The Sweetest Scent Part 30

Lacey felt like she was caught on a merry-go-round, and everything was spinning. "No, I don't really care about fame or money. I just want to play the violin. In front of people, naturally." She blushed because the last part sounded so silly to her ears, but it was too late to take it back.

Ms. Denning smiled, her smile as sly as a cat's. "Hmm. I didn't think such innocence still existed. I was sure it had gone the way of the dodo."

"Don't be snarky," Parker interjected, waving a scolding finger before her face, and Ms. Denning laughed in response, a curious jingling sound, like little silver bells.

The other woman placed a thin hand over Ms. Denning's arm. "Come, Jen. The court is free, and I have an appointment later."

"Oh, yes." Ms. Denning straightened up, although it wasn't like she'd been slouching all this time. She studied Lacey with those sharp eyes as she gave Lacey her business card. "Call me in a few days, and we'll set up a meeting. There are some people I'd love to introduce you to. One or two performances, and we can a.s.sess how to best aid you in your path to prestige." She held up her hand for another handshake, and Lacey responded. "It was lovely to meet you."

"You too, Ms. Denning," Lacey said with a shaky voice, but the two women were already walking away. As they disappeared, clearly to play tennis, she turned to Parker. "Oh. My. G.o.d."

Parker chuckled but helped Lacey take a seat again, sat down next to her, and offered her a cup of white tea. "Here, drink this. You'll feel better. Tea cures all ills."

With trembling hands, she cradled the cup and sipped her tea, the sweetness surprising her. "This is good." Parker nodded but said nothing, just watched her amusedly. "You...."

"Me...?"

Lacey was breathless with excitement and could barely speak. "You.... What you did with Marchand. And now with Jennifer Denning? Do you have any idea-"

"Oh, yes, a very, very good idea." Parker shrugged, nonchalant. "Jen is looking for a new protege, and you fit the bill. Besides, under her wing, not only will you be guaranteed fame and fortune, you will be immune to whatever Marchand might come up with. He is flighty, but he may decide to seek revenge. I vowed to make sure he wouldn't get that chance."

Lacey frowned. "And now those vengeful plans will be directed at you. Parker, no. I don't want you to get hurt because of-"

"Aww, aren't you the sweetest little thing-"

"Parker, I'm not joking!"

"I know, Lace. I know. But... from my standpoint, I am far better equipped to handle him than you. Not only do I love a challenge, but his attempts at me will only amuse me."

"Is everything a game to you?"

"All of life is game, my dear. And I know how to play. Marchand doesn't." Parker took a sip of his own tea. "You need a patron, and Jen will be that for you. She's legit, believe me. No, that doesn't mean she won't have her own financial and artistic interests mixed with yours, but she'll do the minimum amount of s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g you over, that I promise."

Lacey's mind was whirling. In that raging sea she turned to a calmer topic. "Was that your mother with her?"

"Yes. Vivien Endicott, socialite." Parker sounded sn.o.bbish, but Lacey sensed a kind of sadness under the surface.

"She didn't speak to you."

"My mother loves me. But we aren't a hugging type of family. And Vivien likes new s.h.i.+ny things. She's already seen me. The novelty has worn off." Though Parker jested, Lacey was sure this was a subject that caused heartache for him. She took his hand and gave it a tentative squeeze. Parker looked at the hand, frowning as if faced with a puzzle he couldn't understand, but then he looked up and smiled, a genuine smile with no guile behind it. "Thanks, Lace."

Lacey smiled back. "I owe you many, many thanks."

"Nah." Parker looked away, shrugging, but his cheeks pinked. "It was no problem."

"Even if it was, you'd just run into the fray, no doubt. Because you love a challenge." Parker bowed his head to acknowledge Lacey's characterization. "And what better challenge than a certain boy I saw you kissing on stage today...." She let her suggestive voice trail off.

Parker laughed, and his cheeks grew redder. "I don't know what you're talking about." Then he looked at Lacey shyly. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

It was late in the day, and she had a long drive ahead, but Lacey had only one answer to the invitation. "I'd love to."

Chapter 27.

"I'LL be home late." be home late."

Bro read the text as he was sitting down to have dinner with his family. He smiled. He had received the earlier gus.h.i.+ng call about what Lacey had seen with Parker and Marchand. Bro knew Lacey was going to Parker's house to thank him, and he was fine with that.

One night here or there would hardly make a dent in their rock-solid relations.h.i.+p.

Besides, he had other things to deal with tonight.

As they ate, Jack and Jordan argued about the reckless behavior of paramedics, but Bro didn't really listen. He was happy for Lacey, glad things had worked out for the best. Well, not for the best, but still pretty good.

