Kiara slides down next to me on the floor, keeping her voice low. “Their water pipe broke a few weeks ago, leaving the dance studio a mess, so she’s been training the little ones here instead. I mean, look at them, they are so adorable. I have another class after they’re done, so I usually stay here and watch them. It’s the cutest thing ever.”
I can’t help but stare at the kids, utterly fixated by their presence. There are probably twenty of them, give or take, their small voices filling the air all around us.
Kiara turns her head to look at me. “Do you want to watch with me?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug, suddenly not sure what to do.
Besides not dancing myself, I haven’t really watched anyone else dance either.
I haven’t been able to.
My heart speeds up.
But these are only kids. That should be safe, right?
I’ve always loved seeing them with their little outfits and the purest form of dancer’s enthusiasm you can find anywhere in the industry. The genuine joy they feel is reflected so clearly on their faces you’d think dancing is their life’s mission—as it might already seems to some of them.
I was one of them.
My chest feels like it’s being poked with little needles, and I resist the urge to rub my hands over it in soothing circles to chase away the unwelcome sensation. Thankfully, more kids file into the room, hopping lightly on their feet and giggling with their friends, weirdly enough distracting me from my inner turmoil.
After what feels like hours, I turn back to Kiara, who has been studying me this whole time, and shrug my shoulders again. “Sure. Why not?”
“Great.” She claps her hands together and gives me a big smile. “You’re always welcome to dance here too when the studio isn’t used, you know? Just let me know and the place is yours.”
Sometimes I forget she knows about what happened to me. Seems like Gabe can be a little Chatty Cathy sometimes.
I swallow past the lump in my throat and put on a smile, hoping it looks better than it feels. “Thanks so much for the offer. I really appreciate it.” I leave it at that and turn back toward the young, excited voices.
Her offer touches me though. Everyone in this town has been really great since we got here, even though I haven’t been out much, besides my yoga sessions. But whenever we go to the store and walk around downtown, we always run into someone Gabe knows, quickly pulled into a random chat.
I’m happy with that though. My days here have been easy and relaxing, usually consisting of yoga, other workouts, eating, watching TV, and talking to Charlie.
And Gabe, of course.
That man has been a constant and steady part of my life over the last year, and for some reason, he’s been on my mind even more since we got here. After all, he’s the reason I’m here, and there’s no denying how good this little getaway has been for me. In fact, more than just good. Somehow invigorating, and rather eye-opening too.
“Oh look! They’re starting.” Kiara touches my arm lightly before waving at some of the girls who have spotted her in the corner with me.
My thoughts forgotten, we watch the girls and boys dance their little hearts out, and I’m happy to see the teacher isn’t too strict. There’s still plenty of giggling, laughter, and praise throughout the whole session. All things that are extremely important in this industry, or anywhere, really. Because who doesn’t want to get the occasional pat on the back? Not to mention that life is better with a lot of laughter, even though I’m the first to admit to not having followed that advice very much lately.
At least I finally see things more clearly, even though it hasn’t been easy to admit my mistakes and faults from this last year. Letting myself go the way I did, letting life slip past me. I’m not proud of any of it, but I’m trying to accept it and move on.
What else am I supposed to do? Continue to drown in the negative feelings isn’t an option anymore. The itch to make things better, to do something, keeps getting harder to ignore every day.
The dance lesson is over before I know it, and my heart does a little extra thump when the little ones run to their moms and dads to leave.
Kiara stands up and extends her hand. She’s been uncharacteristically quiet this whole time, letting me have this experience in silence. Taking her hand, I let her pull me up.
She brushes off the bottom of her pants and waves at everyone leaving. “Wasn’t that so much fun? So dang cute. I better get ready for the next class though. Are you gonna stay?”
I laugh at her question. “Definitely not. I don’t think I can handle more than one class a day from you.”
Her shoulders shake when she laughs. “Fair enough. But promise me, you’ll think about my offer, okay? I really meant it.”
“I will, thanks.” My heart thuds, speeding up once more at the sheer thought of taking her up on her offer. Somehow, I manage a smile and a wave as I grab my things, then hightail it out of the studio and back to the house.
Gabe’s locked away in his writing cave like every day when I get home, so I make myself comfortable on the couch in the living room.
“What are you doing?”
My hand flies to my chest, turning around to look at Gabe, who’s standing behind the couch, peering over my shoulder. “Crap. You startled me. I think I’ll get you a little bell to wear so I can hear you whenever you enter a room.”
He chuckles and walks around the couch to sit down next to me, pointing his finger toward the laptop propped up on my lap. “You’re watching dance videos?”
I don’t know what to say so I just nod.
Even though I know I’m not doing anything wrong, it somehow feels like he caught me with my hand in the cookie jar, so to speak. Or maybe I just feel guilty because I made a pact with myself to not do anything dance-related anymore, including watching videos.
On the other hand, I already broke that rule this morning when I watched the little kids dance at the studio.
