The schedule was going to be tight. Eli's band arrived later that evening, Eli had called them out earlier so that they could get some work done and be gone by the time Mason's family arrived. However, Rhea was too busy to greet them. She had already begun prepping the rooms for the following week and then she had to make dinner for everyone. It had been a hectic day.
Cassie had been by her side until the band had arrived and then she had left join them, and Rhea could hear her singing as it drifted down from the house and across the darkened front lawn towards the forman's cottage. Rhea listened to her voice as it was met with Eli's and it made her aware of how talented the woman really was, not only was she talented but she was just as famous as Eli. The famous Cassandra Stevens had spent the day with her, up to her elbows in suds, scrubbing floors and walls, and making beds. It was funny, but she didn't seem famous to Rhea, she felt like an old friend that she had known for years.
Mason's family was planning to come the following Wednesday and would leave the Monday after that. It was now Friday so she had a little over four days to get all of the rooms cleaned, she was going to move herself, Aion, and Phoebe down to the servant's rooms which were off of the kitchen, and Eli had offered to stay in one of them, giving up his room with its private bath to Mason's parents.
There were six rooms on the main floor and her mother occupied one, which left five rooms available.
Plus, there were two more rooms and a sitting room in the Foreman's cottage which could house Mason's two single brothers, it was rough but Mason assured her that Rainer and Caleb were used to living in less than four-star conditions and would be fine, and then he added that if they weren't they could take it up with his mother.
Phoebe was working the closing shift at the restaurant so she would be staying at their father's place in town, but Rhea had no doubt that she would be over on the first ferry with Otto, eager to be around all of the action that Eli's band brought with them. Her parents had appeared sparingly during the day to eat and visit but then they retreated back upstairs, taking Aion with them when they had realized that Rhea wouldn't have time to take care of him as well as their new guests.
Rhea walked across the lawn towards the house looking at the light as it cascaded from all of the windows. The house felt alive once more. She bypassed the living room, heading straight for the kitchen. She had prepared a simple fare of chili and cornbread for dinner. There was a pot of vegan chili as well; she hadn't forgotten her days in L.A.
She pulled the warm cornbread out of the oven and carried it to the large dining room putting it on the sideboard with the large chaffing dishes of chili. She had also prepared a large salad for those who felt the need to eat a little healthier. She did one last check before she wandered into the living room.
She had never seen it so full before, Cassie and Eli were huddled over the piano and his band, including Red and Paxton, were either standing or sitting behind him in the front window where they had moved some furniture to make room. Lola and Mason were sitting on the couch with another woman, a bleach bottle blond, who Rhea didn't recognize. Mason was looking at a book or something, not in the least distracted by the noise that surrounded him, Lola was watching everything, fascinated, and the blond woman's eyes were riveted to Eli. Rhea couldn't help but feel jealous at the attention that she was paying him, she looked almost as if she owned him.
Rhea moved from the dining room and across the hall, standing against the wall just as she had that morning she had seen Eli for the first time, she watched him in the mirror as he nodded at something Cassie said and played a few keys with her nodding his head in agreement. Rhea held back a sigh as she watched him grin at something that Cassie said, it made her weak in the knees.
He looked around the room his eyes glancing off the mirror in the hall where he saw her watching. He gave her a quick wink and then started a count.
The song they launched into was one she had never heard of and it must be for the movie that Mason and Cassie were making because Cassie sung the lead on it while Eli and the band played. Rhea slowly turned and started to watch through the door all her attention focused on Eli. The song started to fall apart at the end and Rhea looked around the room to see what everyone's reaction was, no one seemed to be upset and when her eyes landed Red he gave her a wink and started to play, 'Georgia on My Mind,' in her honor. Eli grinned and picked it up with his piano and started to sing the lyrics while the rest of the band joined in as they spotted her. It had been their little joke to play the song when she entered a room six years ago and it was clear that none of them had forgotten her or the joke.
They were all pleased to be playing something that they all knew and were good at playing, and the song sort of took on a life of its own in true jam session style.
Rhea leaned against the wall watching them as they were in their element, playing as a single unit as they always did, it was what made them such a successful band.
Eli's voice caressed the lyrics and Rhea suppressed a little shiver at the sound of it, and Mason shot her a smug smile over his shoulder. The blond followed his look and frowned when she saw Rhea.
As the music died away Rhea couldn't help but return the men's smiles as they moved towards her to envelop her in hugs of greeting. They all took turns telling her how much they had missed her and that they were so glad to see her. Rhea thanked them then told them that dinner was served in the dining room, and they all rushed past her as if they hadn't eaten in a week.
Red swung his arm across her shoulders. "We were all so happy when Eli told us you were here Su – uh – Rhea."
Rhea paused as she looked at Red, he always called her Sunny and he had just hesitated to do so, why? Was he unsure of his welcome, did he think that the nickname wasn't welcome? She opened her mouth to ask and Eli cut her off.
"Rhea, this is my new manager Onyx Bledsoe." Eli introduced the blond woman, joining her and Red.
Rhea blinked at the name and held out her hand in greeting. "Hello Ms. Bledose."
"Miss. Bledsoe," she corrected before she turned to Eli, "Eli do you have a few minutes to go over some things?"
"Nope, Rhea just made dinner, I don't miss Rhea's dinners," he said, taking Onyx's arm and leading her across the hall towards the dining room with Red following.
Mason and Cassie were watching her closely as the others left.
"What was that all about?" Rhea asked. There was something going on that she wasn't being told. "What don't I know?"
Lola jumped up and joined Rhea, taking her arm in hers. "How did you ever get any work done when you lived in L.A., I take it you were always surrounded by Eli and his band, was it always like it was tonight?"
Rhea's eyes narrowed as she looked at the three overly innocent faces that were watching her.
"Y'all are up to something," she accused.
"It's all in your imagination," Mason assured her. "Let's go get some dinner before it's all gone."
"Who's this Onyx woman, and what kind of name is Onyx?" Rhea whispered to Cassie as they followed Lola and Mason across the hall.
"I know right! It's a horrible name, it can't be real. She's been Eli's agent for three years and she's been in love with him just as long. She's very possessive so watch your back."
Rhea nodded, the last thing she wanted was to screw up Eli's life, she didn't want a repeat of what had happened with Victoria. "Thanks for helping me today, I really appreciate it."
Cassie put her arm around Rhea's waist. "I had fun, it was nice just to be Cassie for a day. Eli and Mason were right, you have a way of making everything normal seem more fun."
"Did they really say that?"
"Yep, and they said that it was nice to have someone see the real them and not the famous them. You have a knack for that too, don't you?"
"Do I?" Rhea was at a loss, she looked at the famous faces that filled the dining room, she didn't see their fame though, all she saw was different personalities and that they were leaving stains on her table cloth.
"Hey Red, how about more chili in your mouth and less on the table!" she shouted over the noise. He gave her a grin and a thumbs up before shoveling another spoon of chili into his mouth.
It was wonderful to have the house full. She looked over at Eli and caught him watching her, she gave him a happy smile and he smiled back before he turned to hear something that Onyx was saying to him. Rhea looked at Onyx in time to catch her narrowed eyed look of suspicion.
"Be careful of that one," Cassie whispered before she moved around the table to join her husband.