bags into the back. Flopping his bulk and height into the seat, he laughed softly and she almost snapped, what? Defensive? Of course, she knew what. The typical reaction to her being a diva. Whatever. She’d been called every name and much worse.
She refused to let others’ opinions about her matter to her own sense of self. It wasn’t as if she could undo her lineage. She was very close to her parents and her brother, so she had no desire to disown any of them. She grew up with many people around her assuming the wrong things. But that was a small price for belonging to the family she came from and she was very grateful for them every day.
Starting her car, she flipped a look over her shoulder, “You heard of him?”
“Yeah. His philanthropic efforts put him on the map. And Seattle too. Quite the self-starter, a middle-class hero who raised his own capital and started Next Generation Consulting to become what he is today.”
She side-eyed him as she navigated through the parking garage and towards the street. “You read the headlines. Not the story?”
“Never.”
“You should read the stories, that’s where the most interesting things are.”
“So Zenith’s Promise is one of his things? That’s why you work there?”
“No. I work there because Rob Williams is my uncle and he offered me the job.”
Boy Wonder turned in his seat, gripping the handle of his door and Jody finally received a genuine reaction from him. Surprise, surprise.
“Your uncle?”
She smiled. “Yes. He is. I’m his favorite niece. So I guess you better not piss me off…”
“I expected some nepotism, but…” He shook his head. “Your dad is a billionaire and your uncle is the lead singer of a famous rock band?”
“Yes.” She stared forward. “We’re quite talented as well as resourceful; it runs in the family.”
They were also goofy, fun, interactive, caring and close, ridiculously so and unlike most would assume. Her uncle’s family lived far out in the country with an abundance of security that kept them as private and as safe as possible.
Her smile dissipated. “Did you not know any of this? Karlee, his daughter, works with me too. The information is all on the website. We’re a family endeavor. Non-profit too, and in that vein, we have to keep it small. We only bring in musicians we believe we can actually help and find real work for and jobs and rapid results. Didn’t you know all this before you applied?”
“I didn’t read the website.”
“Then… what did you think you signed up for?”
“You guys give money to musicians and ask them to play. What more do I need to know?”
“Oh. Okay. Not quite that. We don’t exactly give money to anyone.”
He rolled his eyes. “Well, you provide stuff for people with talent. Make them famous.”
“We give you a platform, for a limited and pre-agreed upon amount of time, to live and work in Seattle. We allow you a safe place to create your music, whether making demos to distribute or by finding new ways to apply for employment. Our primary goal is to help musicians find sustainable, liveable, wage-paying jobs. We can’t make you a rock star. We give absolutely no guarantee of stardom or anything like that. In fact, that’s not even the point. Of course, if it happens, it’s a wonderful bonus. Our program requires a commitment to hard work and you know, unconditional participation from anyone who joins it. You get that, right? You agreed to it?”
“I guess.”
She drew in a long breath for patience. “Well, it is what’s required. What… what other reason do you have for being here?”
His answer was an overly dramatic, off-hand shrug of his too big and too wide shoulders. “What else? Zenith. I’m mostly here for that. Worked as a bartender at a dive bar. Wasn’t leaving much of a future for me. This was something new to do.”
If Jody were not driving, she might have shut her eyes with visible annoyance. She thought of all the other applicants they rejected in order to give Ross, this ungrateful jerk, a spot. He didn’t even bother to go to the website? What about the contract he signed to join them? Though it was not really enforceable, but more of good faith agreement between two parties, it did mean something.
Being honest, she shook her head. “You might not be long for this.”
“I might also be perfect for this. I can play the instrument you brought me here to play.”