With her problems sorted, Bro realized he still had his own to deal with.

No, it wasn't Eddy who dominated his thoughts. He was relatively certain Eddy would not try anything else. Bro was confident all Edwin had to do was think about his father, Irwin, and wonder what the man would think about his underhanded attempt at coming between an established couple, and Eddy would reform his ways. Yes, Eddy may have chosen communications to be closer to Bro, but he doubted Eddy would sacrifice everything that was good in him for a quick, illicit a.s.signation with Bro.

No, as far as Bro was concerned, Eddy was a nonissue.

"Penny for your thoughts." Sebastian smiled at him from across the table.

Bro smiled back and then couldn't hold it in anymore. "What if I never figure out what I want to do with my life?" Bro signed. "I'm taking media studies 'cause I like films, and I practice football 'cause I like to run like the wind, but I don't think I want a career in either. I'm wasting money we don't have by going to college and doing things I don't know if I want, and-"

Swiftly Sebastian had moved to his side of the table. Bro didn't notice until Sebastian sat down and placed his hands over Bro's, which were signing frantically. "Easy now. Deep breaths," Sebastian spoke out loud, soothingly.

Bro did as he was told, and for a good minute he did nothing but focus on breathing in and out, steady and slow.

"Better?" Sebastian signed.

Bro nodded. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I guess it's all been on my mind for a while."

"It's natural to have doubts. No one expects you to have everything sorted out in your life when you're only eighteen. We'll talk again when you're twenty-eight."

Sebastian always was the reasonable one. Bro sighed and nodded. "I guess."

"Come on. Let's go play Twister."

"Huh?"

Sebastian's evil grin was daring, and Bro felt like accepting. Sebastian dashed off to find the plastic mat, and Bro followed, chuckling. His mood had lightened already. If he could get himself out of a twist, maybe he could find his way out his problems too.

His brother sure was crafty.

For the next half an hour they played Twister. It was way harder now that their bellies were still full from dinner. Not to mention having Jordan, Jack, and Kevin egging them on with their shouts and wolf whistles, and chortling with every new odd position. Bro almost cursed them all to h.e.l.l. Then he didn't because they were his family, and he loved them to bits.

"Left hand red," Jordan called out, smirking. Smug b.a.s.t.a.r.d Smug b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

Bro was nowhere near red. He tried to crane his neck to see where to go but Sebastian was blocking his view. Dammit, I'm gonna lose Dammit, I'm gonna lose.

"Giving up, squirt?" Jordan teased, grinning.

Bro would have flipped him off but couldn't from his position. Instead, he growled as loud as he could. "What did my brother promise you if he won?"

Jordan chuckled. "Not telling."

"f.u.c.king cheaters." Bro didn't think they would actually cheat, as it was just a game, but he wasn't 100 percent sure, either. Turning his head didn't yield any better results as his view was still obstructed.

But he did think he caught a glimpse of red somewhere close to Sebastian's right leg. s.h.i.+fting his weight around, Bro managed to see red. He was close, but not quite that close. This was going to be hard.

"f.u.c.k," he muttered, then lifted his left hand off the mat just long enough to get it to land on red. His weight was completely off, and his right hand was shaking and slipping.

Jordan flicked the spinner into motion. "Right leg green."

Bro flinched. To get there Sebastian would have to either throw his leg over or slide it under him. Neither option was appealing.

He more felt than saw from his position Sebastian twisting his head around, searching for the best avenue of movement.

Then Jordan mumbled, "f.u.c.k," and Bro grinned. He had won. No way was Sebastian going to get his right leg on green.

"I win," he exclaimed loudly, and let out a whoopee.

Huffing in frustration, Sebastian tried to get his limb where it was supposed to go, but nothing came of it. After a few minutes of twisting and turning and s.h.i.+fting, Sebastian let out a hiss and then crumpled onto the mat.

Bro jumped up and bounced in place several times with a s.h.i.+t-eating grin on his face. "I win!"

Jack laughed and clapped, and Kevin clapped as well, while Jordan helped his fiance off the floor.

As soon as he was upright, Sebastian smiled at Bro, and signed, "See? Something went your way today. And it's gonna every day. It's all about att.i.tude. Answers will come. Give it time. Give yourself time to sort things out. It's only been two months. Fall break's gonna be here soon."

Bro narrowed his gaze and felt some residual vehemence boiling inside him. "Now I know you didn't 'let' me win. I won fair and square." He used air quotes on "let" and glared at his older brother.

Sebastian chuckled and winked. "Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't."

"Aw, h.e.l.l no!" Bro shouted, pouting.

Sebastian rushed up to him and grabbed him into a fierce bear hug. Bro hugged him back.

