Gifted Connections 01

by S M Olivier

  I rolled my eyes and smirked. “Whatever.”

  I had time to admire her short, floral skirt and white, lacey camisole top. An army-green utility jacket completed the outfit. On her feet were black ankle boots with heels higher enough to be dangerous. Her legs were already amazingly long, and with heels on she was going to turn heads. She dug in our shoe bags and pulled out a pair of camel colored boots with a slight heel that went up to my knees. Then, she ran up front and came back with costume jewelry for me. She handed me several gold bracelets in different widths and styles, and a pair of long dangling earrings.

  She nodded in satisfaction as she looked at my complete look. “Come on, Poppet, time for a selfie,” she called, right before Ella came out looking like a miniature teenager. She wore a cream-colored lace dress that fell two inches above her knees and a pair of knee-high brown boots. Jemmy gave her a lightweight three-quarter length brown leather jacket, and a maroon and mustard yellow infinity scarf to complete her look.

  I felt close to tears at the pride in her eyes. She had thoroughly enjoyed the day, and it showed. She loved all the pampering and not having to be told: “sorry, no, we can’t afford that.” She did a little twirl.

  “I love it,” she gushed. “Are we going to dinner now?”

  Jemmy laughed as she collected all the tags on our outfits. “Right after we take a pic to send to the boys.”

  She positioned us in front of a mirror that had three separate panels. Ella was in the middle of us as Jemmy threw an arm around my shoulders. “One, two, three, cheese,” she said as I smiled genuinely at my reflection.

  She sent the pic, and I heard the telling ding as a notification went off on my phone. I knew she had sent a Snap to the guys because we had been Snapchatting all day. I had to admit, it was kind of fun, and I felt like a real teenager for the first time in my life. I don’t think I would ever like shopping for fun but having new clothes and not hiding felt nice. Feeling like part of a group felt great.

  I opened my messages as Jemmy navigated the streets.

  The first Snapchat was of Troy; it looked like he was in the middle of a workout because he was straddling a workout bench and two heavy free weights were by his feet. He had no shirt on, and a towel slung around his neck. I could see the shine of sweat on his skin, and I was close to fanning myself. I always had a thing for exotic looking men, and with his olive skin color, black hair, sinfully long eyelashes, and expressive honey colored eyes, he fits that description to a ‘T.’ Under his picture were the words: Is it hot in here or is it just me?

  I couldn’t hide my smile as I opened my next Snapchat. It was Jax, and he was clearly standing in the guy’s locker room at school. He had a red football training jersey on with his abs showing and he was flexing a bicep. His football pants showed off the muscles in his thighs and calves. His grin was wide, a dimple in his right cheek. The laughter lines around his stormy gray eyes were endearing. He had written: Stop spying on me, Ricci. I know I get you all hot and bothered. You look stunning, Honey, wish I was there! :(

  I opened the message from Noah next, and he was sitting at a desk surrounded by books. His auburn hair was in disarray and his hazel eyes had a puppy dog look to them as he mockingly frowned into the camera: Med school sucks. Dinner with you three would be better. Looking beautiful, ladies! :*

  The last message was from Drake, and even his shyness translated in his pictures. He had removed his glasses, and I couldn’t help but notice how much more attractive he was without them. His light brown hair looked wet and slightly curled. As I looked at the picture, I noticed the duffel bag on his shoulder and what appeared to be tile behind him. His message was short and sweet: Beautiful.

  I looked over at Jemmy. “Is your brother a swimmer?”

  She looked over at me with a smirk. “How’d you know?”

  I shrugged. “It looked like he was near a pool, and he has a swimmer’s body.”

  She wagged her eyebrows suggestively. “Do you like his swimmer’s body? Does it make you all hot and bothered?”

  I ducked my head to hide my blush. “You’re so stupid,” I muttered.

  She laughed to the point of tears.

  Well, I could finally admit to myself that if I had to be connected to six guys, at least they were hot. It could be worse, much worse.

