by Raine Thomas
“Hmm. That’s interesting.”
“Maybe if you shared that advice with another instructor, she’d respond better.”
His face fell. “Does that mean you’re not interested in working with her? I’m willing to pay you for your time.”
“I really can’t—”
“Jasmine, can I see you for a minute?” May asked from behind the counter.
“We’re almost done here,” Jasmine said.
“Now.”
Feeling like a child who was about to get in trouble, Jasmine drew herself up, lifted her chin, and said, “Excuse me for one minute,” to Will before rising and walking over to her sister and hissing, “What?”
“What do you mean, what?” May whispered back. “You need money. He’s willing to pay you.”
“To teach a kid to dance,” Jasmine said, as though that explained everything.
“I don’t care if he wants you to paint his house or detail his car. Money’s money, and if he plays professional baseball, he’s got plenty of it.”
“I don’t have time to dedicate to that on top of my therapy and my work here.”
“So cut your hours here. He’ll pay you at least twice what you’re making per hour, I’m certain of it.”
“May, I don’t—”
“How long, exactly, do you want to live in my bedroom with me?”
Jasmine’s jaw set.
“You need money if you want to dance, right?” May pressed. “So go over there and earn it.”
Jasmine tamped down on the rest of her excuses. Her sister was right. Giving dance lessons wasn’t something she’d ever pictured herself doing, but it could give her the financial freedom she needed to achieve her dreams.
Nodding once, she returned to Will’s table. His gaze followed her until she sat back down.
“Do I now owe your sister a favor?” he asked.
She gave him a wry look. “I doubt she’d turn one down. But no. She was merely letting me know that she’d be willing to let me cut some of my hours here so I could have time to work with Katie.”
He smiled. “That’s great.”
“I think this could be an interesting opportunity,” she said. And was surprised she meant it.
“I don’t want you losing any money on this deal, so I’d like to at least cover the cost of your lost hours here. I’m not sure how often kids typically take ballet classes. Any thoughts on what kind of schedule might work best?”
“I wouldn’t recommend much intensive work with kids Katie’s age,” she said. “It can be hard on their knees and feet if you push them too hard. But there are plenty of fun dance activities I think she’d enjoy. We could meet two or three times a week if she wants. I wouldn’t say more than an hour per lesson to start.”
“Sounds good. Does a hundred bucks a lesson sound fair?”
As much as she hated to admit it, she said, “It sounds too high.”
“The cheapest classes I’ve been quoted were twenty bucks an hour, and those were only that cheap because the classes had fifteen or more kids.” Leaning closer to her, he added, “And I’d pay twice what I offered you if it gives me the chance to see that smile on my little girl’s face again.”
A soft sigh caught their attention. They both glanced at May, who had obviously been listening to every word. She abruptly straightened and returned her attention to the bakery case she was packing up. Will looked from her to Jasmine.
“You’ll have to forgive my sister,” she said in an elevated voice. “She’s nosy and always thinks she knows what’s best for me.”
May shot her a look that Jasmine matched with one of her own.
“I get it,” he said. “I’m the youngest of four siblings. It’s like having three more parents.”
They exchanged smiles. She felt something more pass between them…a feeling of connection and awareness. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Do we have a deal?” he asked, extending his hand.
She hesitated as it once again occurred to her that she was about to make one more compromise on the path to becoming a professional dancer. Would this decision somehow derail her?
“Come on,” he urged. “I swear, I won’t ever compare your ass to a keg.”
Her mouth fell open.
He gave her a charming grin. “Too soon?”
Unable to resist, she started laughing. “Fine.” She accepted his handshake. “You’ve got a deal.”
Chapter Nine
They scheduled a trial lesson to take place during Will’s next home stand nearly a week after their meeting at Steamy Beans. It gave him time to work out where they were going to meet for it.
Jasmine had explained that she didn’t have an appropriate dance space in her sister’s duplex where she currently lived, but she did have a freestanding barre she could transport somewhere if she drove her roommate’s SUV. She mentioned the importance of Katie being able to see her reflection during the lesson, stating that a mirrored wall would be ideal. That helped narrow down the space options.
Ultimately, Will recruited his dad’s help. They decided Giuseppe’s would work well as long as his dad made sure it was safe for Katie and Jasmine to be inside. The restaurant had a mirrored wall that hadn’t yet been uninstalled. His dad intended to remove the panels intact if possible so they could sell them or repurpose them for another project.
Depending on how this lesson went, Will might consider adding a mirrored wall to his home gym. He didn’t particularly like watching himself work out, but if it made it easier to host Katie’s lessons, it was an easy enough project. It wasn’t like they could use Giuseppe’s indefinitely.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, Will, he cautioned himself as he pulled into the Giuseppe’s parking lot with Katie.
He still wasn’t convinced he had made the right decision in approaching Jasmine. Despite her statement that she thought this teaching experience would be interesting, he sensed her reservations about working with Katie. He wasn’t sure if that was because of how he had treated her when they first met or something else entirely.
She was frustratingly hard to read. Except the one time she laughed during their conversation at Steamy Beans, she’d shown very little emotion.
