Page 44 of Dancing on Air

“Yeah,” Reece said softly.

“Oh babe,” Jynx said, and then she flung herself at the guy. The pair of them started making out, much like he and Cora had just been. Suddenly, Max felt very uncomfortable. Without a word, he stepped outside his office and, with a shake of his head, he shut the door behind them.

“Is everything okay?” Cora, his Cora, asked just outside his door.

“They’re seriously messed up and oddly perfect for one another.” He took her hand and pulled her back down the short hallway towards the stage. He stopped just short of stepping back out into the lights where everyone was standing around waiting. “If we ever fight, let’s promise a few things. One, let’s keep it to ourselves and not onstage for everyone to see.”

“Agreed.” She smiled and nodded. “And two?”

“Two, while we’re together, we’re together.” He motioned between them. “And no one should be between us. If we decide to see someone else, no games.”

“This is not a team sport,” she agreed with a smile, causing him to chuckle.

“I feel bad for my parents. Something tells me they’re both about to be dumped.”

“Oh?” Cora frowned, then stopped and gasped slightly. “You mean…” She glanced back towards his office and then back at him. He nodded.

“It appears so.”

“I’m sorry,” she said softly.

Just then, Cora and Reece stepped out of his office, holding hands and smiling.

“Shit,” he said softly. “Sorry, I let your nickname for Jynx slip out,” he said quickly in a whisper.

Cora tensed and then shrugged. “Oh well,” she said a little louder. “I’m pretty sure she knew already.”

“Knew?” Jynx said and stopped beside them. “You mean your little nickname for me?” Jynx sneered then laughed. “I’ve had that nickname since I was two.” She shrugged and pushed past them, Reece on her heels.

The rest of the practice went off without a hitch. When it was over, he got everyone’s attention.

“Fittings start tomorrow,” he said, relaying the time and location of the woman’s and men’s fitting areas and when everyone should be there.

“Which means we only have a week before we start all over again. This time dress rehearsals.” Everyone cheered loudly. “We have a full week of dress rehearsals, then each of you have a few nights off. When we return, one more full week where we will hit it hard before opening day.”

He glanced at Cora and tried not to think of their plans for that time, how excited he was to spend time outside of the city with her.

Knowing his sister was going to be there didn’t even put a damper on it. He wanted Missy and Cora to get along with one another. Hoped they would be close friends. He hadn’t ever thought that about the handful of other girlfriends he’d had before he’d joined the military.

“How about I come over?” Cora asked him as he packed up his bag.

He glanced over at her and smiled. “I’d like that. I know a great Italian place along the way we can stop at.”

“Oh,” she groaned. “I haven’t had Italian in two years.” She held her hand over her stomach. “I’m going to shower and change,” she said, touching his arm.

While he waited for Cora, he scanned through his phone. A few minutes later, a message came through from his mother.

“What did you do?”

He read the message a few times before answering.

“When?” he responded.

“Don’t play dumb with me. Your father is here.”

“Okay?” he responded.

He waited for the next message for almost a full two minutes.