Love’s Serenade

by Sheryl Lister

  Chapter 7

  “Your head in the clouds, Leigh?”

  Leigh glanced over at Miles and they shared a secret smile. She’d had a hard time keeping focus during the rehearsal. Every time she looked Miles’s way, she found him staring at her with barely veiled heat in his eyes. “Just thinking about what Willie is saying.” He had suggested changing around the music set to keep the audience guessing.

  “They would expect us to do the new song first, most likely. But if we put it somewhere in the middle or near the end, it would guarantee them staying for the whole show,” Loyce said.

  Sam laughed. “Now, Loyce, you know them folks ain’t leaving ‘til the last note leaves Miss Leigh’s mouth. It doesn’t matter where we put the new song.”

  Miles chuckled. “Sam has a point, but I vote for putting it at the end. It’ll be a nice build-up.” He rotated toward Leigh. “Leigh?”

  She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me. You all start playing and I’ll start singing.” After another minute of discussion, they decided to put it at the end. Leigh’s attention shifted to the noise behind her. Liz was directing her staff in rearranging the restaurant. Tables had been moved, a few more added and stacks of folding chairs were propped against the wall. “I guess Liz was serious.”

  “And with the sixty-cent cover charge, she’s going to make a fortune tonight,” Loyce cracked. They all laughed. “Well, I’m going to head out. Think I want to go find a new suit for tonight.”

  “Is there a certain young lady you’re interested in courting, Loyce?” Leigh teased. She’d seen him talking to a woman after the show for the past week.

  He grinned sheepishly. “Her name’s Delores.”

  “Well, I wish you and Delores all the best.”

  “Thanks, Miss Leigh.”

  Leigh smiled. After Sam, Loyce and Willie left, she turned and found Miles watching her again. “What?”

  “So, if there was a certain young lady I was interested in courting, would you wish me the best, too?”

  “Depends on if you promised to be true and do your best not to leave her in pieces.”

  He rose from the piano bench and came toward her. “Then it shouldn’t be a problem because she’s the only woman I want and I promise to be true and never, ever leave her in pieces.”

  Oh my! The heat arched between them. Leigh brought her hand to her chest, hoping to calm her runaway heartbeat.

  Miles lifted his hand toward her face, and then as if remembering where they were, quickly dropped it. “Come upstairs with me, so I can give you your gift.”

  Still trying to process his earlier statement, she nodded. Since it was day, she didn’t see a problem with letting him come up for a few minutes.

  “I’ll go around back.”

  “No, it’s okay.”

  He studied her a moment. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” He followed her upstairs and she waited while he extracted something from his bag.

  Miles handed her the elongated box. “I found this in San Francisco a few months ago. I thought you might like it.”

  Leigh opened the box and carefully unwrapped the paper. She gasped. “Oh, Miles. This is absolutely beautiful.” Mesmerized, she ran her hand over the sculpture of a couple in a passionate embrace. The faces had been sculpted with such detail she could feel their emotion. Their features were without a doubt Negro. “The artist was someone of the race?”

  He smiled. “Yes. A real nice lady named Ava Lydell. Should be a card in the box with her information.”

  She dug through the wrapping and found a small card with the artist’s name, studio name—Art by Ava—and address in San Francisco. “I have to send her a thank you note to let her know how much I love it.” She ran her hand over the piece again. “I can’t get over how lovely this is.” She set it on the table and wrapped her arms around Miles’s waist. Tears misted her eyes. “I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you. This is the most amazing gift I’ve ever received.”

  “If I could’ve bought the whole studio, I would have just to see your smile. Maybe we can train out to California and visit the studio before winter.”

  In that moment, Leigh fell a little more. She came up on tiptoe and kissed him, infusing it with all the gratitude and love she felt in her heart. “I don’t need you to buy me the whole studio. You make me smile just by being you. You always seem to know the things that make me happiest. And I’d love to visit the studio with you.”

