Page 71 of Until We Come Home

My pulse jumps. Six more weeks in this building, with these kids. Six more weeks in Seattle.

“In the October program? With the company?” I ask.

“They’d open the second half,” she says, folding her hands on the desk. “With school starting back up, your class would move to after school, four afternoons a week, plus Saturday rehearsals leading up to the show. Unless you already have something else booked, of course. I can’t imagine you stay unbooked for long.”

I keep my smile in place, but my stomach drops a little.

My calendar after this week is empty, though not because nobody called. My agent sent over a handful of offers back in August, a spot on a pop star’s world tour, a run of European festival dates with an artist I’ve toured with before, and assisting on a music video for an artist I love.

Before summer I would have jumped at any one of them. This time I turned every one of them down. None of them made me feel anything, and I figured something better would come along. Something always does. Except nothing has yet, and I’ve been too wrapped up in the kids and the benefit to go looking.

“No, actually,” I say, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Nothing booked yet. I’m sort of between things.”

“Then the timing works out for both of us,” Claudia says. “I saw your choreography for tomorrow, and I’ll be frank, it left me speechless. Absolutely flawless.”

Claudia is the real deal, and while I pride myself on having enough confidence that I rarely need external validation—having what some people would call an excessive amount of it—I’d be lying if I said hearing that from her didn’t send a rush straight to my heart.

“Thank you,” I tell her, and my voice isn’t quite steady. “That really means the world to me.”

“It’s entirely deserved. You have a real gift, Mia. Beyond your own talent as a performer, you have a true instinct for teaching and choreography. You can really shape this generation of dancers. The kids would be over the moon to have you a little longer.”

“Yes,” I say, before I’ve even decided to say it. “I’d love to. Count me in.”

Claudia beams. “Wonderful. I’ll have the new contract drawn up next week.”

“Thank you so much,” I say, gathering my tote and pushing up out of the velvet chair. “Really, Claudia, I’m beyond grateful.”

Her smile follows me out into the corridor, and I make it about ten feet down the hall before the giddiness turns into something closer to panic. I just said yes to six more weeks in one city without even pretending to think about it.

I’ve never wanted to stay anywhere this badly in my life, and I have no idea what to do with that. A year ago I would have scoffed at the idea of turning down a world tour to teach eleven-year-olds after school, and Derek would have told me I was getting tied down. Right now it feels like the best decision I’ve made all year, and that’s what scares me.

I make my way down the hall for the final youth session, the pre-show jitters humming in my fingertips as everyone hurries around wrapping up last-minute details for the big night.

Dancers rush past carrying costume racks, the whole place humming ahead of tomorrow’s showcase. I navigate through the crowd, my thoughts turning over and over, feeling like every thread leads back to Mateo, and I’m tangled up in all of it.

CHAPTER 19

Mia

The night of the benefit showcase has finally arrived. Meridian usually performs in its own theater back on Capitol Hill, but tonight is too big for one company.

A handful of Seattle’s arts organizations put on this fundraiser together every year, with Meridian handling the dance, so the gala is held at a grand old theater downtown, all high ceilings and velvet drapes. Round banquet tables are set up across the floor for a full sit-down dinner before the performances begin, leading into a silent auction scheduled for later in the evening.

I sneak a quick peek from behind the heavy stage curtains, taking in the sea of polished suits and elegant evening dresses. It's a full black-tie affair, and since I'm still in jeans and a T-shirt, I'm about ready to go change into my costume. Scanning the crowd, I spot Lark and Maren laughing together near the front.

Deciding to say a fast hello first, I slip through the side doors and weave past the tables toward them.

“Mia!” Lark says as I reach them. “Oh, I love your stage makeup! You look incredible.”

“You look stunning, sweetie,” Maren adds, pulling me into a hug.

“Thanks, you guys,” I say, smiling at them both. “Are Calvin and Jack around?”

“Yep, they’re waiting in line to grab us drinks.” Maren nods toward the bar. “The space looks so gorgeous tonight, I can’t wait for the performances to start!”

She tips her head up toward the vaulted ceilings, where ambient string lights and red velvet drapery transform the hall. Orchestral music plays low over the speakers to set the mood until showtime, and framed posters line the perimeter, showcasing the causes the night supports, families who lost their homes to wildfires, the rescues that take in the pets left behind, and the first responder foundations that look after crews when the season’s over.

“It really turned out amazing,” I say, then hesitate before adding, “So, uh, did Mateo drive up with you?”