Chapter 2

A couple hours after her run in with Warrick, Star was once again in the club. She was sitting at the piano practicing some new music for that night. She was totally engrossed in her playing and didn't notice Warrick walk in. He pulled up a chair to the edge of the stage, sitting behind her back so as not to disturb her.

She sang some songs he recognized from the radio and some originals. But it was one song in particular that caught his attention.

The piano was kind of jazzy as she sang, "In the garden wandering around, when out of nowhere I suddenly found, the most beautiful tree, but it wasn't for me. Forbidden fruit, delicious and sweet but poisonous to eat. Ripe off the vine, but definitely not mine. You're forbidden fruit." She stopped playing and then repeated the music with a few different notes. After a few more variations, she gave up.

She stood and stretched for a moment. She'd been sitting longer than she realized. She turned and squinted, trying to see the clock on the far wall.

"It's 5:45," Warrick said, startling her.

She turned around. "What—How…how long have you been here?"

"About five or six songs," Warrick replied.

She smiled. "Why are you here?"

"I was supposed to meet Tina—my wife—for dinner at a restaurant down the block, but she got called to an emergency. Since I was so close, I decided to stop in," he told her.

She faked a pout. "Awww, and here I thought it was that I was irresistible. But I was just a convenience."

Warrick let out a laugh. "You're really good. Do you play by ear?"

She nodded. "I had to be good at something and it's piano." She hopped off the stage and walked towards him.

"I bet you're good at a lot of things," he replied.

"Nope, piano's it," she smiled again, only a few feet from him.

"What about teaching?" he questioned. "You are a teacher, aren't you?

She cocked her head to the side in thought. "Ok," she conceded. "Piano and teaching. But only those two."

Warrick laughed again. He could tell she obviously didn't take herself too seriously.

Suddenly remembering what time Warrick had just mentioned, she added, "Shoot. I need to get going. I have things to do before taking the stage." She motioned towards the piano in a grand sweeping fashion, trying to be humorous.

"Does one of those things happen to be eating?" Warrick asked, caught up in her good-natured personality.

"Why, I believe so," she replied, not getting her hopes up.

"Well, as you already know, my dinner plans cancelled on me. You got any?"

"I do now!" she excitedly replied.

Soon after they were seated at a diner a few blocks from the club. The waitress had just taken their orders and both were stumped at how to start the conversation.

"So, um, did you end up buying any CDs this afternoon?" Star asked, trying to end the silence.

"No, I didn't find anything," Warrick responded. "How're the CDs you bought?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't listened to them yet. I was busy writing."

"The last song you were playing?" he questioned.

She nodded, her cheeks turning a little red. She was embarrassed that he had heard the song, especially because she wasn't finished—and oh yeah, it was about him. "Have you written anything lately?" she tried to change the focus back to him.

"I've been so busy," he responded. "Work has been crazy. I've got a wife now. I haven't found time!"

"Awww," she replied. "I really like your music. I was hoping to be the first to hear—" She stopped herself realizing what she had just said.

"You've heard my stuff?" Warrick was surprised.

Her cheeks once again became flush. She was going to have to admit her slight investigation into his past. "My brother has some of your music in his collection. I…stumbled upon it."

He let out a small laugh. He could tell she'd been looking for it by the way she said it. "So you like it?"

"Oh yeah," she nodded her head enthusiastically. "You're voice is…" she wasn't sure how to put it into words. "Beautiful…soulful…sexy."

He noticed the spark in her eyes as she said 'sexy'. And he was kind of flattered. It had been a while since someone so young took interest in him. "Thanks," he finally replied.

"I think we should do a duet," she was slightly emboldened by his not making a big deal of her choice in words.

He raised an eyebrow. It was an interesting idea, but he really was short on time these days. "Maybe in the future when things settle down," he answered.

She was happy it wasn't a flat out no. She just nodded. "So tell me about being a CSI."

That night when Star took the stage she sang every love song with great emotion. She had a crush and she knew it. Hell, she knew that he knew it. It was too bad that's all it could ever be. She didn't want to be just another mistress.

After their dinner, she knew that Warrick was truly one of the few nice guys left on Earth. She was a little disappointed she hadn't met him earlier, but knew that earlier wouldn't have been right for her. She just had to assume there was a bigger plan out there for her—she just didn't know what it was yet.

Warrick walked away from their dinner kind of excited over having a new friend. Star was funny in a self-deprecating sort of way and she really knew her music. After their talk, Warrick realized how much he missed making music. He really did hope he'd get to write some tunes with Star.