Beneath a Billion Stars

by Julie Carobini

  Priscilla’s gaze gripped Meg’s. She’d said something similar to Wade about rest and purpose.

  Maybe, just maybe, it was time to take her own admonitions to heart.

  Chapter 14

  “You ladies are the best ... the absolute best!” Priscilla pulled into the center’s parking lot, grateful that Meg and Liddy would take time out to join her today. EduCenter had burrowed its way into her heart and she’d become determined to help it succeed.

  Meg looked out the window. A group of boys was playing basketball in the hot summer sun. “I can’t believe Wade has kept this place a secret. Why do you think he’d do that?”

  Priscilla thought back to her conversation with Gwynnie. “I think it had more to do with keeping his private life private.” She didn’t mention his wealth, though maybe they already suspected he had means to help the center.

  Meg said, “Well when you blurted it out at the pool party, he didn’t seem to be bothered.”

  Priscilla grimaced. “I would not have used the word blurted, exactly.”

  “Well, whatever you call it,” Liddy said, “he looked pretty relieved.”

  Priscilla chose her words, still hyper-sensitive to the effect Wade’s current situation could soon have on the center. “The place has taken some hits recently, and I think it was weighing on him.”

  “What kind of hits?” asked Liddy.

  “One of their biggest supporters backed out of funding.”

  Meg looked thoughtful. “I wonder how we can help.”

  Priscilla gave her friend a quick side hug. “Keep thinking like that.”

  “I will.” Meg looked around the grounds. “Maybe the center has traditionally relied on a few big supporters, but what about starting something online?”

  Priscilla tilted her head, thinking. “Like a charity?”

  “Yes, charity for charity,” Meg said. “Kind of a novel thought, isn’t it?

  Liddy clapped her hands. “Oh! Great idea. I’m surprised Wade didn’t already have some kind of campaign going, like the one he did for Sophia’s fashion line last year. We could even offer merch for various donations, like donate fifty dollars and get a hat, that sort of thing.”

  “All lovely thoughts,” Priscilla said, “but I’m not so sure we want the kids to feel put on display in any way. Not that you were suggesting anything like that.”

  Meg nodded. “You’re so sweet. Of course, you’re right.”

  They walked into the lobby and Priscilla introduced them to Mandy while they signed in and received badges. Afterward, she led them down the hall toward the girls’ lounge. “C’mon. I’ll take you to my favorite spot.”

  “Cilla!”

  Three girls rushed her, nearly knocking Priscilla over. Amber lingered behind, her expression somber. Priscilla reached out and slid an arm around her. “Hey, there, beauty. I brought some friends to meet you all. This is Meg Riley and Liddy Quinn.”

  They said their hellos.

  Priscilla held up her toolkit. “After I give my friends a tour, I thought we could come back here so I can give Amber a new ’do and put Staci’s hair into a ballerina bun.”

  Amber flopped onto a beanbag chair. “I don’t feel like it today. You can just do her.” She shrugged in Staci’s direction.

  Priscilla exchanged a look with Meg and Liddy. She put her toolkit on a shelf. “Maybe you’ll change your mind, Amber. Do you girls want to help me give the grand tour?”

  “Yeah, let’s go,” Staci said, leading the way.

  They wandered along, passing a kitchen area, the coed lounge Priscilla admired so much on her first visit, and a couple of classrooms.

  Mari jumped ahead and opened a door. “That’s Wade’s classroom in there, only he didn’t come this week.” They peeked into the room, floor-to-ceiling bookcases neatly organized, a computer area, and a cool lounge area with a massive stencil on the wall of the word: THINK.

  Priscilla looked from wall to wall as the girls tumbled inside. “Has this room been remodeled recently?”

  A woman’s voice cut through the chatter. Candace had joined them. “That’s Wade’s brainchild. He came up with a plan for the students to take ownership of the room. Worked beautifully.”

  “Hi, Candace,” Priscilla said. “The girls are giving my friends a tour. Hope that’s all right with you.”

