He opened his mouth to give her a few ideas then froze when he spotted a flyer on the table. A music festival? He picked it up and studied it, his lips twisting into a slow grin.

"What?" she asked, standing on tip toes to see what he was looking at.

"Where's Hillpoint Green?"

"A few blocks away." Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"

He gave her an evil look. She wasn't going to like this but they were doing it anyway.

She took a step back. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Get your coat."

"No."

He laughed, maniacally.

Scowling, she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not going anywhere. I have to work."

"No, you don't." He was already walking down the hallway to get his coat off of her bed.

She followed him, spouting off reasons she couldn't go wherever it was he wanted her to go. He ignored her. In her room, he pulled on his light jacket then gestured to hers sitting on the back of her desk chair.

"Come on," he said when she refused to move. "Don't be such a fun squasher."

She scrunched her nose. "I'm not a fun squasher."

He plucked her coat from the chair and pressed it against her chest. "Then let's go have some fun."

A glaring contest ensued but she finally gave in with a sigh. "Fine. But make it quick." She put her coat on and followed him back into the hallway. "Where are we going anyway?"

"A Klezmer concert on the green." It was original, if a bit unexpected. Who knew a small town in Ohio would have something as rare as a Klezmer band?

"What's a Klezmer?"

He looked over his shoulder. "You'll see."

Still scowling, she followed him out the door. "I'm not really into music, you know."

"Just enjoy a nice walk then." G.o.d she was stubborn. He fought the urge to kiss the scowl right off of her face.

She sighed and watched the ground as they crossed the muddy lawn. Soon everything would burst to life again. The earlier breeze died down but the sun was still high, making it feel warm enough not to need their coats. Levi unzipped his as they started down the sidewalk.

"So a Klezmer band is Jewish folk music with a little extra flare," he told her. It wasn't a popular style anymore but he'd had a professor who was Yiddish and made his students compose a Klezmer piece for an exposition. Other students had grumbled about it but Levi had loved the challenge. And secretly, he loved the music as well. "Sort of like Fiddler on the Roof meets Duke Ellington. A lot of improv. A lot of syncopated beats." He paused to look at Emerson.

Her eyes glazed over. "That sounds to me like what math equations sound like to you."

He chuckled. "Fair enough." Music rose up over the small hill they climbed. Bra.s.s instruments first, then piano. "Aha. Hear it?"

She nodded.

At the top of the hill, he spotted what must be Hillpoint Green. A dingy stage had been set up. The gra.s.s surrounding it was a muddy yellow, signaling it was a little too early in the season for outdoor concerts. But there was an audience anyway.

They drew closer and he took stock of the musicians on the small stage. Four on bra.s.s, a drummer, a ba.s.s guitarist, one on keyboard, three woodwinds, and even a violin. Not too shabby.

Lawn chairs dotted the area in front of the stage. Levi scanned the audience. It was made up entirely of senior citizens.

He leaned into Emerson. "I don't think there's anyone under the age of sixty here."

"No." She chuckled.

They stood in the back, listening to the upbeat song fill the early spring afternoon. The beat was nice mostly snare. Whoever played the oboe killed it with the slides, boosting the jazz feel of the music. For a small town band, they were pretty d.a.m.n good.

A few members of the audience danced to the song, swayed or did a little jig as the music moved them. He felt it too a current in the air. Music, old people, new spring air... He looked at Emerson then started bopping to the beat. It was silly, maybe, but what was life without a little silliness now and then?

He took a few steps toward a few women dancing in the center, twisted to see Emerson, then jumped on one foot then the other.

Her brows rose in surprise then she shook her head, clearly holding back a laugh.

He bounced and spun, letting the music take him. The women made a circle around him, making eyes at him and shouting encouragements. He paused and waved Emerson over.

"No, that's okay," she said. "You have fun."

Still bouncing, and now throwing his hands up in air with a clap, he made his way to Emerson. "Come on, pretty girl," he cajoled.

She shook her head. "I don't dance."

"Sure you do." He grabbed her hand and yanked. "It's easy."

"No!" Despite her protest and panicked look, he dragged her to the other dancers anyway. "Seriously, Levi! Let me go!"

Laughing, he pulled her right into the middle of the circle. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. When he danced his silliest around her, she only looked nonplussed. And when he grabbed her arms and waved them around, she let them go limp. He was about to give up when a man hobbled over, bald and wearing a stern frown, and b.u.t.t b.u.mped her.

She flinched and looked up at him. Levi froze, afraid for a moment that they'd truly upset him. Then he winked.

Her face slackened and a real smile appeared, showed off her one dimple. The man put out his hand and she took it, looking a little nervous. But when he spun her into his arms then back out again, she squealed with laughter.

Then they were both dancing, bouncing on their toes, clapping to the beat with a slew of elderly folks around them. He couldn't remember having this much fun in a long time.

Emerson's black hair and dark clothes stood out among the white haired women wearing pastels and slacks. The Mario tattoo peeked from her jeans every time she lifted her arms. A punk in the middle of a folk concert.

Levi grinned as he watched her in awe. Smiling, clapping, looking like a complete and utter dork... He'd never wanted to kiss her so badly. Who knew a nerdy math genius could be so enchanting?

Chapter 17.

The sc.r.a.pe of knives against porcelain dishes filled the awkward silence at dinner. Or maybe it made it worse. Tension hung in the air. The steak was overcooked and chewy, as usual. Funny that her dad fancied himself a chef. He could ruin oatmeal and still chew it happily, remarking on how perfectly cooked it was.

Emerson pushed the steak around on the plate and filled up on broccoli and baked potato instead.

