She nodded her head enthusiastically. “I want to play like that when I grow up.”
“Keep taking lessons and practicing, and you will,” I told her.
“Now who is this?” Evan asked, leaning down to get a better look at the little girl.
Maya looked up at Evan’s considerable height, held out her hand, and said, “I’m Maya Barnes. You have locs like my Uncle Dwayne.”
Even took her tiny hand into his huge one and gently shook it. “I’m Evan Williams. I’ll bet your Uncle Dwayne is a really cool guy.”
“He is,” she replied. “I liked that big violin you were playing. Mommy called it a…jello?”
Evan laughed. “A cello. So you liked it, did you?”
She nodded but then said very seriously, “It’s really big. Do girls play the cello?”
“Of course,” Evan said emphatically.
“Maybe I’ll learn how to play that too. Mr. Jeremy is teaching me how to play the piano. I know ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,’ and now he’s teaching me ‘Happy Birthday.’”
Caitlin and Chris came hurrying up. “I’m so sorry,” Caitlin said. “She got away from us while we were talking to some potential donors.”
I waved away her concern. “No worries. Evan was just telling her about the cello.”
I saw her parents’ eyes widen in dismay, and I snickered. “It’s okay. She’ll have to stick with the piano for a while. The cello will come later if she’s still interested.”
Ellie touched my elbow and murmured, “You need to make the rounds to make the potential donors happy.”
I left Evan and Raphael talking with Chris and Caitlin while Ellie led me around the room to speak to the people who had paid some serious money to see my return performance.
I made my way around the room, making small talk with people I hadn’t seen in more than a year. I fielded questions about my accident and my collapse at my last concert, as well as my subsequent disappearance from the public eye, with vague responses about healing and exhaustion.
I felt the tension build inside me. Part of me raged that these people had no right to my private business, even though they seemed to think they did. I took a slow breath in and let it out even more slowly. I could do this. Sean would be back soon.
The thought gave me pause. When had that happened? How had I come to rely on him when I’d only known him for two weeks.
I couldn’t be surerelywas the right word. It seemed more like I could depend on him to be there when I needed him. He was a sure and steady presence when I needed him to be. He also knew when to let me work through things myself. I wondered how he was so intuitive.
“Jeremy!” I winced at the shrill sound of Wallace McKeon’s voice. The man was wealthy and entitled. He gave generously but made sure everyone knew about his generosity and frequently used it as leverage or even a weapon.
From the moment he met me, he’d made it known he wanted me. He thought his power and money would be a draw for me—not so much. My parents’ wealth allowed them to pawn me off on nannies, maids, and housekeepers. The only time they were interested in me was when I made them look good. Wallace McKeon’s millions held no allure for me.
I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep breath. I only had to get Wallace to make a donation tonight. Or not. I wasn’t going to pimp myself out for it. I pasted on a smile and turned to greet the older man. “Wallace. How nice to see you again.”
“My dear boy!” Wallace gushed. “You look fantastic.” His eyes raked my body, leaving me feeling slimy and gross. “That hiatus did you a world of good.”
A much younger man sidled up and attached himself to Wallace’s side. He looked to be in his early to mid-twenties. He was pretty in a polished way, with wavy blond hair perfectly styled and ice-blue eyes lightly accented with eyeliner. He was slim and delicate looking, but the glare he shot me was anything but soft.
“Darling,” he drawled, “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
Wallace frowned at his twink in annoyance and then cleared his throat. “Jeremy Fitzgerald, this is Xavier Saunders.”
I held out my hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Xavier.” The younger man reluctantly took my hand in a limp shake. Both men’s eyes moved to a point behind me a moment before a pair of strong arms came around me and pulled me close.
“Everything okay?” Sean asked quietly.
I leaned back against him. “It is now.”
Wallace’s frown deepened while Xavier’s eyes brightened. With a little flutter in my stomach, I made the introductions. “Wallace McKeon, Xavier Saunders, this is Sean O’Neil, owner of Moonlight and my boyfriend.”