  “Absolutely. Any time at all!”

  Meg shook her head. “I am so impressed. Truly.” She turned and offered her hand to Candace. “Meg Riley.”

  Liddy shook Candace’s hand as well. “And I’m Liddy. I’m amazed at this place, too.”

  “Thank you both for coming. Summer can be tough. School’s out, so we’re busier here than usual.”

  “Is there a pool?” Meg asked.

  “Not yet. But”—Candace caught eyes with Priscilla for an instant—“Wade has his eye on the property next door to build one. Say a prayer he can secure it.”

  Liddy swung a look at Priscilla. “Does that man ever sleep?”

  Priscilla turned up her palms. “Honestly, I doubt it.”

  “So what kind of class does Wade teach in here?” Meg asked. “How to run a successful business?”

  Candace nodded. “Something like that. He teaches a Money Smart class for teens. That’s actually how he became involved. One of his clients saw how good he was with finances and thought he could teach the kids some basics in a way that they could understand. His involvement grew from there.”

  Liddy crinkled her nose. “How often is he here?”

  “Every week when he’s in town, which hasn’t been too often lately. The kids miss him, which is saying a lot. How many kids voluntarily attend a class in the summer?”

  “Or any other time of year?” Liddy quipped.

  Priscilla could relate to the kids missing Wade, even though they had parted on less-than-positive terms. He had left town shortly after she had walked out on him the other night, and she had felt the tug of his absence ever since. Then again, she had already begun the application process to become a foster parent. Did she really want to initiate something with Wade that she might not be able to fully commit to?

  And, she noted with some regret, he had not called her after the abrupt end to their last conversation either.

  “I have an idea,” Meg said suddenly, her voice low. “What if we were to bring the kids to the inn for a short summer camp? Just brainstorming here, so bear with me. We could house about eight kids in each suite, so maybe do a boys camp, then a girls? Or a coed camp for different ages? What do you ladies think?”

  Priscilla’s heart melted. “I think it’s an amazing idea.”

  “And a generous one too,” Candace said.

  Meg flashed a smile at Liddy. “Wanna spearhead this one?”

  Liddy grinned back at her. “You know I do.” She turned to Candace. “Do you have time to meet with me right now to figure out how we could pull some camps together? Maybe someplace out of earshot of the kids?”

  “Absolutely.”

  After Liddy and Candace disappeared down the hall, Meg turned to her. “Have you given any more thought to calling Wade and patching things up?”

  Priscilla shook her head. After she’d had her good cry the other night, Priscilla had confessed how she’d left things with Wade. Her friend had been nudging her to call him ever since.

  Meg continued, her back toward the hall. “For what it’s worth, Jackson says he’s going to give it to him for being so ornery with you.”

  Priscilla opened her mouth to protest, then shut it quickly as she noticed Amber wandering down the hall toward them. Priscilla reached out and slid an arm around the girl’s shoulder, her heart aching at the expression on Amber’s face. “Hi there. Ready for your new ’do?”

  Amber shrugged. “Nah. I’ll watch you put that bagel in Staci’s hair, though.”

  Staci darted up from the couch and charged toward the door. “It’s not a bagel! It’s a donut.”

  Amber frowned. “Whatever.”r />
  Mari rolled her eyes, steam forming in her expression. “You’re being a brat.” She swung a look at Staci. “When’s Morgan getting here already?”

  “All this talk about food is making me hungry,” Meg said, obviously trying to diffuse the situation.

  “Perfect. I’ve got dark chocolate in my purse.” Priscilla opened her bag for all the girls to see. She reached in and pulled out a handful of wrapped truffles.

  Suddenly, all hint of animosity was gone. The girls walked on ahead of Meg and Priscilla, eating their truffles and chattering as usual.

  Meg laughed, watching after them. “You’re a miracle worker.”

  “Good,” Priscilla said. “Because I kind of feel like I need one of my own.”

