His Secret Sin
“You like working here?”
“Yes. I know my music is not appreciated, but I enjoy it.”
“Why is it not appreciated?”
“You’re in a restaurant, Diego. No one cares about the music. Just the right note for their date. They’re completely enthralled by each other, and I’m okay with that.” She didn’t mind. She got to play music, earn a living, and feel another stroke of independence. “How come you’re here and not at your own bar?”
“Like I said, I own it, so I can decide if I stay or if I go.”
“That must be nice,” she said. “To have complete control.”
“It works out for me. What about you? What is it you like out of life?”
“Wow, that is a big thing, isn’t it? Trying to figure out what I want out of life.” She took a sip of her water. Belle wondered if she should lie. He was asking rather invasive questions, and it was alarming how much she wanted to hear him talk. He had a nice voice. It was deep, commanding, and sexy. Listening to him speak sent a thrill down her spine, and she could easily have him read a book to her. Now she was just having crazy thoughts, ones that didn’t make any sense to her. “I think one day I want to have love and a family.”
“A family?”
“Yes. I want to find a man who loves me, no matter my faults or flaws, and to settle down, have a family. I think love is the most important thing in life.”
“Not power?”
“Why power?”
“If people fear you, you won’t ever get hurt.”
She frowned. This was a weird conversation or at least, it had fast turned so. “I don’t think power stops you from getting hurt. I think power makes it so more people want to hurt you.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Because, when you have power, you have something other people crave, and when others want it, there are some that won’t sit idly by while you have it. They take it for themselves. Isn’t that what history has taught us? Where there is a thirst for power there is war?” she asked.
“You’re an interesting woman, Belle.”
Tanya was back before she could respond.
“Excuse me.”
She walked with Tanya back to the piano.
“Thank you,” she said.
Tanya didn’t say anything, just left her alone on stage. She felt a little unnerved this time. Placing her fingers on the keys, she drowned out the noise and began to play. It didn’t take her long to get lost in the notes and the music. She poured her heart and soul into the piece, and as she came to the end with the final bar, she heard the clapping.
The restaurant went silent as a single person clapped, and she knew it was Diego. He was bringing the rest of the diners to her attention, and in doing so, he made them clap.
It was the first round of applause she got, and even as it was embarrassing, she didn’t stop playing the next song.
Soon after she started to play, everything returned to normal, and she played for the rest of the night until it was time to go home.
Tanya helped her off stage, but Diego was there.
“I’ll take it from here,” he said. He placed her hand over his and led her back toward the staffroom.
“My locker is the last one on the left.”
“I can see which one it is.”
She heard him open her locker and pull out her jacket. He helped her put it on, and she thanked him.
“You’re taking me home again?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Can we make a quick stop first? I’m really hungry, and I could do with some food.”
“You’re in a restaurant,” he said.
“I never eat here.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“I honestly don’t know. I guess it has never been on my mind to eat here. Besides, I fancy a juicy burger with lots of cheesy fries.”
“That’s what you want to eat?” he asked.
“You ever eaten it?”
“No.”
“I can tell. Believe me, you’ll be addicted before the end of the night. If we walk out of here, walk to the end of the road, turn down an alley, go left, then right, we’ll come to Mary’s place. It has the best food at this time of night.”
“You go there regularly?” he asked.
“Enough to know my way to it from this spot. Please, I’ll pay. My treat.”
“You don’t have to pay.”
“Now I insist I pay. If you don’t like it, no harm done.”
“Okay, fine. We will go to this place.”
“Do you walk home from here?” he asked.
“Most of the time. I’ve walked it so often I can get home from here.”
“It’s late.”
“I know.”
“And dangerous.”
“Yeah, well, I’m trying to be more self-sufficient. I’ve been working here a year, and I’ve been pretty safe so far.” She offered him a smile. She was probably staring at his chest. He seemed so tall compared to her. “Do I seem strange to you?” she asked.