Chapter 9

<p>"When's the gathering?" I asked.</p><p>"Next Saturday," Ethan replied.</p><p>"I'll think about it," I said.</p><p>Ethan's lips twitched, not quite a smile, but he looked quietly pleased. "Alright, I'll wait for your answer."</p><p>Before I could decide about the gathering, something else came up.</p><p>Fiona invited me to dinner. It wasn't a personal invitation. She sent word through the Stone family's housekeeper. The invitation was strictly formal. It was to thank Reed for her outstanding performance at Alex's birthday party.</p><p>Emily was practically jumping out of her skin on the phone. "Don't go! Fiona is bad news. Do you know why the Blackwood family sent you out to the town back then?</p><p>"It was all her idea. She thought you weren't good enough for Kingsford's social scene, so she forced you out there, claiming it was to take care of Mrs. Blackwood."</p><p>"I know," I replied.</p><p>"And you're still going?" Emily asked.</p><p>"She's inviting Reed, not Evelyn," I said.</p><p>Emily sounded both anxious and helpless. "Evelyn, what are you really after?"</p><p>"It's only a meal," I answered.</p><p>*****</p><p>The dinner was set at a private club in Westfield.</p><p>When I arrived, Fiona was already waiting in the private room.</p><p>Sophia was sitting next to her.</p><p>The moment I stepped inside, I realized this wasn't about gratitude. They were sizing me up.</p><p>Fiona stood up to greet me, her smile warm and perfectly composed. "Ms. Hart, please, have a seat. We didn't get a chance to talk properly at the party last time, so let's make up for it today."</p><p>After I sat down, the waiter brought over some coffee.</p><p>Fiona got straight to the point. "Ms. Hart, Ethan's been mentioning you a lot lately."</p><p>"Oh, really?" I replied.</p><p>"He's always been a man of few words. Not many people can get him to bring someone up on his own," Fiona held her cup, studying me with a steady gaze. "So I'm curious. How did you manage that?"</p><p>"Mrs. Blackwood, your son is the one who appreciates the piano. I'm nothing but a pianist," I said.</p><p>Fiona smiled. "Ms. Hart, you're being too modest. If it were only about the piano, Ethan wouldn't have written you a personal invitation to our house."</p><p>Sophia sat quietly, smiling as she listened, occasionally sipping her coffee.</p><p>Fiona went on, "As his mother, I have to be a little protective of my son. You don't mind if I ask a few personal questions, do you?"</p><p>"Go ahead," I replied.</p><p>"What does your family do?" Fiona asked.</p><p>"My father used to run a small business, but he retired a while ago," I answered.</p><p>"Any siblings?" Fiona went on.</p><p>"I'm an only child," I said.</p><p>"Have you ever been in a relationship?" Fiona pressed.</p><p>I shot her a look. "Mrs. Blackwood, I'm here for dinner, not to be interviewed for marriage."</p><p>Fiona's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Sorry, that was out of line."</p><p>Sophia jumped in at the right moment. "Mrs. Blackwood, Ms. Hart is an artist. These kinds of personal questions really aren't appropriate."</p><p>She helped Fiona save face, while subtly hinting to me that as an "artist," my world belonged on the piano strings, not with the Blackwood family.</p><p>Fiona smoothly switched topics. For the next half hour, she made small talk about random stuff.</p><p>She mentioned a new piano museum opening up in Kingsford, and a collector who had an antique piano about to go up for auction.</p><p>Everything she talked about circled back to the piano. But I could feel what she was really doing; she was sizing me up, trying to see if I was aiming to marry into the Blackwood family.</p><p>As the meal was winding down, Fiona suddenly dropped a seemingly casual question. "Ms. Hart, did you know Ethan was married before?"</p><p>"I've heard," I replied.</p><p>"Do you know anything about her?" Fiona asked.</p><p>"Not really," I said.</p><p>Fiona set down her fork, her voice taking on that fake-concerned tone. "She was some girl from a distant town.</p><p>"The Blackwoods owed the girl's family a favor. And Alex, being too soft-hearted, arranged the marriage. Basically, it was a way to pay off the debt."</p><p>Sophia kept her eyes down, not saying a word.</p><p>Fiona kept going, "That girl stayed out in the town for three years; Ethan never even met her. The divorce went through not long ago.</p><p>"She got a 10 million dollar payout and signed a confidentiality agreement. No strings attached, totally over."</p><p>She looked right at me. "Look, I'm telling you this so you understand. Ethan's not the type to mess around. He never wanted that marriage in the first place."</p><p>I took a sip of my coffee. "Mrs. Blackwood, what does any of this have to do with me, exactly?"</p>