  I immediately fell in love with the ambiance of the Italian restaurant that Will and Jace told us to meet them at. The smells from the kitchen made my mouth water, and the low lighting set a laid back, but elegant atmosphere. It reminded me of a restaurant my father would take me on our daddy/daughter dates.

  Jemmy immediately saw Will and Jace and led us towards their table. They looked so distinguished and well put together when they stood up as we approached the table. Jace’s eyes slightly widened as our eyes met. A look I couldn’t decipher passed over his features. He and Remy were always hard reads, and I prided myself for years on my high level of perception. I suddenly felt nervous as Will pulled out a chair for Jemmy, and Jace held one out for Ella and me.

  As he leaned down next to me, I could smell his amazing scent. “You look nice,” he said softly in my ear so no one else could hear. I felt his warm breath on the back of my neck and felt immediate goosebumps crawl all over my skin.

  I struggled to find my voice. “Thank you,” I murmured back, barely above a whisper.

  Up until recently I truly believed I could be an asexual being. I had been scarred. I had little to no interest in guys, but now I found myself with all these mixed emotions for not one, but six guys!

  “You look very nice,” Will said to me warmly from across the table. “All of you. We are two lucky guys to have three beautiful women joining us for dinner.”

  Ella giggled with a blush. “I’m not a woman! I’m only seven!”

  Will made a funny expression and did a fake double take. “Excuse me, ma’am, I was highly mistaken. I didn’t even recognize you!”

  Ella giggled some more and covered her mouth. “You’re so silly, Mr. Bell!”

  He reached over and took her hand. “I will hear none of that. You can call me Will, or what most of my other charges call me, Pops.”

  There was a sadness and softness around his eyes, and from Jemmy’s reaction, I had a feeling that Will rarely displayed this softer, joking side.

  Ella looked over at me and I nodded, letting her know without words that it was okay.

  “Okay, Pops,” she smiled widely.

  It hurt my heart that she never had known her real dad; she would have loved him. I knew she clung to the idea of calling Will “Pops” because she never had one in her life. None of her mother’s boyfriends had even encouraged it.

  I felt a gentle squeeze on my leg and looked over in surprise at Jace. He didn’t even acknowledge the touch, so I was left to wonder if I had imagined it.

  A server approached our table at that time and started pouring us water into the glass goblets that were already on the table. With his slight Italian accent he said, “Good evening, my name is Marco. I will be your server tonight. May I start you with something to drink?”

  Will spoke up before any of us could speak. “We will take a bottle of your best wine with four glasses, and a blackberry Italian soda for the little one. Can we also start with a Caprese salad, mussels, and bruschetta?”

  I was shocked that he had ordered wine for the table. Was he encouraging underage drinking? I had noticed the guys had been drinking the first night I had formally met them all.

  “My father grew up in Italy,” Jace spoke quietly beside me. “It is nothing for people under the age of twenty-one to enjoy a glass of wine or two with dinner.”

  I nodded in understanding, although I didn’t know if I necessarily agreed with it. My stepmom had been an alcoholic and addict. I had avoided any substance that altered my mental state because of that.

  “So, Blake,” Will said with a gentle smile. “I stopped and picked up your transcripts, and I was pleasantly surprised.”

>   I ducked my head in slight embarrassment. I know everyone didn’t assume I was stupid, but I didn’t like the feeling I got. I felt like they expected struggle or mediocrity because of my background.

  “Have you decided what you would like to do after high school? Where do your passions lie?” he asked with a genuine tone of curiosity.

  I shrugged as I played with the rim of my glass. “Honestly, I didn’t have any plans past graduating and hopefully making a living where I could support Ella and myself.”

  He frowned. “So, no plans of college? Nothing you dreamed about before making that decision?”

  I shook my head. “I’ve been her sole caregiver since I was ten,” I looked over at Ella and saw she was happily coloring. “I didn’t have the luxury to dream. I love playing the piano, but I don’t know what I could have done to make it a lucrative career. I don’t even know if I would want to take something I love and make it…into a job.”

