Page 52 of His Surrender

Finally, his eyes lifted. “Did you pick me for the solo just because of my uncle? I don’t want special treatment or anything.”

I shouldn’t have been shocked he asked the question, but I was kind of taken aback by it. Jay hadn’t played into my decision at all.

“No,” I told him. “I chose you for the part because I thought you were the best. Jay had nothing to do with it. Watching you play is a gift, and I want everyone else to see it too.”

He smiled, and his tense shoulders relaxed. “Thank you. Sorry I asked. I just didn’t know if Uncle Jay bribed you or anything.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Your uncle is a smooth talker for sure, but he didn’t bribe me at all. No worries. He did tell me that he believes in you, though. So remember that.”

“I will.” Foster held his head higher before bending to grab his backpack from the floor. He then grabbed his bass clarinet and headed for the door. “Have a good weekend, Mr. Barnett!”

Smiling, I grabbed my messenger bag and locked the band room before walking toward my car. I saw Foster get into the truck with his dad, and I waved at them before they left the parking lot. I turned my phone on vibrate and put it in the cupholder once in my car and left the school. Moments later, it buzzed. I expected it to be Jay, but it wasn’t.

“Hey, Johnny,” I answered.

“Hey, kid. Any plans tonight?”

“Yeah, I do actually.” I stopped at a red light. People walked across the road, some moving briskly while others took their sweet time. “Do you need me for a gig?”

“Nah,” he said. “I wanted to invite you to one. Big Mike is feelin’ better and wants to do the show at the cigar bar.”

“He is? That’s great!” Man, that was some great news. Johnny hadn’t said as much, but I knew he’d been worried about Mike a lot recently. “What time are you guys playing?”

“Nine thirty. I don’t want to inconvenience ya, though, kid. If you have a hot date, don’t let me stop you.”

I’d have to talk to Jay, but he seemed to love that place as much as me, and I suspected he wouldn’t mind at all.

“I’ll be there,” I said. “Tell Big Mike to show me how it’s done.”

“Tell him yourself. He’d get a kick out of that.”

“Deal.”

“Your dad called me the other day,” Johnny said, his voice taking on a different tone. Definitely not as carefree as he’d been seconds ago.

“Oh? What did he want?”

“It’s that job in California,” Johnny responded. “He’s hell-bent on givin’ it to you no matter how many times you turn down his offer.”

“Why the hell does he care so much? It’s not like he has shown me love over the years. Why does he give a damn about my future?”

“Now, Remi. Don’t say that. Dale is a hateful bastard at times, but he does love you. In his own way.”

“How can you defend him after what he’s done to you?”

Dale had accused Johnny of having an affair with my mom, and ever since that day when they fist fought in the backyard of my family home—one now owned by some other rich family—they’d never been on good terms. For a while, Dale had even kept me from seeing Johnny. I’d still seen Johnny behind his back, but still.

“I’m not defendin’ shit, kid. I’m just tellin’ it how it is.”

“Did he tell you to persuade me to accept it?” I asked, not pleased by the thought.

“Yeah, he did,” Johnny answered. “He said if I cared about ya at all I’d do my best to get you to do the right thing.”

Acid churned in my gut. “And? Are you going to tell me how great an opportunity it is and how I’m a fool for not taking it?”

“Hell no. He asked me to get you to do the right thing. You being here is the place you need to be, kid. You don’t belong in some fancy-ass office. You belong here. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Later, Johnny.”