The Piano Man

XIX. An Opportunity

"We often miss opportunity because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas A. Edison

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XIX.

Nearly a week had passed since Noah had taken Sophie on their first date. It was now Friday, and they hadn't managed to go out again, but that hadn't stopped Noah from staring at her every chance he got.

How on earth had he not noticed how pretty she was before? He didn't wear glasses, but maybe he needed to. The way she smiled was so natural. The way she moved was so graceful. Noah had honestly never met anyone like her before.

But then, maybe it was a good thing that it had taken him a good minute to notice her outside, because it was her good inside that had drawn him in in the first place. She was so sweet, and so kind, and so fiercely protective as only a mother could be.

Noah hadn't been the only one obviously staring. He had caught Sophie looking his way plenty of times, and her fair cheeks blushed every time. It was so goddamn adorable.

God, he liked her. He liked her a lot.

When Noah wasn't spending his time daydreaming like a teenager, he did manage to work. And thank God for that, as in little over a month, he was due back in LA to start recording his score. He hadn't stopped writing. He had spent most of his nights this week staying up into the early hours of the morning watching The Last Hope and planning music, before spending the days composing on Pete's Steinway.

He had continued Maddie's music lessons, which seemed to occur most days after school at Noah's request, where she would do something that Noah hadn't thought of, which would make his piece even better.

Noah had taken to letting his phone record his writing sessions with Maddie. He almost felt like he needed to document this kid. He needed to prove that she really was writing, changing, and playing herself.

Maybe one day she could use this footage to bolster a college application. He saw a lot of himself in Maddie, and if she wanted to, nothing could stop her.

Noah checked his phone and saw that it was nearing five. Sophie would be returning soon from picking Maddie up from school ready for the night shift. Holly and Amy had both arrived for work, and Pete was behind the bar organising himself like normal.

As it was Friday, Sophie would be singing, and it was also the night that Maddie's biological father liked to frequent the bar. The asshole liked to harass Sophie. He liked to make her uncomfortable, to put Sophie in her place, and to try to weasel his way back in with her.

Noah knew he wasn't Sophie's official boyfriend or anything. They'd been on one date, technically, but if Beck thought for one second that he was going to get away with his usual behaviour he had another thing coming.

Noah's phone suddenly rang. Expecting it to be Tally, or even Sophie, he picked it up without registering the caller ID.

"Hey," he answered casually.

"Noah, it's Rick Walsh, how are you?"

Noah suddenly sat up straight as he realised, he had his director on the phone. "Great, thanks, Rick," he replied. "How's things?"

"Fine. Getting along with post," he replied. "Looking forward to hearing the score," he hinted.

"Yes, I'm sure. Not due till Christmas, though, remember?" prompted Noah.

"I remember the contract, don't you worry," Rick assured him. "Listen, the score is not why I've called. I know the score is in good hands. I wouldn't have insisted that we hired you if I thought otherwise."