Trouble in Disguise

by Sonia Stanizzo

  Biting her bottom lip, she giggled. “I should feel bad about that.” The laughter on her face showed no sign of being sorry.

  “I can’t believe you compared me to some Disney character.” But she hadn’t been completely wrong. He was like the male version of the singer, only with better songs.

  “Well, you weren’t exactly nice to me.”

  “I thought you were a—”

  “Groupie. Yes, I know. But I’m not.”

  And he liked that about her. “So, if you weren’t backstage chasing musicians, why were you stalking the corridors?”

  “Like I told you that night, I was looking for my cousin and I got lost.”

  “I hear a lot of stories about getting lost. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. I assume you found your cousin?”

  “Yes, thank goodness. Just in time too. She was making plans to fly to Vegas and elope with your drummer.”

  That startled a laugh from him. “Elope? As in getting married?”

  “Yes. And if I hadn’t stopped them, she would have made the biggest mistake of her life. He would only have left her.”

  “Although I doubt any marriage would work under those circumstances, Mike gets crazy ideas sometimes and has eloped twice already. He wasn’t thinking with the brain in his head but with the one in his pants. It was bound to fall apart,” he said.

  “Even if they were deeply in love, this one wouldn’t work because she’s—” Her lips slammed shut.

  “She’s what?” he urged.

  “It’s getting late. I should go.” She slid off the barstool, looking like she was about to bolt.

  He held on to her wrist, stopping her from leaving. “Why wouldn’t it have worked? What’s wrong with your cousin?” Already married? Really a man? A dozen crazy reasons ran through his head. Who did Mike almost marry?

  She blew a strand of hair from her eyes, and when it only fell back on her face, she pulled her wrist from his grip, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a hair tie. Twisting it into some kind of bun, she secured it on top of her head, exposing the smooth skin of her neck.

  “If I tell you, you’ll think I’m crazy.”

  “Why would I think you’re crazy? Trust me, I’ve heard a lot of wild shit. What you tell me can’t be that bad. Does your cousin have webbed feet or something?”

  She rolled her eyes. “No. It’s nothing like that.”

  Sliding back on the barstool, she arranged her skirt over her legs. Damn, he wished she hadn’t covered them.

  “If I tell you, promise me you won’t laugh,” she said.

  Making the sign of a cross over his chest, he nodded. “Promise.”

  She took a deep breath and said, “She’s cursed. Well, my whole family is.”

  What the… “Your family is cursed?”

  “Yes.”

  “What does that mean, and how does this affect your cousin eloping?” This was weirder than if she’d told him she had webbed feet.

  She narrowed her eyes and searched his face like she was deciding if she could tell him or not. Then she drew in a deep breath. “Over a hundred years ago, a witch in Ireland put a curse on my family. And since then, the men who get involved with Brennan women—that’s my family name—leave. It’s usually before they get married, but it can happen after too.”

  He forced his features to stay straight-faced, because he knew if he so much as cracked a smile she’d walk. He’d been wrong about hearing crazy stuff—this would have to be the craziest thing he’d ever heard.

  “A witch?”

  “Yes.” Her face remained expressionless.

  Christ, she was serious. “And this curse happens often?”

  “Well, it hasn’t for a while until Liz got dumped at the altar. Going with her to your concert was a way of getting her out of the house and having fun again. By the way, she loves your band. I’d never heard of you until that night.” Her eyes grew round, and she covered her mouth. “Sorry.”

  This time he laughed. “Don’t be. It explains the lack of enthusiasm.”

  Jade laughed too, and he loved the sound.

  “You don’t really believe in this curse, do you?” Nate asked.

  He must have looked skeptical, because Jade’s laughter died. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me, no one does.”

  “Not that I don’t believe you…” He sure as hell didn’t, but he was keeping his mouth shut about his opinion. “It’s just not something you hear every day. Is there any way you can break it?”

  With a stiff expression, she blew out a long breath. “If there was, we would have broken it by now.”

  “I guess that was a dumb question. Sorry.”

  Her features softened. “No, I’m sorry. I should know by now to keep this to myself.”

  God, how many people did she tell this story to? “I’ll be honest, witches and curses are up there with Santa and the Easter Bunny. I don’t believe in them, but you do, so I’m not going to judge.”

  “You don’t believe in Santa?” She gave him a playful grin.

  “Many people believe in unusual things.” He had a mate who swore he’d seen Bigfoot. But he’d been drunk at the time. “You don’t think this will happen to you, do you?” he asked.

  “It will, I’m a Brennan.” She looked at him as if he were an idiot after she’d explained it to him.

  “What have you tried to break it?”

  She gave him a blank look. “Tried?”

  “Yeah, like…burning incense or dancing naked under a full moon.” That he’d love to see. Her alabaster skin glowing in the moonlight and her red hair falling in waves down her back. “Or it could be like those fairy tales where Prince Charming kisses the princess and breaks the evil witch’s curse.”

  “And who’s the lucky prince who will kiss me so we can live happily ever after? You?”

  Backing up, he nearly fell off his chair. She slid off the stool. This time he didn’t stop her. Something in her boiling expression told him he might get slapped if he tried.

