Chapter 7 #2
Only when seated did Landry glance around and realize she knew the couple seated beside her. Hope Calloway and…Peter. “Th-this is a nice surprise.”
Hope beamed. “Good to see you again.”
Peter, however, barely spared her a glance, his focus shifting to Chad.
“Chad Strop, this is Hope Calloway—she owns Hope’s Bridal—and Dr. Peter Elliott, a professor at Collister College.”
“It’s good to meet you both,” Chad said, then returned his attention to Landry. “The program should be starting in ten minutes. Would you like me to get your sangria now?”
“If you wouldn’t mind,” Landry said.
“Not at all.”
“Would you mind if I tagged along?” Hope asked. “I’d like a glass as well.”
“I’d be happy to get you one,” Chad said gallantly.
“That’s kind of you, but I may change my mind once I get to the drink truck.” Hope laughed lightly. “Though I’m not sure it’s wise to mix cocktails.”
As the two strolled off, Landry turned to Peter. “Do you know any of the musicians?”
“I don’t, but Hope mentioned her friend Emily is the violinist. Apparently, Emily is dating Dalton Edwards, the head of the Econ Department at Collister. I’ve met him but don’t know him, if that makes sense.”
“It makes perfect sense.” Landry smiled. “I meet so many people at City Hall Coffee. I know their names and how they like their coffee, but I don’t really know them.”
Peter tilted his head, his tone light with teasing. “Why bother with trivial details like names and occupations when you can invent far more interesting backstories?”
She rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched.
His grin deepened, a slow, warm thing that sent a pleasant hum through her. “All right, time to fess up. What kind of stories did you and Mila dream up about me?”
“Like I said before, not everyone gets a story,” she told him, striving for primness but failing.
He rubbed his chin. “I’d like to be a spy. I could be a spy sent to GraceTown to—”
Chad’s voice rang out in an overly hearty tone, cutting Peter off. “We’re back.”
Landry startled, realizing how closely she had been leaning toward Peter. It was the noise, she told herself. Not the scent of his cologne, deep and woodsy, something she had yet to identify.
Hope slipped through and sat in her seat, a glass of sangria in hand. “Sorry for the delay. The line was still long.”
Glancing in Chad’s direction, Hope shot him a smile. “I was glad I had Chad to keep me company.”
“My pleasure.” Chad handed Landry her glass and then sat.
“Thank you, Chad.” She took a sip of the drink. “This is so good.”
“What were you and the professor talking about?” Chad gestured with his head toward Peter.
She hesitated before answering. “We talked about how Mila and I sometimes make up stories about the people who come into the shop.”
Puzzlement covered Chad’s face. “Stories? What kind of stories?”
“Oh, things like, could she be a spy sent from the government to infiltrate one of the businesses in town? Or…” Landry’s excitement built as she mentioned several of the more fantastical stories she and Mila had made up. “We love doing it.”
Chad’s blond brows remained furrowed. “It doesn’t make sense to me. You know these people aren’t spies or assassins. Why would you even think they might be?”
“We don’t think they might be,” she clarified. “It’s just fun.”
He didn’t look convinced, and a familiar disappointment flickered inside her. He always struggled to understand her love of fiction, of imagination. She had long given up trying to discuss her work-in-progress with him.
Thankfully, the music started, sparing her from further explanation.
The information about tonight’s event indicated there would be a mix of light, uplifting and familiar pieces suited to summer evenings.
Landry had played the clarinet—not very well—in grade school. The experience had given her an appreciation for what good music sounded like, rather than the honks, squeals and uneven tones that had come out of her instrument.
Her father had actually taken her out for ice cream when she’d announced she was giving up the clarinet.
Chad took her hand as the program started with Vivaldi’s “Summer” from The Four Seasons. It was a lively piece that set the mood for the evening.
Landry laced her fingers with Chad’s and sipped her drink, feeling completely and utterly content as the evening progressed.
She loved Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.” The tune, one she found incredibly romantic, had her leaning her head against Chad’s shoulder as he slipped an arm around her shoulders.
When the violinist began, a pretty young woman with honey-blond hair and big blue eyes, Landry glanced down at the program. Emily Curtis, Hope’s friend.
Landry wasn’t familiar with Massenet’s “Méditation from Tha?s,” but she loved the piece that maintained the reflective mood of “Clair de Lune.”
Landry’s eyes flicked to Chad, only to find him staring out at the lake, lost in thought.
She shifted her focus to Peter.
“She’s good,” he said in a low voice.
Landry nodded. “So good.”
The interactive segment of the program, an engaging piece during which the audience was encouraged to clap along, had her putting her hands together. With some reluctance, Chad joined in.
The closing, a medley of popular tunes, created a memorable and joyful finale.
Landry rose with the rest of the audience, clapping loudly to show her appreciation for a wonderful program.
“Well, it looks like it’s time to go,” Chad said, appearing relieved as he placed a hand on her elbow.
“Not yet.” Landry flashed a smile. “It looks like there’s an encore.”
The movie-themed encore consisting of music from Pride and Prejudice was the cherry atop a perfect musical sundae.
Once out of the aisle, she turned to Chad. “Thank you for getting the tickets and inviting me. This has been a perfect evening.”
Before Chad could respond, Landry expelled a happy sigh and turned to Peter and Hope. “Did you two love this every bit as much as we did?”
Including Chad in the we might have been a bit presumptuous, but then again, he had appeared to enjoy himself.
“I thought it was excellent,” Hope told her. “Emily’s performance was inspired.”
“Amazing,” Peter concurred. “I’m impressed.”
Chad, a strong presence beside Landry, smiled but said nothing.
“Would you like to meet her?” Hope asked.
“It isn’t necessary,” Chad began, but Landry’s and Peter’s enthusiastic responses drowned out his rejection.
Hope placed a hand on Chad’s arm. “Don’t worry about imposing on her. Emily is very much a people person. She loves meeting new fans.”
Hope introduced them to both Emily and Dalton Edwards.
“Dalton and I got engaged last night.” Emily held out her left hand, which sported a glittering emerald-cut diamond.
Hope squealed. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you.”
Emily leaned her head against Dalton’s shoulder. “We’re pretty happy about it.”
“Is playing music your job?” Chad asked politely.
“Well, I taught last year at Crestwood Academy, which I loved, but I didn’t renew my contract for next year.
” Emily’s face glowed as she slipped her arm through Dalton’s.
“Playing gigs and performing with the chamber orchestra is my passion. We are getting more and more requests to play. Teaching took so much time.”
Hope nodded. “I know that GraceTown isn’t big enough for its own orchestra, but the chamber one you formed is perfect for this area.”
As Dalton and Peter fell into conversation, Landry felt Chad’s hand at the small of her back, a subtle but unmistakable pull.
“Ready to go?” he murmured.
Landry glanced back once as they walked away, her gaze catching Peter’s before she turned back and left with Chad.