  Miles cradled her face in his hands. “I told you before, I want to be the only man to make you smile, to give you the desires of your heart, to court you.”

  This time when he kissed her, she felt everything he was telling her clear to her toes. The emotions overwhelmed her so much she broke off the kiss. Leigh rested her head against his chest. The strong, rapid pace of his heart matched her own. Miles lightly ran his hand up and down her spine.

  At length, he stepped back. “I’m going to go so you can rest up for tonight.” He paused. “How are you feeling?” At her confused look, he said, “Last night.”

  Understanding dawned. “I’m fine. A little sore, but not in a bad way.”

  “I’m glad.” He stood there a minute longer. “I’m really trying to leave, but those lips keep calling me.”

  Leigh laughed and pushed him toward the door. “No more kisses for you, Mr. Cooper.” But contrary to her words, she pulled his head down for a kiss that left them both breathing hard. “That should hold you until later,” she said with a smile.

  “Yes, ma’am. I do believe I can make it until tonight. See you later, sweetheart.”

  “Bye, Miles and thank you, again, for the beautiful sculpture.”

  “You’re welcome.” Miles tossed her a bold wink and left.

  Still smiling, she walked back over to the table and fingered the figurine. She couldn’t believe he had given her such a precious gift. She saw the card and recalled that she wanted to send a note to Miss Lydell. Grabbing some stationery from her bedroom, Leigh composed a short letter and put in an envelope. She would take it to the post office on Monday. She stared at the sculpture and wondered what made Miles chose this particular piece. A memory surfaced in her mind of the picnic she and Miles had snuck of to have three years ago. At the end of the day, she hadn’t wanted to leave and he stood holding and kissing her by the lake in an embrace much like this couple. Had he been thinking of them? The next time they had a moment, she’d ask. She yawned. Maybe a nap was in order. Afterward she would make a quick run to the dress shop for a new pair of stockings.

  Obviously Leigh was more tired than she realized because when she woke up, she only had an hour to get ready. She reheated some of the stew she’d made, added a small piece of cornbread and lemonade and quickly ate. Thankfully, she found a pair of stockings in good shape and dressed in record time. Leigh put the signature Magnolia flower in her hair and hurried downstairs.

  She poked her head in the door from the hallway and could only stare. People crowded at every table, chair and barstool, and not one ounce of floor space could be seen.

  Liz sidled next to her. “Girl, will you look at this. You know I’m never letting you leave here, right?” she added with a laugh.

  Leigh shook her head and smiled. “I owe you. I’ll be here as long as you want. This is something, though.”

  “That Miles is a genius. How are you two getting along?”

  Heat filled her face and she averted her eyes.

  “That well, huh? Well, at least you’re both rowing in the same direction now. Yes?”

  “Yes. I…he’s special. He purchased a sculpture for me while he was in San Francisco.”

  Liz’s eyes widened. “To replace the one Percy stole?”

  “No. He doesn’t know about that, or Percy. He said he saw it and thought I’d like it. It’s incredible. I’ll have to show you tomorrow.” The announcer’s voice filtered through. “That’s my cue.”

  She squeezed Leigh’s hand. “I am so proud of you.”


  “Thanks.” The two women embraced and Leigh went on stage.

  By the time they reached the end of the set, Leigh could sense the anticipation in the audience. “We thank you for coming and I know you’re all waiting for our new song. Well, the wait is over. Ladies and gentlemen, In My Dreams. Though I’m going to sing it, the credit goes to Miles Cooper, who wrote the music and the lyrics.” She waved in Mile’s direction and he tipped his hat. She nodded to the band. It didn’t take long for the audience to get into the song, clapping and swaying in their seats. The words of the song resonated with Leigh so much that it was easy for her to become one with the music. She belted out the lyrics about not letting anything stop you from pursuing your dreams with such conviction, at the end she heard a man yell out, “I know you’re going to be my dream, Miss Leigh!”

