by Gun Brooke
As they reached the end of the chorus, Tierney stopped singing and flipped her hair back over her shoulder, exasperation evident in the way she moved. “It needs more. Like a bridge with a whole different feeling, well, not feeling perhaps, but a change of pace.”
Giselle kept her fingers moving on the keys as she thought about the suggestion. Tierney was right. They couldn’t do one crescendo and go right into the last, even stronger one, without a break in between. They already had a bridge earlier in the song, though. Pondering their options, Giselle noticed the highlights glistening in Tierney’s hair, small golden-auburn sparkles where the sun from the window found the shiny locks. The color of Tierney’s eyebrows suggested the amazing mane was not dyed. Did Tierney realize, or even bother to notice, how beautiful she was? She had more than physical beauty; it was much deeper than that. The light emanating from her eyes, combined with the bright smile that could sweep someone off their feet when it was genuine, could drive a person crazy with need. Giselle found it easy to tell when Tierney used her broad grin deliberately. When it was real, it hit her eyes and made her cheeks flush a pretty pink.
“Yes,” Tierney now called out, doing a twirl where she stood. “Just like that!”
“What?” Pulling out of her reverie, Giselle stopped, yanking her hands off the keys.
“Were you even listening to yourself?” Huffing, Tierney rounded the music stand and sat down next to Giselle on the piano stool. “Something like this. And don’t have a cow now. Remember I really don’t play the piano.” Tierney slowly ran her fingers through a gentle string of notes, using just her right hand. She made a few mistakes the first time she tried. “Damn. Not like that. Wait.” She tried again, and this time she got it right. The tones were ethereal in a way the other bridge, and the rest of the song, was not. Using her left hand, Tierney added a few simple chords. Her left arm kept touching Giselle’s abdomen and even the side of her right breast as Tierney reached for the keys on the far left of the piano. “See what I mean? That okay?” Tierney turned to look at Giselle, who knew she was blushing.
“All right. Let me try.” Still feeling like a fool for losing herself so much in thoughts of Tierney that she couldn’t focus, Giselle played the melody. “Like this?”
“Yes!” Tierney began to get up, but Giselle tugged at her T-shirt.
“No. Grab your notebook and stay here.” Giselle refused to examine why she thought having Tierney sit next to her would work better. Perhaps because she wouldn’t be distracted by Tierney’s face that way. Yes. That must be it.
“Want me to sing the words again?”
“Yes.” Moving her fingers to loosen the joints, Giselle started from the beginning. When they reached the bridge Tierney had suggested, Giselle concentrated harder, at first only half listening to that part of the lyrics.
I hate that losing you makes me cry
Skinless, humiliated, afraid to try
Moving on alone
Dreading every storm
Scared to find out why
Giselle closed her eyes as she played, slowly letting the words permeate her. When had Tierney written this? Who had let her down so badly that these painful words paired with the music came off as pure torment?
When they ended the song, muted applause came at them from the settee by the window. Giselle blinked and looked at Stephanie, who sat there with Charley at her feet. Surprisingly, Mister was curled up on the top of the backrest, right beside Stephanie’s neck.
“You like it?” Tierney leaned sideways, smiling at Stephanie.
“Are you kidding me? I felt you wrote this for me. And the music is…it’s stunning. I’ve never felt so drawn in, I don’t think. And you know I listen to a lot of music. All the time.” She gazed down at her lap. “This ancient iPod is all I have, but as long as it’s able to charge, I’ll have my music with me.”
“One of the few things they can’t take from you.” Tierney leaned back against Giselle’s shoulder. “When you move from place to place, sometimes with your few belongings in a garbage bag, you get afraid of becoming attached to anything. I had a rabbit, a stuffed toy, that I’d had since I was three or four. When I was fourteen, the woman I was staying with gave it away to one of the younger kids, claiming I was way too old for stuffed toys. I was devastated, yet I couldn’t take it back. The look in the little boy’s eyes, the way he instantly loved my rabbit, made it impossible. So, when Steph talks about loving the music in her iPod, it’s a big deal.”
