Kacey scanned the crowd in search of Riley and Colleen. When she found them standing at the far end of the room behind the piano, the girls were frowning as a man spoke to them with his back facing Kacey and the rest of the room. Concern filled Kacey and her eyes narrowed. The community children’s choir was supposed to be fun, not a place for children to be reprimanded. And she couldn’t imagine Riley doing anything to warrant a scolding.
She tried to keep her expression friendly as she wove through the noisy crowd, nodding at familiar faces until she arrived at the piano.
When the girls glanced toward her, Riley grimaced, and Colleen looked down at her feet.
Kacey cleared her throat. “Excuse me. Is there a problem?” The choir director pivoted toward her, and when her gaze met his, Kacey gasped as she took in Drew Murphy, one of her best friends from school, standing in front of her. “Drew?”
“Kacey?” Drew let out a chuckle as his handsome face broke out into a smile.
Riley’s nose scrunched, and she divided a look between Kacey and Drew. “You know my aunt Kacey?”
“We were friends a long time ago,” Kacey said as she drank in the sight of him.
He looked good—reallygood. He was taller than she remembered, causing her to wonder if he’d had a growth spurt during college, and he looked more mature and possibly even handsomer too. His dark-brown hair was cut short and gone were the shaggy bangs that had once hung in his gorgeous green eyes. His angular jaw was clean-shaven and his wide chest and muscular arms filled his gray, long-sleeved collared shirt well.
She tried to stop the swell of memories that crashed through her mind like waves pounding against the shoreline—their laughter during study hall, sharing a banana split at Scoops, sitting on the pier at his parents’ enormous lakefront house and watching the sunset, holding her breath and hoping that he’d finally kiss her while watching a movie. They’d become instant friends in middle school when they shared a table in art class, and deep in her heart, she’d always craved to be so much more.
But that was a long time ago, and they were older now.
“I thought you were in Charlotte.” He tilted his head as his brow puckered.
“My roommate got married, so I had to give up my apartment until I can find a new roommate. I’m able to work remotely for a graphic design company for now.” She held up the bakery box. “And I’m also working part-time at the bakery to help my sister out. I’m saving money for a down payment on a condo—unless I find another roommate first.” She gestured around the room with her free hand. “I thought Mrs.Hansen was the children’s community choir director.”
Drew nodded. “Technically, she is. I’m filling in this year. Her mother had to have surgery last week, and she had to rush off to Florida to care for her. She called me last minute and asked me to fill in.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” She studied him. “Are you still a music teacher?”
“Yes, at Splendid Lake Middle School.”
“That’s so amazing. I couldn’t imagine standing in front of a classroom every day and teaching. I used to freeze up with stage fright just giving presentations and speeches in school. The idea of speaking in front of a group is just terrifying!” Kacey’s eyes wandered down to his left hand, and she was surprised to find it naked. She had assumed that by now some beautiful young woman would have stolen his heart and convinced him to settle down. Although she and Drew had found each other on social media a few years ago and shared a few brief conversations, she wasn’t good at keeping up with old friends.
And, if she were honest with herself, there was a part of her that still cared for him and couldn’t bear the thought of watching his life through social media posts—falling in love, getting married, having kids.
She quickly tore her eyes away from his hand and back to his face, hoping he didn’t notice where her stare was focused. “You were having a pretty intense conversation with Riley and Colleen when I walked in. Did they get in some sort of trouble?”
Drew’s dark eyebrows rose as he looked at the girls. “What were we discussing when Riley’s aunt walked over?”
Riley wound one of her long braids around her finger. “You were telling us not to talk during choir practice,” she mumbled while Colleen gave a solemn nod.
“That’s right.” Drew turned his emerald eyes back to Kacey. “Riley and Colleen seemed to want to chat and giggle more than sing.”
Kacey turned her best stern look onto her niece. “Is that true?”
Riley’s cheeks blushed bright crimson as she nodded.
“You know better than that, Riley Jean,” Kacey said, and her niece cast her eyes down toward the toes of her purple sneakers. “I’ll talk to them in the car,” she told Drew. “I do have a question for you.”
“Okay...”
“So, the bakery is right on the other side of that wall,” she said, pointing in that direction. “And it’s so loud that I feel like I’m here at choir practice with you. Are you planning to sing more than just ‘Joy to the World’? I think I’m going to have that song stuck in my head until at least June.”
Drew’s lips twitched. “Well, maybe you should come over and help us learn the song faster so we can move on to something else.”
Kacey laughed, and Drew joined her. She hadn’t realized till now how much she’d missed that sound.
“You really don’t want me helping with choir practice.” Kacey smiled and suddenly realized she was there for a reason. “Well, we better get going before Colleen’s mom starts to worry.” Kacey motioned toward the exit. “Get your backpacks and coats, girls.”
The girls scurried across the room.