  “Why’s that?”

  Priscilla stared at Meg for a beat. Then she pulled her into her confidence. “I have to move.”

  Meg shrank back. “Move? Why?”

  “My condo is too small. My social worker tells me I will need another bedroom before I can be approved to be a foster parent.”

  “Oh no. You still have time left on your lease, don’t you?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. The good news is I’ve found another unit in our complex that might become available soon, although ...”

  “Although?”

  “It’s quite a bit pricier.” She shook her head and put a resolute smile on her face. “But that’s where faith comes in, doesn’t it?”

  Meg set her chin. “We’ll help you with whatever you need. All you have to do is ask.” Her eyes bored into Priscilla’s. “You need to tell Wade what you’re planning, don’t you think?”

  Priscilla thought about that. Her heart constricted. In a perfect world, she and Wade might have pursued this scenario together, talked through all the details and requirements as a team. But that was not how things stood between them, not at all how things had been left. Ultimately, Priscilla knew she would not push Wade to accept the decision that she alone had made—despite how she felt about him.

  The truth was, she had made the decision to pursue foster parenting on her own. And it very well might stay that way.

  Chapter 15

  One week later

  * * *

  Wade stuck his cellphone into his suit pants pocket, glad to put away business, even if only for a short while. He and his partners were still in a holding pattern on the New York project because a small house with an indecisive owner held all the power. One firm no from him and the entire development—and his building sale—could be canceled. Or delayed indefinitely.

  He walked the path toward EduCenter, grateful for the time he would soon have with some of the kids—something to keep his mind off the pending project. Not to mention it gave him an excuse to avoid the inn today. Jackson had called a couple of times. “Nothing urgent,” he had said. So Wade had taken that as a reason not to return the call anytime soon.

  He glanced around the building where boys were hanging out on the hot pavement, most of them lying on the basketball court in the corner where some shade had gathered. “Hey, Wade,” one of them called.

  He grinned and tossed a wave back.

  Summer had brought an influx of kids, especially those with nothing else better to do. It didn’t bother him one whit that his class was a take-it-or-leave-it kind of thing. He hoped that by the end of summer, those kids would slay it where money matters were concerned. That each one would understand compound interest, investing, and a variety of banking and savings terms that would surely cause them to rise above their counterparts someday soon. He hoped that each and every one of them would gain a sense of freedom from the knowledge he would do his best to impart to them.

  Planning for this session of his class helped him not to dwell on his last date—if it could be called that—with Priscilla. He swallowed, trying to keep his head in the moment, his focus on the here and now. Unfortunately, his mind kept shooting back to the look on Priscilla’s face that night.

  If she had not been tempted to take Leo back then, she could be now.

  He buried his thoughts, focusing instead on the lesson he had planned and the anecdotes he would likely share when their attentions strayed.

  “You’re here!” Candace called out to him when he arrived. Her face was flushed, her blonde hair windblown and slightly disheveled. “It’s been so busy! The public pool closed after some weird bacteria was found in it. We have air conditioning, so we’ve suddenly become very popular!”

  Wade sneaked a look over her head into his classroom, which was full. He flashed her a smile. “More victims for me to teach. I can’t say that I’m too unhappy about that.”

  “Really?” Relief showed on her face. “Wade, you are the most wonderful man.” She rose on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek just as Amber walked down the hall.

  The teen rolled her eyes at Wade and slowed to a stop, crossing her arms in front of her bare midriff.

  “Hello, Amber,” he said, once Candace had rushed off to solve her next catastrophe.

  “Priscilla’s not here. In case you’re wonderin’.”

  Her pronouncement, and the churlish way in which she delivered it, stopped him short. He swallowed back a reply, his eyes instinctively darting toward the far end of the hall where the girls’ lounge door stood open.

  “She came the other day, though.”

  “I see.”

  Amber snapped her gum, glaring at him. “Spent the whole day here doing hair and brought her friends with her.”

  “Have I done something to offend you, Amber?”