It made him wonder for the thirtieth time why Katie had connected with her. He and Katie had met a number of nice, patient instructors in the various dance studios they visited, yet Katie hadn’t lit up over any of them like she did when Will told her he’d found Jasmine and she agreed to work with her.
He could only assume the version of Jasmine his daughter met was different from the one he had now talked to twice. If he’d been a kid, he couldn’t see himself responding to someone as cool and standoffish as Jasmine seemed.
But the bottom line was Katie had responded to her. That was the only reason he hadn’t backed out of this arrangement after giving it serious thought while on his recent road trip. He reminded himself that this was a trial lesson. If any of them was unhappy with how it went, they’d all go on their merry way and he’d just be out a hundred bucks.
No harm, no foul.
He spotted an older model red Jeep Cherokee parked near the door as he pulled into the lot. When he spotted Jasmine behind the wheel, he couldn’t deny his relief. Because he had his own doubts, he’d been worried she would decide this wasn’t worth her while either.
He pulled into the spot beside the Jeep and turned off the truck’s ignition. “You ready?” he asked Katie in the rearview mirror.
She smiled and nodded. The smile alone reassured him that this was the right move.
He got out of the truck and helped Katie down. They walked hand-in-hand around the truck’s hood and waited for Jasmine to get out of the Jeep. Once she did, she smiled and looked from Will to Katie.
“Good morning,” she greeted them.
His stress eased another notch seeing that smile. She still gave off a severe vibe in her black sweatshirt, black workout pants, and coordinating ankle boots, her dark
hair secured in a prim bun. But at least she didn’t seem miserable to be there.
Katie waved to Jasmine, another good sign.
“Morning,” Will said. “Glad you found the place okay. You need help with that barre you mentioned?”
“Sure.”
Releasing Katie’s hand, he said, “Stay up on the sidewalk, okay?”
Once he got her nod, he walked around to the back of the Jeep as Jasmine opened it. He reached in and pulled out a bunch of poles of varying lengths. They were bound together with Velcro strips. Jasmine reached in after him and pulled out a bag full of black plastic pieces.
“Some assembly required,” she explained.
“No problem,” he said. Putting things together was one of his specialties.
He carried the poles to the building’s entrance and propped them against the wall so he could unlock the door. After opening the door and giving the entryway a quick scan, he confirmed the space was clear of debris or anything else that could harm any of them before letting Jasmine and Katie inside.
“What is this place?” Jasmine asked.
He watched her look around the expansive open area that had once been the main dining room and bar as he carried the poles closer to the mirrored wall to their left. He wondered if she was intrigued by the potential of the unfinished space like he was or put off by the state of disrepair.
“It’s one of the projects I’m working on with my dad,” he explained, laying the poles on the ground and removing the Velcro. “We have a property investment company. This is one of the buildings we’re working on refurbishing and selling at the moment.”
When he held out a hand, she gave him the bag of plastic pieces. “I wouldn’t have guessed you have time to do things like this,” she said. “Isn’t baseball pretty demanding?”
He nodded as he started assembling the poles. “Sure, but we have an off-season. And let’s face it, I won’t be playing baseball forever. Campbell Investments is my future. I’m lucky to have my dad managing it right now while I’m playing ball.”
It took him no time at all to get the barre assembled. He inserted the longest pole last and stepped back, giving it a testing tug before considering it done. When he looked at Jasmine, she was studying him with her dark, inscrutable eyes.
“I’m impressed,” she said.
Looking back at the barre, he said, “It’s nothing. I like building things.”
One of her finely arched eyebrows lifted. “I didn’t mean the barre, though I am impressed you put it together so quickly without instructions. I meant your plans for the future.”
“Oh.”
She set down the black gym bag she’d been toting on her shoulder. “But enough grown-up talk. Dance isn’t about talking, right Katie?”
Katie nodded.
Will’s lips parted.
“Are we okay to use these?” Jasmine asked, walking over to a high stack of wood chairs currently waiting to be taken to a charity for donation.
It took Will a couple seconds to shake himself out of his a-ha moment. “Sure,” he said when she glanced over at him.
He moved over to help her pull a couple chairs from the stack that was almost as tall as she was. After he set them on the ground, she scooted them forward a couple of feet so they weren’t too close to the stack. Then she carried her bag over to them and set it on the ground.
“These chairs are for me and Katie to use to gear up and take breaks,” she said. “I’m not sure if you want to sit and watch the lesson, but you might want a chair if you do.”
“I’ll admit I’m curious,” he said, pulling down another chair. “I want to do a walk-through of the space while you’re getting ready, if you’re okay with that. I haven’t been in here since we bought the place.”
“Fine with me.” She sat in one of the chairs and unzipped her bag.
Katie looked from her to Will. He caught the uncertainty in her eyes telling him she didn’t want him to leave the room. He also saw Jasmine watching her and arriving at the same conclusion.
“Katie,” she said, “do you want to go with your dad or come and try these on?”
She held up what looked like two balls of pink leather bound with crisscrossed elastic straps. Katie’s eyes widened. Without another glance in Will’s direction, she hurried over and took the seat beside Jasmine.
