AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hayley grinned. “So what’s next?”
“Well, Ms. Burke, your name goes to the top of my list, and I’ll see if we can’t get you dancing here by September.”
Her smile faltered. “September?” That was four months away.
“After Labor Day would be my guess.” Linda saw the look on her face. “I don’t have room for you right now,” she said gently. “I told you that when you guys walked through the front door.”
Hayley tried to recover. “I guess I thought …”
“You thought that was something I said to everybody?”
She’d thought she was good enough to make room for herself at Vivez Dance. The universe had come together so beautifully that she had dared to think it would be permanent this time.
What had Nick said?“Your universe is only going to stay together until one of those pieces gets taken away from you.”
Damn that guy.
“Hayley.” Linda’s tone was sympathetic. “I like to let a lot of my kids come back for seasonal work in the summer. Normally I wouldn’t even be holding auditions right now, except I toured with Kevin’s mom back in the day, and …” She sighed. “I’m sayinghewouldn’t even have a job here, except I’m short on guys at the moment, and he can tap better than anyone I’ve got.” She dropped her voice conspiratorially. “I wish he didn’t know it.”
Hayley laughed weakly. “I know what you mean.”
“I’d suggest some sort of internship, just to have you around, but since I can’t pay you, and I can’t put you in a show …” Linda shrugged. “You’re welcome to hang out, get a feel for how we do things. Might get old pretty fast, though.”
Hayley barely heard her. Kevin didn’t have enough money to support both of them, not even for a month, not even with her meager savings. She’d have to get a job, fast—but this could work. She’d just come here when she wasn’t working.
And how pathetic would she look, hanging around her boyfriend’s rehearsals like a groupie who wasn’t good enough to join in?
“Thanks.” She tried to sound enthusiastic. “I’m sure I’ll drop by.”
Linda snapped her fingers as an idea hit. “You know what I can offer you?”
“Really, you don’t—”
“I can give you dance space. For when you have to move.”
Hayley hadn’t even considered that no theater job meant no rehearsal space. She needed to dance, professionally or not—and if she was going to be spending the next three months waiting tables, she was really going to need to dance.
“That’d be really great,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to get in anyone’s way, though.”
Linda waved a hand. “I’ll get you a copy of our schedule. Show you where the rooms and lights are and so on. As long as the building’s open and you don’t leave a mess, you’re fine.”
Linda was opening the office door; Hayley nearly leaped out of the armchair so she wouldn’t lag behind. “I really appreciate it,” she said, shaking Linda’s hand. “The audition, and the offer. You didn’t need to be so generous.”
“If Ineededto do it, I wouldn’t be generous, would I?” Linda led the way out the door. “Happy to help, Hayley. I’m really excited about you joining us.”
Then they were nearly jogging down the hallway, passing costume racks and offices. “Sorry to hurry you along,” Linda said, pushing open the door into the café, “but I’ve got another appointment, and I’m already late.”
Hayley opened her mouth to reassure Linda she had nothing to be sorry for, that of course she loved speeding through narrow hallways while reeling from rejection, but the words never came out. She was looking past Linda at the man standing by the front door. Caramel-brown hair, pale blue eyes, both hands grasping the red handles of his walker.
Holy shit. Mr. Inaccessible himself.
3
He’d thought something like this was going to happen.
Nick hadn’tknownit, of course. He was here because Ben Brandazzio’s mother wanted to talk to him about a summer job. Hayley had mentioned Vivez Dance last night, but that didn’t mean he’d have to see her today. It wasn’t like he’d be dancing.
Except Nick’s world didn’t work that way. The pieces of Hayley’s universe might be coming together perfectly, and good for her. But the pieces of his universe tended to have jagged edges, and if there was one person he was hoping not to see, Nick had a feeling he was going to see her.
