Page 68 of Trouble Walked In
“I would too, if I weren’t old enough to be his mother.” Jordanna hummed a few notes of a song he didn’t recognize.
“Mother?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
She waved a negligent hand. “Whatever.”
“Hey, Mr. Renic,” Jacob said.
“Just Renic, Jacob. Glad you could make it. I’d like to introduce you to Jordanna Farrington. She runs Manage That Productions. She’s the best in the business.”
Jordanna took Jacob’s offered hand and shook, a warm twinkle in her eyes. “I can’t wait to hear you play, Jacob. I’ve heard great things.”
“Thanks.” Jacob grinned.
Jordanna pulled Jacob along with her into the lounge, peppering him with questions about his family and school along the way.
Renic noticed Della watching them from the kitchen doorway and gestured for her to join them.
She shook her head and disappeared into the kitchen.
He thought about going after her, then thought better of it. He’d done all the pushing he should do. Patience and curiosity might work better at this stage. He followed his new hopeful into the lounge.
The room was half library, half living room, with overstuffed chairs grouped around an oversized fireplace surrounded by bookshelves. Bay windows along the back wall offered a view of the lake and Lizzie’s cottage home. It was cozy and comfortable. Perfect for what he intended.
Most importantly, nestled in the corner of the room was an old upright piano. He led the way to it. “If you’re done grilling him, Jordy, maybe we should let him play you a song.”
Jacob dipped his chin in acknowledgment and slid onto the piano bench. He glanced up at Renic. “Got one in mind?”
“Billy Joel.” He took a seat in a nearby chair so that Jordanna could get closer to her target. He couldn’t wait to see their reactions to each other.
Jacob’s fingers danced over the opening notes to “Piano Man.” When he started to sing, Jordanna’s eyes widened. By the time he hit the first chorus, she was nodding along with the music and grinning like a banshee.
By the second chorus, Jordanna joined in, belting out the words like she was in a karaoke bar. Her voice was a lovely alto, rich and full, and she harmonized perfectly with his higher tenor tones.
Jordanna had a ton of natural ability, but she’d never been drawn to the stage, which Renic thought was a shame. She’d have been a hit. He was sure of it. But now with a husbandand two kids, she made an excellent behind-the-scenes star too.
Over an hour later, Jordanna sat on the bench next to Jacob, swaying back and forth while singing a third Billy Joel song.
When they finished, applause broke out from the doorway. Renic turned to see a crowd of people hovering just outside the lounge.
Jordanna got up from the bench and crossed to Renic. “Where you been hiding this one?”
He laughed. “Told you he was a keeper.”
Jacob flashed his audience the charming smile he’d used in the bar. “Thanks for listening.”
The onlookers spilled into the lounge, bubbling enthusiasm along the way. They were led by a couple in their late twenties, followed by older versions of themselves and a group of young men and women roughly the same age. The bridal party, Renic realized, had just stumbled onto a free concert.
He wondered what Lizzie thought of that. He couldn’t see her in the crowd.
The bride-to-be pushed to the front, still clapping. “That was fantastic. I wish we’d hired someone like you for the reception. People would never stop talking about it.”
The groom put his arm around her shoulders. “Sweetie, you know we had to use my cousin. He’s DJ-ing for free, and it would have been rude to turn him down.”
She looked up at her almost-husband. “It’sourwedding, Scott. And your cousin’s been a real pain lately. It’s like he’s pissed off he’s not the center of attention.”
“You agreed,” a woman next to Scott said. Her expression had turned a little stony. Her disapproving tone led him to believe she was Scott’s mother.
Scott looked uncomfortable. Poor kid was caught between a rock and an immovable object.