“-I'll play you a song.Blake flexed his fingers and concentrated harder on the cardboard, moving his hands methodically over it's surface.What do you say after an imaginary concert? Livia watched as the song came to a close with his careful plucking a certain keys on the cardboard. She couldn't help but glance to see if the commuters were staring.-I couldn't hear that, but your hands looked beautiful.-Of course not. It's not plugged in.Blake smiled, then watched as she didn't get his joke.”

“When Livia turned, she had to tip her head back to see his face as she handed him his cardboard. He’s beautiful.”

“After soft kisses, they pressed their hands together palm to palm. The tingling scattered all over Livia's body, warming her. "Do you feel that?" she whispered with a smile. His lips moved in his silent count. Blake wrapped his fingers around her hand. She copied the movement. Their hands together now resembled a heart-not a cartoon rendering of the shape, but a real human heart. He touched her lips with his and murmured, "I've been feeling it since you first smiled at me.”

“Blake opened his beautiful green eyes. He tried to smile, but it was just a grimace. “Livia. I love you too. Smile again.”She hated his words. They were a goodbye. “I can’t smile, I have to run. I have to get help.” She tried to stand and felt the gentle pressure of his hand on her thigh.“Smile again.” He worked to keep his eyes open.Livia picked up the hand that had stopped her. She lifted it to her lips and kissed every knuckle. By the time Livia tried to smile, only one of his green eyes was focused on her face. Her forced smile used all the wrong muscles.“Good enough,” he joked.”

“As they left, Eve watched him slide the coffee sleeve off the drink and put it in his pocket.After they’d walked a few blocks, she questioned him. “Why’d you keep the sleeve?”Blake pulled out the cardboard and looked down at it. “Just to remember I could do it.”Eve grabbed it from him quickly, ripped it in half, and threw it in a trashcan on the sidewalk. Blake held his hands up and gave her a What the hell? look.“Don’t tie your success to anything other than what’s inside you.” She stepped up to him and gently patted his heart. “You did this, Blake. You. Not the coffee, not me, not Livia. You did this.”

“He checked her face first to see if she was all right, then dropped his eyes to the keyboard. It was like someone had plugged him in. His eyes widened, his mouth dropped open, and he stretched his fingers.“Will you play it, Blake? Will you?” Livia almost jumped with excitement.Blake covered his smile. He nodded. Livia plopped the keyboard on the kitchen table, which was still moist from where he’d wiped it with the kitchen sponge.Blake kissed her and then spoke solemnly. “I’ll play it for you.”

“Blake held his hand out, palm up, and Livia slid hers into it. Her heart snuggled into its happiness. The sight of his fingers made her forget what she was about to say.”