Curious. He rarely texted, much less about something as mundane as the status of an instrument.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just …” She didn’t finish and put her phone away. She’d respond later.

The bill came and Edwin insisted on paying. “Well, this is a real treat. I never thought I’d be in the front row at a Kayleigh Towne concert.”

They walked into the parking lot. As they approached her Suburban, Edwin gave a laugh and pointed to his old red car, a few spaces down from hers. “‘Buick’ would be pretty tough to rhyme with. Good thing you picked ‘Cadillac.’”

“‘Toyota’ would’ve been worse,” Kayleigh joked.

“Hey, now that you know I’m not the crazy person you thought I was, how about dinner sometime? Maybe after the concert?”

“I usually go out with the band.”

“Oh, that’s right. Well, sometime, maybe … How ’bout Sunday? You don’t leave again for two weeks. The Vancouver show.”

“Well … weren’t you leaving?”

He pointed to his throat. “Taking those pain pills. You were right—they’re pretty heavy duty. Probably better if I don’t do any long-distance driving. I’m back in the rental for a few days.”

“Oh, sure, you have to be careful.” They were at her SUV. “Okay, thank you again, Edwin. For everything you did. I’m sorry for what you’ve been through.”

She nearly hugged him and kissed his cheek but decided not to.

XO …

“‘I’d Do It All Again,’” he said, smiling. The title of one of her first hits. Kayleigh laughed. After a moment he said, “Hey, here’s a thought: I could drive up to Canada. Vancouver’s not that far from Seattle. I know some great places. There’s this beautiful garden in the mountains, where—”

She smiled. “You know, Edwin, it’s probably best if we don’t get together. Just … I think it’s best.”

A grin crossed his face. “Sure. Only … well, after everything, I just thought …”

“It’s probably best,” she repeated. “Goodbye, Edwin.” She extended her hand.

He didn’t take it.

“So … you’re breaking up with me?” he asked.

She started to laugh, thinking he was joking—like his reference to the flowers in the hospital last night. But his eyes narrowed, focusing on hers. And the smile morphed into the one she recognized from before. The faint twisting of his lip, fake. “After everything,” he repeated in a whisper.

“Okay, you take care,” she said quickly. And gripped her key fob, unlocking the door.

“Don’t go,” he said in a breathy whisper.

Kayleigh looked around. The parking lot was deserted. “Edwin.”

He said quickly, “Wait. I’m sorry. Look, let’s just take a drive and talk. We can just talk. Nothing more than that for now.”

For now. What did he mean?

“I think I should go.”

“Just talk,” he said stridently. “That’s all I’m asking.”

She turned fast but Edwin stepped quickly forward, boxing her in. “Please, I’m sorry. Just a little drive.” He looked at his watch. “You don’t have to be at the concert hall for six hours and thirty minutes.”