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One
The rhythm of Little Havana pulsed through Jen Miller as she parked her car on one of the side streets of Calle Ocho and made her way to Luna Azul. Blue Moon…they were rare in real life, almost as rare as second chances, and she was glad for the one that the Stern brothers had offered her by hiring her to be the salsa teacher at their Miami-based nightclub.
The club itself was a rarity. The Stern brothers had created a scandal when they’d purchased the old cigar factory in the heart of Little Havana and turned it into one of Miami’s hottest clubs ten years ago. Something that still outraged certain members of the Cuban-American community today.
She pulled the strap of her large Coach bag higher on her shoulder as she walked through the grand entrance of Luna Azul. She stopped as she always did to catch her breath. Nothing said glamour the way the club’s Chihuly chandelier and ceiling installation did. It was a depiction of the night sky filled with a large blue moon. It was also the basis for the club’s logo and the colors of the uniform of the entire staff.
Walking through the door each night made her feel as if she was a part of something lasting, and she was very happy to be working here.
The fact that she got to dance again made her even happier. Three years earlier, when she’d made a bad decision based on her heart instead of her head, she’d been banned from competitive dancing.
But now she was back at the barre so to speak and teaching her favorite of all the dances she knew. The salsa.
The dance was created by Spanish-speaking people from the Caribbean and even though she was about as white-bread-American as one could be, the dance felt as if it had been created for her.
As she headed into the club, she saw that the main stage was being set up for tonight’s performance of XSU—the British rock band that had taken the American pop charts by storm the year before. Her sister and her best friend had both begged Jen to get them tickets for tonight’s event and she’d managed to.
She was hoping for a glimpse of the rockers as well but she’d be working during their first set.
The club was divided into several different areas. The main floor in front of the stage was a huge dance area surrounded by high-stooled tables and cozy booths set in darkened alcoves. On the second floor, where she spent most of her time, was a rehearsal room with a small bar and then a mezzanine that overlooked the main club. But the real gem of the second floor was the balcony that opened off to the left and the stage set in the back. It was there that every night Luna Azul re-created the famous last Friday celebrations held on Calle Ocho. Up there every night was like a feast day for Latin music and dancing. The hottest Latin groups performed there. Regulars and celebrities mingled to the sexy salsa beats of the Latin music.
And she was at the heart of it, Jen thought. She taught the customers how to do the salsa, giving them a little knowledge to help them enjoy the music that much more.
As Jen walked into the rehearsal room, her assistant greeted her with, “You’re late.”
“I am not, Alison. I’m right on time.”
Alison lifted one eyebrow at her. She was funny most of the time but she had a thing for punctuality that Jen simply didn’t.
“You’re lucky no one has stopped by to check on the classroom.”
“Alison, chill. The classroom is ready and we are ready. I brought a new CD with me.”
“Which one?”
“Just a compilation of some of my old favorites. I want to have something different for tonight’s class.”
“What’s special about tonight’s class?” Alison asked.
“We have T. J. Martinez signed up.”
“The third-base player for the Yankees?”
“Yes. And since he’s good friends with Nate Stern, I thought we needed to make a good impression.” Keeping the club owners and their friends happy was the name of the game.
“Maybe you should have arrived earlier.”
“Alison, I don’t mind a little ribbing, but you have to drop that. We have thirty minutes before class starts.”
“I know. Sorry, I’m bitchy today.”
“Why?”
“Marc is leaving for Afghanistan for another deployment.”
“When?” Jen asked. Marc was Alison’s brother and they were very close. Alison often said that he was all she had.
“Three weeks. I…”
Jen went over and hugged her friend. “He’ll be fine. He always is. And I’ll help you through it.”
Alison hugged her back and then stepped away. “You’re right. Now tell me more about the songs we are using tonight.”
Jen knew that Alison needed to lose herself in the music so she could forget about her life for a while. Jen wasn’t sure she could be as brave as Alison. Having a brother who was a warrior and would always be called to a battle somewhere in the world was hard. She saw it on her friend’s face every time Marc got deployed.
