Kissing the Debutant (The Dangers of Dating a Diva Book 3)

by Michelle MacQueen

  “You know I don’t think—”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Jack cut her off, the tense line of his jaw like a chiseled rock sent her stomach sinking to her toes. The brief satisfaction she got from the look on her mother’s face wasn’t worth the look on Jack’s face now. She shouldn’t have subjected him to this place.

  When the last of the couples were introduced, the music began, and Lillian stepped into Jack’s arms. The familiar feel of his hand on her waist set her at ease, but he still wouldn’t look at her.

  The simple waltz was second nature to both of them, and they moved with the kind of grace only partners could achieve. It was a reminder of how far they’d come and how hard they had worked as a team. A reminder of how much she trusted him.

  As they moved together around the dance floor, Jack pulled her closer and picked up their pace, leading her into an elegant turn with an extra tap out to their footwork.

  She caught her mother’s mortified look and stepped back into the traditional waltz, leading Jack back on track. “We’re supposed to stay in sync with the others,” she murmured. “It’s not the time or place for anything creative.” She’d made her point, but she owed it to her mother to save face and live up to the expectations of the proper debutant. Jack would understand. Once this dance was over, they could slip out, and no one would notice. Her mother would probably be the last person to realize she’d left.

  “Well, clearly, I wouldn’t know what’s proper or not.” Jack frowned at her, his eyes shining with hurt and confusion. “But that’s probably why you brought me here, isn’t it?”

  “No, Jack. That’s not it—”

  “Whatever, Lil. It’s fine. You wanted to suck the wind out of your mother’s sails. Congrats. Job well done. She’s sufficiently humiliated by the blue collar townie her debutant daughter brought to the ball.”

  20

  Jack

  The dancing was over, so why were they still here?

  This was a mistake.

  Jack had known it the moment he set foot inside this stuffy country club. He didn’t belong here. He’d tried covering up his desire to run far, far away with jokes, and even succeeded in making Lillian laugh, reminding him why he was here.

  For her.

  Only for her.

  But as they stood chatting with the other debutants, he wondered if the girl he knew from the Twin Rivers dance studio could possibly be the same girl fake laughing at the ridiculous words of the girls in front of her.

  “Lillian,” a brunette said—he couldn’t remember all their names. “This summer you must come out to the lake with us. My father’s estate is the perfect place to forget the fact that you’ve been exiled to Siberia for the last four years.”

  Jack waited for Lillian to contradict her friend, to tell her Twin Rivers wasn’t so bad, that it was home, but those words never came. Instead, Lillian shared a knowing smile with her.

  Everything made so much sense. Since walking down those steps with the overdone introduction, he hadn’t been able to pinpoint why he was so irritated.

  It wasn’t with this place or the constant looks of disdain directed his way. He didn’t care what other people thought of him.

  But Lillian… had she told her mom Jack was from the academy?

  “I’m going to get something to drink.” He mumbled the words, not sure if anyone heard him.

  Lillian didn’t stop as he turned to walk toward the bar. They weren’t serving alcohol to minors, of course, but he needed something sugary to clear his mind. Something none of these Stepford people would approve of.

  “I’ll take a Coke.” He nodded to the bartender, the only person in this entire room who didn’t look at him like he wondered why he was there.

  The bartender set a Coke on the bar. “You are the only person to order a soda today.”

  Jack offered him a tight smile and turned just as a tall, blond guy in what looked like a designer suit walked up. “Jackson, right?” He gave him a dazzling smile and stuck his hand out. “I’m Corrigan. Landon Corrigan.” He winked like his Bond joke was hilarious.

  Jack didn’t want to be rude, so he took his hand. “Jack, not Jackson. Just Jack.”

  Landon nodded and released him. “Mrs. Preston told me to come and talk to you, and that woman scares me.”

  Jack laughed. He’d successfully avoided the dragon lady all evening. “You and me both.”

