Page 68 of The Best Christmas Choir Ever

“Okay, great!” Alicia said, launching into the details. “You’ll have to be in Manhattan for rehearsals by next week at the latest.”

“Next week?” she said.

Alicia laughed. “Yes. It’s a New Year’s performance. Christmas is next week. The clock is sort of ticking on this.”

“Right, of course.” Charlie rubbed the space between her eyes. The choir! If she was in New York City over the holidays, she’d definitely miss the competition. But this could also be her chance to honor Tom and everything he’d hoped to accomplish in his life. She’d be a fool to say no. She couldn’t say no.

Besides, hadn’t she just told Julian she wasn’t sure she could do this? Maybe this was a sign from the universe or, at the very least, a buoy to keep her afloat. “Okay. Send me everything.”

“Are you sure?” Alicia said. “I don’t want to pressure you, but I’ve got the contract sitting in my inbox already.”

Charlie bit her lip. “Send it my way.”

“On the way to your email now.” Charlie could hear her typing away. “This is very cool, Charlie. And a big deal that they asked for you personally.”

“I know.”

“Call me back when you’ve had a chance to look at it. We should really aim to get it back to them by tomorrow morning if you’re committed.”

“I will.”

“Talk to you later.”

Charlie hung up and clutched her forehead. What the hell just happened? What horrible timing! Could she do both things—the performance at the Lincoln Center and the choir competition? No. But was one of those things significantly better for her career? Yes. Would Gram understand that? And Julian? And the rest of the choir? She thought so.

If they ultimately wanted what was best for her, they’d tell her to get to NYC tomorrow. Sure she was going to feel like garbage for ditching the choir this close to the competition, but they could squeeze in a couple more rehearsals before she left. And she would prepare Gram and Julian to be her stand-ins.

They’d probably be ecstatic for her.

And this was what she wanted—a new place to run where she could stop tripping over her memories every time she turned a damn corner.

Or did she want to stay?

She drummed her fingers against her lips. Her hand trembled. She didn’t know the right answer. But maybe she was getting ahead of herself. She hadn’t even had a chance to review the contract yet. There was still the possibility she wouldn’t be able to commit.

The doorbell rang. Charlie glanced down the hall, frowning. She wasn’t expecting anyone. She hurried to answer it, finding Julian standing on the porch, shivering in his coat.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi.” Her eyes darted down to the takeout bag in his hand. Mackey’s Diner.

“I thought…” He shrugged. “Have you eaten?”

“I actually haven’t.” The contract could wait, she supposed. She pulled the door open wider, feeling stress and desire and confusion swirl through her.

Julian passed her, slipping out of his coat. “How are you doing?”

“I’m…” Where the hell did she start? She was still upset about Frank, but now she was also worried about possibly leaving the choir before the competition. Charlie licked her lips. She shouldn’t tell him that yet. Not until the contract was actually signed.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay after the way rehearsal went,” Julian said. “And the way our conversation went. Sorta feel like I dropped the ball.”

“You didn’t drop anything,” she assured him. Warmth spread through her at his concern. She was touched that he’d cared enough to come and check on her. “I’m managing,” she said finally. “What did you get for dinner?”

“Figured I couldn’t go wrong with burgers. Hope you still like the double cheeseburger. That’s what you were eating the day I asked you out.”

She laughed. “Even I didn’t remember that.”

He gave her a cheeky smile. “There was also a vanilla shake on the order, but Mackey’s stopped doing shakes.”