Valerie laughed. “I do. I did before I tried your homemade salad dressing, but now I love you.” She grinned. The poppyseed dressing had just the right amount of sweetness and tang. “Growing up…” her eyes glazed over as she reflected on her childhood. “It was magical. Music filled every part of our lives. Singing wasn’t just a job for my parents. They sang because they were made to sing.”
“Didn’t they meet on tour?” asked Lauren. “I think I read that somewhere.”
“They did. It was a fluke. My mom was headlining, and her opening act was snowed in. Dad’s band happened to be close; his agent was a friend of a friend. Mom said she fell in love with him when she heard his voice. She didn’t even know what he looked like. She used to say he could have had a beer belly and been bald, but if he sang to her, she’d have followed him to the ends of the earth.”
She glanced up to see them all watching her. Ethan’s eyes were soft, but there was something more. Something that said he had a secret. He leaned over, tucking her hair behind her ear, and whispered, “I know how she felt.”
Valerie remembered the day he came to turn her lights back on, and she’d sung in front of him on accident. Blushing, she ducked her head and checked her chicken in the fondue. It was done, so she pulled it out and let it cool on her plate.
“Do you sing?” asked Jacob as he put in two pieces of steak.
Valerie choked on her bite. The question was personal, though he wouldn’t know that. Singing was as tied up in her parents as lights twisted around a tree. “I haven’t in a long time. But there is this charity event coming up that my uncle wants me to do in memory of my mom…” she trailed off, not sure why she’d even brought it up.
“You sound like you don’t want to–but you want to.” Ethan bumped her shoulder with his.
How did he know her that well? She glanced at each open face. “I haven’t sung in public since the plane crash. It would be the perfect way to honor my mother’s memory, but….”
“But then you’d be back in the public light,” Lauren filled in for her. “Which is scary?” she asked cautiously.
Valerie nodded. “I told myself that that part of me died when they died. But it keeps popping up. Especially lately.” She gave Ethan a knowing look.
“Maybe that part of them can live on in you,” Ethan offered.
She stared at him. “I’d never thought of it like that.”
He put his arm across the back of her chair.
“You know…” hedged Jacob. “We could give you a trial run.”
Valerie stiffened.
Lauren put a hand on her husband’s arm in warning. He patted her fingers. “I don’t mean she has to sing. I was thinking of the ice sculpting contest. We need a judge.”
Lauren brightened. “That’s brilliant.” She turned on Valerie. “What do you think?”
“What would I have to do?” she asked hesitantly.
Lauren and Jacob exchanged a look in which he yielded the floor to her. She grinned. “Since Jacob is competing, I should be the one to explain. That way, no one will claim he got in good with the judge beforehand.”
“You’re feeding us dinner,” Ethan pointed out.
“You can pay me for it later if you have an ethical dilemma,” Lauren shot back. “So basically, you pick the sculpture you like the best–”
“Based on predetermined parameters. I have a judges sheet that explains everything,” Jacob added.
“And when it comes time to announce the winner, you’re on stage and hand over the prizes,” Lauren finished up. “We used to do this yearly, but it stopped for a while–I’m not sure why.” She glanced at Jacob, who lifted a shoulder in response.
Valerie chewed her bottom lip. “Does everyone in town know who I am?”
Ethan tipped his head side-to-side, considering. “If Pearl has anything to say about it–yes. I’m sorry. She’s–”
Valerie held up a hand to stop him from disparaging the woman. She was just like a billion other people who would have done the same thing. It had taken her off guard in her own home–well, her uncle’s home. At a live event, she’d expect selfies and excited fans.
“I’ll do it,” she proclaimed before she could change her mind.
Jacob's fist pumped. “Awesome.” He grabbed his phone and texted. “I’m letting the mayor know we have a celebrity judge.”
“Hey!” Ethan held out his hand.