  “She says you might be interested in coming to play water polo at Dartmouth after you graduate. It’s a little late to apply, but my father would be happy to use his influence to—”

  “Why?” Jack straightened, trying not to let the anger at Mrs. Preston’s assumptions overwhelm him. “You don’t even know me.”

  “Well, yes, but I’ve known Lillian my entire life. Last year, I was her date to this ball. Truth be told, I’d have said yes again this year if she’d asked.”

  Jack’s eyes found Lillian across the room. She looked so comfortable, so in her element. “And you think she needs a Dartmouth polo player?”

  Landon laughed, obviously thinking it was a joke. “Lillian Preston needs to be reminded she doesn’t belong in that little town you two go to school in. That she will grow up and leave it and everything in it behind.” His eyes lost their kindness as he scrutinized Jack. Somehow, this guy knew. Jack was sure of it.

  He knew Lillian had lied to her mother about who Jack was, that she was embarrassed to be here with him.

  “Excuse me.” Jack took his Coke, and walked away, wishing he had Mia by his side making ridiculous jokes about Jack and Coke.

  She was his people. His family was who he belonged with. For a brief moment, he’d thought Lillian belonged with them too.

  Every kiss was stolen time. The night with his family was only a fantasy.

  He’d wondered which side of Lillian was real. Was it the determined ballerina who wouldn’t eat junk food and argued with him when they first met?

  Or was it the shy girl who loved to dance, the one who sighed into his kisses and smiled at his brother and sister?

  “There you are.” Lillian walked toward him. “I didn’t know where you’d gone.”

  “I told you I needed a drink.” He held up his Coke.

  “Can we talk?” She ran a hand down his arm before threading their fingers together. “Please?”

  Her eyes told him she knew he was upset. Maybe she’d sensed it in his stiff dancing or his silence as she made the social rounds. Whatever clued her in, reminded him that this girl did know him, and he knew her. His shoulders relaxed, and he leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “Yeah, we can talk.”

  She smiled against his lips, deepening the kiss. And Jack let her, wondering how many more times he’d get to do this.

  A throat clearing had them breaking apart to face Mrs. Preston.

  A scowl flitted across her features. “Lillian, show some decorum. This is not the place.”

  “Sorry, Mom.” Lillian cast her eyes to the ground.

  Her mother huffed. “Now, I’ve managed to mitigate some of the social damage by fibbing on this boy’s introduction. But if you insist on acting like you have no class, it will all be for naught.” Her hard eyes scanned his ill-fitted suit.

  Jack opened his mouth to say something, but shut it when Lillian’s hand squeezed his tighter. He’d hoped what he’d seen in the dance studio was an aberration. That Lillian’s mom didn’t treat her so poorly on a normal basis, and that Lillian didn’t let her.

  But the strong girl he’d known seemed to wither and fade when faced with her mom.

  “Thank you.” Lillian’s voice was so small Jack almost missed the words. She cleared her throat, and that was when he realized she was thanking her mother for lying about who he was. “We were going to leave before the dinner.”

  “That’s a good idea.” The older woman pursed her lips.

  Jack slipped his hand from Lillian’s and took a step back. Lillian’s promise of cheeseburgers wasn’t
to appease him, but to hide away from the rest of the people in this room.

  Mrs. Preston surveyed her daughter. “Dear, straighten your shoulders. You are a Preston, now act like it. Next weekend, I need you to come home for a charity function. Landon Corrigan has offered to escort you. I’m on the board, and my daughter must be present.”

  “Mom.” Lillian’s eyes widened. “Next weekend…” She didn’t finish her sentence.

  Jack didn’t know who it was standing next to him, but it sure wasn’t Lillian. “Mrs. Preston, Lil is competing next weekend.” She couldn’t have forgotten.

  Mrs. Preston sighed. “Ah, yes, your little competition. Dear, hasn’t this gone on long enough? You don’t even have a proper choreographer. How do you expect to win?”

  A proper choreographer. Jack wanted to say something more, to tell this woman what he really thought, but Lillian clamped a hand down on his arm.

