He did know Sean was there because he knew Sang, right? Had Carol said? Or was just the thought of her something that scared him?
Carol returned, presenting a green vase with the roses put into water. She placed this on the coffee table and then sat on the couch a foot away from Sean. “I was telling my son, Jimmy, that when he goes to school here, he’ll have to ask you about any programs you used for accelerating your career.”
Sean raised an eyebrow. “Does he want to be a doctor?”
“I want him to have every available opportunity,” she said with a broad smile. “The world needs doctors.”
Uh-huh. Maybe their interference would work out for Jimmy. The Academy could help him get into authentic accelerated programs and let him choose whatever career he wished. If he was at all bright, it would only cost them a couple of favors to get him on his way.
“I’m not sure if you’ve heard about Ashley Waters,” Sean said, spacing each word out slowly to add a little emphasis. He shifted on the couch, leaning his elbows on his legs. “My program wasn’t really a part of the school. It was an extension from a private school.”
Her eyes lit up. “They do that?”
“I don’t recommend it,” Sean said. “I wish I’d gone to the private school instead. If so, I would have been in college a year earlier.” The words rolled off his tongue, an echo of a bit about his past, mixed in with the experience at the public school. “Ashley Waters doesn’t have a great selection of classes. No budget.”
“Yes, typical of public schools these days,” Carol said with a sigh. She touched the puffs of hair around her face. “I was worried about sending my youngest son there. Is it at least decent enough that he could apply for these accelerated classes there?”
It was hard not to smile. She might be easier to convince than anyone thought. “Maybe in the past,” he said. “It’s going through a few changes, and administration is fluctuating. The students are out of control. Fights in the hallways. There were a number of bomb threats last November. It seemed like every day for a while. I think I missed a whole week of morning classes.”
Carol’s lips wrinkled, displeased. “I see.”
“It was all over the news.” He glanced at Mr. Sorenson, but he only nodded along with a curious look on his face.
He hadn’t known.
He didn’t care a damn thing about his daughters. Either of them. He had no idea what they’d been going through.
Sean bit his tongue to avoid saying something snarky and focused on Carol. He reached into his pocket for his wallet and pulled out a card. “This is the number for my adviser. You can tell him I recommended you. They do have a full-time facility. It’s nearby. Coed.”
Carol’s smile widened. She took the card, looking at the name. “Virtus Academy. Do they allow entry midyear?”
“It wouldn’t be a problem. If someone were to go through the testing, they might offer to bring in a student.”
Carol bobbed her head. “I see...” She glanced over at Mr. Sorenson. “It could be worth looking into.”
Mr. Sorenson shrugged. “If you’d like.”
No strong opinion one way or another. Sean was starting to wonder if he even cared for Carol. Sean didn’t want to push the issue, but he was eager to get Sang out of here. “If you call, ask about a school tour. They make a lot of special exceptions for someone who seems uniquely gifted.”
There was a flicker from Carol’s face, and he couldn’t tell if he’d said anything wrong. Was he pushing it?
Before either could respond, there was an eruption of footsteps on the stairs, all the way down.
Jimmy appeared, wearing clean dark slacks and a white shirt with a dark tie, the knot loose at his neck. His hair, too, appeared wet and combed flat against his head. He inspected the room, waved a short hello to Sean and then sat heavily on the second wooden chair.
“Sean, this is Jimmy. You saw him yesterday,” Carol said.
“Of course, I remember,” Sean said. Where were the girls?
Then he noted how the living room was set up for only four people. Unless the girls crowded together on the couch. Were they not going to come down at all?
Jimmy noted the flowers, leaning in and sniffing them and immediately sneezing. He covered his mouth with a palm. “Sorry.”
“Bless you,” Carol said quickly and returned her attention to Sean. “May I get you anything to drink?”
“I’m fine,” Sean said. “Thank you, though.”
She brightened and then said nothing.
No one did for a full minute.
Awkward.
But she seemed to be waiting for him to speak. Strange. When in doubt, talk about the weather. “It has gotten cold, hasn’t it?” Sean offered.
