Christmas in Evergreen Tidings of Joy - Nancy Naigle Page 0,66
of piano chords, as gentle and unpredictable as rain drops, filled the space. She let the gentle vibrations of the piano strings hang like delicate ornaments among the Christmas lights that filled the tiny church. The candles on the piano were lit, casting a heavenly glow over the instrument.
She drifted in slowly, not wanting it to stop.
Was she imagining this? Elliott sat on the worn bench at the piano. Sure, they’d played songs side by side as kids on that very piano, but she had no idea he’d continued to practice over the years, or had become so accomplished.
Everything seemed to pull in around her, tugging her further into the sanctuary. He wasn’t that little boy anymore.
The weight of his hands on the keys sent pure notes feathering into her heart, so clearly that even though she didn’t recognize the song yet, she hummed along.
He hadn’t heard her come in. He looked relaxed, at peace, his long fingers moving across the keys. Overwhelmed by the music, she followed it further inside past the first couple of pews, standing there taking it in until Elliott looked up and saw her.
He stopped immediately.
“Don’t.” The abandoned song hung between them.
He stood up, his cheeks red with embarrassment. “You heard all of that? Sorry. I was just…”
“Just amazing.” Hannah raised her hands and clapped slowly. “It was beautiful.” She walked toward him in awe. “I had no idea you could play so well.” And she’d thought she knew everything about him.
“You spend so much time over at the Arts Center. I thought…” He shrugged. “Maybe I should help you out with the choir.” He played a couple of notes.
She shook her head, her heart pounding. “You’re incredible.”
He looked down, but he was smiling.
She felt so brave right now. And surer than ever about her feelings.
“Hey, do you remember this one?” He started playing “O Christmas Tree.”
“Do I? Oh, yeah. Hang on.” She twisted out of her coat and laid it on a pew as he continued to play. “Oh my gosh. We must’ve played that five thousand times together as kids.” And like that, the romantic notion had turned playful, and she’d let it pass. She hopped onto the bench next to him, picking up the high notes.
He played the low ones, and they laughed as they made their way through the notes until the very end, when Hannah reached across him to hit that last note. When she did, she was so close she could feel his breath on her cheek as they both laughed.
And the laughter felt like the old days, but the warmth of his body so close to her and his smile as he looked into her eyes was not childlike at all. Had her true love always been right here in the neighborhood?
She faced forward, letting out a long sigh. Fear raced through her mind. If he didn’t feel the same way, she could ruin the best friendship of her life. But if she didn’t…
“Elliot, I don’t know how to say this…so I’m just going to say it.” She pulled her hands into her lap, pressing them together. Wanting to be brave, but afraid to make eye contact. “I like you.” She looked up, and he was already looking at her. She swallowed past the lump that had formed in the back of her throat. “I like you a lot. You are on my mind all the time—”
“I like you too, Hannah.” He hitched closer. “I’ve been wanting to tell you that for such a long time.”
She gulped a breath of air. “Really?” Tears tickled her eyelashes. Thank you.
“Yes. I just didn’t know how.”
The candles on the piano flickered, and there was something soothing, almost confirming, about that.
The fear fell away. You know what I’m feeling. “This is…so hard. You’re my best friend.” She shook her head. “I’m so afraid. Elliott, I would never want to lose our friendship. What if it doesn’t work out?”
He shook his head emphatically. “What if it does?” His eyebrow shot up. “I’m more afraid of what happens if we don’t try. Because I feel the same way, Hannah.”
She nodded. Taking in the whole moment, still a little shaken by the fact they’d missed the signs for so long.
His voice was light and joyful. “Where should we begin?”
It didn’t have to be fancy. Some of their most special moments were like this. Unplanned and simple, but so true. “How about we start with some hot cocoa?”