Chapter 5
Zach
As if in slow motion, all eyes turn to me. My mouth drops open. Brandon just stands there with a pleading grin on his face, having no idea what he’s done. Marina’s eyes are as big as saucers, and I feel an immediate need to fix this. I just don’t know how. I look around at the parents, some of whom are obviously excited at my presence. I say a silent prayer of thanks that they don’t allow mobile phones in here, or I’d be the cause of Marina’s worst nightmare right now.
“I came to hear Marina sing,” I hedge, shaking my head. “She doesn’t need my help.”
Brandon groans, then folds his little hands together and shakes them at me. “Pleeeeeeez?” he whines. “My dad and me listened to all your songs all the time.”
Something in his tone has me looking over at Marina, who nods at me with a soft smile and gestures for me to come to the front of the room. Suddenly all the air leaves my lungs, but I somehow manage to propel my body forward and awkwardly fold my 6’ 2” frame to claim the tiny stool next to her .
Brandon throws his arms around me in a bear hug. For a little guy, he’s incredibly strong. I put my hand on his back and give him a few pats. Danielle appears out of nowhere and expertly moves Brandon to my side, whispering something to him about giving side hugs to strangers and then fading into the background again. I give his shoulders a little squeeze, and he gives me a huge smile. Then, he runs over and settles back down on the carpet. I look over at Marina, and I see tears welling up as she watches him. She turns away and smiles at the kids.
“Well, I guess we should ask Mr. Zach what children’s songs he knows,” she says with a gleam in her eye, turning back toward me.
All at once, kids begin yelling out song titles.
“The Wheels on the Bus!”
“Frozen!”
“Are you a Swiftie?”
“Let’s Shake!”
She looks at me, and I grin helplessly, shaking my head. “I don’t know any of those.” I look down at Brandon and add, “Sorry.”
Brandon gives me a very star struck thumbs up.
Marina appears thoughtful for a moment, then leans closer. She smells like coconut and sunshine, and I have to fight the urge to bury my face in her hair and inhale. Somehow, I think that might be a tad over the line.
“What about ‘You Are My Sunshine’?” she whispers over to me.
I clap my hands together excitedly. “I know that one!”
Marina and the kids all laugh, and I smile back at them with a thumbs up. Brandon jumps up and gives me a high-five. Danielle reappears, thrusting an acoustic guitar at me with a wink. Where is she coming from? Is there a magical little Danielle door that she pops out of, instantly holding whatever it is that’s needed? Where did the guitar come from ?
“Mr. Elliott had to miss song night tonight,” she explains. “He usually accompanies Marina. Would you like to use this?”
The children break into applause, so I pull the guitar onto my lap and look to Marina for guidance. Her calm green-eyed gaze meets mine, and my pulse is pounding. I sing in packed stadiums without giving it a second thought, but this? This is something else entirely. A room full of children and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen…that’s pressure on very unfamiliar ground.
“Ready when you are,” she says with a shy smile, my heart doing that familiar squeezy thing again.
I nod, and begin strumming out the opening of the song. Marina begins with the opening verse and I join her, our voices intertwining perfectly. We sing together as if we’ve done it for years, smiling at each other and at the kids as we harmonize our way through the familiar song. Several of the kids sway to the music, sweet smiles on their faces. The room bursts into applause when we finish.
Marina and I take a bow for the kids as Danielle reappears.
“Thank you all for coming to song night,” she says with her arms wide open. “Make sure you have all your things as you exit, kids. We’ll see you next month!”
Brandon runs over to me again. “Are you coming to sing next time too, Mr. Zach?”
The same young woman steps up to Brandon with his jacket, smiling shyly at Marina and me.
“C’mon, buddy,” she says quietly. “It’s time to go home. You can have a story before bed.”
Brandon stomps his little foot. “I want to stay and talk to Miss Marina and Mr. Zach!”
Marina leans forward, and Brandon looks at her with a wobbly lower lip.
“Brandon,” she says gently, keeping a soft expression on her beautiful face. “You know the rules, my friend. But I’ll tell you what: if I hear from Aunt Grace that you did all your homework and made good choices, I’ll let you pick the very first song next time.”
His face lights up. “Really?”
Marina laughs softly and nods. “Really. Do we have a deal?”
Brandon looks at me. “Will Mr. Zach be back next time?”
All eyes turn to me, except Marina’s. She doesn’t even look at me as she shakes her head and says, “Mr. Zach is a very busy man. He’s just visiting our city right now.”
I immediately want to jump in and deny it. I want to say I’ll be back. I’ll sing for the kids. I’ll do anything if it means I can sing with Marina again, to spend a little more time in her presence. Truth is, she’s right. I am just visiting. I have no reason to believe she’d even want me to extend my visit, let alone stay here indefinitely. And why am I even thinking about this right now? I have a band. I live in hotels and on my tour bus most of the time. What’s going on with me? Still, I find myself leaning forward and putting my hand out for Brandon. He puts his tiny hand in mine, and I shake it gently.
“It’s been lovely meeting you, Brandon,” I say with a wide smile. “I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but if I am still in town for the next song night, I would love to come back and sing for you. If it’s okay with Miss Marina.”