  “Hmm,” he looked at me contemplatively. “Well, there is no rush, honestly, but I would like you to begin taking some college classes and maybe audition for a college music class as well. Some of the classes you already take can transfer over to college credits, and our high school music class is remedial at best. What I heard the other day is beyond remedial.”

  “Can you finish your piece you were working on in my class by Monday? I called my friend that is on the music board, and he so happens to have an opening at this time. I set up an audition with the board on Monday,” Jace informed me.

  “An original?” Will said with a slight frown. “Do you have any classical in your repertoire?”

  Our conversation halted as our drinks and appetizers arrived. I still hadn’t looked at the menu, so I quickly perused it while the others ordered their meals. I ordered the chicken piccata and linguine noodles with a garlic white wine sauce. I was starting to see that the Bell clan liked their Italian food. I wasn’t complaining at all, though.

  I always cooked on a budget, so my Italian cooking was limited to spaghetti with meatballs or meat sauce.

  We all dug into the Caprese salad, bruschetta, and mussels, and I had to stifle my noise of enjoyment. Jemmy looked over at me with laughter in her eyes, as if she knew what my reaction would be.

  I was eating a mussel when Jace said, “Maybe sometime this weekend Blake will play her piece for you. I think you will see that it’s phenomenal.”

  Will grudgingly shrugged. “I don’t mind hearing it if you think it’s ready.”

  I suddenly felt self-conscious. The piece was a glimpse into my soul. It would leave me open and vulnerable to their judgment.

  Jace must have seen the indecision on my face. “It’s excellent, Blake. It’s better than excellent.”

  I sighed and took a bite of my bruschetta. “If I spend most of the weekend working on it, it can be ready by Monday.”

  He nodded satisfied by my answer.

  “But I was going to show you around the campus and get you settled into the dorms,” Jemmy said with a pout.

  “I’m sure I can find time to do that as well,” I assured her.

  She seemed mollified by my answer.

  “Am I going to live in a dorm too?” Ella asked with trepidation.

  “Yes,” Jemmy said, gently squeezing her shoulder. “But we get to come home on the weekends, and there are so many other children there with you.”

  Ella looked close to crying as she looked over at me.

  “I’m sure we can work something out,” Will said in a reassuring voice. “Maybe you can stay with me, and I will drop you off at school and pick you up every day until you’re ready to move into the dorms.”

  I looked over at Will in surprise as Ella smiled. “Yes, please, Pops. I don’t think I want to live there yet. Will you come visit me?” She looked expectantly at me.

  I smiled gently at her. “You know I will when I can, but if you’re on campus it will make it easier for me to see you.”

  They had already shown me maps of the school. It was spread out over several acres of land. I would be separated from her, but her school and dorm weren’t too far from the high school and my dorm. Will’s house was roughly five miles away from the school, and on most weekends Jax and Jemmy went ‘home.’ Drake and Noah lived there permanently, opting out of staying in the college dorms. They did the college dorm experience the first year, and their studies had suffered, so they moved back into Knights Tower (the name of Will’s house). Jace, Troy, and Remy tried to come home on weekends too, but it wasn’t guaranteed.

  Ella nodded, seeming to be torn. “I want to stay with Pops for a little while.”

  I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “If it’s okay with him, then I understand.”

  I was beyond full when we left the restaurant. Jace gave me a little nod before turning to shake his father’s hand and embrace Jemmy and Ella. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but I also understand he was respecting my space until I could process and get used to all the changes in my life.

  We got into a vehicle that had a driver waiting for us, while Jace took the little red BMW. I assumed it was one of his vehicles. I noticed that all our bags had already been transferred to the rear of the SUV.

  I felt nervous and excited all at once. I was ready for this new chapter in my life, but I really didn’t know if I had the courage and ability to become the woman they expected me to be. I had enough pressure starting a new school in the middle of the school year. Then, I had to learn how to tap into and control my gift. Not to mention, I had to forge new relationships with guys that I had just met and determine whether I had it in me to complete our connections.