  “Okay, Mom. Jack and I are going to leave now since dinner is about to start.”

  She nodded. “I’ll ring you this week so we can discuss wardrobe for the event.”

  “Sure, Mom.”

  Lillian turned, dragging Jack with her. She didn’t stop and didn’t release him until she walked down the long hall to where the debutants had left their belongings.

  Without a word, she started collecting her things. “I’m dying to get out of this dress.” She shot him a smile as if none of that had just happened and stepped into the dressing rooms to change.

  Jack wasn’t sure what to say. Had Lillian just given up on her competition? Did she let her mom dictate everything she did?

  And this Landon guy… he’d offered to be her date? On a night Lillian was there with Jack?

  None of it made any sense at first, but then it did. And the sense he’d started making of it hurt.

  Lillian emerged from the fancy dressing room wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, the fluffy white dress draped over one arm and her heels dangling from her fingertips. “You ready?”

  With a shake of his head, he turned and led her out to the parking lot where his beat-up old Jeep stood out like a beacon among the expensive cars. A beacon of embarrassment.

  That’s what he was, wasn’t he? An embarrassment to Mrs. Preston, to Lillian.

  All he wanted in that moment was to get home where no one looked at him like a dirt stain they wanted to scrub free.

  Lillian slid into his car and shoved her things in the back.

  As Jack pulled out of the lot, he didn’t know what to say.

  All he knew was he hadn’t deserved tonight. He hadn’t deserved the looks and the lies.

  “I will never be an academy water polo player.” His voice came out low, rough.

  Lillian laughed until she looked at the pained expression on his face. “I know that.”

  “Tell me the truth, Lil. Did you bring me here to make some kind of point with your mom?”

  She leaned her head against the window and released a breath. “No. Yes, I mean. Yes, but that wasn’t—”

  He cut off her words by swerving the car to the side of the two lane country road leading from the club. He couldn’t have this conversation while he sat so close to her. Getting out, he slammed his door with a curse.

  Rolling fields surrounded them, and the only light was from the full moon overhead.

  Gravel crunched under Lillian’s feet as she rounded the car. “You need to let me explain.”

  He grunted but didn’t stop her.

  “My mom has been trying to set me up with the boys of this town for months, looking for the perfect escort. I finally snapped and told her I had one but that he was from the academy.”

  He leaned back against his car and kicked his foot against a rock. “Why didn’t you find an academy boy?” They were more her speed.

  “Do you know me at all, Jack? I’m not good with people. Until Wylder and Devyn, I didn’t have a single friend at school. I didn’t see you coming. I never thought in a million years someone like you would be interested in someone like me.”

  “Someone like me?” He snorted. “Poor? Uncultured? A sad excuse for a choreographer?” As her mom would say.

  “No.” She closed the distance between them, stopping in front of him but not reaching out. “I don’t think any of those things about you.” Tears shone in her eyes, and he hated that he’d made her cry. That he couldn’t make it better.

  “I’m not good with lies, Lil.”

  “It’s not a lie. You’re kind, Jack. And talented, so talented I don’t even think you realize it. I don’t care that your Jeep is falling apart or that the Ivy League is not in your future.”

  “But your world cares.” He rubbed a hand across his face, exhaustion weighing him down. “And that’s what matters, isn’t it? High school will be over soon, and we won’t be able to pretend dance is the most important thing connecting us.” His chest tightened as the words left his mouth. “Your solo dance is finished. It’s perfect, Lil, but it means you don’t need me anymore.”

  “Jack.” Her voice shook.

  He put a hand on each of her shoulders, knowing this was for the best. That he was doing the right thing. Lillian didn’t belong in his world any more than he belonged in hers. She was going to be a great dancer if that was what she wanted.

  He bent to look her in the eye. “I need you to make me two promises.”

  She nodded wordlessly.

  “Don’t let your mom take this competition from you. You’ve worked too hard, and you’re too good.”

  She swallowed. “And the second?”

  He smiled, trying to keep his heart from beating right out of his chest. “Always remember, dancing is supposed to be fun.”