Marina looks at me as if I just told her she has to live the rest of her life in that mermaid tail I rescued her from. Hmm. When she realizes she has an audience, she puts a smile back on her face and nods at Brandon.
“Of course,” she says. “Now go with Aunt Grace, and I’ll see you next time, okay?”
Brandon nods and obediently slips his arms into his jacket. He takes his aunt’s hand and waves goodbye to us, then walks towards the door .
The room bustles with activity as tiny hands wave goodbye to Marina, and parents swoop in with coats and jackets. Several of them tell their tiny charges to say thank you. A few of the parents steal a glance at me, giving me big smiles and nods of approval. I thank them, but maintain my focus on the action of the kids in the room, an old trick that sends a subtle message that this is not the time or place for autographs. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t—but tonight it does, and that’s all I care about. After several minutes, Danielle has ushered the last of them into the foyer and Marina and I are alone.
She’s silent at first, chewing on her lip and obviously trying to figure out how I found her. Just as I’m about to confess, she turns to me.
“Merry,” she says with a shake of her head. “That’s what you were talking about in the tunnel, isn’t it?”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “To be fair, she spent most of the time interrogating me about my intentions.”
She squints at me. “Intentions?”
I lean a little closer, incapable of resisting the pull of her beautiful eyes. “Towards you.”
She scoffs, but I don’t miss that her gaze drops to my mouth for a split second. “What intentions would you possibly have towards me?”
I tilt my head with a smirk and open my mouth to reply, but she holds a hand up.
“Don’t answer that,” she mutters.
Danielle comes back in, handing me my mobile with a pensive smile.
“I hate to tell you,” she begins quietly, “but a few of the parents are hovering outside the children’s wing, probably waiting to see if they can get pictures or autographs.”
Marina’s shoulders sag, and I suddenly feel guilty about coming. I look around us.
“Is there a back way out of here?” I ask, then turn to Marina. “No one has any pictures of us here. There’s no story for the media if there aren’t pictures.”
I turn to Danielle with a hopeful expression. She grins.
“I can let you out the historian’s office. It has a door that exits directly to the alley out back,” she says, patting Marina on the shoulder.
Marina’s gaze darts up to Danielle. “I guess I’ll just stay at the library for a while until the parents realize he’s gone and there’s nothing to see.”
Danielle looks at her with surprise etched on her face. I shake my head.
“I have a car service,” I explain. “I can drop you at home.”
She barely looks at me. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you mad at me?” I ask boldly, leaning forward to meet her eyes.
When she looks up at me, I can see the shield she’s built around herself as clearly as if it was a real, tangible thing. I stiffen.
“No,” she says simply. “But the less we’re seen together, the better. I do not want the media to find me.”
I nod slowly. “I understand,” I say softly. “But I can get you home without attracting media attention, I promise.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t live far. I walked here, and I don’t mind walking back.”
Danielle gasps. “Marina, it’s pouring outside now. No one wants to walk in that.”
I give a grateful wink to Danielle and turn to Marina. “Please? I’m a Brit. I have to be chivalrous. It’s in my DNA.”
She doesn’t want me to see the corner of her mouth tip up in a half smile, but I do. I feel like I won the lottery. She looks up at Danielle in a silent plea for help, but Danielle is firmly on Team Zach. She nods as if to say, “go with the handsome man who’s clearly obsessed with you.” At last, Marina turns back to me.
“Fine,” she mutters. “But please stop showing up wherever I am. ”
I narrow my eyes at her and smirk. “I’ve only done it once.”
She raises her eyebrows. “What about the bridge?”
“That was your fault,” I tease, standing and stretching after sitting too long on the tiny stool. I wink at Danielle, and she suppresses a smile.
Marina stands as well. “ My fault? How do you make that out?”
I raise my eyebrows and place my hand on my heart as if I’m testifying as the defendant at a murder trial.
“There I was,” I begin with a touch of drama, “relaxing on my quiet little tour bus, when I was ensnared by a siren and her captivating song.”
I’m rewarded when she rolls her eyes and laughs. “ Little tour bus…ha!”
I laugh, pulling up my phone and starting a text message to the driver I hired for my time in the city. He answers back immediately.
“He’ll be here in five minutes,” I say with a grin, turning to Danielle. “Would you mind telling the driver where to bring the car?”
Danielle nods and I dial the driver, handing the phone to her as she motions for us to follow. Marina grabs her jacket and a handbag so large she can crawl inside of it. I gesture for her to go first and I follow. Danielle speaks in hushed tones to my driver, then hands my phone back to me. We’re guided down two more hallways and into another foyer. This one opens to three offices. Danielle pulls a set of keys from her pocket and opens one of the doors, motioning for us to come through. We follow her up to a large, ornate wooden door, and she unlocks it. I step forward.
“May I?” I ask, and Danielle steps back with a little blush on her cheeks. I fight back a smile. I don’t know what it is about American women and British accents, but I’ll take it. Especially if Marina likes it too.