Giselle understood. “Then we shall make sure she has some new tunes on it.” She stood. “Come with me, Stephanie.” The girl followed her hesitantly. Charley and Mister trotted after them, and clearly Tierney was curious too as she rose from the piano stool as well.
“Here, Stephanie, is my collection of music. Some is digital, stored on that media machine over there. Some is on CD or vinyl. All I ask is that you be careful with everything and put it back in its place, but other than that, you can copy anything you want to your iPod. Do you have enough room on it?”
“What? I mean, really? I can…you’re letting me use your music system?” Stephanie gaped. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. I think a true music lover should have a wide variety to choose from. I’m able to buy all the music I want, and I’m pretty picky. That’s why my collection is so eclectic. I’m sure you’ll find something you like though.” Giselle hadn’t been prepared for Stephanie’s reaction to her offer. It dawned on her that this girl wasn’t used to getting anything without a ton of strings attached to it. She turned to Tierney. “The same goes for you. Please use any of the music you might enjoy.”
Tierney was focusing on Stephanie and her reaction, but now she blinked and looked almost as dazed as Stephanie. “You’re more than generous, Giselle,” she murmured.
“Nonsense. The least I can do is share something you can truly enjoy and is just sitting here.” Smoothing down her light-yellow shirt, Giselle checked the time. “I have another two hours to go, but now that I’m over that hurdle, you’re free to do what you want.”
“Thanks. I’ll inventory the fridge and the pantry. Maybe Steph and I can go grocery shopping later today, or tomorrow.” Tierney nudged Stephanie’s hand. “Up for it, kiddo?”
“Sure.” Stephanie answered absentmindedly since she was already browsing the CDs. She had her head tilted sideways, skimming her right index finger along the backs of the plastic casings.
Right then, Tierney’s cellphone rang, and everybody grew rigid. The reaction would have been funny if Tierney hadn’t looked so startled, or if Giselle’s heart hadn’t jumped.
Answering, Tierney walked into the next room. She spoke quietly to the person on the other end, clearly asking some questions as well. When she returned, she gave a less-than-authentic smile. “That was one of the women I met in East Quay when I stepped off the bus. She needs me to walk Timo, her cocker spaniel. I’ll be gone a couple of hours.”
Stephanie sent Giselle a hesitant look. “That’s okay,” she said politely, but Giselle could see how out of sorts she suddenly was.
“We’ll be fine. Stephanie can oversee Charley and Mister while I work. You can also take anything you want from the kitchen, Stephanie. You know where the entertainment room with the TV set is.” She smiled reassuringly, and Stephanie looked marginally less stressed.
“If you’d rather I’d stay, Steph, I can call Leanne and cancel.” Tierney placed a gentle hand on Stephanie’s shoulder.
“Nah. I have your cellphone number, and so does Giselle, right?” Stephanie looked brave and stronger where she stood, squaring her shoulders. She pushed her hair back. “If you say no, she might not call you back. You’ll lose a chance to make extra money.”
“True.” Tierney still didn’t seem convinced. “I’d rather know you’re all right than make a few extra bucks.”
“I’m fine. I’m not a child anymore.” Jutting her chin out, Stephanie looked every bit as stubborn as any other teenager Giselle had com
e across, not that there were a lot.
“Of course not. Well, I’m off then. We’ll do the inventory of the groceries tomorrow, I think.” Tierney began walking to her room. “Oh, by the way, I thought it would be good for little Timo if I could exercise him while riding a bike. I saw you have one in the garage. May I borrow it?”
“It’s Frances’s. Or, well, it’s mine, but I bought it for Frances when she worked here.” Giselle knew she sounded a bit unhinged. “You’re welcome to use it. The key should be in the lock, as I keep it in the garage.”
“Excellent. All right. Have fun, ladies.” Tierney waved and walked to her room.
Nodding to Stephanie, Giselle headed for the kitchen. She fetched a small bottle of mineral water, stopped in mid-motion, and then pulled one out for Stephanie as well. Walking back to the music room, she gave the bottle to Stephanie without a word. Flanked by Charley and Mister, Stephanie was sitting on the floor, spreading CD covers and vinyl records over the coffee table. As Giselle turned to leave, Stephanie raised a hand.
