Steinway & Sons
London — Later That Afternoon
"You cannot impulse-buy a piano."
Leah looked personally offended.
"People impulse-buy candles all the time."
"Candles don't weigh four hundred kilograms."
Fair.
Potentially very fair.
But unfortunately once Leah Williamson decided something emotionally meaningful, she became impossible to reason with.
Which was exactly how Elle found herself standing inside an absurdly expensive piano showroom in central London while Leah wandered around looking emotionally affected by polished grand pianos.
"You've thought about this before," Elle realised.
Leah glanced back innocently. "Maybe."
"Oh my God."
Because suddenly it clicked.
The BBC Concert Orchestra performance.
The interviews afterward where Leah admitted quietly she actually loved playing.
The fact she still occasionally disappeared upstairs at Amanda's house to use the old upright piano there.
This wasn't random.
This was a full secret personality.
"You've been hiding piano skills this whole time?" Elle asked in disbelief.
Leah shrugged, suddenly shy.
"I'm not amazing."
Interesting.
Because Leah only got humble when she actually was good at something.
A salesman approached them politely.
And immediately recognised Leah.
"Leah Williamson?"
Leah smiled warmly. "Hi."
"My son absolutely idolises you," the man said instantly. "Especially after the orchestra performance."
Elle turned slowly toward Leah.
"Excuse me?"
Leah physically winced.
Traitorous public knowledge.
The salesman gestured toward a glossy black Steinway near the windows.
"You should play."
Leah laughed awkwardly immediately.
"Oh no."
"Yes," Elle answered for her instantly.
Absolutely yes.
Five minutes later Leah sat at the piano looking deeply unconvinced by her own life choices while Elle leaned against the side watching smugly.
"You're enjoying this too much," Leah muttered.
"You hid musical talent from me."
"That feels dramatic."
"You literally stood in front of a live orchestra."
Fair.
Very fair.
Leah exhaled quietly before finally placing her hands on the keys.
Then—
everything changed.
Because the second she started playing, the teasing disappeared completely.
Soft notes filled the showroom while Leah's posture relaxed instinctively into the music.
Not perfect.
Not concert-level.
But real.
Confident.
Beautiful actually.
Elle stared immediately.
Oh.
Oh this was unfair.
Because apparently football captain Leah Williamson could also sit at a grand piano looking devastatingly attractive while casually playing like someone from a romantic film.
The salesman quietly disappeared to give them space.
Wise man.
Leah kept playing softly, eyes lowered toward the keys while afternoon London light spilled across the piano.
And suddenly Elle felt strangely emotional watching her.
Because this—
this was another version of Leah entirely.
Not England captain.
Not Arsenal defender.
Just a girl who loved music and got shy when people paid too much attention to her.
"You are such a liar," Elle murmured softly once the song ended.
Leah looked up immediately. "What?"
"You said you weren't good."
Leah looked genuinely embarrassed now.
"I'm rusty."
"Leah."
"No seriously, I haven't played properly in ages."
Elle laughed quietly under her breath before sliding onto the piano bench beside her.
"You realise this is deeply attractive behaviour?"
Leah blinked once.
Then immediately looked away toward the keys trying unsuccessfully to hide a smile.
Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless.
"You know what's annoying?" Elle continued.
"What?"
"I thought football Leah was already unfairly attractive."
"That sounds like a you problem."
"And now suddenly there's mysterious pianist Leah?"
Leah physically laughed then, shoulders relaxing properly.
"You make me sound like Batman."
"You're emotionally repressed enough."
Rude.
Accurate.
But rude.
Leah nudged her lightly with one shoulder before playing a softer melody again while Elle leaned against the piano listening.
And somehow this felt more intimate than half their expensive dates.
No cameras.
No football.
No public versions of themselves.
Just Leah quietly playing piano in a London showroom while Elle watched her like she was something extraordinary.
Which honestly?
She was.
The song faded gently into silence eventually.
Then Leah looked sideways at her.
"What?"
Elle smiled softly.
"I think I'm discovering your midlife crisis in real time."
Leah gasped dramatically.
"I'm twenty-seven."
"And already yearning for a piano."
"Artists are never understood."
That finally made Elle laugh again.
And standing inside a quiet piano showroom in central London while Leah Williamson pretended not to secretly want a grand piano for her apartment, both of them realised the same thing quietly:
they were falling in love not just with each other—
but with all the hidden little versions too.