 |
АвтоАвтоматизацияАрхитектураАстрономияАудитБиологияБухгалтерияВоенное делоГенетикаГеографияГеологияГосударствоДомДругоеЖурналистика и СМИИзобретательствоИностранные языкиИнформатикаИскусствоИсторияКомпьютерыКулинарияКультураЛексикологияЛитератураЛогикаМаркетингМатематикаМашиностроениеМедицинаМенеджментМеталлы и СваркаМеханикаМузыкаНаселениеОбразованиеОхрана безопасности жизниОхрана ТрудаПедагогикаПолитикаПравоПриборостроениеПрограммированиеПроизводствоПромышленностьПсихологияРадиоРегилияСвязьСоциологияСпортСтандартизацияСтроительствоТехнологииТорговляТуризмФизикаФизиологияФилософияФинансыХимияХозяйствоЦеннообразованиеЧерчениеЭкологияЭконометрикаЭкономикаЭлектроникаЮриспунденкция
KIM BALDWIN. “Go,” Erin said, giving her a playful shove and a smile
|
Читайте также: |
“Go,” Erin said, giving her a playful shove and a smile. “I’ve kept you up too late already.”
Gable opened the door. “I wouldn’t have missed a minute of it,”
she said, getting out.
Erin nodded thoughtfully. “Me neither, Gable. Good night.”
v
Erin had seemed so relaxed and happy during their Sunday together that Gable wondered what the heck must have happened in the hours since to make Erin so nervous and jumpy on Monday night.
It had been a slow day at the pharmacy, so Gable had had much time to ref ect on their previous day. I’d give just about anything for alot more days like that, she thought, as she pulled into Erin’s drive for dinner. She was becoming quite used to…and immensely fond of…
Erin’s hugs, and rather hoped she’d get one tonight too.
But right from the get-go, it was obvious that Erin had something on her mind. She barely made eye contact with Gable when she answered the door, and she seemed harried and anxious about dinner, where she was usually the picture of calm.
“Go on in and make yourself comfortable. I’ll get you a glass of wine.” She gestured toward the couch, then headed off toward the kitchen. In a tone that fell short of humor, she called over her shoulder.
“You may need it—dinner isn’t turning out quite like I planned. I shouldn’t be trying a new recipe.”
“Hey, I’m sure it’s F ne,” Gable called after her.
Earl Grey came running full-tilt out of Erin’s bedroom at the sound of Gable’s voice and bounded down the stairs toward her. She scooped him up and scratched him under his chin while she glanced around, waiting for Erin to return. The dining table was set as before, with candles and f owers and carefully laid formal place settings. The house was spotless. And there against one wall of the great room was the new piano, beautifully handmade of mahogany and polished to a high gloss. Gable stepped over to it, admiring the craftsmanship. Erin joined her, a glass of merlot in each hand.
“It’s beautiful,” Gable said, setting down the cat to take one of the glasses.
• 154 •
FORCE OF NATURE
Erin skimmed one hand lightly along the keys. “Yes, isn’t it? I am so glad I insured the other one, or it would have been a long time before I could have afforded this.”
“So, do I get to hear you play?”
“Later,” Erin said. “After I subject you to my F rst attempt at a souff é. I should say F rst and last attempt, as it looks nothing at all like the photo in the cookbook, but I swear I followed every direction to the letter.”
It was true that the souff é looked rather f at and unappealing, but it actually tasted all right, and Erin had made a Caesar salad to go with it so there was plenty to eat. But Gable could tell that Erin was unusually f ustered that everything hadn’t gone according to plan.
“Well, I promise I won’t make you my new-recipe guinea pig anymore,” she apologized again as they did the dishes together.
“Will you stop? It was F ne!”
“It wasn’t F ne. I should’ve just gone with something I’d tried before,” Erin groused.
“Erin, please! It was F ne!” Gable couldn’t keep the amusement out of her voice, and it seemed to relax Erin slightly.
“All right. I’ll let it go,” She dried the last plate and set it in the cabinet. “Thanks for washing.”
“Any time. Thanks for cooking.” Gable rinsed out the sink. “So now do I get to hear you play?”
Erin took a deep breath, as if gathering her nerve. She nodded her head. “Now or never,” she answered, almost to herself.
Gable took a seat on the couch while Erin settled onto the piano bench, staring down at the keys for a moment as if considering what to play. Gable liked her vantage point—she could stare unabashedly at Erin in proF le from where she sat, seeing every expression, every graceful movement of those wonderfully petite hands over the keys.
Erin started off with a medley of Cole Porter songs, all Gable’s favorites: “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” followed by “You Do Something To Me” and “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To,” and F nally, “Easy To Love.” A few lines of each song, just enough for Gable to identify it.
She played with feeling, eyes closed, her hands skimming effortlessly over the keys, her face and body one with the music,
• 155 •
Поиск по сайту: