BOOM ! Another chapter ! Ha ! You didn't see than coming, did you ? Me neither. The stars just aligned. The chapter basically wrote itself, then my proofreader was able to correct it within the hour when I sent it to her. Incredible, right ? It's not going to happen to chapter 26, the sorry little thing still needs a lot of work. Thanks for reading !
- I'm going to need a nap, Richard said while patting his stretched stomach. Thank God we have no show tonight.
Charlotte smirked beside him. The lunch was over, everyone had eaten to their full, some even a little more. The party had broken into several little groups according to the participants in post-lunch activities. Richard, Charlotte, Mrs Gardiner and Caroline were heading back to the hotel in the limo, though they didn't plan on sticking together once they were there. Charles, Jane, Maria and Lizzie decided to visit a nearby voodoo museum. Georgiana had expressed a desire to take a walk around the beautiful neighbourhood and Will had complied. She had never been in this town before, some sightseeing was on the agenda. So was some sibling talk. For a while, the walk was a silent stroll. There was much to see, beautiful buildings, shops buzzing with activity and flowers everywhere. Georgiana was admiring the view, Will was sporting a small smile that had nothing to do with the beauty of his surroundings. Georgiana grinned and shook her head.
- Well ? she finally asked.
With every second of puzzled look he gave his sister, her brows crept higher on her forehead. He turned his hands palms up, Georgiana sighed. He was hopeless.
- What ? he eventually asked.
His bewilderment was genuine. Georgiana rolled her eyes.
- You're smiling, she pointed with a smirk of her own.
His lips stretched.
- Am I ?
Her nod confirmed her assumption. She looked straight ahead again. For a few paces, the siblings were silent. Georgiana stopped to peer through the window of a second-hand bookshop.
- What's the story ? she pressed when her brother came standing by her side.
He was not going to talk unless cornered, it seemed. Well, if that's what it took.
When had his sister become so persistent ? It sounded like she was not going to drop the subject. What could he say ? Usually, he did not confine matters of the heart in her, and she had never insisted he did. Plus, she was not going to be proud of him. He sure wasn't. He sighed.
- I like her.
- Duh !
Her immediate interruption made him chuckle.
- But she doesn't like me, he finished when his mirth abated.
- It doesn't look that way to me, Georgiana replied, frowning.
- I fucked up real good.
At hearing such a confession, her head snapped his way. Her titanesque brother had done something wrong ? And admitted it ? That was unknown territory. Curiosity was eating her guts, she was still figuring out the right words to invite a confession when he started talking. Apparently, listening was enough. When most of the story laid bear at her feet, their snapping at each other, the dance, the song, the cuddles, the kiss, the drunken voice mail or what he remembered of it, the girl, Georgiana did what she usually did, she agreed with him.
- You fucked up good. What the hell, bro ?
An exasperated sigh told her he didn't know either. He started walking again. Both his hands ran through his hair.
- In retrospect, everything in my behaviour appears shitty.
- Now what ?
They stopped to sit on a bench in the welcome shaded area of a park. Kids were laughing, running around, playing soccer. Other people were enjoying the sun, lazily reading books or pretending to on blankets. The air was saturated with the scent of flowers and lime trees. He was thoughtful for a while.
- Everything she said was true, so I try to become a better person, because I didn't like what I saw in the mirror she handed me.
- That's honourable, Georgiana noted.
Her shoes laid abandoned on the ground so she could feel the grass beneath her feet.
- What about her ? she kept on.
- What do you mean ?
The grass was stroking her dancing toes.
- What are you going to do about her ? she expanded her question.
Will leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees. The kids were running around screaming as loud as they could, someone had scored.
- Nothing, he finally admitted.
Georgiana's eyes were as wide with surprise as Will had ever seen them. That was certainly not the answer she was expecting.
- She made her feelings clear, the least I can do is to respect them.
- That's how you're going to show her you are chivalrous ? By giving up on her ?
That was a twisted logic. Will couldn't help the smile that grew on his lips. She was not wrong. They saw the same situation through opposite lights. Maybe he should open to his little sister more often, that would be enlightening.
- I just plan on enjoying her company while it lasts. We're getting on better lately. I don't want to spoil that.
- Spoil it how ? By the two of you getting together and being deliriously happy ?
His heart contracted.
- She's not indifferent to you, you know, Georgiana added when he said nothing.
His lips were sealed, his gaze locked on the ground. That's not what he needed to hear. His hopes needed to remain where they were, in the mire, next to his oversized ego. His heart was already in pieces, it wouldn't survive another up and down.
His silence was the cue that the subject was not to be discussed any longer. But Georgiana didn't want to let it go. She liked Lizzie, but what she liked even more was how happy her brother looked when he was with her. If he wouldn't talk anymore that was not a problem, he could listen. But what could she say ? Some parts of the story were edited out, of that she was sure and she was not going to press her brother to fill in the blanks. Lizzie was a new acquaintance, Georgiana couldn't claim a knowledge of her deepest feelings that she didn't possess. All Georgiana had was what she had observed. She was sure Lizzie felt something for her brother, and she could see the way he reacted to her. But each one seemed stuck on some previous words the other had spoken. And what if Georgiana was wrong ? She so wanted her brother to be happy that maybe she read more in the interactions than there actually was. The last thing she wanted was to mislead him. She exhaled and squeezed the hand that was resting on his thigh. Hopefully, the small smile that accompanied her gesture conveyed her own hopes for him.
###
The aggressive drumming on her thighs was impossible to miss.
- Hey, no working tonight, Lizzie teased Charlotte.
She opened a bag of pop corn and grabbed the remote. Tonight was girls' night, cozy version : movie, snacks and pyjamas. It felt heavenly compared to the intensity of the nights when they performed.
- I have this beat that would fit perfectly on one of your hate songs, Charlotte explained after shoving a handful of pop corn in her mouth.
Lizzie watched as she ate all of it.
- Watch out, I think Richard has a bad influence on you, she half-seriously admonished.
Charlotte raised one brow and hit her on the shoulder. Annoyance flared Lizzie's nostrils and Charlotte laughed. Oh no, she was not going to start doing this too.
- Listen to this.
Charlotte drummed and hummed an energetic and belligerent rhythm on her legs. Lizzie's head slightly rocked with the sound. It did sound perfect for the hate song.
- Oh yeah, that sounds great ! Store that for tomorrow, because tonight, she pointed the remote in Charlotte's direction in a threatening way, is horror movie night !
- We can't have horror movie night tonight, Charlotte calmly explained to her friend like it was the most reasonable thing in the world.
Lizzie put the remote down, disappointed.
- Why not ?
- Because for horror movie night, we need a blanket to hide under and it's much too warm to have a blanket on our knees.
Lizzie's pout was not unlike Lydia's. Charlotte was right, like she commonly was. This was annoying. Had Lizzie told her recently ?
- How about Sci-Fi night ? Is the temperature alright for that ?
Charlotte licked her index finger and pointed it towards the ceiling.
- The meteorological conditions are perfect for Sci-Fi night, she stated after a few seconds.
Lizzie clapped her hands together, turned the massive TV on and started shoving pop corn in her mouth.
When the closing credits started to appear on the screen, some two hours later, the pop corn bowl was empty and Lizzie was half asleep, slumped on the couch. Contrary to Charlotte, who was still very much awake despite the late hour, courtesy of the nap she took with Richard, that had been both exerting and relaxing. She looked around the room. It would be a shame to forget that rhythm, recording it wouldn't take that long. But their instruments were at the venue, a few miles away. Richard always kept a spare pair of sticks in his room, she could make a detour there and bang on the wall of his room's bathroom. It would be far from perfect, but at least she wouldn't risk losing the beat. On her way to the door, she informed her friend.
- Lizzie, I take your flash drive, I'm going to record the beat.
A sleepy «hummmm" came from the couch.
###
Jane checked her bipping phone.
- Charles is in the lobby, we're going to have breakfast somewhere. See you later !
She pecked her sister on the cheek and flew out of the room on her now usual little pink cloud. When Lizzie woke up that morning, Charlotte had disappeared after their sci-fi movie, and with her sister's departure, Lizzie found herself quite alone. She had already planned to play a silly emotional reunion with Charlotte when she saw her later, probably coming out of Richard's bedroom. Lizzie would throw herself in her friend's arms, and, with tears in her eyes, she would thank the Aliens of the movie for letting her friend go. Knowing Charlotte, Lizzie should rather ask her how she had negotiated her way out of the Aliens' claws. She smirked.
As for Jane, Lizzie had never seen her sister so happy. Charles and her were going strong. The soon to come end of the tour didn't even make Lizzie nervous, she knew they would find a way to be together. It was impossible for them not to. Even Caroline had yielded. Her disagreeable comments were scarce these days. She had finally accepted the evidence. Lizzie focused back on her task at hand. How come she still struggled so much to change a violin string ? Dammit, she would never master this skill, it seemed. And she would keep Georgiana waiting, which she hated. The day before, prior to taking a walk with her brother, the shy girl had very sweetly offered to teach her a little, so Lizzie didn't want her to waste her time. Lizzie had been battling with her instrument for what felt like an hour.
- Here, let me help you, a deep voice offered.
