Without Pretense Read online

  Elena stared at her in stunned silence. Bianca didn’t see any reason to hide the truth from her sister. At the same time, she didn’t want today to be all about her. Time to turn the tables. “Now, tell me what’s going on with you. How’s school? Seeing anyone? Talk to any of the family lately?

  “Umm, okay. I’m not really sure what to say to most of that. Clearly, you want to shift the focus away from you and your love life. I’ll let it drop for now, but I expect updates. So, let’s see, to answer your questions, in order…Good. Not at the moment. And pretty much every day, just like you.”

  “So no lucky woman has managed to rein you in yet.”

  “Nobody’s really tried. But I haven’t put myself out there very much either lately. I did go dancing last night, after class, with some friends. Danced with a beautiful woman, but it didn’t go anywhere.” She shrugged. “Things are pretty busy between school and my clerkship, so it’s probably for the best.”

  “Makes sense. But don’t forget to have some fun every once in a while. Life is too short to spend all your time with your nose buried in a book.”

  She saw the flash of recognition and the slight nod of acknowledgement. She knew they both thought about Karen in that moment and how quickly life could change.

  “I hear you. I’ll remember,” Elena said.

  “Good.”

  “I still think you need to take control and move to the next step with Ava.”

  “I think you might be right,” Bianca said.

  They ate and chatted for a while. Finally, Elena pushed her plate away. “So, what else would you like to do today?”

  “Other than spending time with you, I didn’t have anything specific in mind. I am supposed to ask you if you want to go to see Ava’s concert tonight. She said she’d leave a ticket for you.”

  “And you’re just now getting around to telling me this? If it means a chance to meet the woman who has you so twisted up, count me in.”

  “Twisted up?”

  “What would you call it?”

  “I don’t know, maybe I’m a little off kilter.” On second thought, twisted up might be more accurate.

  “Call it whatever you want. I still want to meet her. Tell her I’d love to attend the concert.”

  Bianca pulled out her phone to send Ava a text. She got an almost instantaneous response.

  “That was quick. What’d she say?” Elena asked.

  “She said, ‘You got it. Hope you’re having a great time with your sister.’”

  “That’s sweet.”

  “She is.”

  “I can’t wait to meet her. Now, let’s figure out what we’re doing with the rest of our day and you can help me figure out what to wear to attend the symphony. I’ve never been.”

  “Well, in that case, let’s go to your place and case your closet to see if you have something suitable or if we need to move shopping up on the priority list today.”

  “I like the way you think.”

  ***

  Ava set her phone down on the coffee table in her suite. Bollocks. She didn’t regret offering to leave a ticket for Elena, not exactly. Part of her was excited to meet someone who knew Bianca so well, but she was family. She had never met any family members of anyone she’d ever dated. She’d never been with anyone long enough to know if they had family, let alone warrant meeting them. Even if she and Bianca hadn’t discussed exclusivity, they had been on dates. So that counted. Right? It wasn’t like she was meeting the parents, but still. This was Bianca’s sister she was going to meet. It felt like a very big deal. She could admit to herself that she was nervous.

  Ava traveled around the world for most of the year, every year. While on tour, she was rarely anywhere for more than a week or two at a time, which made relationships nearly impossible; so she didn’t really have them. It was easier to keep things light. Until she met Bianca that is. She knew she wanted to get to know Bianca on a deeper level than anyone she’d ever met. But back when they first met, Bianca was in mourning and the timing was all wrong then. That feeling, the understanding that she did want something more with someone had changed things for Ava. The one-night stands and long weekends she had previously enjoyed no longer felt like enough. More often than not these days, she opted for spending her evenings alone.

  As she returned to thoughts of meeting Elena, Ava was glad she was sitting down. It was possible she would start hyperventilating at any moment. She was completely overreacting, she was sure. Why was she panicking? She could play in front of thousands of people without breaking a sweat. What was it about meeting Bianca’s sister that had her so on edge and nervous? She needed to get a grip. She could do this. She would just be herself and everything would be fine. She hoped.

  She was antsy just thinking about meeting Elena tonight. Maybe a run would help. She grabbed her well-worn sneakers from the bottom of her closet and pulled them on. The hills of San Francisco were a little more ambitious than she was up for, so she grabbed her keycard and headed to the hotel gym. An hour on the treadmill should help clear her head.

  Thirty minutes later, Ava had reached the three-mile mark, and she was convinced she was blowing things way out of proportion. After the concert they might have time for a late dinner. So, worst-case, she had to make it through two hours or so of conversation. She could do that. She had lots of practice. She was still going strong and as the treadmill gauge reported mile five she began to feel like tonight might even be fun. She shook her head. This was no time to get ahead of herself. She tried to think about anything besides Bianca and Elena for the rest of her run.

  ***

  Ava blew out a breath. She sat in her dressing room getting ready for the show, and her nerves were back. All because she knew Bianca was in the audience with her sister. Making a good impression on those closest to Bianca mattered to her, and she didn’t want to blow it. She didn’t even know the proper protocol for this sort of thing. She’d never been in this position before.

