“Yeah,” said Eddie.
“I love that show,” said Royce.
“Thanks.”
“How do you guys know each other?”said Stasia.
“Eddie’s my ex,” I said.
“You’re White Craig’s Eddie?”said Stasia.“You’re the guy?”
I was never gonna hear the end of this now.
“Sure,” said Eddie.“I’m the guy.”He looked at me like we were in on a secret joke.“Want to grab dinner?”
“Sure.We could.”
“Give me a sec?”He took out his phone and sent a text, probably to his boyfriend.
I was supposed to go to Bex’s housewarming party after the show.I’d planned to spend the night too.I found my phone and texted him,Can’t make it tonight.Really sorry.C.
When I looked up, he’d turned off his phone and put it away.
“There’s a nice place upstairs,” I said, picking up my backpack.“I eat there a lot after work.”I’d gotten into the habit of eating dinner on campus, because it was easier staying downtown after work when I had rehearsals to go to in the evenings.
“I’m less likely to get recognized if we go off campus,” he said.“It’s more private.”
Oh.Yeah.’Cause he’s famous now.
“Sure,” I said.
He put on sunglasses and a baseball cap and waved goodbye to the company.
“Bye, Eddie,” they all said.
“See you guys later,” I said.
They weren’t as polite to me.I got whistled at and catcalled.
“Be good, White Craig,” said Stasia.
“Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.”
“Watch out for paparazzi!”said Royce.
I shut the door behind us.Then I followed Eddie.He was walking smoothly, without a hitch in his step.The way he carried himself was different.He didn’t used to be in the best shape, but he had energy now.He bounced up the stairs from the basement.I would have too, but I’d just finished a long show on a hot day, and I was tired.He waited for me at the top of the stairs.
I still loved him.I’d always known that, at the back of everything I did, but now it was right in front of me.
We didn’t say much as we were walking.He seemed distracted.A student stopped him as we were leaving campus, asked for his autograph and a selfie.He took it in stride, like it happened to him often.
Once we were off campus, he ditched his hat and sunglasses, and his limp came back, and I realized what he’d been doing earlier had been an act, which was a relief.He took me to a discreet little Italian place that barely looked like a restaurant from the outside, and I wondered if this was somewhere husbands took their mistresses so they wouldn’t get caught.
The staff knew him, and we were seated immediately.After we ordered our drinks, and the server left, he said, “You were great at tapping when I met you, but you’re even better now.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Dancing with the company had really pushed my limits as a tapper, had made me better than I’d ever thought I could be.But I didn’t understand why he was complimenting me.He seemed genuine, but I couldn’t believe he wasn’t still angry about Christmas.If he was trying to teach me a lesson, I didn’t know why he was being so nice to me.There had to be a catch.