The sound startled her so much, the new string escaped her grasp and fell on the carpeted floor. She froze. Were her thoughts now enough to conjure him ? She hoped not, or this would keep happening on a very regular basis, since he seemed to inhabit her mind no matter how hard she tried to think about something else. Nope, he was very real, and very much walking towards her through the very open door of her suite. Jane must have left it open when she left. A loud sigh emptied her lungs when she handled him the violin and the new string. He took both and sat on the bed beside her. His gestures were precise and effective. He had done that before.
- Do you play the violin ? Lizzie asked, her eyes following his movements.
- I don't. Every time Georgiana broke a string, she came running to me to fix it. I had to learn to replace it.
Lizzie's gaze traveled from his hands to his face. He was wearing that sweet smile his sister's name always brought to his lips.
- That makes for a charming portrait, she conceded.
She could picture the distressed little girl looking expectantly at her teenage older brother to mend everything for her.
- A mute one, maybe. When she was 4 or 5, every time a string snapped, she would ugly cry like her whole instrument was destroyed. G may have been the picture of the angelic child, but her screams were deafening. I had no choice but to learn to replace a string, he turned his head to her side and his gaze met hers. And fast.
The corner of his eyes crested in that delicious way she liked so much. Lizzie laughed wholeheartedly.
- That's a different picture altogether, she replied, trying to imagine a panicked Will trying to solve his sobbing baby sister's problem.
Still very cute.
- Had I known that, I would have made her sing louder, she added.
His head snapped up from the instrument still lying on his legs.
- You made her sing ?
Oh. Was she in trouble ? Doubt knotted her stomach. She couldn't read his tone of voice, truth be told, she did not trust herself to do it, she had been so wrong about him. She knew he was protective of his sister, and rightly so. She cleared her throat. Honesty was her best weapon.
- Yes. She played a piece of violin on one of my songs, and I asked her if she also wanted to sing.
Her voice was not as assured as it typically was. He was silently staring at her for a few seconds. Please, say something, anything.
- She played on one of your songs ? he finally repeated.
- She offered to do it.
Her anxiety blossomed. Had she made a mistake by involving Georgiana ? She hoped not. His brows crept a little higher on his forehead, a smile grew on his lips. His attention went back to the violin.
- She must like you very much then, he finally said.
Her breaths came out more easily again. He was not upset.
- I like her too.
- There, he handed her her instrument.
- Thank you.
She watched it like there was something special about that new string, besides the fact that it was new. Was she going to act like a basic fan and never clean it again because he touched it ? Ugh, no. Well maybe.
- Perhaps one day I'll finally manage to change them myself, she told him with a smile.
She was smiling at him. A genuine smile. I would gladly change the strings of your violin for the rest of my life. Oh no, he was staring again. How could he not ? Her smile was sending sparkles to her beautiful eyes. Could he never have one conversation with her that did not end in him wanting to push her against a wall and aggressively kiss her ? Or throw himself at her feet ? Apparently not. That they were both sitting on a bed was not helping. At all.
- Can I… hear it ? he asked.
- What ?
What the hell had they been talking about ? The heat of his look was driving her to distraction. Usually, she couldn't read his eyes, but right now, his gaze was clearly undressing her. She felt hot. Her skin tickled. Every coherent thought had fled her mind, which was only concentrated on the fact that if he did not touch her right now, she might die. Or scream. Or both. What was her name again ?
- The song, he clarified. The one Georgiana played and sang on.
Of course. His sister. That's what he was interested in. Not her. How could he, after having been so rudely rejected. Another piece of her heart was reduced to ashes, she bent her head. What a massive mistake she had made. She breathed in and held her head up again.
- Sure ! I just finished mixing it yesterday. I have it on my flash drive.
She stood up.
- How many songs have you recorded on you own ? he asked, his interest sincere.
- I don't really now, I never counted. Maybe 30 ?
- That's impressive.
And half a dozen are about you, she suddenly realised. She kept looking straight ahead, hoping he would not notice the effect his compliment or her epiphany had on the colour of her cheeks. Praise from him was a precious gift. Wait, no, this was stupid, she should show him.
- Thank you, she answered with a smile. It has been a very inspiring few months lately. But it's never really on my own. Jane, Charlotte and Maria often play or sing with me.
- Impressive nevertheless.
His intense blue eyes were not leaving her face.
- What do you do with these songs ? I remember you saying you were not pursuing a career.
Crap, why must he remember that conversation ? She had been a nuisance back then already.
- Not much, she shrugged. Listen to them until I hate them.
A deep chuckle shook his broad shoulders. Oh my, was he dishy when he laughed.
- If you are concerned for the part your sister played in my song, I'm not going to release it online or have some people in the business listen to it. My songs are for my personal use only. I can delete the file, if you want to. Or I can sent it to you to…
- I trust you, his deep voice cut her.
