Free Wrangling the Cowboy's Heart by Carolyne Aarsen

myself?”
    â€œI’m sorry, my dear.” Amy gave Jodie a benevolent smile. “I know you mean well, but we prefer to have as few people as possible talking to her. Mandie is a busy woman and we can’t have her distracted by pointless questions.”
    Jodie laughed, but Finn heard an underlying nervousness. Again he was puzzled at the relationship between the two.
    â€œI can’t believe talking to the person accompanying her would be distracting,” Jodie said.
    â€œWe’re just trying to be considerate of her time.” This was accompanied by an obvious glance at the clock. “Even though you will be playing today, we still haven’t made a final decision on who is to accompany Mandie.”
    Jodie sent Finn a puzzled look. “I thought you needed me?”
    â€œWe do. For now. But if Finn’s mother shows up, we might not.” Amy folded her hands together. “Christie McCauley is a very talented player.” This compliment was directed at Finn, who couldn’t argue with that, but who wasn’t sure Amy’s faith in his mother was justified.
    â€œMy mom specifically called me to tell me she couldn’t come,” he said with a note of finality. “I doubt that will change. Jodie, why don’t you try the songs out?”
    Finn guessed there was more to their conversation than what he was hearing, but he wasn’t about to get sidetracked by a history he knew nothing about.
    â€œPlay them a couple of times and we can see how comfortable you are with the pieces,” Finn said.
    Jodie clenched her hand, then sat on the piano bench, wincing as she did so.
    Which made Finn wonder how badly she’d been hurt when she was thrown.
    But she rested her hands on the keyboard, took a long, slow breath and squared her shoulders.
    Then began to play.
    The notes pouring from the piano filled the vast emptiness of the sanctuary, echoing with a harmony that made him shiver.
    As Jodie played, Finn saw the tension that had been gripping her loosen. A half smile played over her lips and she canted her head to one side, rocking in time to the music. Then she began to improvise, letting the tune rise up, playing with the timing.
    Finn watched her, his own smile growing as he saw another side of the Jodie he remembered making an appearance. Sweet, kind and loving, utterly lost in the music she performed.
    â€œExcuse me,” Amy said with a nervous laugh, her hands fluttering in protest. “Stop. Please. That’s not how the song goes.”
    Jodie’s fingers fell on the keys in a discordant note. “Sorry,” she said. “Just got carried away.”
    â€œOf course you did,” Amy said. “But this isn’t the time or place. This is Mandie’s music and you should play it the way she has it laid out. This is a church function, my dear. Not a piano bar.” The woman’s smile seemed to grow more forced with each passing minute.
    â€œI realize that,” Jodie said, starting to get up from the piano, all the previous joy seemingly leeched out of her face. “I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”
    â€œWait a minute,” Finn said, putting his hand on her shoulder to stop her, feeling a moment of panic. If she left, he’d have no one to accompany the singer. “I think Jodie was simply playing around with the music,” he said. “Just being creative.”
    â€œThat may be, but the purpose of an accompanist is to accompany. Not lead where she decides to go,” Amy said, the voice of reason.
    â€œNaturally.” Finn glanced at Jodie, who still sat at the piano. “And you’ll play it the way Mandie wants, right?”
    She nodded, flipping through the rest of the music.
    â€œSo why don’t you try one of the other ones?” he suggested, trying to keep the peace.
    Jodie sighed and Finn saw she wasn’t happy, but she played the next piece, hitting each note with