A Million Different Ways (Horn Duet 1)

Up ahead, one of the groundskeepers, a tall, muscular man named Daniel, spotted us. He rushed over and took the other side, supporting Sebastian’s weight easily. We were close enough to the house that other servants came pouring out to help. I was pushed aside in the shuffle, stood watching as they carried him away. Then, just as he was about to disappear inside, he turned and our eyes locked. Were we friends now? Did he want that too? I wasn’t sure what had happened, although something had changed between us.

Chapter Ten

“I’m going to the bar to get another drink, we’ll never get service here. Too many people.” Charlotte cupped her mouth as she spoke. The noise level was deafening. The air was thick with smoke and body heat.

“What?” I screamed back.

She laughed and motioned theatrically with her hands, miming her words. “ANOTHER DRINK???”

“No, I’m good.” I laughed again.

It was the most fun I’d had in ages. The singer was indeed as good as Charlotte said she was. Towards the front of the room, dancing broke out, causing a chain reaction that ended with a number of young women being hoisted up on the tables. Charlotte and I were pressed against two brothers, one too short and the other too young. The short one was starting to annoy Charlotte as he kept pushing up against her, staring openly at her breasts when he spoke. The young one blushed every time I looked at him.

Not having much choice in clothing, I decided on my ivory silk blouse, my best jeans, and the only black high heels I owned. I had removed my mother’s Hermès scarf and placed it in my handbag. The place was a sauna. I was drenched in sweat. My ivory blouse was sticking to my body improperly and my wet hair wrapped around my throat. I turned to see if Charlotte had managed to muscle her way to the bar when something caught my eye.

My body reacted before my mind did. There was a knot in my stomach and goose bumps swept over my skin from head to toe. Way in the back, leaning up against a wall…I saw him. He was looking straight at me with his usual penetrating stare. His arms were crossed in front of him, making the pale blue dress shirt he wore strain in all the right places.

I blinked, not trusting my eyes, and when I looked again, he was gone. It took me a while to collect my wits. For a moment, I wondered whether I was far more drunk than I realized and decided to analyze the mystery later––I refused to let him ruin my evening.

Charlotte finally resurfaced with her drink. We ended up sharing the cold beer and continued dancing until a little after one, until exhaustion and the pain in my feet took over. It was a refreshing change to be tired from joy instead of worry.

A thick bank of fog met us as we walked out. The reflecting light from the street lamps made the night sky glow with a heavenly incandescence. The chill made me shiver and cross my arms tightly, trying to hide the puckering nipples evident through my wet blouse.

Theo pulled up in an ancient Citroën that sputtered to a stop. Laughing, we piled into the car quickly while Theo held the door open in a gallant attempt to impress Charlotte. He put the car in gear and it lurched forward and stalled, rattling my teeth.

“Are you sure we wouldn’t be safer walking home?” I whispered to Charlotte.

Theo’s eyes narrowed. Wounded male pride stared back at me. “I’ll have you know this car is a classic,” he blurted out in French, right before the tail pipe practically exploded.

Charlotte and I exchanged skeptical looks and swallowed the impulse to laugh out of mercy. I pressed my forehead to the cool window as Theo grinded the gears in reverse. That’s when I detected a familiar dark sports car parked down the street. My breath caught when the headlights turned on and the car sped away. Glancing sideways, I found Charlotte flirting with Theo. She hadn’t noticed a thing.

“Charlotte, have you ever seen Mr. Horn out? In town, I mean.”

“Fuck no, never. Mr. Sunshine-N-Rainbows only goes to the most exclusive restaurants and parties.”

“He’s not that bad. He can be a good sport––when he’s in the mood,” piped in Theo.

Charlotte arched a perfect, blonde brow at him. “What does that mood look like? Because I’ve never seen it.”

* * *

We entered through the kitchen, taking turns giggling and shushing each other. I felt carefree, relaxed, and thankful that Charlotte had insisted on going out. I needed that, someone to force me to loosen up. Charlotte, yawning loudly, bid me good night and carried herself to bed. I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, and made it halfway to my room when I realized I had left my mother’s Hermès scarf on the counter.