Free Love Takes Time (Christian Romance) by Kaci Hart Page A

They continued making small talk into the evening, and throughout
their dinner.  
     
    “I
wouldn’t have pegged you as a Guns and Roses or Red Hot Chili Peppers kind of
guy.”
     
    “And
what exactly did you think of me?”
     
    “I
don’t know.  Maybe Beethoven, Mozart or some Italian guy whose name I
don’t know.  You just seem so...”
     
    “Stuck
up?”
     
    “No!
 That’s not what I was trying to say.  You just seem so cool and
above it all. Sophisticated.  I’m just saying that when I look at you I
would never guess that you have  Welcome
to the Jungle  or  Under the Bridge  in your rotation .   I actually thought I was the only person in my
generation that would even know those songs.”
     
    “Okay,
you are already pretty enough.  You can stop trying to impress me by
knowing my favorites, even the old ones.  And about them not being in my
rotation, if you don’t believe me, I will start singing either one right now.”
     
    She
laughed at him, covering her mouth in the process.
     
    “Oh
no, don’t worry about it. I believe you.”
     
    “Good. 
And for your information miss doubting my musical tastes, I own every album
from both of them.  I even learned how to play the electric guitar when I
was younger.  My older brother played the drums.  At one point, I
actually thought I was going to become a musician.  Thank God my dad
talked me out of it.  More like yelled me into submission.  I have a
confession to make though.  You were partially right.  I actually do
like every one of those guys you mentioned.  Beethoven, Mozart.  You
didn’t mention my favorite though.  Vivaldi.”
     
    “Ah. 
I have heard of him before.  Maybe you could share some of your favorites
with me.  I always wanted to learn more about classical music but I never
got into it beyond the mandatory classes at school.”
     
    “I
tell you what.  If you keep dating me, I’ll have you in love with
classical music.”
     
    “Be
careful what you ask for Ryder.  I am the type of girl that will hold you
to it.”  
     
    “I
don’t mind that at all.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.  What
about your musical inclination?  Obviously you like a little nineties rock
too.  What else?  I would guess that you are into jazz.  Maybe
opera?”
     
    At
that, they both chuckled.  
     
    “I’m
going to consider the opera a joke and say that you are either a great judge of
character or just a good guesser, but jazz is my favorite.  I do love the
nineties rock like you as well but my favorite is still a nice band just
playing.  No singing, or anything else to overshadow the essence of the
music.  Especially as a dancer.  It’s all about the beat, you know. “
     
    “I
get that.  You know, pure jazz is like a cousin of classical music in a
lot of senses so I guess the stock broker and the dancer seem to have a thing
or two in common after all.  I’m hoping we have time to find out how much more. 
I’ve got a pretty good idea.  I know this really great live music club.
 They do it all.  Jazz.  Big Band.  Swing.  Anything
you want to hear, they can play you as well as in house originals.  Maybe
we can go there for our next date.”  
     
    He watched
her, his unasked question evident.  She looked away from him and down at
her almost empty plate.  She definitely was going to say yes but she
didn’t want to look too eager doing so. 
     
    “So
you are already planning our next da--”  
     
    She
was startled when she heard the shrill voice.  She didn’t know when the
uninvited guest turned up at the table. She had been just that into Ryder that
everything else was just there.  At first she thought it was just another
waiter until she saw the woman looking at Ryder with a smile that said so much
more.  Apparently he hadn’t noticed her yet but that changed the instant
her nasal voice shouted his name much louder than was necessary. 
    “Oh my goodness, Ryder?”
 
     

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