Page 18 of Dancing on Air

“Thanks, but I have a meeting.” He motioned towards a couple sitting across the room. “I won’t keep you.” He turned back towards her. “I look forward to seeing you again.” He nodded before making his way across the room.

Cora took that moment to let her heart settle before turning back to her brother.

“You’d better not just give that to Emma on the island. Take her to someplace nice like…” She tilted her head as she thought. “Paris. You can afford a nice expensive place with a balcony overlooking the Eifel tower and a fancy French dinner with plenty of champagne.” She nudged her brother’s shoulder. “And soon. I doubt I can keep my mouth shut for long.”

JT laughed. “Done,” he said as he tucked the ring box back into his pocket just as a waiter poured her a glass of water.

She tried very hard not to watch Max during dinner. At one point she got very involved in her brother’s conversation and the next time she glanced towards his table, he and the couple were gone. Now, an older couple sat at the table looking over the menus.

By the time she let herself back into her room, it was dark outside and her roommate was already asleep.

She peeled off her dress in the bathroom, pulled on her pajamas, and crawled into bed, making sure to set an alarm for early the next morning. Her first class was set to start long before sunrise.

Whatever happened now, she was determined to give the BAC her all. Everything she was, everything she wanted to be, was all going to happen here. No matter who stood in her way. Not even a bitchy roommate could hinder the excitement of fulfilling her dreams now.

Chapter Five

Two years later…

“Stop!” Max shouted at Cora. “What was that?” He marched towards the stage and stopped short of climbing the steps.

“That,” Cora said, putting her hands on her hips. “was a grand jeté. You know, what you asked for.” She glared down at him.

For the past three weeks, he and Cora had been dancing around one another. Literally.

What he hated more than anything was that they weren’t even working on his play. Instead, his mother had chosen Romeo and Juliet as that fall’s performance.

Romeo and Juliet. There wasn’t anything wrong with it… but it was, well, not what he wanted to be working on and certainly not the role he saw Cora portraying.

Because of all this, every day when he came into work with the production crew, he was in a seriously foul mood. Okay, so he had asked her to do a grand jeté. And she had executed it flawlessly.

“Ten minute break,” he called out, but then he pointed at Cora. “Except you.”

She threw her hands up in frustration. “What?”

“Do it again.” He motioned.

She lifted her eyebrows, then she took a breath and moved back to her mark. She lifted into the air effortlessly.

“Again, arms at fifth position.” He tilted his head.

This time, she quickly moved back and, as she jumped, lifted her arms above her head.

“Yes,” he nodded. “Once more.”

When she moved back to start, he held up his hand. “Hold.”

She watched as he moved to the stairs, climbed up them, and stopped directly in front of her.

“How much do you hate me?” he asked her suddenly.

She chuckled. “Very much.”

Yet her eyes were laughing at him, and he smiled. “How much do you think they hate me?” He motioned to the rest of the dancers, who were either stretching on the side of the stage or sitting and watching them.

“Not as much as I do,” Cora responded with a smile.

He sighed and closed his eyes.