“For?” Jordie asked as she handed him the sheet music.
“My concert at church. You’ll come?” she asked eagerly and he nodded.
“You know it.”
She clapped happily and he smiled before looking back down at the sheet music. He knew the song and figured he could pick it up pretty easily.
“Okay, let me try this real quick,” he said more to himself, but as he started, Shea joined in and together they played while Shelli hummed along. He only messed up twice, but on the next go, he was surprised he could even keep up.
Because Shelli sang like an angel.
She was beautiful, every bit her daddy but with her mother’s voice. As she hit the high notes, Shea joined in to support her vocals and then Elli joined in, and Jordie was in awe. They all blended beautifully, and soon, he stopped playing just to watch. It was downright unbelievable, and he wasn’t the only one mesmerized. It was as if the whole room had gone still, the only thing mattering the sound coming from their mouths.
When Shelli finished, everyone clapped while Jordie was still speechless. She was going places, and he hoped he got a front row seat to see where.
When she grinned over at her daddy, Shea smiled as she shrugged nervously. “I messed up a little.”
“You did?” Jordie asked, shocked, because he thought she was ready for American Idol. But to his surprise, Shea nodded as he smiled.
“You did, but we’ll work on it. Still the greatest singer I know. Let’s start from the chorus,” he suggested, looking down to start, but instead, Shelli leaned over, kissing his cheek.
“I love you, Daddy,” she whispered and he smiled.
“I love you, sweetie,” he said back, his eyes full of hope and dreams for his firstborn. But above all, there was love. Undying and unadulterated love.
A love Jordie craved.
A love he’d never gotten.
But one he wanted to give his child.
And his wife.
“What in the Sam Hill happened to your hair?”
Jordie laughed as he shut the door behind him and Karl King looked at him as if he had stepped off a spaceship.
“Ya look like one of those cross-dressers,” he called as he closed the distance between him and Jordie. Wrapping him up in a man-slapping hug, Jordie grinned. He had always had a special relationship with Karson’s dad. Just like Karl was with his own children, he was hard on Jordie and hadn’t held back when Jordie called to tell him he was in rehab. He was pretty sure Karl called him every name in the book, but in the end, he told Jordie he loved him and that he was proud of him. Two things that Karl didn’t say very often.
“Shea Adler’s daughters got ahold of me,” Jordie said as they parted and Regina swooped in, hugging him tightly. He kissed her temple before she cupped his face.
“You look healthy,” she said, kissing his cheek. “So damn healthy.”
“Thanks, Ma,” Jordie said, hugging her again.
“You do, but still like a sissy,” Karl teased and Jordie scoffed. “But I’d take your sissy ass over this dumbass Kacey is passing off as her boyfriend.”
“Karl!” Regina scolded before smacking him in the gut. He let out an oomph, and as much as Jordie wanted to laugh, he held his tongue as she glared up at Karl. “Be nice. She apparently likes him.”
“No, she don’t,” Karl and Jordie said at the same time. Regina rolled her eyes and then looked back at Karl. “Be nice, you’ve already embarrassed her enough.”
He shrugged as she turned her gaze to Jordie. “And I brought you some razors.”
Jordie grinned, his eyes sparkling as they met her determined ones. “Ma, I still have the razors from the last four times I’ve seen you. I don’t need them.”