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“I’m right here, you two.” Noelle put her hands on her hips. Dealing with these two was beginning to be more difficult than dealing with her students.
“Okay. Then, you tell her.”
Both women turned to her, awaiting a response.
“I can’t do this now.”
“If he lied to you then kick his butt to the curb,” Franchesca said. “Gorgeous butt or not, trust is key in a relationship.”
“First of all, there’s no relationship.” Noelle put one finger in the air. “Second of all…” another finger went up “…I wouldn’t say he lied exactly…”
“But he kept it from her that he’s part of the Spellman deal,” Holly interrupted.
“Well, he’s not really part of it,” Noelle tried to explain.
“But he did know about it and she feels foolish he didn’t say anything.”
“How dare he make a fool of you!” Franchesca was heating up, which wasn’t good. The last thing Noelle needed was her feisty friend to go stomping down the aisle of the theater and cause a scene in her honor.
“Okay, you two. Hold it.” Noelle put both hands up. She took a deep breath in and let it out. How she was going to get through that evening, she had no clue. But there was a high chance more than one glass of wine would be consumed once the whole thing was over.
She looked at Franchesca. “We have a performance to put on right now, so focus. I will tell you everything later, I promise.”
“Right. Sheesh. Where’s my head?” She turned and ran off before anyone could help answer what was for certain a rhetorical question anyway.
Noelle turned to Holly. “You. I need you to help me with my flock of dancers. And to stop blabbing about me and Wes.”
“I wasn’t blab…”
“Stop. I will talk to you about all of it later as well. But right now, in this moment, I HAVE to make tonight my priority.”
“Got it.” Holly nodded. “Sorry, Sis. I just love you and I want good things for you. And I think Wes is a good thing.”
Everything in Noelle wanted to agree with her sister. Wes was amazing. He’d done so many wonderful things right. Was she overreacting?
Music started and the house lights faded. Now was not the time to question her feelings for Wes St. Claire. He would have to wait.
*
Wes hated waiting.
The theater sat on the corner of Church Avenue directly next to Noelle’s studio. The line of cars outside was down the block, meaning they’d had to wait outside until Wilson could get them to the front door. Annalise ate it up, acting as if she were a movie star waiting to be dropped off at the red carpet by her limo. Which in truth was about how it looked when Wilson helped her from the car.
Then Wes had waited in the back of the theater, watching Ronald Spellman sign autographs and chat with people. Although Wes still thought the deal to be a good one, Spellman’s surprise visit, along with things going so wrong between him and Noelle, meant things weren’t sitting right in Wes’s gut.
Now he waited in his seat for the program to start and for a glimpse of Noelle. Whether to avoid him or because she had so much to do that night, he hadn’t seen her out front at all. She must’ve stayed backstage. He mentally berated himself for his arrogance. Tonight was a big night for her and here he sat, believing she hadn’t been out in the theater before the performance because of him.
Maybe Mike was right. Maybe he was a stoic ass. He didn’t think of himself as coldhearted or unkind, but while thinking about things after his talk with Mike in the home gym, Wes wasn’t above admitting he didn’t like to be wrong. And although he had no intention of controlling the situation with Spellman, he had found himself more curious than he would’ve been if Noelle weren’t involved.
Who was he kidding? He did want control. But controlling situations was what he did best. Hell, he ran the entire St. Claire family estate. And meeting with Spellman was about making sure things were right for Noelle. The woman had him all twisted in knots.
As if on cue, she appeared. Dressed in a pink leotard with a soft skirt the same color tied around her waist, she all but floated across the stage. She led a line of little girls, Annalise included, clad in pink as well with tutus sticking out from their middles. Noelle lined them up in rows before descending the side staircase and taking her place in front of the center of the stage and at the front of the audience area.
Amidst the murmurs of people in the audience as they pointed and waved at their children, the music began and Noelle guided the girls through their steps. All eyes were on the children but Wes’s were glued to Noelle. Her smiled never wavered, a continuous encouragement to the kids who missed steps and at times bumped into each other. But man, they were cute, and their teacher was downright breathtaking. Her hair was twisted up on the top of her head, the bun held together with pink lace. A few tendrils fell on either side of her face, a whisper of color against her fair skin.
He’d had the privilege of feeling that skin against his fingertips as he’d slid them into her hair, her face cupped in his hands. Her lips beneath his were soft and tasted of vanilla with a hint of mint. That night in his penthouse had played over and over in his mind since. Caramel lingered on his taste buds as well from the thought of the second time he’d kissed her, both instances the most heated moments of his life.
“She’s doing great,” Mike whispered to him.