  “No, I didn’t think so. I’ll let you know when we’re ready to start the lessons.” With that, she stormed out of the pub.

  Dammit, he’d pissed her off again. And boy did she look sexy as hell.

  Chapter 6

  The next morning, while the children played during recess, Jade was setting up the classroom for art. She banged tubes of paint on the desks as she rehashed Nate’s reaction about her beliefs on the family curse.

  It shouldn’t surprise her that another person thought she’d lost her mind. She’d been laughed at and teased by family and friends but never let it bother her like this. So why did it feel like a kick in the gut when he looked at her with amusement in his eyes?

  Another paint tube slammed the desk. Maybe she was just over being ridiculed, and he was the last straw.

  “What has the poor paint done to you to deserve such abuse?”

  Whipping around, Jade found Toby standing in the doorway.

  “I’m pretending it’s someone’s head,” she said, this time placing down the rest of the tubes with a little less anger.

  Toby laughed. “I hope it’s not one of your students.”

  “My students are angels.”

  Toby lifted an eyebrow.

  “Most of the time. It’s your friend who I’d love to throw this at.”

  She was pleased that after last night, she’d fallen out of truly, madly, crazily in lust. Yep, no heart flutters or funny, tingly feelings. Well, the tingly part when she thought of him—which happened a lot—was still around, but it was probably something she might need to see a gynecologist for.

  “That friend of mine has just sent you a delivery.”

  “Already? I only sent him a text with a list two days ago.”

  “I guess he has connections. There’s a truck outside waiting to be unloaded.” Toby pointed over his shoulder.

  Racing to the window, she peered out. “Oh, wow. That’s a big truck.”

  “The driver wants t
o know where you want it all to go.”

  She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Recess is almost over. Can you watch my kids for a few minutes?” When Toby nodded, she added, “Don’t forget to tell them to put their paint shirts on.” With that, she ran out the door.

  When she reached the truck, she skidded to a stop and tried to keep her excitement under control. She couldn’t believe the kids were not only getting free music lessons, they’d get to play on brand-new instruments.

  A man with a clipboard approached, and two other men went to the back of the truck and opened the doors. “You Jade Brennan?” Clipboard Man asked. Without waiting for her to answer, he passed her the delivery docket she needed to sign.

  Quickly scribbling her name, she then glanced at the equipment being unloaded, not able to hide her smile.

  “Where would you like us to put them?” one man asked.

  “Follow me.” Once in the hall she pointed to a corner of the room. “Put them there.”

  The man holding a couple of guitars put them where he was instructed and scratched his head. “You’ll need a lot more room than that spot. The truck is piled with the stuff.”

  And he wasn’t wrong.

  After they unloaded everything and left, Jade stood dumbstruck in the hall. Yamaha keyboards, Gibson and Fender acoustic and electric guitars, Pearl drum kits, every kind of wind and string instrument, tambourines, xylophones, and microphones. There were also music books and stands and things she didn’t even recognize. There was more than one of each instrument and in different sizes. She assumed to accommodate for the smaller and bigger kids.

  This was musical heaven, and Nate did this for them. Now she was back to being truly, madly, crazily in lust. Who was she kidding? It had never left.

  He’d gone beyond anything she could ever have imagined. She needed to thank him for such generosity. But she decided to write it in a text, because if she called him, she’d probably say something silly like declaring her love for him, and she’d already offered up her first-born child, so that wouldn’t be good.

  Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she typed a message.

  Thanks for the new music school. I hear Juilliard is locating here soon.

  It didn’t take long for a reply. I’d much prefer the School of Rock.

  Jade laughed. Thank you. It’s amazing. The kids will love it.

  You’re welcome. Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?

  Jade’s heart fluttered behind her ribs. Then another text came through.

  We can discuss a program.

  Of course it was to discuss music. How dumb was she to think, even for a second, it was for anything else? She texted back a time and a place.

  I’m looking forward to it, he replied.

  The flutter was back, so she quickly sent him a thumbs-up emoji, because even through a text, she might send something stupid like hearts and kisses.

  * * * *

  Nate chuckled as he put his mobile phone in his pocket.

  “I haven’t seen such a happy smile on your face in a long time. I’d love to thank the woman who put it there,” his seventy-nine-year-old grandmother said as she put two cups of coffee on the kitchen table and sat next to him.

  Dressed in bright red tights and a tight, black tank top, her silver hair with pale pink streaks was pulled up in a messy ponytail. She looked nothing like a typical grandmother should. Well, what he thought a typical grandmother should look like.

  “I smile all the time, and why would you think it’s because of a woman?”

  “You’ve hardly cracked a decent one since you’ve come home. I would’ve thought you’d be happy to see me at least.” She huffed. “And a man only looks like that over a woman,” she said and blew into her steaming cup of coffee.

  “I am happy to see you. I’ve missed you.”

  “So why the long face when you visit? Are you missing the tour and your band mates already?”

  “As much as I love the band, living with them almost twenty-four hours a day for three months straight isn’t always fun.”

