Chapter Five #2
“I think this is a sign,” Julian said. This was the Christmas miracle he’d been hoping for!
“What is?”
“The competition! It’s exactly the kind of lucky break we need.” Julian followed the link to the website, reading even more fine print. “It’s for amateur choirs only.”
“Right,” Warren said, sounding confused.
“Think about it. If we won, with that kind of money, I could actually afford to hire a music director to keep the program going while I work out additional funding.”
“Okay, yeah,” Warren said. “But here’s the first problem. Unless I’m mistaken, Glendale doesn’t have a choir.”
“The word you’re missing is yet.”
“Yet?”
The plan came together faster than Julian could explain it. He was on his feet suddenly, envisioning a stage and applause and a giant check made out to Glendale Retirement Village. “I’m gonna need Charlie’s help.”
“And what if Charlie doesn’t want to help?” Warren said. “Sounds like a lot of work, and I don’t know if you’ve forgotten, but you don’t actually have any money to pay her.”
The image in Julian’s head cracked but didn’t completely shatter. Charlie could say no to his proposal, abandoning him and his great idea. It wasn’t like she didn’t already have a track record for that. But what if he could convince her?
Never mind what if. He had to convince her!
“I just won’t give her the chance to turn me down.” Even if he had to get down on his knees and beg, he’d do it. This opportunity was too important.
Warren made a face, following Julian into the hall. “Why do I feel like there’s some sort of evil mastermind plot spinning around in your head?”
“Because there might be,” Julian said with a grin. “I’ll keep you posted.”
He parted ways with Warren at the elevator, hurrying into the stairwell. When he popped out on the first floor, he could already hear the rhythmic clapping and the soaring notes that bled from the music room as the door opened and closed, admitting more residents. Julian picked up his pace.
He squeezed through the door once he reached it, inching through the crowd that had gathered at the back of the room.
There were more residents than chairs, and he made a mental note to track some down if this sort of participation was going to continue.
He spotted Doris in the crowd and lifted his hand in hello.
She nodded, coming to stand beside him.
“Wow,” he muttered to her as Charlie’s voice filled the room.
“Like big wow.” Her voice was warm honey smoothed over the notes, rich and golden and impossibly light.
She stood at the front of the room, commanding attention, and Julian felt his mouth go dry as Charlie’s magnetic energy filled the room like smoke.
It seeped beneath his skin, filling his lungs, infiltrating his veins, both unsettling and electric as his very bones were drawn toward her.
Snap out of it!
“Told you she could carry a tune,” Doris said, nudging his arm, breaking whatever spell Charlie had cast over him.
“I guess I just never expected her to be this good,” Julian said. “That feels like a ridiculous thought now. I mean, Juilliard. Of course she would be this good.”
“I’ve been saying that her whole life, but it does make me feel good as a grandmother to hear other people acknowledge it.”
“You must be very proud of her,” he said.
Doris’s gaze grew distant for a moment. “Always.”
Julian quieted to really take in Charlie’s performance.
He watched every movement of her hands and every twitch of her brow, captivated by the shapes of her mouth.
Her presence grew as she sank into the music, letting it envelope her.
This was Charlie’s world, and Julian’s heart raced as he glimpsed it.
Fate had an odd sense of humor, he thought, bringing Charlie crashing back into his life. That summer had been so long ago, and yet here she was, exactly when he needed her.
No, not when he needed her, when the residents needed her.
Julian had learned better than to rely on people who’d walked out on him.
His parents had shown him again and again that he wasn’t a priority, and though he’d mistakenly thought things with Charlie were different, he’d walked away knowing better than to invest in relationships he couldn’t trust.
Instead he got good at figuring things out on his own, relying on himself, trusting himself. Because carrying around the weight of heartbreak was worse than going it alone.
But listening to Charlie now, feeling the way her voice moved around him, it tangled his emotions, confusing before with now. He couldn’t afford the confusion, and the rational part of him knew that relying on Charlie was a bad call—experience had shown him that much.
