AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And how am I supposed to be mad at her after that? “He should be here within the hour. Speaking of... Any chance you want to watch Tommy for me Saturday night?”
“Of course. After your call with Sabrina, Brady and I were talking about it, and I want Tommy to spend the night at our house. We’re gonna give him one hell of a sleepover.”
Tommy has never spent the night at someone else’s house before. At least not since I’ve moved home. But he loves Nat and Brady.
Shit.
Sometimes I hate adulting.
Making decisions sucks.
Nattie smiles and spins through the door and down the hall before I even have a chance to respond.
My phone vibrates on my desk as the bell over the door jingles again. Picking it up, I see a group text from my girls, Nattie included.
Group Chat:
Nattie:Looks like Belles & Declan will be joining Brina and Murph at the fundraiser!
Chloe:Belles has a date with Declan? How come I’m just hearing about this?
Annabelle:Because it only happened today. And it’s not a date. Just a favor.
Nattie:You keep telling yourself that.
Sabrina:What are you wearing?
Annabelle:Not sure yet. I’ve got a few options.
Nattie:Let’s meet at your house tomorrow night and pick!
Chloe:Perfect!
Sabrina:Sounds good to me!
Annabelle:Who said you guys get a say?
Nattie:I do. You need to rock my big brother’s world!
Annabelle:It. Is. Not. A. Date.
Nattie:Sure, it’s not.
I give up and throw my phone face down on my desk. Truth is, I’d love for it to be a real date. But that’s just not in the cards for me. My brother is my top priority with the studio coming a distant, but necessary, second. And I pass out most nights as soon as I put Tommy to bed. That just screams you should be dating a professional football player, doesn’t it? I drop my head in my hands, as shame washes over me for the pity party I’m throwing myself.
Fuck today.
Time to get over it.
I plaster a smile on my face and make my way out to the front of the studio to greet the parents. Once I’m seated behind the front desk, I chitchat with most of the moms and dads as they take the coats off their little ones and kiss their cheeks. Some talk longer than others. Some write checks for their monthly bill. Others want to talk about their little ones and how much they enjoy class. Most move through quickly.
Hart & Soul has two dance studios, one smaller and one bigger. I have a room in front of the bigger studio we call the fishbowl. It has glass walls so parents can watch without interrupting class. The desk I’m currently sitting at is in front of that room, so most are just passing through.
Noah Monroe is the exception to this rule. He was a few years ahead of me when we were in school, but I didn’t know him as a kid because I moved to New York to attend a ballet school before high school. He’s classically handsome, and he knows it. His daughter is a beautiful little blondie with big blue eyes that looks just like her daddy and not at all like her former prom queen momma. Apparently, Noah and his high school sweetheart dated throughout college and got married right after graduation. They had Olivia a few months later and got divorced a year after that. He likes to talk to me during the lesson instead of watching his daughter.
Noah walks over to me, carrying two cups of coffee and hands me my favorite pumpkin spice. I can’t help it, I’m a basic bitch when it comes to my coffee. I love all things pumpkin spice this time of year. Thanking him, I take a sip and smile as the sweet, tasty goodness hits my tongue. Noah lets his eyes roam over me, and I quirk an eyebrow at him. He’s made no attempt to hide that he’d like to take me out on a date. And I’ve let him know more than once that I don’t have time for any complications in my life.
Tommy and the studio are it.
