your life’ crap again. I’m going to miss him, that’s all. And by the way there’s more to life than men, Jules.”

  The conversation was old territory. Jules had been fixing her up with various men practically from the moment they’d met. Carrie enjoyed dating, but Jack was her focus and she never brought men home. It was an unwritten rule that she kept her dating completely separate from her home life. She’d experimented with relationships, but the encounters left her unfulfilled and vaguely dissatisfied, as though something she couldn’t define was missing.

  “I’m just saying—”

  “Don’t you have a mani-pedi in about two minutes?” Carrie interrupted.

  “Oh shit.” Julie stuffed the last of her muffin in her mouth, swallowed, and grabbed her coffee. “Call me later.”

  “Want to grab a pizza tonight?” Carrie asked hopefully. It would be good opportunity to talk to her about Liam.

  “Thanks, but no. I’m planning an empty-nest celebration of champagne and hot sex with my husband.” She waggled her perfect brows as she backed away from the table.

  “Ah, Julie, you’re killin’ us here,” Ben said while Al and Gary elbowed each other and snickered.

  “Sorry, guys. TMI.” Julie swung past the counter to settle up with Perry before breezing out on an audible sigh from the group at the table by the door. “Enjoy your coffee, gentlemen.”

  Carrie watched wistfully, half-wishing she had the time to join her friend at the nail salon. An hour of self-indulgence would go a long way toward easing the knot in her stomach. She nibbled her scone, and the crowd dissipated as the merchants headed out to begin their days. Senior pictures started today, but her first appointment wasn’t until ten-thirty. She had time to finish her coffee and read the paper.

  The headline jumped out at her as she shook the Record-Eagle open to the Arts and Entertainment section, hoping to find dates and times for performances at the local playhouse of Belle of Amherst, a play she’d looked forward to attending. There it was in bold black letters. THE MOST INFLUENTIAL CONDUCTOR SINCE BERNSTEIN. The article ran two columns above the fold, hailing the virtues of Maestro Liam Reilly, but as she tried to read it, the print jumbled together over words like dramatic flair and intellectual vigor.

  “Don’t believe everything you read in the papers, sweetheart.”

  She gasped as her mind registered the identity of the man standing beside her. He hadn’t changed much—a little brawnier, a few gray strands threading through his dark red hair, some lines around his eyes. The gray-streaked goatee was new, but basically he was the same Liam.

  What a crummy thing to do, blindsiding me in the coffee shop in front of the whole town.

  “Mind if I join you?”

  She shook her head since he was already pulling out the chair opposite hers. When she was finally able to speak, her voice was raspy. “What are you doing here?”

  “Getting coffee?”

  She gave an exasperated sigh. “I mean what are you doing in Willow Bay?”

  “Vacation… with a little work thrown in.” He eyed her over the lid of his cup before taking a sip. “How are you, Carrie?”

  How was he so cool and calm, while she was about to burst apart at the seams? Folding the newspaper back into a neat rectangle, she laid it carefully in the center of the table.

  “Good. I’m good,” she replied with a tight smile. “How about you, Maestro?”

  “I’m good, too.” The quaver in his voice was so slight, she’d have missed it if she hadn’t been so attuned. It gave her courage.

  “Great. I’m glad to hear it.” She rose. “Well, I’ve got to run. Enjoy your stay.”

  He stopped her with a hand on her wrist, his eyes locked on hers. “Wait. Don’t go. Can we… catch up? It’s been a long time.”

  That simple touch sent her pulse into orbit. Damn the man for having any effect on her at all. He was still too sexy for his own good. For her own good. Beltless jeans rode just below his waist. His tucked chambray shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, the sleeves rolled back to reveal the soft hair on his arms. Why couldn’t he have been bald or sporting a giant pot belly? Anything but still her Liam?

  Frightened and frustrated, she was dying to touch him. Instead she gripped her purse, slipped into her chair, and gave him the most casual smile she could muster. “I only have a few minutes.”