It was good to be home and with family. Though he didn't know all his directions in life yet, that didn't mean he was never going to. If he believed in himself and stayed positive, it was all going to work out.

Funny how he went to college, but still learned his most important life lessons at home.

LATER that night, at around ten, when Lacey still hadn't come back, Bro came to the conclusion Lacey was spending the night at Parker's place. He wondered why he wasn't worried about it. Perhaps they really had come further in their relations.h.i.+p than they thought. Perhaps they had grown up a lot in the past six months. that night, at around ten, when Lacey still hadn't come back, Bro came to the conclusion Lacey was spending the night at Parker's place. He wondered why he wasn't worried about it. Perhaps they really had come further in their relations.h.i.+p than they thought. Perhaps they had grown up a lot in the past six months.

Sebastian peeked his head through the open doorway. "Hey, still awake?"

"Yeah. Hard to sleep without Lace." He sighed. His body wasn't the only one missing her. Bro's heart was too, and the ache was unpleasant. Not overwhelming, just uncomfortable.

Sebastian nodded. Then he came into the room and sat down on the bed next to Bro. "You still worried about school?" He didn't sign it this time. His hollow voice was always hypnotic in a way. Lacey found it fascinating, and Bro thought it might be the musician in her. Bro himself rarely focused on it, but sometimes, when it was really quiet, he did hear the lack of most of the nuances that made up a so-called regular voice.

"Yeah, a little. I suppose I'll continue to be until I figure out what it is I really want."

"But not football?" Sebastian only sounded curious, and his expression verified it.

Bro smiled and huffed out a laugh. "Crazy, right? I've been into football as long as I can remember. And here I am, on a college football team, and... the spark's just not there. Not the way it used to be. I mean, I still like it, and I want to play. But to make a career out of it?" He gave his brother a look. "Is that stupid? I mean, I'm there on a football scholars.h.i.+p, and I'm good at it. I should want to make that into my future, right?"

Surprisingly, Sebastian shook his head, always with that kind smile. "I don't know, Bro. A person can be good at a lot of things, but still not make them into his whole life. Sometimes I think we choose a career and a future in things that make us challenge ourselves. Things we aren't quite so good at. It would be easy to do only things you excel in. But to choose to pursue something that isn't an automatic, guaranteed win? That's much harder. But also ultimately more rewarding."

"Like when you went to work for the police?"

"Yes. That wasn't easy. I knew I'd get a lot of flak about that, being deaf and all, but I really wanted to do something that matters, you know? Something with substance. At the end of each workday I can say to myself I did something worthwhile. I help people. I help the men and women who protect and serve us and our city. That's important. No, I may not be on the streets at their sides, but every little bit helps. That's how I see it."

Bro listened carefully. That was what he wanted too. To do something meaningful and with a purpose. To go to bed at the end of the day and know he had made a difference.

Sure, he could do that by playing professional football as an out and proud gay man. That would definitely be a challenge. But he also realized then and there that he had other options too. In fact, he had a lot of them. Howard University offered plenty of options to choose from. All he had to do was study them and make an informed decision.

And best of all, he could always change his mind later, because nothing was written in stone. And he had the backing of his friends and family.

And that sure as h.e.l.l mattered a lot.

He recalled what he had learned volunteering at HU. "I was looking at media studies to begin with, but I've been thinking about the Speech and Hearing Clinic too. I know ASL, and I've enjoyed working there a few hours a week. Maybe I should look into their degree program. I could do some good with that."

The proud and happy look Sebastian got then made Bro's chest tighten, and he had to blink away unshed tears. "Bro, you do whatever makes you happy, and we'll all be happy for you. That's all I want."

The decision came easily after that. "Cool. I'll check out HUSHC tomorrow."

Sebastian nodded. Bro knew his brother would have exhibited the same pride in him had he chosen to become a garbage man or the next president of the United States. As long as he was happy.

Then Sebastian checked the time on his wrist.w.a.tch. "Is Lacey still coming tonight? It's awfully late to be driving. Especially since she has to be right back to cla.s.ses in the morning."

Bro shook his head. "She texted she might be late. I think she's gonna spend the night at Parker's. I'll call her in a minute to confirm."

Sebastian studied him coolly. "Are you okay with that?"

Bro didn't get a chance to answer when his cell phone vibrated. "Gimme a sec." It was Lacey. Bro answered with a quick h.e.l.lo. "What's up, baby? You staying over?"

There was jazz playing in the background, and Lacey sounded like she was smiling. "Yes. It's really late, and Parker didn't think it was a good idea for me to drive home so late, you know, in the dark."

"That's good. I would have told you the same."