But Glendale needed her, so somehow he needed to convince her to see them through this competition.
Because the residents deserved that. Her grandmother deserved that.
And maybe he would never understand what happened between them. Maybe he’d never understand why the people he cared about never stuck around. But even if no one ever chose him, he could still choose to make the residents’ lives better. And wasn’t a little hurt and heartache worth that?
Charlie finished the song, the last notes lingering in the echo of the room. They were quickly eclipsed by rousing applause and jaunty whistles. Julian raised his hands, clapping until his palms ached.
Charlie ducked her head demurely, tucking her blond hair behind her ears. It was practiced nonchalance. Somehow, she avoided acknowledging her own talent. Her own greatness. And she did it well. Because there was no way she didn’t know how truly wonderful she was.
“You’re going to need a bigger room if this keeps up,” Doris said, leaning in close enough for him to hear over the clapping. “Maybe an entire auditorium.”
Julian grinned at the image that conjured. “I sure hope so.”
Charlie thanked the group for listening and wished them all a great rest of their day. Before the crowd could disperse, Julian inched his way to the front of the room.
“Can I get everyone’s attention, please?
” he called. The murmurs quieted as the residents turned to face him.
“I’d like to thank everyone for attending today, and Charlie for being such a wonderful volunteer.
” Her eyes cut toward him, suspicion written into her features, but Julian plowed on before he lost his nerve.
“We are beyond grateful to have someone of her talent among us. And I know I keep saying that I’m going to find a way to keep the music program going… ”
Charlie’s brows arched with interest. “Did you find a permanent solution?”
“I…definitely have an idea,” Julian offered. “The Twentieth Annual Christmas Choir Competition. This year there’s a prize being awarded by the Elm Springs Arts Council to an amateur choir to support musical development. A twenty thousand dollar prize.”
“Oh my,” Maggie said, giggling as she laid a hand against her chest. “Imagine winning that.”
The murmurs in the room picked up again. Julian looked at Charlie, gauging her reaction. At first there was nothing, and then his hidden request seemed to dawn on her, and she shook her head hard, her cheeks flooding with color that reminded him of sunset. “No. Absolutely not.”
Julian folded his hands together, pressing his fingers to his lips, trying to hide the smile that threatened to overtake his face as Charlie glared at him.
He failed. Grinning, he addressed the room again.
“I think Glendale should give it a shot. So what we need to do is put together a choir. And we could really use an experienced music volunteer to help with that.”
He could practically hear Charlie’s teeth grinding together. “I know what you’re trying to do, and the answer is still no,” she muttered under her breath.
“You wouldn’t run off on Doris so soon?” he whispered, using the best card he could.
Charlie had no reason to do it for him, but for her grandmother—that was a different story.
She’d always been so devoted to Doris. Julian could understand that love.
He could use that love. “She only just moved in. Don’t you want to make sure she’s comfortable? ”
A muscle in Charlie’s cheek twitched. “That’s not going to work.”
“I know you want her to settle in and feel connected here. You know what could be a really great bonding experience for her? A choir.”
“Julian—”
“I’m just saying… Feels like a really great opportunity. I would hate for Doris to miss out.”
Charlie crossed her arms, her shoulders hunched up by her ears. He was a spider weaving his web, and he knew she was almost caught. Almost his.
Glendale’s, he corrected himself.
“Do you really think we could be a choir?” Maggie asked, looking astonished at the idea. “That we have the talent?”
“Of course,” Harriet cut in. “How hard could it be? We just slap a group of people together and sing.”
“Sure, Julian,” Charlie said, tilting her head, regarding him through narrowed eyes. “How hard could it be?”
“I mean,” he said with a laugh, “according to Harriet, not very.”
“What do you even know about putting together a choir?” Charlie demanded.
“I’ve got the basics down,” Julian said, lying through his teeth. “I know you need people. We’ve got people.”
Charlie scowled at him.
