An Unexpected Song by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online Page A

mean betraying her word to Charlie.
    He read her answer in her expression. “I didn’t think you were in the market for a trade.” He shrugged. “All right, fair is fair. We’ll consider this a hiatus. No questions asked.”
    She started to turn away.
    “Daisy.”
    She glanced back to see him still sitting where she had left him.
    “Let me know when your tigers come and I’ll help you fight them.”
    She shook her head. “When they come, I’ll have to fight them myself.” She smiled. “Just as you did.”
    He rose to his feet. “Let me know anyway.”
    “Maybe.” A sudden hollowness echoed through her as she remembered that their time together was almost over. “If you’re around.”
    “I’ll be arou—” He broke off and was silent for a long moment. “I’ll find a way to reach you.” He started down the path after her. “Call me.”
    “It’s no good!” Charlie threw down the brush and turned away from the easel. “I don’t know why I try. It’s no damn good.”
    Daisy stood up and jumped down from the platform. “What’s wrong? You were so pleased with it.”
    “Because I’m a fool.” Charlie’s face was tormented. “Because I lie to myself.”
    “I like it, Charlie.” Jason stood up from the piano he had been softly playing for the last hour. “And I don’t consider myself a fool.”
    “You like it because it’s Daisy,” Charlie said harshly. “Do you think I don’t know that? I’m as tired of your lies as I am of my own.” He strode across the room and slammed out of the cottage.
    “Shall I go after him?” Jason asked.
    “No, leave him alone. He doesn’t like company when he’s like this.” Daisy folded her arms across her chest to stop the trembling. She felt as raw and broken as if Charlie’s torment were her own. “He explodes now and then. It’s artistic temperament. He’ll go for a long walk, stop at a bar andhave a few drinks, and then come home. He’ll be okay by the time he gets back. He’s going through a bad time now.”
    “Can I help?”
    She shook her head. “Tell me, is his portrait of me any good?”
    Jason hesitated. “I’m no art critic.”
    Daisy sighed. “It’s not good.”
    “I didn’t say that. I don’t know about the technical side, but it’s full of emotion, it’s full of … love.”
    Daisy felt the tears sting her eyes. “Yes, he’s very good at love.” Her eyes were jewel-bright as she gazed at him across the room. “It’s not fair, you know. All his life he’s wanted only one thing, to create something truly beautiful, to create something special. You’d think he would have been allowed that—” Her voice broke. “He’s such a good man, Jason.”
    “I know,” he said gently. “Charlie’s a great guy. I like him very much.”
    Suddenly she couldn’t take it any longer. The waiting had gone on too long and the world seemed full of pain and injustice. She had to run away from it before it overwhelmed her.
    “Come on.” She snatched up the fringed shawl and headed for the door. “We can’t stay here waiting for him. It will only make him feel guilty when he comes back.”
    “Where are we going?”
    “For a drive … no, for a walk. I need the exercise. I feel as if I’m about to explode. The mountain. I think I’ll go to the mountain.”
    “It’s dark out.”
    “That won’t bother me. I know the path.”
    “For Lord’s sake, at least change clothes. The soles of those slippers won’t grip the—”
    “I don’t care. I need to go
now.
” She whirled at the door to look at him, trying to keep her voice steady. “I know I’m behaving like an idiot. You don’t have to come with me.”
    “Don’t be stupid,” he said roughly. “Of course I’m coming with you.”
    She led the way up the mountain at a fast pace, trying not to think of anything but putting one foot before the other, to stretch her endurance to the limit so that she wouldn’t think of Charlie’s tormented expression before he