  Ava didn’t really know how to do relationships and expectations. In the past she would see a woman once or twice and then move on. All she knew was that she wanted to be with Bianca constantly, but that made her feel clingy and needy, two feelings she wasn’t used to. She hadn’t needed another person, maybe ever, if you don’t count her parents. Things with Bianca were going well, but she felt like she was going to screw things up somehow.

  Concentrate on the music. Just play the music. She could feel her panic receding as she focused on the songs she’d be playing. Getting through the concert was the easy part. She would pay attention only to what she needed to do from the time she stepped on the stage until she took her final bow. She could think about the rest once she made it back to her dressing room.

  She looked through the window of the door and found Bianca in the audience. Her nerves finally settled and the tension melted away. She had nothing to worry about. If she could hold on to that feeling, she’d be fine. She glanced at the woman to Bianca’s left. The family resemblance was strong. Their facial features were remarkably similar. That’s where the physical comparisons seemed to end.

  Elena’s hair was stylish but short with soft waves. Her shoulders were broader than Bianca’s slender physique. Ava couldn’t tell from this distance if her eyes had the same intensity as Bianca’s, but Elena looked dapper in her suit. Ava’s gaze returned to Bianca. She felt the zing of lust she experienced any time she saw or thought about her. I have it bad for one of the Vega sisters. She took another deep breath and pushed through the door when she heard her cue. She walked across the stage and stopped in the center. She stood perfectly still for a single breath, looked directly at Bianca, and then raised her violin and began to play.

  ***

  “Holy crap,” Elena whispered. “You didn’t mention she was smoking hot.”

  “Shh. Just watch and listen.”

  Elena was right; Ava was hot. But she was also sensitive, kind, and caring, all traits Bianca admired. She had listened to Ava�
�s music so many times since they’d first met. Hearing it now with Elena was like hearing it again for the first time. It was still magical and inspiring. Once Ava left the stage at intermission, Bianca turned to Elena. “Isn’t she incredible?”

  “Oh my God, I’ve never seen anything like it. I could feel her passion. How you can sit through that for six months…” Elena paused and then looked back at Bianca. “That made me hot. I didn’t even know I liked this type of music, but if I had someone like Ava playing, I’d listen to it all the time.”

  “You’re beginning to understand how I feel.”

  Bianca glanced down when her phone vibrated, then looked at her sister. “How would you like to meet her? She just invited us to dinner after the show.”

  “Say yes, of course. I need to meet this woman you’ll be spending so much time with.”

  Bianca sent a quick reply and put her phone away as the musicians began returning to their seats.

  ***

  Ava sat in her dressing room. Vicki was across the room on the settee working on her laptop. When Bianca’s response came in, Ava set down her phone. “Vicki?”

  “Hmm?” She looked up.

  “I need a car after the show and dinner reservations for three somewhere nice.”

  “Any place in particular?”

  “No, it’s short notice. See what you can find.”

  “I’m on it.”

  “Thank you.”

  Vicki’s gaze returned to her laptop, and Ava was sure she was already working on fulfilling her latest request. Bianca and Elena probably didn’t expect anything extravagant for dinner, but they were all dressed up for a night on the town. Bianca was special, and she wanted to show her some of the finer things in life, and this was a singular opportunity to make a good impression with Elena.

  She was still extremely nervous about meeting Elena, but she was looking forward to spending time with Bianca and seeing her with family. You could learn a lot about a person watching family dynamics at play. She needed to find out the types of things Bianca liked to do so they weren’t only doing what she wanted. One more thing to discover, she mused. She hadn’t realized how much fun that could be, but when she’d asked Bianca to promise to answer as many questions about herself as she did, she never imagined how much she’d be learning. There were so many things she wanted to experience anew with Bianca.

  Chapter Eight

  After Ava’s second set, she returned to her dressing room. Vicki hadn’t moved from the settee.

  “Everything set?” Ava really didn’t have any doubts. She’d seen what Vicki could do in a lot less time.

  “Reservations at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. It’s supposed to be amazing and it’s billed as a Bay Area institution. The car will be waiting for you out front when you’re ready. I just sent you a text of the driver’s cell number so you can contact her if you have trouble finding her outside.”

  “Thank you. You’re a miracle worker.”

  “Yes, I am. Will you need anything else for tonight?”

  “If you would take my violin and dress back to the hotel, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Of course, I’ll step outside so you can change. Once you’re ready, I’ll get everything back to your room so you can enjoy your evening with the Vega sisters.”

  “Thank you.”

  Ava was thrilled she’d thought ahead and asked Vicki to bring one of her silk pantsuits for after the show. She changed quickly and wiped off the stage makeup. She reapplied a little mascara and lip gloss. She took a deep breath just as there was a knock at the door.

  “Come in.”

  She turned as Bianca entered with a wide smile lighting her face. Elena followed right behind her. Up close, their similarities were even more obvious. “Great show, Ava. The music was beautiful as always, and you are gorgeous. I really like how you look in this suit too,” Bianca said as she ran her fingers down the lapels of the jacket.

  “Thank you,” Ava said. The simple touch from Bianca was turning her on, and she had to take a step back. Now wasn’t the time for that, no matter how much she was enjoying it.