My thoughts spin in circles, so instead, I focus on Gabe and the laptop he brought with him. “What are you doing?”
He grunts, putting his feet on the coffee table. “My writing time wasn’t very successful, so I was hoping a change of scenery might help. Even though I’m not sure how productive I’ll be today. It feels like pulling teeth, and I stare more at the screen than doing anything else. So, chances of coming up with anything coherent are rather slim anyway.”
Shaking my head at him, I tsk. “Stop talking like that. You know, self-fulfilling prophecy and all that stuff.”
Huffing out a big breath, he lets his head fall on the back of the couch. “Yeah, I guess.”
Something about this moment makes me laugh, the scene almost comical. “Man, we’re quite the team, aren’t we? Now that I think about it, I’m actually not sure who’s worse. Me with my dancing or you with your writing.”
“You might be onto something there. It’s hard when you don’t feel motivated at all.”
Leaning back into the cushions, I tilt my head in his direction, mimicking his position. “Tell me about it.”
“I guess I should at least try and get some more done though, huh?” His gaze stays locked with mine.
My throat suddenly feels tight and I swallow loudly. “Do you mind if I stay here with you when you write?”
Surprise flickers across his face, but before he can respond, I continue talking.
“I’m just so tired of being cooped up by myself the whole time. It gets lonely.” The last words come out in a whisper, and I wonder what’s more pathetic in that moment. Asking to stay with him or admitting I’ve been lonely. It’s not like me to openly lay out my feelings like that.
The corners of his mouth lift up into a gentle smile while his eyes seem to shine with a hint of sadness I try to ignore. We both know I’m not the best at talking about this kind of stuff. “You know I usually can’t write when other people are around, but why not? Can’t get any worse than it already is, right?”
&n
bsp; “Gabe!” I let out an exasperated chuckle, my previous emotions safely locked away again for the moment.
He laughs at the warning in my voice and holds up his hands. “I know, I know. No more negative talk.”
“Good boy.” I wink at him and get another smile in return.
After staring at his laptop for a moment, he turns my way again. “You know what? On second thought, why don’t I call it a day and we can watch a movie together instead? That sounds so much better.”
My eyes are trained on his. He’s only a few feet away, so I keep switching between his left and right eye, unable to focus on only one of them.
We’ve watched a ton of movies together, so the question isn’t unusual.
What is though, is his gaze.
Something about it is different.
It keeps flickering over my face, almost like he’s trying to gauge my reaction by monitoring all of my facial signs. When his gaze lands on my mouth and stays there, my lips open of their own accord as my next breath hitches in my throat.
That little movement jolts him out of his trance and he clears his throat, quickly sitting up. “So, what do you think? You and me and a movie? We can order some pizza for dinner?”
Nodding like a loon, I try not to read anything into this little moment we just shared. “I’d love that.”
Ten
Gabe
Everyone seems to stop and stare at me as I run down Main Street. I silently curse Kiara for sending me cryptic text messages and then not replying when I ask her what’s going on. All she sent was: Come to the studio right now, it’s about Monica. Hurry!!!
What was I supposed to do with something like that?
Of course, my brain would come up with the worst possible scenarios.
Thankfully, Kiara must have come to her senses, sending a simple, She’s okay, no accident, thirty seconds later.
After that, it was radio silence.
That was not enough info for my worried mind or racing heart though.
Which is exactly the reason why I’m sprinting down the sidewalk right now, my feet pounding hard on the pavement.
The yoga studio finally comes into view, and I’m so relieved, I almost run over an older lady who suddenly stopped walking right in front of me. Kiara’s in front of the door, waving her arms when she sees me, a huge smile spreading across her face.
When I come to a stop in front of her, I bend over to catch my breath, feeling like my insides are all jumbled up.
“Goodness, Gabe, did you run all the way here from your house?”
It’s easy to detect the smirk in her voice, so I don’t even bother looking up. “That’s what happens when you send me urgent messages that get me worried.”
After a few deep inhales, I finally feel like I can breathe somewhat normal again. Standing back up to my full height, I watch Kiara as she puts her hands on her hips while cocking an eyebrow at me.
“Why would you be worried? I told you she’s okay.”
It sounds just as accusing as it’s probably meant to be. Looking at her posture, I realize I’m very familiar with her challenging stance. Having so many women in my family, I’ve gotten pretty good at reading their body language. What I’m confronted with right now usually has one message, and one message only.
Caution. Consider your next words very carefully.
Somehow, it has the opposite effect on me and only makes me laugh. Since this could have gone the other way too, I’m thankful when she joins in.
“All right. If Monica is fine, why was it so urgent for me to get here?” I look at her face—her beautiful brown skin, the massive amount of dark hair on her head, and those brown eyes that sparkle playfully. She’s been a really great friend whenever I’m visiting, and we try to stay in touch when I’m not here.
It’s nice to have friends like that in places other than your home.