I open the door just enough to peek out. The alley behind the library is deserted and dark, rain pouring down in a deluge. There’s no overhead shelter, so it’s no wonder there’s no one back here. I close the door and find Marina watching me expectantly.
“All clear,” I say in an even tone.
She nods and drops her bag for a moment, getting ready to put her jacket on. Without a word, I step forward and gently take it from her. Her eyes shoot up to mine in surprise as I hold it open for her. I smile down at her, wondering what kind of men she’s been around that would make her surprised to be with a gentleman. Not that she’s with me. In fact, she always seems to be running from me. She slips into her jacket and I force my fingers to let go instead of doing what I really want to do and grip the jacket so I can pull her straight into my arms.
“Thank you,” she murmurs, stepping back quickly and wrapping her arms around herself.
My phone beeps, and I check my messages.
“He’s here,” I say softly.
Marina grabs her bag, and I quickly take Danielle’s hand, shaking it. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Danielle,” I say with a smile. “I do hope we meet again someday.”
She blushes again and laughs. “All right, you,” she says, giving me a good-natured shove. “Remember what I told you.”
I nod with a twinkle in my eye. “How could I not?”
I turn to Marina. “Ready?”
A quick nod is her only reply. I open the door and look outside once more. The car is there, and not a soul in sight. Excellent. I swing open the door and step outside, opening the back passenger door for Marina. She dashes out quickly, covering her face from the rain, and gets in the car. I slip in behind her, shut the door, and we’re safely away from any prying eyes.
“Thanks for the lift, Dave,” I say to the driver, an affable chap I’ve rather come to like. He nods at me in the rear-view mirror, waiting for instructions.
I turn to Marina and she’s pretending to be fascinated by something outside the window, in the dark alley, where there’s absolutely nothing to see. Her arms are folded across her chest and she’s doing her best to give off every “stay away from me” vibe she can conjure.
“Marina?” I say softly, and she reluctantly turns to face me. “Where are we taking you?”
She stares at me for a long moment. “I’m having second thoughts,” she says firmly. “If I give you my address, you’ll be able to show up any time.”
I consider my reply long before I open my mouth.
“I’m sorry if I alarmed or upset you by just showing up tonight,” I say gently.
She watches me silently.
“I wasn’t even sure I was going to approach you after you sang,” I explain hesitantly. “I just couldn’t resist seeing you again. One more time.”
I can see she believes me by the change in her eyes. She relaxes a little, and the corner of her mouth tilts up just slightly.
“And then Brandon called you out,” she says with a low laugh.
I chuckle.
“He really did, didn’t he?” I grin, remembering the simultaneous feeling of surprise and horror when he pointed that chubby little finger at me.
She’s quiet again, looking like she wants to say something a few times, but fighting it. She looks at the driver and then back at me.
“Dave,” I say softly, not taking my eyes off Marina. “Can we have a minute?”
“Of course, Mr. Adams,” Dave replies, and the privacy screen goes up .
Finally, those green eyes focus solely on me.
“Why?” she asks simply. “Why can you not resist seeing me? Nothing can ever come from this.”
I tilt my head at her, genuinely surprised. “How can you know that?”
She bursts out laughing and shakes her head at me. I decide to try a different approach. I turn my body so I’m facing her.
“Marina,” I almost whisper. “The first time I met you, you were singing your heart out in the middle of a traffic jam on the Golden Gate Bridge dressed as a mermaid. If that wasn’t enough to get my attention, you have the voice of an angel.”
She scoffs, but doesn’t say anything else.
“I know my life must seem bizarre to you,” I say hesitantly. “I know our lives are very different. I’m not asking you to change yours…or do anything, really, other than give me a tiny bit of your time.”
“For?” she asks, eyebrows raised.
“Coffee?” I answer with a smile. “A drink? Dinner, if it’s not too much to ask?”
She watches me wordlessly, and there’s something in the way she’s guarding herself that makes me wonder what her story is. Does she always expect the worst from people? Is it just men? I’m feeling incredibly protective all of a sudden.
“Where could we possibly go and not be spotted by someone? You’re too famous,” she argues.
Challenge accepted.
“It’s your city,” I counter. “Perhaps you know of a place where we can sit, chat, and not be bothered?”
The moment she has an idea, I see it play out on her face.
“You’ve thought of something,” I say with a grin.
She hesitates, as if trying to calculate whether I’m worth the risk she’s taking. She pulls out her mobile phone and types out a message, then looks over at me .
“Maybe,” she says coyly. “I’ll give you an hour. If she’s there.”
I raise my eyebrows. “She?”
Marina opens her mouth to reply when her phone chirps. She looks down at the screen, and I can’t tell if she’s disappointed or relieved by the message she sees. She nods at me.
“Okay, I know a place where we can go,” she says almost grimly.
I knock on the partition. Dave lowers it.
“Dave, the lady has an address for you,” I say, gesturing at Marina.
Marina gives the address, and Dave punches it into the dash computer, which shows an estimated travel time of twelve minutes. We fasten our seat belts, and my brain goes into overload because I have about eleven minutes to figure out how I’m going to get Marina to lower her defenses enough to want to see me again.