  “So, what’ve you been up to?” His smile nearly melted her into the floor of the coffee shop. “How did you end up here?”

  “My aunt and uncle live here. I came up after my dad died and I liked it. Now it’s home.”

  “You cut your hair.” He leaned back in the chair, assessing her with narrowed eyes.

  Heat rose in her cheeks. Dammit, she hated blushing. It was so juvenile. She chuckled, trying to cover her discomfort. “Several times. As you said, it’s been a long time.”

  “You still look fantastic.” His deep voice caressed her, just as it had so long ago.

  “Thanks. So do you.”

  He did look good. Better than good. All the photos and television appearances didn’t do him justice. With a strong jaw, gray eyes, and thick hair, he looked more like a cowboy than a musician. He exuded sex appeal—which was exactly how he’d been marketed to the public. As classical music became a hot commodity, Liam rode that interest right to the top. According to the press, he mingled with musical celebrities and Hollywood types alike, drawing crowds of star-struck women into concert halls around the world.

  Tugging the lid off her coffee cup, she shoved the napkin containing a bit of leftover scone into it and snapped it back on before meeting his gaze straight on. There was no point in letting him reduce her to a silly school girl. They needed an even playing field. “Life on the road certainly agrees with you.”

  “It’s been a hell of a ride.” He sipped his coffee. “What’re you doing these days?”

  Dimples showed around the beard when he grinned, and his resemblance to Jack startled her speechless. “Um… I’m a–a photographer. I own a studio a couple of blocks from here.” She cocked her head toward the front of the shop. “I do weddings and portraits… that sort of thing.”

  “A photographer? Wow, I had no idea you were even interested in photography.” He seemed truly surprised. “Your own studio? How wonderful.”

  “Thanks.” She nodded with a smile. “It pays the bills.”

  He dipped his head and that stray lock of hair fell across his forehead. “What about your music? I thought you were headed to Carnegie Hall like your mother.” His
question was hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure he should bring up the topic. “Now, you’re playing jazz in a hotel bar on Saturday nights? What happened?”

  “Just didn’t work out.”

  Carrie rose, unable to sit still for another second. What a surreal situation! Liam here, sitting across from her, the two of them exchanging pleasantries like a couple of old classmates. There was so much he didn’t know, so many things she’d do over if she had another chance, but this wasn’t the time or place. His questions were too probing and she wasn’t ready to tell him.

  Not yet.

  “I need to get going, I have stuff to do. Really good to see you, Liam.”

  “I’ll be here a while.” His gray eyes raked her body before returning to her face. “Let’s get together for dinner one night. Maybe you can show me around.”

  Carrie’s palms were sweating and she longed to hurl herself into his arms with a Yes, yes, let’s have dinner. How wondrous would it be to simply confess all her sins to him? But instead she stood, dry-mouthed, fidgeting with her purse strap.

  His gaze held hers, a question in his eyes.

  She wasn’t prepared to answer any more questions, so she simply shrugged. “Maybe. We’ll see.”

  And she walked away.

  THREE

  Liam smacked his palm on the steering wheel of his Mercedes roadster as he sat in the parking spot in front of the Daily Grind sipping his second cup of coffee. The plan had been simple when he saw her sitting in the coffee shop. Drop by and check out an old lover. Maybe share a few memories that might reveal why she’d dumped him so unceremoniously. That was it—nothing more. He expected her to be wary, but not so coolly polite, as if they’d never been more than passing acquaintances.

  What he truly hadn’t counted on was her effect on him. She still had that haughty tilt to her chin that was such a turn-on when he first met her, mainly because it was contrary to who she actually was. And she’d bolted when he asked about her music, never even acknowledging his presence at her gig at the bar. The way she kept him at arm’s length piqued his interest even more. What happened to the open, passionate girl he’d known? How had she become this closed-up, cool woman he barely recognized?