by Alexis Daria
“It won’t hold a candle to ours.” Pride—for her, for their dance—made him feel ten feet tall. Kevin and Lauren wouldn’t be able to match them, especially since the rumba was a dance of love, and he was totally fucking in love with Gina. He’d been falling for her since the moment she’d walked into the Nielson HQ clearing and taught him the waltz on the back porch. He’d fought it for a while, but he couldn’t lie to himself any longer.
Damn, and his mom and four of his siblings were in the audience. They would say something, for sure. He was in for a lot of shit-talking when he got back to Alaska.
The thought of going back home should have cheered him up. It didn’t. Going back to Alaska meant leaving Gina.
They watched Lauren and Kevin’s dance on the Sparkle Parlor’s screens. Technically, their rumba was perfect. Kevin was a great choreographer, and Lauren did every move with precision. But Stone had been dancing long enough—and watching the others every week—that he could see how their rumba differed from his and Gina’s.
There was something forced about the way Lauren conveyed feeling. As someone who’d been faking emotion on camera for four years, it was glaringly obvious to him. She made the faces, smiling when she should smile and scowling when the dance style called for it, but she was acting, not feeling.
Then there was the fact that she and Kevin had absolutely no sexual chemistry
Dance was about flirtation, sex, and intimacy. His training with Gina had shown him that, and not just because of their physical relationship. Gina had insisted he show emotion and vulnerability, which had been hard at the beginning, but he had to admit it made a difference. A good dance told a story of two people who connected on a level deeper than words.
Kevin and Lauren didn’t have that. At all. So, while Lauren didn’t miss a step, she also didn’t stir any sort of emotional reaction within him, and she wasn’t likely to do so with the judges, either.
The dance ended. Stone clapped, watching closely while Lauren and Kevin went to receive their comments from the judges. He bit back a smug grin as Mariah pointed out that their dance didn’t make her feel anything.
The scoreboard flashed, showing the combined scores for the night for all three couples. Stone’s heart leaped. He was on the top, with a perfect score. Jackson was three points below, and Lauren was in third place, with ninety-four percent average.
Holy shit. Maybe they could win this.
Gina appeared at his side. “Viewer votes from last week,” she said in a low voice. “That’s what will make or break us.”
“I believe in us.”
She didn’t reply, but her lips pursed. The unspoken I don’t cut deep.
It all came down to Donna’s gamble. Would airing the kiss turn the viewers against them, as Gina thought, or would it draw the audience into the love story?
When he’d arrived in Los Angeles, he’d sworn to avoid the drama and the media circus at all costs. Now he was neck deep and playing to win.
Was it worth it, though? Even if they won the trophy, he’d lost Gina. He’d hoped they could try some sort of long distance relationship, but after his misstep with the kiss footage, she’d made it clear they were done.
One of the ubiquitous stage managers appeared to usher them to the stage. They’d gone through it in dress rehearsal. The third-place winner would be chosen first, then they’d break for commercial, then the first-place winner would be named, and the hideous glittery trophy would be bestowed on the season fourteen champion.
If he won, someday he’d have his own house and place the gaudy thing on his mantle, front and center.
On second thought, it would only remind him of Gina. His mother could have it.
They took their place on the stage under the spotlights. Stone put an arm around Gina’s shoulders from behind, holding her against him. Was she as nervous as he was? While Juan Carlos talked, Stone closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to Gina’s hair. He filled his nose and lungs with her tropical scent.
“Gina?”
“Not now.”
“When?”
She didn’t answer. Did that mean never?
Juan Carlos threw out an arm toward the stage. “And that makes our third-place winner . . .” He drew it out. The music turned low and menacing. “Jackson and Lori!” The music lifted and soared, the crowd cheered, and Gina and Stone shifted to give Jackson and Lori hugs before they ran off the stage.
“I told you,” Gina muttered when they took their places again. “It was always Lauren and Kevin.”
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Don’t give up on me now.”
Her shoulders tensed, and her voice came out breathy and raw. “Please don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
When the show cut to a commercial, Gina broke away from him to hug Lori again.
This time, when the spotlights came back up, he rested his hands on Gina’s shoulders, needing to anchor himself. “I’m not trying to make this harder for you. I just—I’m nervous, okay?”
She put her hand over one of his and squeezed. “Don’t be. No matter what, you’re going to walk away from this a star.”
“Not if Lauren destroys my show.”
“You’ll recover. Men always do.”
She was talking about them, and the impact their relationship might have on her career.
The music lowered once again. Juan Carlos called out, “And the first-place winner and champion of season fourteen of The Dance Off is . . .”
The cameras were right on them. Stone closed his eyes and gripped Gina’s shoulders tight.
“ . . . Stone and Gina!”
Stone’s eyes flew open.
Under his hands, Gina jerked. “What?”
The word was echoed from their left, where Lauren stared at them with wide, disbelieving eyes.
“You won!” Kevin yelled.
Gina appeared to be in shock. Everyone rushed them while Juan Carlos shouted for Lauren and Kevin to join him for an interview. Stone lifted Gina in his arms. She clung to him, gasping for air.