  The song had the same reaction during the second set and she couldn’t have been happier. She caught Miles’s gaze and he smiled. She smiled back. Yes, they were definitely rowing in the same direction.

  *

  Sunday morning, Miles sat at the kitchen table sipping his coffee and thinking about how well things went last night. His heart had nearly beaten out of his chest with pride when Leigh sang his song. He’d known it would be perfect for her and she had surpassed his greatest expectations. As he left The Magnolia, Liz had asked whether he’d thought about approaching one of the recording companies about the song, and suggested he should. He’d think about it at some point, but he had better song he wanted to pitch. First he had to share it with Leigh because it would only work if she agreed to sing it with him.

  Miles took another sip of coffee and scanned the music sheets spread out in front of him. The untitled music was complete. He just needed the lyrics, and once they came, the title would, too. He leaned back in the chair and let the words fill his mind. Immediately Leigh’s face appeared and he was transported back to Friday night—the way she touched him, the way she kissed him and the sound of her passionate cries while they made love. This was their love song, the beautiful music they created together. His eyes snapped open. Miles picked up the fountain pen and scribbled furiously, the words pouring from his brain so fast he could barely keep up. At length, he stopped and read over what he’d wrote, making small changes here and there. “This is it.”

  Anxious to hear it, Miles gathered up everything and hurried down to The Magnolia. The restaurant and club were closed today, but Liz had given him permission to come and practice whenever he wanted. He knocked on her apartment.

  “Miles?” Liz stared, clearly surprised to see him. “Is something wrong?”

  “Good morning, Miss Liz. Everything’s fine. I just wanted to use the piano.”

  She visibly relaxed and smiled. “It’s only ten. I figured you’d be sleeping in after last night. Working on another song for the band?”

  “Something like that.” He didn’t like lying to her since she paid his salary, but this song was only for him and Leigh. He’d play it there first, but only two instruments were required—the piano and their voices.

  “Be my guest. I have some of my staff coming in around three this afternoon to move the tables back. Will that bother you?”

  “No, ma’am. If I’m done before that time, I’ll let you know.”

  She nodded. “I’d appreciate that. Thank you.”

  Miles tipped his hat and took the stairs leading to the club. He settled at the piano and started playing. In no time, he lost himself in the music. The melody seeped into his soul as he sang the lyrics. He opened his eyes and his fingers stilled on the keys. “Leigh.”

  “Please don’t stop playing. It’s so beautiful.”

  His fingers moved over the keys as he sang the words into her eyes. “Every day when the sun rises, your voice is the first thing on my mind. It’s the music of my heart, a rare and precious find. A beautiful melody sung one note at a time, creating our own love’s serenade.” Leigh came to where he sat, cupped his jaw and covered his mouth in a kiss so sweet it nearly stole his breath. Music forgotten, he pulled her down onto his lap and continued to kiss her.

  “That’s the song you were playing last week, the one you said wasn’t finished.”

  “Yes.”

  “When did you finish it?”

  “I finished the music Friday night and the words this morning.”

  “Friday?”

  “After.” Miles saw the moment she understood. “The melody has been in my head for three years, but I could never finish it because something was missing.”

  Leigh studied him. “Obviously you figured it out.”

  “Only after we made love. You were the missing piece.” He hadn’t planned on telling her about the song just yet, not until he felt it was perfect, but now that she’d heard it, he decided to share his plans. “Leigh, remember when you told me you dreamed of having your music on a record?”

  “Yes.” She smiled. “You told me you wanted the same thing.”

  “I did. I think this song might be our chance. What do you think?”

  Her eyes widened and she brought her hand to her mouth. “Are you talking about taking the song to a record company?”

  Miles grinned. “Yes. But I want to make sure you’re okay with it. We’ll have to practice and be damn near perfect, but I think we can pull it off.”

  Leigh threw her arms around him and squealed with delight. “Oh, my goodness!” She leaned back, her dark brown eyes sparkling. “Let’s do it.”

