Page 21 of Dancing on Air

While he waited, he turned to the dark theater and suddenly remembered the last time he’d been the lead in a ballet. He’d been Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake. Every eye had been on him. He had been amazing that night.

But when he’d gotten home, after finding out that neither of his parents had bothered to attend, he’d decided on a different path. One in which their opinions and lack of love and attention couldn’t hurt him as much.

Joining the military had done just that. Along with toughening him up inside and out. It no longer hurt when his parents ignored or belittled him. He also had the added benefit of knowing just how to shoot them down whenever they tried to play matchmaker with someone related to someone else who could benefit them.

Plus, now he saw his parents for exactly who they were.

“Ready?” Cora said behind him.

“Sure,” he said, shifting his bag on his shoulder.

She’d changed into long black yoga pants with a huge cream-colored sweatshirt over it, along with tan heeled boots and a thick jacket. Stylish, yet warm enough that she wouldn’t get cold on the short walk.

Even though it was late spring, once the sun set, the city still grew cold.

“Do you have any family?” Cora asked as they walked along.

“I have a sister. You?” he asked. He already knew the answer but asked anyway.

“A brother and sister,” she answered with a smile. “And two nephews and a niece.”

Her face lit up when she talked about her family, and he frowned. How he wished that he could feel the same about his own family. Sure, he and Mel were close, but not as close as they had been once she’d moved away two years ago and started pursuing her own dreams. Still, they talked at least once a month now. Or at least tried to.

“Your brother is JT Whistler, right?” he asked. It was common knowledge, after all. Besides, he had met the guy the day she’d moved into the BAC.

“Yeah,” she smiled. “He and Emma got married and have twins now.”

“Oh, that’s right. The Hollywood ‘it’ couple, not living in Hollywood. Very cool.” He held the deli door open for her.

Being a dancer his entire life, he knew how little dancers ate, so he was slightly surprised when she ordered a club sandwich and tomato soup and ate the entire thing while she talked about her last holiday visit home.

He thought about the few hours he’d spent at his parents’ yearly Christmas party. He’d spoken a handful of words to them and then stood around watching them make the rounds and chat with wealthy backers before slipping out the door hours later without their notice.

“So,” she said, getting his attention as she leaned on the table closer to him. “Tell me all about Dancing on Air.”

He took a sip of his coffee. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything.” She waited.

While he briefly ran through the plot, Cora sat glued to his every word. If she only knew how nervous he was telling anyone about his creation, she’d laugh at him. At this point, he hadn’t even told his parents about all the hard work he’d put it. They didn’t ask and he would wager they didn’t care.

He spent countless hours in his home studio working out moves while imagining Cora dancing alongside him.

By the time he started talking about the dream sequence, she was staring at him as if she didn’t even want to blink.

“Then?” she asked, moving closer. “What?”

He shrugged. “I’ll save the rest for later,” he said suddenly, looking down at his watch.

“What?” She practically yelled it. Several people sitting around them glanced in their direction. “You can’t leave me hanging like this.”

He chuckled. “I’m going to have to. At least for tonight. I’d better head out.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re not married or…” She broke off.

“No, not married or…” he mimicked her with a smile. “You?”

She shrugged. “Reece has been trying to convince me to go out with him, but Cora, the other one, would skin me alive since they’ve been on and off again for years.”