“Thanks for the water. And just so you know, I’ve made a note on my phone where each of these goes so I can put them back when I’m done.” She smiled carefully.
“Very clever idea. I’ll remember that next time I want to listen to something.” Giselle noticed the flickering in her eyes when she praised her. It warmed her, and for the first time she felt entirely comfortable around Stephanie. Tierney was right. Clever ideas aside, this girl was special. It dawned on Giselle that the longer this child stayed with them, with her, the harder it would be to have to let her move in with someone else. How would she know Stephanie didn’t end up in a situation just as bad, or even worse than the one she’d lived through with the Brodys?
Mulling this unexpected sentiment over, Giselle walked over to the music room. She was just about to close the door merely from force of habit, when she realized that would shut Stephanie out. She left it open two inches and sat down on the piano stool, readying herself to put in a few more hours of work.
* * *
Tierney rode the fancy bike toward East Quay, glad a bicycle path ran the whole way since some cars appeared to be trying to set a speed record on the narrow country road. The sun was out, and she had to stop and remove her windbreaker. She tied the sleeves around her waist and made sure the old messenger bag she’d scored at a thrift store in Providence sat firmly slung across her chest and under the jacket.
Perhaps it was a good idea that Stephanie and Giselle had to communicate without her there to “translate,” Tierney thought as she pedaled toward East Quay. She would have to cross the entire town to reach the posh area by the ocean, and that gave her plenty of time to consider what had occurred in the music room as well. Tierney had no idea where her strength had come from, going toe-to-toe with Giselle, especially since Giselle had been seconds from freaking out completely. Tierney never wanted to be the reason for Giselle to have a full-blown panic attack or something. That had to be a horrible feeling. She had read about it, and even if she couldn’t picture it entirely, a lot of the people suffering from it claimed it felt as if they were about to die.
Then there was the physical thing. If it had been anyone else, Tierney’s gaydar would have claimed Giselle was a lesbian, or at least bisexual. It was impossible to judge with someone as guarded as Giselle, and all she had to go on was the flustered look on Giselle’s face and her clearly dilated pupils. Giselle responded to Tierney, of that she was certain, but it really didn’t mean anything, as Giselle was entirely out of Tierney’s league. And then there was the fact that Giselle was her employer and perhaps her ticket to the music industry. That alone made a potential attraction impossible. No way in hell she would have anyone think she’d slept her way to a job. And yet. Tierney pushed herself harder, pedaling up a hill, forcing her strong legs to propel the bicycle faster.
And yet, Tierney knew she was falling for Giselle, despite, or perhaps because of, her complex nature and vulnerability. Tierney was aware of her own strong protective side. When Giselle was struggling, whether it was with her music, walking out in an open field, or even going out in the car to rescue a young stranger, Tierney’s gut reaction was to help her through it. Not necessarily make it easier for Giselle but to help empower her. It was perhaps arrogant to think she could dart into Giselle’s life and be the catalyst to help improve it, but that wouldn’t stop her from trying—if Giselle allowed it. Being a proud woman, Giselle wouldn’t take kindly to any obvious attempts to “fix her,” and it wasn’t about that. Tierney was damaged enough and possessed enough self-awareness not to think she could “fix” anyone.
It was hard to explain, even to herself, but she truly felt she could make a difference when it came to Giselle—and Stephanie. Not only to train Charley as she had planned from day one, but also to show Giselle that it was okay to be different, that having a panic attack didn’t have to mean the end of everything. Never had she felt so invested in helping someone. Thinking back, she realized it had probably started when she founded the Facebook group for young people in, or just out of, the system. That had been one of the first things she did after she saved up enough for a laptop with wireless internet.
Reaching an intersection, Tierney turned onto the road that led into the center of East Quay. That part of town was well maintained, with old houses in New England style. Clearly, the merchants had a hand in the upkeep, as this was a town that appreciated small, local stores, even if a shopping center sprawled near the outskirts. Mindful of the cars, Tierney pulled aside and double-checked the address on the map on her phone. It was reliable, and she could tell she had twenty minutes left before she reached Leanne’s house.
