Kasimir made a sound like a growling wolf. “He’s as real as it gets, honey. I’ve known him awhile now. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”

Azelie resisted the urge to ask how Kasimir knew Andrii, mostly because she didn’t want him to lie, and she had the feeling he might. Worse, he would do so convincingly. If he did, it stood to reason Andrii was doing the same.

She flashed a vague smile and turned her attention to the man announcing the band. The applause was thunderous when he said they were fortunate to get the chance for Crows Flying to play in their club. That much was true, then. There was a measure of relief knowing Andrii had told the truth about his band.

The band was well-known to some and clearly had a loyal following. The testament was the amount of people who seemed to know all the lyrics to the songs. Azelie found the band amazing. The music was incredible. They didn’t play cover songs; all the music was their own.

Her heart beat far too fast when Andrii put down his guitar and went to the piano. He leaned into the microphone. “Don’t sing as a rule. I leave that to Seychelle or one of the others. But tonight, I’ll be playing a special song I wrote for my lady. First time playing it, so forgive me if it isn’t perfect yet.”

Azelie could barely breathe. He didn’t have to announce to everyone in the room that he’d written the song for her. Or that she was his lady. He’d made the declaration in his compelling, soft tone, the one guaranteed to send heat down a woman’s spine. Those in the room broke into applause. She could feel eyes on her and was grateful Lana’s table was tucked into the shadows.

Then Andrii began to play. The music was moody at first. Then hopeful. So beautiful it brought tears to her eyes. And that was before he even began to sing.

I was once a broken man, who had learned nothing but hate.

A lonely fearful soul, who did not believe in fate.

There was a darkness around me, a blinding stormy haze.

No light could pierce the veil, nothing could bring the days.

Truth was just a stranger, and trust was just a word.

Empty promises were all I’d ever heard.

Then came the sun, there you are.

Then came the one, my shiny star.

Solnyshkuh, a beautiful song.

You sang to me, you’re where I belong.

This is something real, this is something new.

Love took pain’s place, and it’s because of you.

Never had much of my own, never really needed it.

A soldier without a home, lonelier than I’d admit.

Never believed I’d have a life, not one worth living.

Not in this cold dark world, one so unforgiving.

On the brink of extinction, I fought hard on my own.

So few connections, betrayal was all I’d ever known.

Then came the sun, there you are.

Then came the one, my shiny star.

Solnyshkuh, a beautiful song.

You sang to me, you’re where I belong.

This is something real, this is something new.

Love took pain’s place, and it’s because of you.

You lift me up and bring me peace.

Because of you, now I believe.

You show me love and how to laugh.

I finally found the missing half.

How could I know, how could I see,

Just what you would bring to me?

Little sunshine,

Love of mine.

Little sunshine,

Love of mine.

Then came the sun, there you are.

Then came the one, my shiny star.

Solnyshkuh, a beautiful song.

You sang to me, you’re where I belong.

This is something real, this is something new.

Love took pain’s place, and it’s because of you.

The notes of the music faded and those in the bar applauded wildly. Azelie couldn’t look at Lana, or anyone else. She could only see Andrii. Her eyes met his across the room and her heart stuttered at the way he was looking back at her. His face was usually a mask, expressionless, impossible for most people to read. Right at that moment, he was looking at her with open devotion. Even love. If she hadn’t already been free-falling right off the cliff, she certainly was now. He was the most amazing man in the world as far as she was concerned. She didn’t understand what it was about her that he found so wonderful, but it was evident from the song he’d written that he believed she was the one for him.

How could she not fall in love with him after that? How could she continue to hold part of herself back even when she knew he was holding back some truths? Lana made a single sound distracting her, then put her hand over Azelie’s.

Lana leaned in close. “Isn’t that the man who was at the bus stop when we first met?”