AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That sounds… intense,” Theo commented.
“It was. If I didn’t do well enough to please my mother, I didn’t come home. See? Perfection and affection went hand-in-hand. I practiced twice as hard. When I graduated, I ended up being hired in Spain as a soloist.”
Mallory and Theo looked at each other. “That’s amazing.”
“Yeah, until I blew it and got pregnant by mistake. I had to quit. My parents cut me off. Cut me out of their lives because a single mother in the family? A failure at ballet? They couldn’t have it.”
“Jesus,” Mallory said.
“I came here. Started over. Legally changed my last name because I didn’t want Sierra to have any connection to the Bergstroms.”
“Why not keep at ballet after Sierra was born?”
“I lost my spot, and the lifestyle isn’t for a single parent with a baby. The schedule was grueling and there was a lot of travel. I walked away for her.”
“Why not keep doing it? I mean, a soloist? You must be so talented. Why haven’t we heard of you? Oh yeah, you changed your name.”
I shrugged. “I practice on my own, but that’s not my life now. I look back on it and it’s tainted. While I love to dance, I became really good because I wanted my parents’ affection.”
“Which never came.”
“Theo,” Mallory scolded, elbowing him.
“My father never loved me no matter what I did,” he said, looking to Mallory, then me. “I became a trauma surgeon and saved lives and he was disappointed I didn’t go into the family business. You have to let that shit go.”
I shrugged. “I did. Well, I thought I did.”
“Until the Duncan ring debacle,” Mallory said.
“Yeah, and now I owe him a shit ton of money.”
“You said Luke gave you the money to pay him off.”
“He did, but I’d rather wander the woods in Hunter Valley looking for a bulldog rock that probably didn’t exist and go into epic debt than to take Luke’s–no, Derek Dashwood’s–money.” I laughed. “That’s why this morning, first thing, I went to the bank and got a cashier’s check for it and took it right to the winter sports complex and donated it to the hockey program for scholarships.” Sighing, I admitted, “I messed up. Not only with Duncan, but with Luke.”
“Because he also wanted you for access to your mother,” Theo said.
I shrugged, feeling that usual embarrassment all over again. “I know, right? I was stupid with Duncan, but you’re right, I never loved him. I just wanted the security I thought he would offer. But Luke? I fell for him. Just him. I really, really like him. Probably even love him if I knew what the hell that was. I’m used to being used and I knew going in this was fake. Until it wasn’t. Turns out, it hadn’t been fake, but planned all along.”
“I think he fell for you, too.” When I gave her a look, she pushed on. “I’ve been watching his social media. Have you seen what he posted of you two?”
I shook my head. “I don’t look at that stuff.”
“Well, it’s all really romantic and sexy and the guy was into you.”
Waving my hand, I shook my head. “It’s all fake.”
“Well, he had me fooled. You need to steer clear of shitty people,” Mallory said, as if it was simple. “We know your worth and value. It’s not transactional.”
“She’s right. Love doesn’t keep score or have value. Trust me on this,” Theo advised.
“Because you’re a doctor?”
“Because I was an idiot.”
“He bought me this house,” Mallory explained, leaning in and kissing Theo’s cheek. “Instead of giving me his heart.”
Wow. Okay.