  Tears slipped from her eyes, and he pulled her into a hug. She gripped his shirt like it was her lifeline. His own eyes glassed over.

  One day, he’d remember the short time he’d had with the pretty ballerina, the girl who was too good for him, but chose him anyway.

  And maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much.

  But right now, as he kissed her forehead and told himself this was for the best, he wasn’t so sure.

  21

  Jack

  Jack pushed a french fry across his plate, creating whorls of ketchup around the cheddar burger he didn’t feel like eating.

  “Dude, who kicked your puppy?” Mia snatched the fry from his hand and popped it in her mouth.

  “I’m fine.” Jack leaned back against the smooth vinyl booth of their regular table at the Main.

  “I’ve never seen you struggle with girl trouble, so you need to spill it. What happened at that fancy ball thing?”

  “Nothing.” Jack ran a hand through his hair.

  “That sad sappy look on your face isn’t nothing.”

  “It’s just…” Jack picked up the cold burger, taking a huge bite. “I’m not good enough for her.”

  “I’m sorry, what was that crap you just said? I’m sure I didn’t hear you correctly because it sounded like you said you’re not good enough for her.”

  “It just became abundantly clear that I don’t belong in her world.” Jack shrugged, taking another tasteless bite of his favorite cheeseburger.

  “Maybe her world of debutant balls isn’t your thing, but that girl adores you, and what she thinks is all that matters.” Mia narrowed her dark eyes at him. “Don’t put words in her mouth if some rich jerk-face said something douchey. It doesn’t mean she agrees.”

  “The fact that she brought me there just to make her mom mad might change your high opinion of her.” Jack drained the Coke in his glass, refusing to meet his best friend’s gaze.

  “Even if she did, it doesn’t change how she feels about you.”

  Jack slammed his fist on the table. “You weren’t there, Mia.” He took a breath, horrified by the threat of tears in his eyes. “She told her mother I was the rising star of the Defiance Academy polo team. She was ashamed of me. I’m a confident guy, but I don’t think I should have to stand there and hear m
y girlfriend make up stories about me to make me sound better.”

  Mia reached for his hand. “You know I’ve got your back, right? I am always and will always be team Jack. But Lillian is good for you. She shares a creative passion with you that no one else understands. Don’t throw that away over a misunderstanding.”

  “Thanks, but it wasn’t a misunderstanding.” Jack squeezed her hand. It felt good to have her support, but she wasn’t there. She didn’t see how Lillian was with her mother.

  “Jack…” Mia bit her bottom lip. “Don’t be an idiot! Talk to her before you let this tear you apart.”

  Jack shook his head. “I heard everything I needed to hear the night of the ball.” And he hadn’t talked to Lillian since.

  “Was it that bad?” Mia winced.

  “Worse.” Jack leaned back against the booth. “I’ve never felt so self-conscious before. I’m Jack. The guy who drives a beater Jeep. The guy who will go to trade school or community college if he’s lucky. But I’m the guy who owns it. I know who I am, Mia. I love my family, and I’m proud of my simple roots. But for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel good enough. I don’t want to be with someone who makes me feel that way.”

  “Awe, Jacky.” Mia reached for his hand. “I’m sorry.” She glanced over her shoulder and without missing a beat called for his mom across the diner. “Cara, your son is an idiot man-child.”

  “Mia, don’t bring my mom into this,” Jack whisper-shouted. He would die before he would tell his mother what happened at the ball. She didn’t need that kind of guilt in her life, and he wouldn’t be the one to make her feel guilty.

  “Well, I know he’s not an idiot.” Cara came to stand by their table. “But I can’t deny the man-child bit. What’s he done now?”

  “Mom,” Jack groaned.

  “He messed things up with Lillian. Tell him to fix it.”

  “I wasn’t the one who messed things up,” Jack said. “It’s not my mess.”

  “Jack Butler, you fix it. That girl is a sweetheart, and she wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Cara put her hands on her hips.