Enjoying the exercise the bike ride gave her, Tierney smiled into the wind. She had never been this close to feeling content in her life.
Chapter Nineteen
Tierney rang the doorbell and took a step back. A dog barked, and then Leanne opened the door, smiling brightly. “Welcome!” Timo the cocker spaniel came running and circled Tierney’s feet, jumping up at her constantly. Only when he realized she wasn’t impressed did he plop down on his butt and merely stare at her with his tongue lolling. Not unlike Charley, but smaller.
Leanne beamed. “This is great! I was actually pretty sure Ms. Bonnaire would have showed you the door that first day.” She waved at Tierney to come inside. “I’ll just get Timo’s leash and collar.” She opened the door to a narrow closet just inside the front door. “Tell me. Did the whole Frances-sent-me idea really work that well?” She strapped the collar around Timo’s neck and handed the leash to Tierney, who hadn’t found a large-enough pause in Leanne’s word flow to answer her.
“I didn’t lie to her,” Tierney said, hoping Leanne wouldn’t pry for information about Giselle or her.
“Just a white lie, if you ask me.” Leanne winked, and her bright orange-red lips pulled into a wide smile. “All for a worthy cause.”
“As I said, I didn’t have to lie. Ms. Bonnaire hired me anyway. Full-time, really.” Tierney motioned toward Timo, who was now tugging at the leash with his little white teeth. “I’ll have him back in an hour.”
“Oh. Okay. Sure. That’ll be great.” Leanne looked disappointed at Tierney’s reluctance to gossip. “I’m working from home today. I’ll be here.”
“See you in an hour then.” Nodding politely, Tierney gave a light tug at the leash and made a startling ptcht sound, which made Timo let go of the leash. “Now that’s a good boy. Come on. Let’s go for a walk.” She strolled down the road leading to the marina and the beach beyond it. The parking lot was full of cars, which meant business was booming for Mike, as she owned the coffeehouse called the Sea Stone Café. Studying the many fancy yachts, sailboats, and motorboats along the docks for a moment, Tierney shook her head at how different her world must be from that of the people who owned them.
She followed the gravel path leading past the marina and headed toward the dunes that in turn would take her to the beach. She doubte
d dogs were allowed all the way down to the water at this time of year, but she hoped it would be possible farther north.
Timo seemed to be on his best behavior. Perhaps it was all the unfamiliar scents tempting his nose or the fact that Tierney spoke to him in a calm, friendly voice and wouldn’t let him get away with pulling on the leash. He was no doubt used to his owner’s chatty nature, even if she was more soft-spoken than the friend who had been with her that first day—Daphne, was it? Tierney couldn’t remember.
As she walked up and down the dunes, which was great exercise for both of them, Tierney spotted a tall person walking two dogs. Huge dogs. It took Tierney only a second to realize it was Mike with hers and Vivian’s dogs. Tierney waved, hoping to exchange a few words with the charismatic woman. If Tierney hadn’t led such a nomadic life, Mike could have become a very good friend. She could feel it.
“Tierney!” Mike called out from a distance. “What a great surprise.” She stopped a few yards from Tierney when she spotted Timo. “And who’s that little fellow?”
Tierney introduced her new friend but refrained from telling Mike whose dog it was. Leanne might have other values in life when it came to matters of the truth, but she would still benefit from Tierney’s rule of confidentiality.
“I recognize him, I think.” Mike frowned. “Remember, I meet a lot of people when I’m at the café. I think that’s the chief of police’s cocker spaniel. He’s met our boys before.” Mike let the huge Great Danes closer. She had them on a joined leash, easily handling them. “Perry, Mason. Remember, he’s little. Be gentle.”
Perry and Mason resembled giraffes as they dipped their heads to sniff the now-dwarfed Timo. After yelping once at their towering over him, Timo seemed to recognize them and began to wag his tail.
“How about if we go farther up the dunes together? I know some great paths up there.” Mike smiled. “I want to hear all about your progress with the music.”