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“You’ve given that up?”
“Yes.”
“What happened, Emma?”
“I did the audition the other week,” she whispers, her arms tightening around me. “And it was a total failure. My old ballet shoes, the same ones you got me on my birthday all those years ago, broke right there in the room as I danced. I screwed up. They then invited me for another audition and I didn’t even turn up.”
“Why not?”
“Because Mom is sick,” Emma whispers. “She’s really sick. And she has no one to be here for her. And she can’t pay for the hospital bills without my help. She needs surgery, August. She needs my money.”
“Did you tell the dance school? Did you let them know your struggles?”
“I have no money, August, to pay for it even if I got in,” she replies. “Besides, they’ll never want to see me again after I blew my second and only chance. I might as well forget everything to do with dance or Swan Lake or my dreams. I might as well just crawl up in bed and never leave.”
We hold each other for a few more moments before we finally let go.
“Come,” I say to her. “I’ll drive you home. I’ll make sure you get back safe.”
56
EMMA
August takes me home from the hospital in his fancy car, and – outside my apartment building - I find myself kissing him again. I never planned any of this. I didn’t wake up this morning wanting to kiss August, but when he lay his hand on my face and our lips touched, it was like a little bit of magic sparked between us. All the years apart melted away, and I was transported back to being a carefree teenager again with this strange, handsome boy sneaking through my bedroom window for my birthday.
And, at the most basic level, I simplylikekissing August. Infuriatingly, he is a damn good kisser. And, when our lips touch, he somehow makes me feel like the only girl in the world. I mean, how can I not resist that?
After our lingering kiss outside my apartment building, I say goodbye to the doctor and head on inside. He waits until he no longer sees me before he leaves the steps and heads to his car. He wants to make sure I get inside okay.
And my heart beats ever so faster as I unlock my door and step inside my tiny apartment. My entire body feels a million times lighter as I strip myself of my dirty cleaner’s uniform and slink into bed after a short, hot shower.
I can’t stop thinking about those kisses.
I can’t stop myself from melting.
I can’t stop obsessing about August Penmayne.
* * *
I’m cleaning a doctor’s office the next day, and I’m still trying to get August Penmayne out of my mind. I’m not being very successful.
Suddenly, as if responding to what’s racing through my head, the door to the office bursts open and August is standing there – looking as beautiful a man as ever.
He loves smashing in out of nowhere, doesn’t he?
“August?”
He’s holding something. A cardboard box. He steps across the room and hands it to me.
“Open it,” he says to me with urgency.
I do.
And I gasp when I see what’s contained inside.
Brand new ballet shoes. They’re my size.
What in the hell...