  He loved her fearless spirit. He kissed her temple and patted her on the butt. “Up with you, woman. We’ve got work to do.” Sharing a smile, Miles flew over the keys as they practiced the song for the next two hours.

  When the last note faded away, Leigh asked, “Earlier, you said I was the missing piece to this song. What did you mean?”

  “Exactly that. Bits and pieces of the song started in my head not long after I left you in Magnolia, but I could never figure out why I couldn’t complete it. Until I saw you again. More and more of the music fell into place, but the full song only came the night we made love. Every touch, every kiss, every sound became this amazing melody and inspired the words.”

  “I don’t know what to say. You inspire me, too,” she added softly.

  “That was one of the reasons I took the music when I left. I felt it.” They fell silent for a moment.

  “Do you think we can really do this?”

  He heard the uncertainty in her voice. “I do.”

  Leigh angled her head thoughtfully. “It doesn’t fit the current jazz or blues sound, though the slower tempo is closer to the blues.”

  “I know, but we don’t want to sound like anybody else. I want you to stand out and be remembered forever.”

  “I want the same for you.”

  They sealed the deal with a long kiss. “What are you doing today?”

  “Just relaxing, why?”

  “Would you like to have dinner with me?”

  “Most places are closed today.”

  “I know. I’m going to cook for you.” Miles didn’t know where those words came from. He’d never offered to cook for a woman, or anyone for that matter. He could make a decent meal—he’d had to learn to cook or starve—but he didn’t do fancy.

  Surprise lit her eyes. “I’d love to.”

  “Great. I’ll come and pick you up around four. Is that okay?”

  “It’s perfect.”

  Miles sighed inwardly. Now what the hell was he going to cook? He walked Leigh up to her apartment, let Liz know he was leaving and prayed he had what he needed for dinner fixings.

  After a thorough search, he settled on fried chicken, green beans with cut up potatoes and cornbread, all of which he could make reasonably well since it was one of his favorite meals. The two hours he had would be plenty of time to get everything done. He went about the task efficiently and had his grandmother to thank for his kitchen skills. Whenever Miles and his father stopped in to see her, she not only made sure he kept up wit
h his schooling, but also taught him how to prepare meals and set the table. This would be the first time he’d used what he’d learned. Thankfully, his landlady, Mrs. Davis had nice china he could use to serve their dinner.

  He took the last pieces of chicken out of the pan, set them on paper to drain then on a plate and covered them with a towel to keep in the heat. The green beans were done, as was the cornbread. It wasn’t fancy, but hoped Leigh didn’t mind. He checked the icebox and noted he had a near full pitcher of lemonade, then went about setting the table. Miles stepped back to survey his handiwork and smiled. Mama would be proud that he remembered where to place the napkins, silverware and glasses. A quick check of the time confirmed he had just enough time to take a bath.

  Miles wanted to look his best and chose his new brown suit with a starched white shirt. Satisfied and, uncharacteristically nervous, he prayed the dinner went well and that he’d be able to keep his hands to himself. Though they’d been intimate, he needed her to see that what he felt went beyond physical desire.

  Chapter 8

  “This had to cost quite a sum,” Liz said, surveying Leigh’s sculpture.

  Leigh ran a loving hand over the couple. “I know. I still can’t believe he gave me such an expensive gift.”

  “And what a gift. I would love to know his motivation. This isn’t some trivial object like a bowl. Look at them, the passion is clear as glass.” Liz leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “I told you Miles seems far more serious about you this time. I’ve seen several women propositioning him and he’s turned them down flat. Even Belinda has been stomping mad because he won’t pay her any attention.”

  Leigh didn’t like hearing about all the women, though she couldn’t blame them. With his height, good looks nice build and wonderful voice, he’d be a great catch for any woman. And she knew all about Belinda. The woman had been frosty toward Leigh for the past two weeks. But it did make her smile that Miles hadn’t given any of them more than a passing glance. “He invited me for dinner this evening,” she blurted.