“North Carolina was colder,” Jimmy said.
Sean pressed his lips together, nodding. “It gets a little hot here during the summer. Some days it isn’t too bad if there’s a breeze coming off the ocean.”
“And when there’s no breeze?” Jimmy asked.
“Stay inside,” Sean said and grinned.
Carol watched them and appeared happy with this. “Where is your family from, Sean?”
“I grew up mostly here,” he said. “And sometimes in Japan.”
Her lips twitched. “Military?”
Was it worth it to lie? He didn’t think so. She seemed reasonable. “No, my parents are Japanese. I was adopted.”
Carol’s face went a shade white. “Oh,” she said unenthusiastically. “Do they live nearby?”
It was a funny reaction. He tilted his head, an eyebrow up. “Yes,” he lied. Well, his mother lived at his condo for now. “They both work in the medical field. Translation specialists.”
She shot a critical eye at Mr. Sorenson and then her lips stiffened and pursed. “I see.”
It was a strange answer. Was she surprised they were Japanese, or that he was adopted? It was difficult to tell.
Either way, she didn’t seem to approve of this.
Ugh. Really? She had no problem coming in to pretend to raise someone else’s children but balked at someone who had been brought up that way?
There was growling, and Jimmy clapped his hand over his stomach. “Is it ready yet?” he asked. “I worked up an appetite playing basketball today.”
Carol sighed. “We may as well begin.”
She stood, and everyone else stood with her.
This wasn’t going well. He might have talked her into the school, but he wasn’t so sure she approved of him.
At that moment, there were footsteps on the stairs, softer and slower than Jimmy’s had been.
Marie and Sang appeared.
Marie wore a bright red dress, her hair similar to Carol’s, and heavy makeup. The dress was a little low cut, the skirt shorter. She wore high heels.
Sang wore a simple brown dress and a similar style of hair and makeup as she’d worn earlier. Flats. Unflattering, but low-key.
They both looked highly uncomfortable.
Sang, however, met Sean’s eyes immediately, caught the flowers on the table, smiled widely, and then beamed at Sean.
She knew he’d brought them, but she was very aware of who they were really from.
Sly Owen, stealing her affection even while he wasn’t here. Sean thought he should have brought her something else.
But those roses were her favorite.
Carol gave a slight wave of her hand, as if presenting Sang and Marie. Her lips softened. “Thank you, girls. We’re sitting for dinner.”
He got the feeling they had been told to come down just as dinner was starting.
Carol had wanted to talk to him without them. Kind of uncool, especially after being so disapproving of his parents.
They continued through the kitchen to the dining table. Jimmy brought the chairs back from the living room.
Mr. Sorenson immediately went to the head of the table.
Carol motioned to the other end. “Sean, will you sit here?”
/> Not that he wanted to look at Sang’s father all night, but he started to tug the chair out.
Carol motioned to the others to direct them where to sit. Jimmy to the left of Mr. Sorenson, Sang to the left of Sean and next to Jimmy.
Marie sat on his right, next to Carol.
Before they sat, Sean pulled the chairs out for both of the girls.
Jimmy assisted with Sang’s once he noticed Sean doing so. He grinned after Sang sat. When she didn’t smile, he sat in his seat and continued to grin toothily to get her attention.
When she finally looked up, she did manage to crack a smile.
Sean had to give him some credit. He wasn’t too bad, but he hoped he wasn’t getting any funny ideas about Sang. Sean had enough competition with the rest of their team.
The table was set with a single dinner plate and folded cloth dinner napkins.
Carol remained standing and moved to the stove and opened it.
While she was away, Sean took his napkin and rearranged it, using folds to make a bird on his plate.
He glanced at Sang, who was watching him. At the end, she smiled.
Carol brought out a roast, already sliced on a plate that was being kept warm. She put it closer to Mr. Sorenson’s side of the table.
Sean started to stand up. “Can I help with anything?”
Carol waved him off as she went back for more. “No need. I’ve got it. Thank you.”