“Well, I told Monica the other day she can use the studio when it’s not occupied. I didn’t think she’d take the offer, but—”
I don’t let her finish her sentence. I barely contain myself enough from grabbing her by the shoulders to shake her. “You what? Are you telling me she’s actually dancing? Right now?”
Kiara nods with a big smile as I pull her in for a quick hug.
We’ve talked about Monica’s situation before, but I never thought she’d actually achieve anything with my stubborn friend.
“I can’t believe it. You’re an angel.”
She laughs and shakes her head. “I’m not, but thanks. I’m just happy she’s actually doing it. And man, she’s so good. I can’t believe she’s ever thought about quitting. She’s got a real gift.”
“Of course she’s good. She’s absolutely fantastic.” I’m about to push my way past her, not wanting to miss seeing Monica in action, when her next words make me stop in my track.
“My mom told me but I didn’t believe her at first. You’ve really got it bad, don’t you?”
“What?” My thoughts are running a mile a minute, having one goal and one goal only, and that’s getting to Monica. I’m still trying to process all the new information when she grabs my arm.
“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” She pats my upper arm and starts pushing me toward the front door. “Come on, big guy, let’s sneak back in and you can see for yourself. But be quiet.”
I try and calm my steps when, in reality, all I want to do is shake her off and run into the studio.
We go inside and walk past the front desk and the wall of lockers that’s on one side of the big room. Thankfully, no one seems to be around to witness my minor freak-out.
My ears pick up the faint sound of music when Kiara pulls me down a long hallway. We stop in front of the glass door of a large studio space, and my eyes are eager to peek inside.
Even though the studio is unfamiliar to me, and the lights are dimmed, I immediately spot Monica.
Holy crap.
My eyes track her in her black leggings and bright pink top, making it easy to watch her as she dances around the room.
“I have some errands to run, but I’ll be back in a little bit. If you guys leave before I’m back, just make sure you pull the front door all the way closed behind you. It’s locked from the inside.”
Kiara’s words barely register as she pokes me in the arm, but I nod anyway.
She chuckles quietly and mutters something that sounds like, “Hopeless,” as she leaves. At least, I think that’s what it was.
I move closer to the glass, as if that would make any difference. My eyes are focused on Monica and every single one of her movements. A tornado could come through, and I wouldn’t move an inch. Wouldn’t miss a second of this.
Monica’s strawberry-blonde hair is pulled together in a high ponytail, her tight clothes perfectly displaying her athletic body.
Even though I’ve seen videos of her dancing, nothing can do this justice.
Absolutely nothing.
Not only is she graceful and beautiful, but her movements are fluid and smooth, almost like she’s one with the music. The mirrors on both sides of the room only amplify that.
The song is slow and sad, the melancholy of it perfectly portrayed by Monica. Since I’ve watched several of her videos I found online, I know this is a contemporary number.
Watching her takes over my senses, and I don’t realize I opened the door to slip into the room until the door closes behind me with a soft thud.
I’m utterly incapable of staying away, needing to witness this from up closer.
Luckily, Monica is too entranced by the music and her dancing to realize she’s not alone anymore.
Even though I’m only a few feet away from her, I can barely make out her footsteps as they hit the floor. It’s almost like she’s floating, a beautiful bird soaring into the sky, spreading its majestic wings, showing off its beauty to whoever’s lucky enough to pay attention.
The song reaches its peak, speeding up before slowly coming to an end.
&nbs
p; Monica collapses onto the floor the second it’s done, facing away from me. When her shoulders start to shake, a knot forms in my stomach. Just when I get ready to rush to her, loud laughter echoes through the room.
I shouldn’t be surprised. This is crazy Monica we’re talking about, after all.
The old Monica.
A force to be reckoned with and enjoying life.
Absolutely stunning, through and through.
I watch her silently as she lies down on her back. As much as I want to snatch her up and spin her around the room in pure euphoria, I also don’t want to intrude on this moment. I can’t even begin to imagine what this must mean to her, how this must feel to her.
Her chest rises up and down like a well-working machine when she turns her head to the side. Her gaze sways around the room until it lands on me.
“Gabe?” The surprise is written across her whole face as she slowly opens her mouth, only to close it again before saying my name, this time shouting it. “Gabe!”
In one swift move, she hops up and starts running toward me. A few seconds later, I realize that even though she’s getting closer, she’s not slowing down one bit. She’s only a few feet away now, and I brace myself for the approaching impact.
Before I know what’s going on, she’s airborne, leaping right at me.
Leaping right into my arms.
I have no choice but to catch her, stumbling back a few feet before finding my balance again—no thanks to this little spider monkey.
Monica pulls back and looks at me, her hands linked behind my neck, legs wrapped tightly around my hips. Her eyes are wide open, almost sparkling, and I wonder if it’s in shock or in surprise at what just happened.
“Monica, what on earth—”
Before I have a chance to finish my sentence, she closes the distance between us and presses her lips to mine.
Eleven
Monica
The Mitchell Brothers Collection: A Feel-Good Romance Box Set Page 41