  He needed space. It was good to have a break from them. They’d tried convincing him to go to the states with them, but being back in his hometown for a few weeks was where he needed to be. New York didn’t hold the greatest of memories.

  “Fi-Fi.” His grandmother had refused to be called anything grandmotherly, and they’d come up with the nickname when he moved in with her. “Are you not happy I’m home?”

  He’d never thought to ask if she wanted him around. He’d rented his own house, but did he come over too often? She was a woman who enjoyed a busy lifestyle; maybe he was getting in the way.

  She waved her hand in the air. “Of course I love having you home. But you seem lost, like you don’t know what to do with yourself, and a little sad if I’m going to be honest with you.”

  When was she ever not honest with him? When he needed to stay grounded, she held him down with concrete boots.

  “I guess I’m not used to having so much downtime.” And the thought of playing music he didn’t feel pulsing through his veins made it harder and harder to be enthusiastic about getting back on tour. “While I’m in town, I’m helping Toby out with after-school music lessons.”

  “That’s wonderful. He always had great ideas for that school.”

  “Not Toby’s idea. One of his teachers came up with the idea.”

  His grandmother searched his face in a way that always made him feel like she could read his thoughts. And most times she’d get it right. “This teacher’s the one who’s put the smile on your face.”

  It wasn’t a question. Damn, how did she do that? After all these years he still hadn’t figured it out. Maybe Jade was right and there really were witches.

  “You’ll have to bring her over sometime. Anyone who can make my boy beam from ear to ear is worth getting to know.”

  “She sent me a funny text. That’s all,” Nate said.

  “Will you be working with this teacher?”

  “Yes.”

  Fi-Fi smirked. “This will be interesting,” she said as she rose from her chair. “Well, I’m off to my pole dancing class. I’ll see you later.”

  Yeah, she definitely wasn’t like any grandmother he knew.

  Chapter 7

  Jade tried on about ten different outfits before deciding on a pale blue dress with spaghetti straps that flowed just below the knees. Tempted to call Lauren or Ava for ideas, she quickly decided against it. It was only a business meeting, and they’d make it out to be something more. Especially after she’d confessed about being in lust with the guy.

  She’d already received a text message from Ava asking if she’d taken things further with him that night at Jovi’s. No, nothing happened, because he’d thought she was a crazy person and she’d walked out on him. And nothing would happen, because…well, it just couldn’t. Could it? She shook her head with confusion.

  She gave one last look at her reflection in the mirror, reminding herself they were only meeting for dinner to discuss a music program. Nothing more. Then she grabbed her keys and left the house.

  When she arrived at the restaurant Lorenzo’s Table, she spotted Nate straight away. It was like her senses were drawn to him no matter how crowded the room. When he saw her, he waved and smiled, and her knees shook. Trying to walk balancing on heels was always a challenge, trying to do it on unsteady legs was dangerous. Thankfully, she made it to the table with no mishaps.

  “You look great,” he said as he rose and pulled out her chair.

  He didn’t look so bad himself. A white dress shirt rolled up to the elbows exposed tanned, ropey arms. A few opened buttons showed the tan continued onto his chest. His hair looked damp from a recent shower and finger-combed. God, he was gorgeous.

  “I wasn’t sure if you would show up,” he said.

  Jade flicked her wrist to glance at her watch. “Am I late?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve pissed you off a time or two.
”

  “You didn’t piss me off.”

  He arched an eyebrow.

  “Okay, maybe you did a little,” she admitted.

  He chuckled, and her heart hammered.

  “But after your donation to the school, I couldn’t stay mad. So, thank you.”

  “It was my pleasure.” Hearing the word pleasure roll off his lips conjured images that had nothing to do with violins and drums.

  A waitress showed up at their table, forcing Jade to think of food instead of fun things with Nate. She gave the woman her order of pasta carbonara and a glass of shiraz.

  When the waitress turned to take Nate’s order she paused with her pencil on her notepad. Instead of asking for his order, she narrowed her eyes and stared at him for a beat. “You look familiar. Where do I know you from?”

  Nate shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve just come into town.”

  She tapped her pencil on the pad. “Are you an actor? I’m sure I’ve seen you on TV.”

  Oh God. Was this waitress going to expose Nate’s secret? And how could he sit there so calmly while she was giving him a thorough inspection?

  “I’ve been on a health food commercial,” he said, smiling. “That must be where you’ve seen me.”

  “Hmm, must be.” But she didn’t look convinced. And before she asked any more questions, Nate gave her his order and she left.

  Feeling a little unsettled that Nate’s secret could’ve been exposed, Jade placed her elbows on the table and leaned forward. “Does that happen often?”

  “No. Hardly ever. I can always put them off track if it does.”

  “Have you done a health food commercial?”

  “Nope.”

  They both laughed.

  “I thought she would work it out,” Jade said more seriously.

  “My disguise is solid. Unless my wig gets caught in someone’s fingers.” He grinned.

  “It must be exhausting keeping up with the double identity.”

  His expression closed.

  “Sorry. It’s none of my business. I’m not that interested anyway.” She began rearranging the cutlery.