TO THE SOUND OF THE MAPLE LEAF RAG

Nancy tapped her foot in time to the music and looked around. Heads bobbed and shoulders swayed. She wasn’t the only one affected by the handsome piano player. His fingers flew easily over the keys and the ragtime filled the air.

She forked a tiny piece of the lemon merengue pie into her mouth and tried to keep her eyes from wandering. What if he noticed her staring? Her dress was new and Nancy slid her hands over the soft fabric. It was her favorite color, canary yellow, and it had beautiful embroidery around the hem. The dress was definitely too fancy for a walk in the park or café outing, but she hadn’t been able to resist the temptation.

The pianist changed the song and began to sing happy birthday in a deep baritone. Nancy’s head snapped up, and she felt her cheeks heat the moment their eyes locked. A group of her friends descended on her table, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the man.

He smiled and winked at her before moving to play another rag. Several people got up to dance, and Savannah grabbed her hand. Before she had time to object, Nancy found herself swaying on the floor with her friends.

She sipped the champagne someone had pushed into her hand and stole glimpses at the pianist. His dark brown eyes still followed her and there was a hint of a smile, every time their gazes met. By the time the glass was empty, Nancy was smiling back.

She danced until her feet hurt. She drank champagne until her head spun. She stayed until the day turned into evening and even after that, until the sun set and stars twinkled above. And all the while, the man played. One song after another. Tirelessly, his fingers tapped the keys until they were the only ones left. When the silence finally wrapped around them, Nancy had made up her mind. The pianist took her hand and led her under the stars.

In the café, the piano stood alone, and only the most sensitive ears could still pick out the faint echoes of the Maple Leaf rag.