  She shook her head, her eyes rolling upward. “Men.” She unfolded her arms, dropped them at her sides, and walked past him and into the ladies room.

  He screwed up his mouth. He’d seen plenty of sass from Amber, but never directed at him. He glanced down the hall, wondering if Priscilla, too, had experienced Amber’s wrath. As he stood with one foot pointed toward his own classroom door and the other toward the girls’ hangout, the bathroom door creaked back open.

  “You acted like such a jerk the other day, by the way. I heard all about it,” Amber said as she swept by. This time she didn’t stop to glare at him.

  “Hey, Mr. Prince?” Joaquin, the youngest of his recruits, poked his head out into the hall, a grin from one side of his face to the other.

  Wade turned, though his mind was still working through Amber’s chastisement.

  “I’m here to collect my money,” Joaquin said.

  Wade nodded, his mind brought to the present. He knew exactly what Joaquin was talking about. “And you cleaned and rearranged the bookshelf?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Wade smiled and gestured for Joaquin to head back inside the classroom. “Let’s have a look, shall we?”

  They entered the room that had been in disarray for weeks, ever since a sponsor, Melody O’Leary, had died and left the contents of her storage shed to the center, stirring up all kinds of speculation.

  “Maybe it’s full of hats,” Reed, one of the adult volunteers, had said. “Or pillows. Ladies like a lot of pillows.”

  “I think there’re dead bodies in there,” Bryce, another student, said.

  Some volunteers eventually took a group of the boys to clean up the shed. And most of what Mrs. O’Leary had left for the classroom had been a perfect fit. The rest had been sold.

  The question then became how to move the items in and make room for them in the large classroom. Wade wanted the kids to take ownership of the center, to treat it like their own and pass it down to each succeeding generation. That meant, if it was a mess—clean it up. If new items arrived, make room for them and gently discard what did not work.

  So he had made the kids a proposal: He would offer to pay them each ten dollars for their work. However, if they invested the money by leaving it with him for two weeks, he would pay them twelve dollars instead.

  Wade put a hand on his hips. He whistled sharply as he looked around the room, which looked even better than he could have imagined
. “I am impressed with all of you.”

  “Great.” Joaquin held his palm out. “Pay up.”

  Several of the students cracked up, calling for their own payments.

  Wade laughed. “All right. You’re right. Line up and I’ll pay you all your wages.”

  An hour later, Wade stepped out of the classroom door, his wallet—and heart—lighter. The kids had a new room that they had created with their own hard work, and they had learned the power of investing—and learning to wait.

  His phone had been buzzing for the past twenty minutes, but he didn’t care. The kids’ reception to his lesson stirred up deep satisfaction within him.

  “Wade?” Candace called out to him. “Can I have a minute before you go?”

  “Sure.” He pivoted away from the exit and stepped inside Candace’s office.

  She shut the door, her expression serious. “I’m sure you know why I stopped you.”

  He searched his mind for any remnant of a conversation they may have had lately. “You’ll have to forgive me, Candace. It’s been a long week. Were you expecting an answer from me about something?”

  She shook her head. “I was talking about Priscilla’s application.”

  “Her application.”

  Candace cocked her head. “You know, to foster Amber?” She stared at him for a beat. “You didn’t know.”

  He kept his expression neutral. “I had not heard about it, no. But I have been out of state, you understand.”

  “Yes, of course.” She stuck a fist into her hip and steadied her eyes on him. “It’s just I thought, well, maybe I imagined this, but you and she are together, yes?”

  “Together?”

  Candace put her hand to her temple. “As in ... dating?”

  She couldn’t have sounded more sarcastic if she had tried, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of taking him by surprise. “I prefer not to discuss my personal life here.”

  She frowned and stuck a form into his hands. “Fine. Forgive me for prying, but it would be very helpful if you filled out this recommendation form on Priscilla’s behalf. I’m trying to get her fast-tracked as an emergency caretaker for Amber.”