"I know I can't replace James," Will murmured, voice thick. His words made Tessa feel as though he were stepping on the pieces of her already shattered heart. "But it pains me beyond words to see you as broken as you are now."
He reached out for her hand. She allowed their fingers to intertwine, and he guided her into the music room. In the corner by the windowsill was a dusty piano. They sat together before it, and Will let go of Tessa, placing his hands on the keys. "His playing was never as ghastly as I always joked," he admitted, trying to laugh. "I could never measure up to it." He kept his face down, lips pursed - and then suddenly his eyes were boring into hers. Tessa's breath caught in her throat, stunned by the intensity in his gaze. "But I'll try. I'd do anything to see you smile again," he pleaded, and began playing, the instrument only slightly out of tune. Tessa closed her eyes and leaned into Will, letting the music drift around her like a warm, comforting blanket.