  Could I be selfish enough to not try and potentially make them lose their gifts as well? I could care less about my gift, but these guys had theirs for years. They had used them to help others.

  I spent the ride to the airport deep in thought.

  I wasn’t surprised to see that we pulled up to a private airfield and that we were going to board a private jet. I was instantly rebuffed in helping to load our bags onto the airplane. I was still uncomfortable with this privileged life that they seemed to lead.

  When we got aboard Ella immediately found a reclining seat next to me. A flight attendant must have seen the fatigue in her small frame because she came over with a pillow and blankets for us.

  It was only seven o’clock at night, but we had a long day. I wasn’t surprised that she was sound asleep before we even took off. I tried to fight sleep, knowing the ride was forty minutes long, but I couldn’t, so I leaned back in my recliner and held Ella’s hand as I too found slumber.

  “Wakey, wakey,” a masculine voice crooned in my ear. A voice I was very familiar with.

  I looked up, startled to see Jax’s face hovering above me; a goofy grin stretched across his face. Noah wasn’t too far behind him with Ella cradled in his muscular arms.

  “Time to go home,” Noah smiled, effortlessly carrying Ella out of the jet and to the waiting vehicles.

  I followed them and climbed in beside Ella as Jax slid into the driver’s seat, and Noah the passenger seat. Jemmy and Will climbed into the other vehicle.

  “You guys have a lot of vehicles. Do you share them all?” I asked as I tucked a blanket around Ella’s sleeping form.

  Jax and Noah looked at each other with smirks. “Yes and no. We all have our own vehicles, but we also have company vehicles at our disposal.”

  I nodded. “Whose is this one?”

  “Company’s,” they both answered in unison.

  The drive to the house wasn’t that long. “Sooo, I think you should know that Rose is currently at the house,” Noah said slowly.

  I looked at him and blinked. I guess he thought I should be upset, or inquisitive, but I really didn’t have a stake on the guys. Yes, they were my connected, but I really didn’t expect them to drop the females they may have in their lives just because I suddenly entered their lives. Less than a week ago, four of the six of them didn’t even know I
existed. Jax had a mental connection with me for years, but not even he could have predicted that we would finally meet.

  I sighed. “He loves her. I don’t plan to come between them. I meant what I said earlier,” I looked at him earnestly. “I don’t expect you guys to dump Stacey and Tamara on my account either. What happens if we don’t like each other? What happens if you guys destroy a possible chance of true happiness?”

  They exchanged another unspoken look. I think Jemmy was right when she said that these guys were closer than brothers, closer than friends. It wasn’t the first time I felt like they were communicating with each other without words.

  “Can you guys talk to each other mentally? Like we can, Jax?” I asked accusingly.

  Jax chuckled and looked at me in the rearview mirror. “No, but we’ve known each other for a very long time.” He cleared his throat as if he didn’t know how to broach the next subject. “We don’t want to rush you, honey, but we think we need to make these connections, sooner than later.”

  “Why?” I gave him a deadpan expression. “When do most people make their connections? Why the big rush now?”

  Noah looked at me hesitantly. “Well, most people don’t make their connections until after they turn eighteen, but Horatio knows about you now. He knows you are with us. If he were to get ahold of any one of us it could cause detrimental consequences to all of us.”

  I chewed on my bottom lip. “What happens if Drake decides against the connection? Is it really fair to expect it of him if he loves Rose? What about you guys? Do you love Stacey and Tamara? What about Molly and Jace?”

  Noah cursed softly. “Jemmy has such a big mouth.” He muttered to Jax.

  I snorted. “So, it’s better to lie to me,” when he started to speak I held up my hands. “A lie of omission is still a lie. If, and I mean a big if, I were to connect with you guys, I won’t stand for lying. Any relationship should be built on trust. A relationship of trust is like building a house on a firm foundation. Otherwise, we might as well build it on sand, so when the storms hit our house crumbles.”