He wasn’t sure whether to feel slighted or ecstatic. When he saw Katie’s smile again, he had his answer.
“Well, I’ll just…” He aimed a thumb toward a doorway in the back of the room and took a few steps in that direction.
Jasmine followed the gesture with a look over her shoulder and nodded before returning her focus to Katie. “These were my first ballet shoes,” she explained as Katie tugged off her sneakers and socks. “I was about your age when I took my first lesson. Like you, I fell in love with it right away. My mom kept these as a memento, and now I keep them to remind me of that feeling I had as a child.”
Will stopped in his progress toward the door. He wasn’t sure what to think that Jasmine was allowing Katie to wear what was essentially one of her treasured childhood keepsakes. The generous gesture made him reassess his initial impression of her.
“If you decide you still like ballet after this lesson, we’ll need to talk to your dad about getting you some tights and leotards. And a pair of your own ballet slippers, of course.”
She exchanged smiles with Katie. He felt an unexpected pang in his chest as he stared at their profiles.
What the hell?
“I’d like to help you with the first shoe,” she told Katie. “The elastic can be a little tricky.”
Katie nodded and stuck out her bare foot. Jasmine held the elastic bands apart and maneuvered the slipper into place.
“There. It’s meant to be snug. You don’t want loose material making you trip or slip.”
Katie lifted her jean-clad leg and wiggled her foot. Her head bobbed in apparent agreement.
“Here’s the other one,” Jasmine said, handing it to her. “Let me know if you need help.”
They both bent to put on their shoes. He noted Jasmine’s were close in style to Katie’s but without the elastic straps. He’d expected the fancy pink ballet shoes with laces up the calves.
“Very good,” Jasmine said. “As I mentioned, ballerinas typically wear leotards and tights. I didn’t expect you to have those, so we’ll make do for today. Are you wearing a T-shirt under that sweater?”
Katie nodded and started removing the sweater. Jasmine pulled off her sweatshirt to reveal a black leotard underneath it. His eyebrows lifted in admiration as he took in the sight of her nicely toned shoulders and arms. She clearly took her training seriously.
“Next we need to put your hair in a bun,” she said, giving Katie’s usual ponytail a careful study. “I brought you a hair tie because I remembered your hair was tied with a rubber band last time I saw you. Those aren’t good for your hair. Are you okay with me taking that out and putting your hair up with this?”
She held up a black fabric-covered band. Katie nodded and turned slightly so Jasmine had easier access. Jasmine reached up and snapped the rubber band, placing the broken piece into her bag. Then she gathered Katie’s hair so she could twist it into a high bun, making it look easy.
Will was sure he wouldn’t accomplish it without weeks of practice.
It finally occurred to him that he was just standing there watching females style their hair. He shook his head at himself and left the room as quietly as he could, grateful the wood floors were high enough quality that they didn’t give him away by squeaking.
The walk-through didn’t take him long. He wanted to reacquaint himself with the space since it had been a couple months since they purchased it. Campbell Investments usually tried to flip properties as quickly as possible. In this case, they were taking the time to decide what would be the most lucrative way to finish it for selling.
The former dining area was by far the largest space. It could ea
sily be converted into multiple sections. Maybe some offices, he mused, or retail with dressing rooms, checkout counters, and additional storage. The bathrooms, manager’s office, and private dining room would be useful in any environment, but they needed updating. The kitchen could be downsized and repurposed into a break room. The remaining space was flexible depending on which direction they took.
He made a few notes in his phone, jotting down ideas and questions to review with his dad later. Then he headed back to the front to see how the lesson was going.
The strains of some kind of classical music reached him before he entered the room. He didn’t immediately see Katie and Jasmine from beyond the stacks of chairs. When he reached the chair he’d pulled down for himself, he saw them standing at the barre, facing the mirror.
He was pretty sure his eyes nearly plopped out of his head.
Jasmine was performing a standing split. Her long legs, now covered in tights rather than the baggy pants, made one straight vertical line. Her right hand grasped the barre while her left hand grasped her calf in the air, leaving her torso curved in an elegant arch.
“So that’s the second position stretch,” Jasmine said, lowering her leg. “But as I said, that will come later. Our barre work will be much more basic to start.”
She spotted him as he dropped down into his chair. He did his best to close his gaping mouth.
“All done?” she asked.
“Yep.”
Thank God she didn’t ask him anything else. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to find his voice again.
Jesus. She was magnificent.
There was no doubt Jasmine was a beautiful woman. He’d acknowledged that the moment he was no longer looking at her through the overprotective dad haze from their first meeting. She had dark, lustrous hair, a flawless porcelain complexion, high cheekbones, and almond-shaped brown eyes that hinted at Asian heritage somewhere in the mix. She was lithe and slender, her every movement a study in grace and precision.
And she had fucking killer legs.
He had noticed that too when they saw each other at Steamy Beans. He’d barely been able to take his eyes off them as she made her way around the bar in the black skirt she’d been wearing. He hadn’t been alone, either. Nearly every male left in the place had given those legs more than one glance while he’d been there.