Her voice shook. “Did I hear that right? Did we win?”
“We won.” He kissed her temple.
When she pulled back, her smile was sad. “You were right. Congratulations.”
Shit. He didn’t want to be right. He wanted her.
The others reached them, showering them in hugs, kisses, and congratulations. It was overwhelming. Everywhere he looked, another smiling face. He lost Gina in the crowd. After a minute, he heard Juan Carlos yelling for him.
“Gina?” Stone searched for her amid the sparkling, glittering mob. Wading in, he grabbed her hand and tugged her off the stage. As they passed Kevin and Lauren, they paused to wish them well. Lauren grabbed his ass. He reared back, startled, and she gave him a saucy wink.
“Congrats,” she said, pouting her painted lips. “Enjoy the spotlight it while it lasts.” Then she was swept off in the crowd and he was at Juan Carlos’ side. In the host’s hands was The Dance Off’s trophy.
“You two have earned this,” Juan Carlos said. “Congratulations!”
Stone took the gold trophy, which was encrusted with mirrored rhinestones forming the silhouette of a dancing couple. It was disgusting. He’d treasure it forever.
“Here,” he said, turning to Gina. “Hold this.”
Her face lit up when she took it, but the light was still tempered by sadness. Once she had the trophy, he gripped her by the waist and lifted her up to sit on one of his shoulders. She let out a startled giggle, then, smiling wide, she raised the trophy over her head and let out a cheer.
It should have been beautiful. It should have been the most beautiful moment in his life, to have delivered this win to the woman he loved, and to help her achieve her dream.
Instead, this was the end.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The next twelve hours were a whirlwind. From greeting fans, posing for photos, and rushing through interviews, to boarding The Dance Off’s privat
e jet for an overnight flight to New York City, Gina didn’t have a second to breathe. Being packed into the little plane with the other finalists and four of the other pro dancers—including Natasha, thank goodness—didn’t leave a lot of room for self-reflection or dwelling on her problems.
Delirium set in halfway through the flight. Gina didn’t remember landing or the party bus ride from the airport to the Morning Mix studio—but there were lots of selfies and videos posted on social media, so she’d piece it together later.
After arriving in the jeans she’d worn on the plane, she signed autographs for the fans gathered outside the studio building, then hurried inside to change into a dance costume. One quick group routine later, and she was dressed in her TV outfit—tight black pants, a sequined silver tank, and heels.
Exhaustion tugged at her limbs, but euphoria and adrenaline kept her focused. She laughed when she was supposed to laugh, answered questions with charm and humor, and showed off the trophy.
The last time she’d been here, she’d been so excited. Now, she couldn’t wait for it to be over.
Then, of course, the conversation took a turn.
“Gina,” said one of the hosts. “You and Stone had an interesting moment before the semi-finals. We have a clip.”
On the big screen behind them, they replayed the kiss footage. Gina’s stomach knotted, but she kept her smile in place.
The host grinned. “Want to tell us what that was all about?”
She fed them the line her agent had given her. “We were practicing a bit for a dance. Obviously, we decided not to use it.”
The hosts murmured, and one of the others leaned in with a glint in her eye. “Come on, Gina. You can tell us. Is Stone a good kisser or what?”
The arm Stone had thrown around her shoulders stiffened. Through sheer force of will, Gina continued to smile.
“Yes, he is.” She held up her hands when everyone burst into laughter. “What? I can’t lie.”
Stone covered his face with his hands.
Satisfied, the hosts transitioned to the next segment.
Gina turned to Stone, who was staring at her. He shook his head, giving her a half-smirk.
Her heart thumped. She wanted to poke him and joke around. She wanted to know they could hang out afterward and rehash this whole crazy experience, like they had every week after each episode.
But she couldn’t. Whatever TV magic had captivated them was over. The spell was broken. They were two very different people with very different lives, and they were returning to the lives they’d had before they met each other, to the hopes and dreams that had propelled them toward The Dance Off in the first place, and continuing down separate tracks.
A few more interviews, and then they would reach the end of the line.
* * *
When all was said and done, Gina stood on the sidewalk with Stone and the other cast members. He was getting on the party bus to the airport, to catch a ride back to LA on the private jet, and from there to Alaska. His luggage had already been sent to Juneau.
It was hard to embrace the truth, that this was really it. It was always a shock to end a season, but not like this. She’d never made it this far—to the finals, to winning—and she’d never gotten so close to one of her partners.
Never fallen in love with one.
She hated the word, had avoided it the whole of her adult life. And here she was, unable to think of anything else that encompassed the depth of her feeling for him.
Putting off their goodbye, she focused on everyone else first.
Natasha gave her a big hug.
“I wish you were coming with me,” Gina said.
Natasha shrugged and let out an exasperated huff. “If my mother wanted to see me, she’d return my messages. I’m not going to just show up at her apartment. And for what? So we can fight? No thanks.”
“My mom and sister would love to see you.”
Tash cracked a smile. “Give them my love.”
“I will.”
They hugged again, then Natasha got on the bus.
Gina turned around, and Stone was standing behind her. He held his arms out. Before she could question the wisdom of her actions, she stepped into his embrace and hugged him hard.
