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“Okay, Pops,” she smiled widely.
It hurt my heart that she never had known her real dad; she would have loved him. I knew she clung to the idea of calling Will “Pops” because she never had one in her life. None of her mother’s boyfriends had even encouraged it.
I felt a gentle squeeze on my leg and looked over in surprise at Jace. He didn’t even acknowledge the touch, so I was left to wonder if I had imagined it.
A server approached our table at that time and started pouring us water into the glass goblets that were already on the table. With his slight Italian accent he said, “Good evening, my name is Marco. I will be your server tonight. May I start you with something to drink?”
Will spoke up before any of us could speak. “We will take a bottle of your best wine with four glasses, and a blackberry Italian soda for the little one. Can we also start with a Caprese salad, mussels, and bruschetta?”
I was shocked that he had ordered wine for the table. Was he encouraging underage drinking? I had noticed the guys had been drinking the first night I had formally met them all.
“My father grew up in Italy,” Jace spoke quietly beside me. “It is nothing for people under the age of twenty-one to enjoy a glass of wine or two with dinner.”
I nodded in understanding, although I didn’t know if I necessarily agreed with it. My stepmom had been an alcoholic and addict. I had avoided any substance that altered my mental state because of that.
“So, Blake,” Will said with a gentle smile. “I stopped and picked up your transcripts, and I was pleasantly surprised.”
> I ducked my head in slight embarrassment. I know everyone didn’t assume I was stupid, but I didn’t like the feeling I got. I felt like they expected struggle or mediocrity because of my background.
“Have you decided what you would like to do after high school? Where do your passions lie?” he asked with a genuine tone of curiosity.
I shrugged as I played with the rim of my glass. “Honestly, I didn’t have any plans past graduating and hopefully making a living where I could support Ella and myself.”
He frowned. “So, no plans of college? Nothing you dreamed about before making that decision?”
I shook my head. “I’ve been her sole caregiver since I was ten,” I looked over at Ella and saw she was happily coloring. “I didn’t have the luxury to dream. I love playing the piano, but I don’t know what I could have done to make it a lucrative career. I don’t even know if I would want to take something I love and make it…into a job.”
“Hmm,” he looked at me contemplatively. “Well, there is no rush, honestly, but I would like you to begin taking some college classes and maybe audition for a college music class as well. Some of the classes you already take can transfer over to college credits, and our high school music class is remedial at best. What I heard the other day is beyond remedial.”
“Can you finish your piece you were working on in my class by Monday? I called my friend that is on the music board, and he so happens to have an opening at this time. I set up an audition with the board on Monday,” Jace informed me.
“An original?” Will said with a slight frown. “Do you have any classical in your repertoire?”
Our conversation halted as our drinks and appetizers arrived. I still hadn’t looked at the menu, so I quickly perused it while the others ordered their meals. I ordered the chicken piccata and linguine noodles with a garlic white wine sauce. I was starting to see that the Bell clan liked their Italian food. I wasn’t complaining at all, though.
I always cooked on a budget, so my Italian cooking was limited to spaghetti with meatballs or meat sauce.
We all dug into the Caprese salad, bruschetta, and mussels, and I had to stifle my noise of enjoyment. Jemmy looked over at me with laughter in her eyes, as if she knew what my reaction would be.
I was eating a mussel when Jace said, “Maybe sometime this weekend Blake will play her piece for you. I think you will see that it’s phenomenal.”
Will grudgingly shrugged. “I don’t mind hearing it if you think it’s ready.”
I suddenly felt self-conscious. The piece was a glimpse into my soul. It would leave me open and vulnerable to their judgment.
Jace must have seen the indecision on my face. “It’s excellent, Blake. It’s better than excellent.”
I sighed and took a bite of my bruschetta. “If I spend most of the weekend working on it, it can be ready by Monday.”
He nodded satisfied by my answer.
“But I was going to show you around the campus and get you settled into the dorms,” Jemmy said with a pout.
“I’m sure I can find time to do that as well,” I assured her.
She seemed mollified by my answer.
“Am I going to live in a dorm too?” Ella asked with trepidation.