  “I’d like you to meet my sister Elena.”

  Ava stepped forward and extended her hand. “Elena, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “The pleasure is all mine, believe me.”

  “Does that mean you enjoyed the show?” Ava asked.

  “I did indeed and the music too,” Elena said playfully.

  Confused, Ava looked to Bianca who was smiling. “What my sister is trying to say is that she thought you playing the violin was super hot.”

  “Um, good to know.”

  Elena threw her head back and laughed. “Ava, you’re blushing. I’m sure two women telling you you’re hot and sexy isn’t new to you.”

  “Actually, I can’t say it’s something I’m used to.” Ava cleared her dry throat and reached for the hot lemon water. A quick sip helped. “I’m glad you enjoyed the show.”

  “Oh, you have no idea how much,” Elena said.

  Bianca put her arm around Ava and looked fondly at Elena. “Since I wholeheartedly agree about your hotness factor, really all the time, I’m going to give her a pass just this once on flirting with you.”

  It could have been an awkward situation, but the Vega sisters made it an easy and comfortable exchange. Still, Ava was glad Bianca was by her side.

  “So, moving on,” Elena said. “Bianca tells me you’re taking us to dinner.”

  “Yes, a car is waiting for us out front. How does Chez Panisse sound?”

  “Seriously? It sounds great, but how did you get reservations?”

  “Vicki has her ways.”

  Elena looked at Bianca who shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I can’t figure out how she does anything, but she makes everything so easy.”

  Once they were outside, Ava led the way to the waiting car. “A limo, seriously? Ava, you sure know how to show a woman a good time,” Elena said.

  Ava shrugged. “Vicki arranged it. I simply go where she tells me to.”

  “Is that right?” Elena raised an eyebrow.

  They slid into the plush interior, and Bianca scooted close until her thigh was against Ava’s. She was thrilled Bianca was so close. “I told Vicki I wanted to treat you both to a special night. Clearly, she carried that through to the transportation.”

  “It’s a nice treat. Thank you,” Elena said.

  “My pleasure,” Ava said.

  “I’m curious, Ava, do you play the same music at every show?” Elena asked.

  “Oh, no. Each symphony has their own program. There is occasionally a song here or there that overlaps a number of different performances, but from one week to the next it could be completely different arrangements.”

  “How do you manage that? I mean, from what Bianca’s shared with me of your schedule, it doesn’t sound like you have a ton of time for rehearsal between venues.”

  “It certainly gets easier with time. In most cases, I’m familiar with the music being selected and have often played it before. I’m given a list of not only what the entire symphony will be playing, but also specifically what I’m being asked to play. Sometimes that even includes the request to add a song or two of my own, which I enjoy quite a lot. I rehearse on my own between shows, focusing on the ones I either don’t know or the ones I need to brush up on. Then I take advantage of rehearsals with the whole group to really polish things before showtime.”

  “That sounds like a lot,” Elena said.

  “It’s not so bad. It helps a great deal that I love what I do.”

  “I’m sure it does.” Elena glanced out the window as the car pulled up to the curb. “It seems we’ve arrived. The restaurant isn’t much to look at from the outside, but everything I hear about the food is incredible. All of it is locally sourced and organic.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Bianca said. Elena was right; the exterior certainly wasn’t all that impressive. If you were looking for sleek and modern, you would definitel
y be disappointed. As they stepped inside, Bianca looked around. Then she whispered, “I never would have guessed it was this nice based on the outside.”

  “Perhaps we’re in for a night of delightful surprises,” Ava said.

  “Indeed,” Bianca said.

  After they ordered drinks, Elena cleared her throat. “Ava, while we have a moment, I would like to thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “Bianca shared with me all you did for her after Karen passed away. How you helped her. I’m grateful to you for being there for my sister when she needed it most.”

  “I’m glad if I was able to offer some measure of comfort.” Ava turned to Bianca. “But Bianca gave me as much or more that day than I gave her.” Ava felt her cheeks heat with the admission. She was glad the waiter appeared to take their order. Once he left, she shifted the focus. “So, Elena, tell me about you. What kind of law are you interested in?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. I’m leaning toward contracts or tax law. I have this idea that I can help small businesses get set up and running. It depends a lot on where I decide to practice and what I can do in that particular state.”

  “Maybe I can call you if I ever move ahead with my plan to open a production studio.”

  “You should definitely do that.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Ava said.

  “What are you thinking?” Elena asked.

  As they ate, Ava shared her ideas with them. She found it fun how they tag-teamed her with questions, each from their own perspectives. It really got her thinking about things in more detail. By the time they finished eating, she felt the plan was much more fleshed out. Maybe her dream was closer to a reality than she’d realized.

  Bianca wiped the corner of her mouth with the linen napkin. “Dinner was delicious and dessert was simply decadent. Thank you.”

  “It really was. I’ve always wanted to try this place, and coming here with the two of you was very nice.”

  “It was my pleasure. Thank you for coming. I know you don’t get to spend a lot of time together, so sharing tonight with me was generous of you both. It’s been wonderful getting to meet you, Elena.”