Page 74 of What He Never Knew

“Wait, wait, wait,” she said, cutting me off. “You’re inPennsylvania?And you’re taking lessons withtheReese Walker? What the hell, Sarah? Why haven’t you told me? Why have you ignored my calls and texts?”

I sighed. “It’s… complicated.”

“Break it down.”

“I can’t,” I said on a swallow. That earned me a huff on the other end, and I sat up a little straighter, pinching the bend of my nose. “Look, I know it’s frustrating. I left, I didn’t come back, I ignored you and everyone else who reached out to me. And now, I call you out of the blue, and I still can’t tell you everything. I know that is stupid and upsetting, but… I love you, Reneé. You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister and I really, really need you right now. And I know it’s not fair, but I’m asking you to understand that I can’t tell you everything about why I left Bramlock, but that I am okay.” I paused. “Well, for the most part, anyway.”

She huffed again, a long pause lingering between us before she spoke. “That’s really not fair.”

“I know.”

“And it’s really selfish, too.”

“I know.”

Reneé paused. “But, I love you. And if you can’t tell me yet… then, I guess that’s okay.”

I let out a long breath of relief. “Thank you. Thank you for understanding.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she mumbled. “Now, you said something about needing me. What’s going on?”

“Well… it kind of has to do with Reese.”

“Reese?You’re on a first-name basis with a piano god?”

I blushed, fingering my necklace. “I may be on a lip to lip basis with a piano god.”

“WHAT?! Okay, enough teasing. SPILL.”

I laughed, launching into the story from the very beginning. I told her about the lessons, how I still wanted to go to Carnegie and play in New York City and Reese was my way to get there now that I had dipped out of school. I told her about our lessons, about the incredible way he played, the way he taught. I told her about Charlie, about Reese opening up to me, and me opening up to him about my dad — which she gasped at, since she was pretty much the only other person I’d ever told. Then, I told her about the kiss — and how I’d jumped off him and ran out.

We’d had to run over that quite a few times for her to understand.

Of course, I didn’t tell her what I told him — about Wolfgang, about what had happened that December night at Bramlock. But, I tried my best to explain that it was clear we couldn’t be together like that.

When all was said and done, Reneé blew out a long whistle, digesting everything I’d said.

“So, your hot ass, piano god of a teacher makes a move on you. Youreciprocatethat move, and then you run out because… you’re too young for him?”

“AndI’m his student. And he’s my uncle’s employee.”

“Yeah…” she said on a long sigh. “I guess that all makes sense. But, you still like him. You still want more, even though you told him you don’t.”

I sighed, because she was right… but even with telling her all that, I was leaving out the biggest piece of the puzzle.

I’m scared. And damaged. And I don’t know how to be intimate with anyone because all that desire was stolen from me.

“And, you told him he should go on a date with someone else,” Reneé continued. “And he listened.”

“Damn him for being true to his word.”

She chuckled at that. “Well, bestie, as much as I hate to say this, I think you put yourself in this pickle.”

I groaned, covering my face with a pillow before throwing it across the room. “I know, okay? I know. The question is, what do I do about itnow?”

She let out another long sigh, the silence growing between us.

“Honestly? I think you should tell him how you feel.”