Her parents chattered quietly from time to time about the food or the weather. Levi had grown quiet as soon as she'd said she was. .h.i.tting the road again after dinner. She felt a little guilty leaving him there with her parents, especially with him still reeling from the heartbreak.

Though no one would've guessed he'd been anything but giddy with excitement, and maybe a little nerdy, the way he'd been dancing that afternoon. She almost broke into a grin when she remembered Norma going in for a kiss on the cheek then trading for the lips at the last second.

On the way home, he'd made her admit, despite her eye rolling, that it'd been the most fun she'd had in a while. She'd admitted to weeks. Honestly, it was more like months.

She sighed. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't fit her life around him. His weekend plan remained the same just one day later. He wasn't losing money on this, she was. She'd paid for four days of convention. She'd barely make it to two as it was.

Every time she glanced his way, he was wearing the same pitiful expression a small smile that never reached his eyes. Having seen him in a full on grin, she knew the difference. Did it finally hit him what Heidi had done? Abandoning him here, in the midst of that, felt wrong.

After dinner, Emerson grabbed some sheets and a blanket from the linen closet then led Levi down the bas.e.m.e.nt stairs. At the bottom, she pushed the armful of blankets at Levi then felt around for the light on the other side of the room a serious design flaw when they'd refurnished the s.p.a.ce.

As she stumbled in the dark, Levi whispered from the doorway, "I feel like I'm in high school again."

"What?" She felt along the far wall for the switch.

"Sneaking into a girl's bas.e.m.e.nt." He chuckled.

She found the switch and the lights clicked on. Levi stood in the doorway, blinking as he adjusted to the light. He held a quilt covered in big tacky purple and pink flowers.

She smiled. The contrast of the girly quilt next to his raggedy clothes was amusing. The man didn't seem to own a pair of jeans without holes in them. Somehow he managed to look fashionable instead of homeless.

Half of the s.p.a.ce, in the back, was still used for storage. The other half, her parents had refurnished with a plush carpet, a used couch, a few bookshelves, and there was even a small TV. She started pulling the cushions off the couch to set up the pull-out.

"Nice s.p.a.ce you got down here, Emmy," he said.

She chucked a pillow at his head. He dodged it and laughed. "Don't start a pillow fight with me. I'm a pro and I'll beat your a.s.s."

She arched a brow. "With a pillow? Am I supposed to be scared?"

"Yup."

With a grunt, she yanked open the pull-out. Levi dropped the blankets and rushed to help.

"I got it," she told him, but he nudged her out of the way and finished unfolding it for her. They put the sheet on together then stood at the foot of the bed, staring at it awkwardly. What now?

"I'll give you some privacy." She turned to leave but he grabbed her arm.

"No. Stay." His eyes were pleading.

Bad idea. The only seat there was a bed. Being in the same room with him made her feel hot with s.e.xual tension, but sharing a bed, even innocently, would push her over the edge. It was clear he didn't feel the same way, but she only had so much control. She wasn't into making a fool of herself over a guy so tackling him onto the bed and having her way with him wasn't an option.

"You're not gonna leave me all alone in your parents bas.e.m.e.nt, are you?" he said, with exaggerated big eyes. "It's scary down here."

She chuckled, but her resolve was cracking. They'd make a terrible couple just for the fact that she'd never be able to resist him. He could charm a nun out of her habit.

"I need your protection," he persisted.

"You need protection from the skinny girl with gla.s.ses?"

He narrowed his eyes. "You have a vicious streak. All women do."

All except her. "I'm barely a woman."

His brow furrowed as he stared at her. "Then what are you?"

She shrugged. Good question. She didn't look, or dress, like a woman. She definitely didn't act like one. Sometimes she felt like nothing more than an irresponsible teenager. Insignificant. Alone. Her biggest fear was that she'd die without ever contributing an original thought to the world. Afraid to show the truth in her eyes, she kept her gaze on the floor.

"Whoa," Levi said.

She looked up. He was already making his way across the room to the far corner where a guitar stood up against the wall.

"Is this yours?" He lifted it gently.

"No." She snorted. "My dad used to play. I have absolutely no musical ability whatsoever."

"Do you think he'd mind if I played it? I left mine at home for safety but I miss it. I rarely go without playing this long."

"I doubt he'd care. As long as you're careful."

He sat down on the bed, guitar strap already around his neck. "Of course." After he strummed it a few times then played with the k.n.o.bby things, he smiled up at her. "Come here. I'm gonna play you a song."

A smile snuck up on her.

She sat across from him on the bed, being sure to keep a good distance between them. No need to give him ideas. Oh h.e.l.l. It was more for her. Just seeing him sit on the bed brought back memories from last night, and a desire for a repeat performance.

Staring through her, he plucked the strings, humming softly. "Let's see." He cleared his throat and started to sing.

"Her smiles are as rare as an eclipse, but it looks so pretty on her sweet sweet lips.

She makes me laugh with her sullen looks, and her face is often buried in a big math book..."

He paused, picking at the strings for a moment, holding her captive with his eyes. Her cheeks heated and she flicked her gaze away. Then he smiled and started again.

"There's nothing in this room but you and me, of course I'm talking about my girl Emmyyyyy...."

At the end, he strummed the last chord a bunch of times in a row loudly with a goofy grin. Her heart thunked then seemed to skip a beat. His blue eyes twinkled, reminding her of flirty looks he'd given her the last couple of days. He was funny and s.e.xy and sweet. He was everything she never thought she wanted, but somehow he filled her insides with such gooeyness she was torn between wanting to vomit and wanting to kiss him all over. That he made her feel beautiful and important was icing on the cake. Even his eternal optimism was starting to appeal to her.

f.u.c.k. She was lost.

Alarms went off in her head. Abort! Abort! Warm fuzzies were dangerous.