by Anna Adams
One person in the crowd was particularly impressed.
Benjamin Baldwin watched the girl that he had played video games with, but he could not recognize her. No more was she the sister he fought Tekken battles with.
She was a real girl, and an impressive one to behold.
The musical ended with thunderous applause.
Grace squeezed Maude’s hand as they bowed and received the crowd’s blessing and gratitude.
Once the curtain fell, the girls hugged and hurried back to their dressing room.
“That was amazing! I want to do it all over again,” Grace gushed.
“You blew me away. I’m so proud.” Maude kissed Grace on the cheek profusely, before leaving to find Matt.
Alone, Grace peered at her reflection in the mirror. She was different. She was happy.
Ben knocked on the open door and let himself in.
“You were ... wow!”
“You proud of your little sister?” Grace said with a cheeky grin
“About that ...” Ben began.
“I understand,” Grace interrupted. “I was way out of line when I told you I wanted more. You were so kind, I think I got a little mixed up. But Jacob, he doesn’t see me as a sister, which is funny because we play a brother and sister. Just, don’t worry about it. I’m over it. We can fully be siblings now. Even if I don’t live under your roof anymore, you and Maude, you’re family.”
She hugged Ben and, when she did, she closed her eyes, lest they reveal the entire little speech she’d just made was more bravado than truth.
Pulling away, she looked at Ben, her face close to his.
“Hey, Grace!” Jacob cried out, entering the dressing room.
Grace took a sharp step away from Ben, who frowned.
“You coming!” Jacob kissed her on the cheek. “Wasn’t she brilliant tonight?” he asked Ben.
Ben nodded, embarrassed.
“We’re heading out for a party to celebrate our opening. Don’t lag behind!” Jacob called out as he left.
“How long have you two been so close?” Ben asked.
“It’s a recent development,” Grace chuckled, hiding her embarrassment as well as she could. “I guess I’ll see where it goes.” She took her bag and, before leaving, she said, “Thank you for everything. You’re the best brother a girl with no family could ask for.”
She kissed Ben on the cheek and left.
“Too bad I don’t want to be just your brother anymore,” Ben said softly, his words full of regret.
Three Broadway Stars are Born.
IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW Maude Laurent was debuting on Broadway last night, you were among the few who have been sleeping under a rock.
Violet’s Voice was challenging not only for Maude, who had never sung in a musical before, but also for Thomas Bradfield, the young man behind the scandal that had rocked the musical world three years ago.
Nobody thought of that scandal last night.
Thomas Bradfield and Maude Laurent had so much chemistry as the Italian and French lovers who fall for each other in 1970s New York that all is definitely forgiven. Let the past stay in the past.
Maude’s charm and voice as the character, Violet, enchanted the entire room and made us wonder if there is a single thing that this singer cannot do.
The true surprise of the evening was the delightful Grace Heaton. Unknown before yesterday, Maude Laurent’s protégée enthralled and bewitched us into forgetting this was her first professional performance.
Her songs with Maude Laurent were the best of the show, demonstrating that friendship in real life is a key ingredient to a scrumptious work collaboration.
I intend to watch where Grace’s career takes her.
With Maude Laurent by her side, the journey is certain to be a brilliant one.
Lexie Staz for Hollywood Buzz.
Chapter 21
TWO NIGHTS LATER, MAUDE and Matt dined on Soulville’s rooftop.
Being a part of the record label for so long had its perks.
They sat at a candlelit table and watched the city lights blink under the late summer sky.
Maude shivered and Matt wrapped his sweater around her shoulders.
“Everything’s changing, Matt. I’m twenty-two and I feel like there is nothing around me that I can grasp and command to ‘Stand Still’. I can’t believe Cynthia will be gone soon to Nigeria, my father’s land. Jazmine is still devastated by Dev’s departure, though her band is now a YouTube sensation. She’s been getting calls from several music producers, so that cheers her up. Grace has gone to live with her mother and I miss her.”
“Some changes are good. Isn’t that what you wanted? For Grace to be happy?”
“That’s true. And I’ll see her every night for the show, but still, it’s not the same. It made me realize something. I’ve thought about it long and hard regarding the future. I’d like, in a couple of years, when I’m ready, well, I’d like to foster and adopt children. Does that scare you?”
Matt smiled.
“It’s a nice way of challenging your mother’s curse. I’m all for it.”
“You’d want to join me in that adventure?”
“That one and many more.” Matt paused. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something for a while, but, well, I didn’t know if you were ready. But after you sang Je T’aime Means I Love You for me on stage, I knew you were.”
“It meant something for me, too,” Maude agreed.
“The first time I sang the chorus, you said it sounded like a proposal. Truth is, that wasn’t the real chorus. Do you want to hear the original version?”
Maude nodded, her eyes shining brighter than the city lights.
“Here it goes:
Je t’aime means I love you.
I do, means you love me too.
Let ‘I’ become a ‘we’.
My love, please answer oui.
He bent down on one knee and presented Maude with a dazzling amethyst ring.
Maude’s heart jumped in her chest, tears of joy poured down her face and glistened like the precious stones on her ring.
“I love this version of the song. It’s much better than the original,” Maude laughed. She clasped her hands together with sheer delight and replied, “All that’s left for me to say, Matt, is a perfect, happy, oui.”
They kissed with a combined love and excitement for their future, knowing that the past was part of who they were, but that it would have little say in what they would become.
As they hummed the lyrics of the French song under the city sky, Maude knew that the beautiful melody was a hymn to who she was and would always be.
A French girl who had fallen desperately in love with New York.
THANK YOU FOR READING A French Song in New York. It will be followed by a seventh novel, A French Romance in New York available for preorder right HERE at half price for a limited time!
The French Girl in New York Original Soundtrack
September 7th, 2017 on Maude’s birthday The French Girl in New York Original Soundtrack was released!
It’s an amazing album with piano compositions created specifically to enhance key scenes in the first book.
Listen to Maude’s beautiful piano compositions and experience her love story with Matt and discovery of New York in a whole new way!
For a limited time, buy the album and receive an exclusive romantic short story on how Maude and Matt composed the music from the soundtrack.
Send me an email at [email protected] with a screenshot of your purchase and I’ll send you the short story!
And if you want a sample piece from the album, subscribe to my free newsletter and receive “Whispering Walkway,” an enchanting musical piece inspired by Chapter 8 of A French Girl in New York.
Other Books by Anna Adams
The French Girl Series
A French Girl in New York
A French Star in New York
A French Princess in Versailles
A
French Diva in New York
A French Voice in New York
A French Romance in New York (preorder HERE)
The French Girl series is ALSO available in paperback!
THANK YOU FOR READING A French Song in New York!
If you’ve enjoyed this book, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or rating on Goodreads.
About Anna Adams
Born in France, raised partly in the United States and in France, I grew up loving stories in French and English. I currently live in Paris.
I’M THE AUTHOR OF THE French Girl series. When I’m not writing, I enjoy traveling in Europe, Asia and dream of going to Africa. I’m currently traveling back and forth between France and Asia to work on an upcoming fantasy series that I’m really excited about!
I also love to hear from readers at this email address:
[email protected]
Check out my website for information on paperbacks and more.
You can also follow my life in Paris as well as my travels on Instagram Facebook and Twitter!