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Veronica had heard so much about the couple who owned the island and academy she half believed the pair to be a myth. They were due to arrive in a week and a half, and she couldn’t wait to meet them.
“How often do they come to the island?” Veronica asked.
“Not as much as they did before they built the new house.” Andie took a sip of coffee. “From what I’ve gathered, and from my observations before they got married, no one ever expected Mariela to leave the island. But of course all that changed when she got together with Lennox.”
“She taught dance here?” Veronica had a hard time imagining a BDSM academy feeling the need to hire a full-time, permanent dance instructor.
“Yes. It sounds odd, doesn’t it? Who would automatically put the two together? But I have to hand it to her and Lennox. You truly can learn a lot about the lifestyle from dance.” Andie giggled. “And I admit it’s fun watching the big bad Doms stumble their way through one of her dance classes.”
“Have you hired someone to take her place?”
“Unfortunately, no.” Andie shook her head. “It’s proving rather difficult to find someone qualified in all the necessary areas we require.”
“I can understand why,” Veronica said.
Andie’s eyes danced with mischief. “You don’t happen to know how to dance, do you?”
Too bad her cup of coffee couldn’t magically turn into a shot of whiskey. She’d learned over the years that talking to and about her family went smoother with the addition of alcohol.
“I know how to dance,” Veronica said. “Ballet, tap, and jazz as a child and ballroom for when I was a debutante.”
“You mean like a debutante ball?” Andie asked. “They still have those?”
“Yes, and I wasfortunateenough to attend two. One in my home state, and one in DC.” Veronica didn’t consider herself fortunate at all. That had been her father’s word. She’d hated both balls and had told her father as much. His reply that she’d show up and act right was a given. That she’d actually done so proved how much the girl she’d been back then cared about what he thought.
“Would you be interested in teaching dance?” Andie asked.
“Nope. No way. One, I’m a horrible teacher, and two, I’m not in the lifestyle anymore.”
“You’re not?” Andie didn’t wait for an answer. “Not that it matters. It’s not a requirement.”
It might not be, but Veronica was pretty certain every other employee on the island was active.
“Even so, you have to admit it would be better for everyone involved if the dance instructor was active,” Veronica said. “Which is probably why it’s taking so long to find a replacement.”
“Agreed.” Andie looked as if she was going to say something else, but her eyes shifted to something over Veronica’s shoulder. “Wonder what Terrence wants?”
Veronica forced herself to remain still when what she really wanted was to turn and see him. Since approaching her on thedock days ago, he’d kept his word and had done what he could to avoid being near her. It was what she’d asked him for, so she didn’t understand why she wished their paths would cross more often.
“Good morning.” Andie greeted him.
He drew to a stop at her side. “Good morning, ladies. I’m actually looking for Fulton. Is he around?”
“He’s not,” Andie said. “He went over to the mainland earlier and won’t be back until late afternoon. Is there something I can help you with?”
Terrence ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s something I need to ask him.”
Andie didn’t seem bothered she was unable to help. “In that case, why don’t you sit down and have some coffee with us?”
He hesitated, and in that second, Veronica held her breath in the hopes that he’d sit down with them. She felt his gaze on her.
“Thanks for the invitation,” he said. “But I’ll have to take you up on it some other time.”
They both watched as he turned to walk away. Before he’d taken four steps, he looked back. “I’m having trouble with my cell phone, and I’m expecting a call in a few hours. I gave them the main office number since it’s a landline. I hope that won’t be an issue.”
“You still have that same worthless cell service you’ve had every summer since you started coming? The one you keep saying you’re going to kick to the curb as soon as you make it to the mainland?”
“That’s the one,” he said. “I get back to the mainland and it works fine. I tell myself I’ll get around eventually to finding a new carrier, but it never seems to be a good time. Plus it’s such a hassle.”