“And!” he said. “You need music.” He walked toward the piano and hit the keys. “Do. That’s Do, right? Rei. Mi. Fa. So. La… La… La…” He frowned, hitting the key repeatedly. “That doesn’t sound very La-ish.”
“The piano is out of tune,” Charlie said, uncrossing her arms to put her hands on her hips. Those perfectly curvy hips. “Thanks for noticing.”
Julian licked his lips, getting back to the music, plucking another discordant note. “Okay, so that’s a hurdle we’ll have to overcome.” He gestured to the residents. “But we like a challenge, don’t we? We rise to a challenge. Perseverance is our middle name.”
“I’ve got a piano in my place,” Doris said. “We could have it moved down here. And I’d be happy to accompany whatever music we choose.”
Charlie glared at her, too.
Maggie clapped her hands together. “This is so exciting!” she trilled. “I can get started on wardrobe. We’ll want to coordinate outfits, I assume?”
“Oh my God,” Charlie muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose as the excitement in the room kicked off.
“See?” Julian said, catching Charlie’s eye. “Solutions. This is what I like to hear. All we need now is one very brave choir director.”
“I’m not a choir director,” she insisted.
Harriet snorted. “Well, not with that attitude.”
“I’m no choir director, either,” Julian said.
“But I’m willing to give this a shot.” He knew he didn’t have one ounce of musical talent.
He also knew he’d sprung the idea on Charlie.
It wasn’t fair of him to get the residents fired up about the idea before she’d had time to consider it.
And in doing so, he’d made it almost impossible for her to say no.
But he didn’t come down here to play fair, because she’d come crashing back into his life, and that was unfair.
Charlie looked around at the residents, her gaze landing on her grandmother who’d been pulled into a boisterous conversation with Maggie and Harriet.
He knew the last thing Charlie wanted to do was disappoint Doris.
Charlie’s frown softened the tiniest amount, and Julian could tell she was considering the idea.
“Think of it this way,” he said, stepping a little closer, suddenly overwhelmed by the scent of her—strawberries and vanilla and something flowery.
Something that reminded him of summer. Focus, dammit!
“Without you, I’m liable to get us laughed offstage.
Do you really want to subject these lovely people to that kind of embarrassment? ”
“Yes, do you want us to suffer that shame and ridicule?” Harriet cut in, smirking. “To be forever known as the retirees that butchered Silent Night?”
“Or to be the choir whose Bells didn’t Jingle,” Julian added.
“Is that the legacy you want us to leave behind?” Harriet said.
“I, for one, am not prepared to be part of that cautionary tale,” Doris said.
Charlie huffed. “Okay. Okay. Fine.”
“What was that?” Julian asked, grinning from ear to ear.
She glared at him so hard it should have hurt. “I said fine. I’ll do it.”
“Hear that, folks?” Julian lifted his arms in success. “We officially have a choir director!”
“Codirector,” Charlie told him. “I’m not doing all the work here. This is your big idea.”
“Codirector,” he amended. He could handle that. “And she has agreed to help us turn some of Glendale’s very own into a choir before the competition.”
The residents started talking all at once.
“So dust off those vocal chords!” he called over the voices. “Auditions start tomorrow bright and early.”
“Auditions start at ten,” Charlie clarified. She glanced at Julian. “I’m not going to be here any earlier.”
“You heard the lady. Auditions at ten. Prepare to wow us tomorrow!”
The group filed through the doorway, chatting song choices and music, the conversation brimming with excitement. It had been a while since Julian had heard them this pumped about something. He sighed, feeling hopeful as he turned to Charlie. “I think this is gonna be really great for them.”
Charlie simply rolled her eyes. “You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?”
“I have a good feeling.”
Charlie huffed, gathering her things. “Hope it’s a twenty thousand dollar feeling.”
“Maybe it is,” Julian called after her. “I’m full of winning ideas.”
Charlie looked him up and down as she reached the door. “You’re definitely full of something.”