Did he have to be so nice ? Now that she was trying to control herself ? She turned around. Maybe he wouldn't see the goosebumps forming on her skin, she would definitely have a hard time explaining while she was getting some in such warm weather. Looking for her device gave her something else to concentrate on. Where the heck was that thing ? It should have been plugged on her computer, that's where she had left it, wasn't it ? She went through her stuff one more time but she had to face the facts : it was not there.
- I can't find it. I'm sorry, I'm not usually that sloppy, she apologised, biting her lower lip.
- Do you have some back ups ? Will inquired.
His gaze scanned the room uselessly, he had no idea what to look for. Her flash drive could be a simple black stick or giant cow shaped thing for all he knew.
- Yeah, I have some, she rubbed her arm. If it's truly lost… no one can know it's Georgiana on that song, her name was never spoken out loud during the recording.
- My concern is for your songs only. It would be a shame to lose everything you worked on. Besides, everyone who knows my sister would be hard pressed to believe she played or sang for someone, he added with one of his impossibly hot smiles.
He needed to stop smiling, it became him way too much. His interest for her music touched her. And here they were, staring at each other again. My, he was stupidly handsome. Seconds that felt like years elapsed. Breaths were coming out shallow. The air was growing thick with desire. His right hand moved up a little and she was sure he was going to cup her cheek, but it went to his own neck with a grunt. He was the first to break eye contact.
- I should get going. See you later, he mumbled.
He left the room before she could move a muscle. Irrational anger bubbled in her stomach. Why didn't he kiss her ? She was sure he wanted to. Or was she ? She wanted him to kiss her, but as for him… Her eyes could have burnt holes in the closed door. Her knuckles had turned white from fisting her hands. She exhaled deeply through the nose. Fine. Everything was fine. Teasing man ! Wait, what was he doing there in the first place ? With one last deep but not as relaxing as it should be breath, she grabbed her violin and left the room.
That was a bad idea. Being alone with Lizzie in a room was a bad idea. Things had almost escalated again. He combed his hands through his hair while walking the corridor. That must never happen again. Or else he would end up kissing her, again, because there was only so much a man could put up with. And if he kissed her again, things would certainly blow up. Again. He took a deep breath and let it go.
The melody of Lizzie's last hate song was stuck in Charlotte's head. It was really catchy. A good night sleep had not been enough to get rid of it. What was its name again ? The Beast. Charlotte was walking in rhythm in the corridors of the hotel towards the room she shared with Lizzie, Jane and Maria. The new beat she had wanted to try on another of Lizzie's song still needed some improving, and she wanted to talk about it with her. Plus, she needed to change clothes. Maybe she should leave some spare clothes in Richard's room, all this travelling in-between rooms was a waste of time. She'll have a word with him about that after breakfast. Flash drive twisting in her hand, Charlotte resumed her humming,. Definitely lively. The subject of the song appeared at the end of the hallway. Things had been slowly getting better between him and Lizzie, judging by the conversations and laughter they regularly shared now and what Lizzie had confessed. Slowly was the key word. The man did not seem to notice how her friend melted when she gazed at him. Her stare could have softened butter. As for herself, Charlotte couldn't ignore the ardent looks Will showered Lizzie with. It was a miracle the girl had not spontaneously caught fire. Richard also let her in on how his already quiet cousin was even more silent when Lizzie was not around. And on how he wanted to punch him in the face for repeatedly sighing like a lovelorn sixteen-year-old-girl. Charlotte pursed her lips. She still held a grudge at him for the blonde girl. Will had not seemed to realise how bad he had hurt Lizzie when he slept with that girl. If he had, maybe he would at last grasp her feelings for him. Charlotte looked at the device in her hand. Maybe she could help with that. A determined pace took her right in front of him. His hair was disheveled, like he had just run his hands through it. Charlotte's steady gaze silently held his a few seconds.
- You're an idiot, she stated as she handed him the flash drive.
Now she only needed to say this to Charles to tick all the Pemberley boxes. She was pretty sure she could find an occasion.
That was so far from what Will expected to hear when passing Charlotte in the corridor that he simply took whatever she was giving him, then watched as she kept on, like this wasn't the most mysterious way to pass somebody in a hallway. He knew she was not particularly fond of him, but he had thought her opinion of him had improved. Only when she was out of his sight did he look at what she had actually handed him. A flash drive. Was it Lizzie's ? Was he supposed to give it back to her ? But Charlotte was walking towards their room, if she wanted Lizzie to have it, she could have given it to her. A door was being closed, Charlotte was out of sight. Will put the device in his pocket and kept walking to his room.
