Music from Heaven - Christian Romance

By Johanna Jenkins

Joanie Meeks is lost. And not just on a university campus that is too large for her and a music program where she's not sure that she belongs. She also feels as though she's lost her purpose or that she never truly had one. Deep down, she knows that God has a plan for her. If she didn't believe that then she truly wouldbe lost. She just wishes that she could see that plan for herself. When she hires an accompanist to help her with her end of semester vocal audition for the University's performance program, she realizes that she is not the only one feeling lost. Though he tries to hide it behind a plain, pleasant exterior, Joanie knows that Noah Harding, her accompanist, has problems that she can't even begin to imagine, starting with his distrust of Churches, Christians and the idea of God in general. In helping Noah find his faith, can Joanie discover her own purpose as well?

A Standalone Short Story with HEA! 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clean & Wholesome Romance Club
• Release date: Nov 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386144472

Book preview

Music from Heaven

Chapter 1

Joanie

The practice rooms were not soundproof. They were supposed to be. And in a college renowned for its music program, a college that cost so much to attend every year, you would think that they would be attentive to this detail. But, every year the music students at St. Thomas University were disappointed.

No one bothered complaining anymore. They’d become used to the cacophony of sound issuing from all of the plain white rooms in turn.

As Joanie Meeks walked through the narrow hallway, she no longer winced at the trumpeter blaring loudly, or the not quite accomplished violinist sliding his way down the instrument making a caterwauling sound that would send most people running from the building while covering their ears.

She passed all of these with a preoccupied frown on her face. Her hands twisted anxiously in front of her and her large brown eyes darted from one closed practice room to the next.

Joanie knew which room she was looking for. She had suggested it. It was room twenty-three at the end of the narrow hallway. But any passerby who happened to see her at that moment, glancing around corners, would assume that she was hopelessly lost.

Joanie often looked hopelessly lost on this campus. A fact that she was well aware of but unable to correct. The fact was, she often felt out of place here. And it wasn’t just because she’d only been accepted to the famed St. Thomas University School of Music conditionally.

The truth was, she’d had her doubts about coming here at all. St. Thomas University was a large campus with utilitarian buildings, surrounded by a small town that was more bleak than charming.

They did have an excellent vocal performance program, as Joanie’s mother kept reminding her. But, to be accepted into that program, Joanie would have to audition at the end of her first semester. And that was approaching much faster than Joanie liked to think.

At least, she had found an accompanist. Noah Harding had agreed to practice with her on her music once a week and play for her at lessons. He would be waiting for her in room twenty-three. That should have made her relieved, but she discovered that it only increased her anxiety.

She had never been good at meeting new people. The social anxiety she’d been diagnosed with as a child often forced her to mumble and blush or else not speak at all. That was why new people had a tendency to think she was arrogant or cold. The fact that anyone thought that of her only made her more anxious, continuing the horrible cycle.

Trumpets and violins still played in her ears when she reached room 23. She felt her heart begin to pound when she saw the light on. Her pulse increased when she heard the piano being played inside the room, mixed with the din of the violin and the trumpet.

She could feel the sweating of her palms and an overwhelming urge to run outside, text the pianist that she couldn’t make the practice and insist they communicate only through email until the day of her audition.

Telling herself firmly to stop being so stupid, she straightened her shoulders lifted her head and opened the practice room door, letting the sound of the piano fully out into the hallway.

As she stepped inside the room, closing the door behind her, she fully expected the pianist to turn around. The door was fairly loud and made a thudding sound as it closed, which caused even Joanie to jump.

The tall, brown haired man sitting at the piano, his back to her, didn’t turn. He didn’t stop playing; didn’t offer any acknowledgment that he’s noticed anyone else come into the room.

His fingers continued to pass over the keys as though he were in