One more couldn’t hurt.
It did, though. Oh, it did hurt. Her chest tightened, and her eyes got hot, like they wanted to spill tears. She breathed deep, filling her nose and lungs and memory with the fresh, wild scent of him, which he’d somehow never lost after three months in Los Angeles. He was so warm, his chest hard beneath her cheek. His arms, big and strong around her body, squeezed her close. Ready and willing to protect her from everything.
Except for the distance he was about to put between them. She’d always known it was inevitable, and it was stupid of her to have let herself fall so deep and so hard.
She eased back. Met his eyes. “Have a good trip back to Alaska.”
He gave her a long, steady look. His mouth opened, then he shook his head, like he was going to say something then changed his mind. “Break a leg. In the audition, I mean.”
“I know what you meant.” She fought back the nervous smile that tugged at her lips. Tried to think of something else to say. Found nothing. “I guess . . . this is it.”
Again, he opened his mouth, paused, and closed it. The awkward silence stretched between them, pulling taut, trying to drag them together. Her stomach muscles tensed against the need to close the distance. To hug him one more time. To kiss him even though they were surrounded by people.
Why the fuck was she resisting so hard?
Stone exhaled, his massive shoulders rising and falling. “Bye, Gina.” His voice was low, almost sad.
“Bye, Stone.” She held back everything else she wanted to say to him and collected to pieces of her broken heart as he boarded the bus.
Well, the show must go on.
After making sure her sunglasses and Yankees cap were in place, Gina gathered her emotional shields, grabbed the handle of her suitcase and headed for the casting office.
It was completely ridiculous to be nervous. Over the course of her career, Gina had been to plenty of auditions. Hell, she’d even attended auditions at the exact rehearsal space in the Garment District where she was meeting Hector Oquendo and the Bronx Girl team. Still, her skin hummed with anticipation as she rode the elevator up, fingers clenching on the handle of her rolling suitcase like it was a lifeline.
When the elevator let her out, she checked the map in the reception area for the room number her agent had emailed her. Heart pounding, she made her way through a maze of hallways that smelled of floor cleaner, dodging people in dance and workout gear who were reading lines and trying to act cool, like they weren’t all nervous and intimidated, too. For once, Gina didn’t have to worry about any of them. She was the only one auditioning for this role. It was hers to lose.
No pressure.
When she found the correct room, she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. All the stress of the past few weeks—dealing with Donna, breaking up with Stone, winning The Dance Off, and jumping through verbal hoops on Morning Mix—had left her utterly worn out. Really, she wanted to sleep for a week. Or six. But this was the chance of a lifetime. It was exactly what she’d wanted, ever since she was a kid. If she got this role, and if Bronx Girl did well, she was set. She couldn’t let her mind be consumed by . . . everything else.
Stone.
It tore her up inside to think about him. He wouldn’t be on the plane yet. In a movie, this would be the moment where she dropped everything and raced to the airport to stop him from leaving.
But this was New York City. One did not race to the airports. One sat in traffic, or squashed onto the train or bus, hugging their suitcase between their knees and praying the security line wasn’t bonkers.
And anyway, he had his life to get back to. Just like she had hers.
She pushed the door open.
Holy mother of . . .
Meli was there.
Gina’s jaw dropped. Meli stood with a group of people at the far end of the rehearsal room, gathered around a rectangular folding table. Meli’s brown hair was swept into a high ponytail, and she wore a white blouse, glittery jeans, and wedge sandals.
Oh god. This was real. Not even in Gina’s wildest dreams could she have imagined playing Meli on Broadway, and she was about to audition in front of the woman herself. For some reason, it had never crossed her mind that Meli might be present. The nerves that had buzzed innocuously before now threatened to overwhelm.
Since no one had noticed her yet, Gina took a moment to get herself under control, sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. It wasn’t like she hadn’t met Meli before. They’d spoken briefly just a few weeks earlier. The whole reason she was here now was because Meli believed in her.
And she had to stop thinking, or she was going to psych herself out. Better to get this over with before anxiety could overtake her.
Striding forward, Gina fixed a big smile on her face.
Hector spotted her first and grinned. “Ah, Gina’s here.”
The others looked up, and as Hector made introductions, Gina filed away everyone’s names. The director, writer, music director, choreographer, casting director—shit, everyone was here. The whole production team. Even more amazing, everyone was Latinx, and the writer, director, and choreographer were female.
But then Meli came around the table and enfolded Gina into a rose-scented hug, and Gina forgot about everyone else. “Gina, I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Of course.” Inside, her thoughts were a litany of omigod omigod omigod, but she tried to play it cool. “Thank you for thinking of me for this part.”
Meli waved that away. “As soon as I saw you, I knew. I wanted to ask you then and there, but I had to run to the airport. That’s why I sent Hector.”
Gina grinned so hard her face hurt. This whole thing was like a dream.
After the team took their seats around the table, Gina was surprised when Meli indicated she should sit and join them.
“You’re the first person we’re auditioning,” Meli told her. “Since you’re playing me, you’re the most important person in the show. Obviously.” She gave her ponytail a flip, and everyone laughed.
