“I only wondered aloud whether she had any experience in dancing with a professional. Ava was very good for a first time amateur.” See what she made of that, standing there damned lovable and utterly immune to him.
The audience stamped their feet and booed Matthias, some even standing to catcall. Confusion showed clearly in Daniel’s and Edwina’s faces as they stared at him. Even Phillipa’s mouth practically hung open.
Ava arched one brow. She had composed herself, lips drawn in a straight line, and held her head high. A little indent appeared between her eyebrows, before her look sharpened and she stared directly at him. He knew she knew exactly the dance he was talking about.
“Well, perhaps I’ve danced with partners who were professional, but how would I have known? I mean, do you ask every woman you dance with whether they’ve had any professional training before? Plus—” Ava put both hands on her hips, and Matthias struggled to stop his eyes running approvingly over her slim waist and high breasts. “Is it against the rules to have danced with a professional before?” Ava directed her comment to Daniel who shrugged.
“Of course not.”
Matthias leaned back in his chair and held his hand up to slow the catcalls coming from the audience. “I am only saying there are not many people, if any, who could dance without putting a step wrong after only one week of training.”
Ava’s eyes narrowed and she cocked an arm on her hip. A stony, haughty image replaced the warm vision of loveliness earlier. But it didn’t make him feel any better. A touch of arrogance flared. Well, so what? He had enough of this woman treating him like he and his emotions were playthings, only to discard without a second thought. Yes, she may feature in several fantasies about his future, but nothing more. The crowd loved his later comments, and stamped and cheered their approval.
James turned to Ava and Luca. “You two were brilliant tonight. Away with you now, and we’ll head to a break. See you soon.”
The cameras stopped filming and Felicity appeared when Ava and Luca left the dance floor. “Okay folks, you have three minutes before we recommence.”
Matthias settled further into his seat, and turned to see what Daniel and Edwina were going to say.
Daniel smiled.
Edwina sat forward, a smile playing about her lips. “Well, Matthias, you’ll have done wonders for the ratings. The papers are going to report you implied Ava was a cheat.”
Matthias shrugged. “Let them think what they want.” It didn’t bother him.
He chewed on his lower lip and contemplated the excited audience. This was going badly. He had flown over from Argentina determined to find Ava, get some answers. Instead, he was adjudicating on a dancing show, watching her move with incredible grace and loveliness with some other lucky devil. Tonight had shocked him in more ways than one.
What happened to the simple life? Perhaps he should jet back to his estancia and embroil himself in its day-to-day running. Hard physical work it may be, but it was a hell of a lot easier than this emotional rollercoaster.
* * * *
Ava shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Adrenaline deserted her and she wanted a soft, warm cloak instead. That or home. She and Luca were in the waiting room with the other contestants, awaiting the result of the telephone poll. Felicity sat and put her arm around Ava.
“It was some shocker from Matthias.” Concern was clear in her grey eyes.
“Oh, I’m sure he didn’t mean to imply what he did.” Try as she might though, Ava couldn’t look openly at Felicity, mind cycling through the events of the night. Why watch her as though she were his long-lost-love one minute and the next as if she were something he had stepped in? More to the point, what did she care? Remember? He’s not my business anymore.
Weariness settled deep in her bones. With a bit of luck, the public would vote her off, save the day for her. She knew it wouldn’t happen. No such luck. An ache began at her forehead and spread tendrils of pain toward her ears and eyes. Chances are she wasn’t going to get voted off. But her belligerence stirred. Why let him chase her from the show? Maybe instead, she could win. That’d show him. If he’d stay out of her way, she could concentrate on winning this blasted competition. The thought calmed her mind. Yeah, she could do it. Ignore him, the feelings he induced in her and concentrate on winning.
Easy.
Felicity held a hand up to her ear piece and looked as though she were listening to something. Then she looked up and smiled, getting up from the sofa as she did. “The waiting is nearly over. The telephone lines are closed and the votes are being compiled. Please make your way out to the stage. Come on, shoo!” She said the last affectionately to them, as some of the contestants appeared too nervous to move.
Luca assisted Ava from the low sofa. “We’ll be fine. But tell me, Ava,” he whispered close to her ear. “What is going on between you and Matthias?”
Ava drew her head back as though his breath scalded her. “I don’t know what you mean, Luca. You’re the one who’s supposed to have a crush on him.” She raised an eyebrow.
“I haven’t made any secret of my feelings, true, but methinks the man has eyes for only one pretty lady.” Luca walked on ahead to turn back with a teasing light in his eyes. “Come on, let’s go.”
Ava glowered. A multitude of questions besieged her. Why had he said that? Did he see something she hadn’t? Biting her inner cheek, she stopped the questions coming out. Matthias de Romero could fancy all the dancers, female and male. It meant nothing. When they were on the stage, Ava refused to look over. The full weight of his gaze, on the other hand, sat heavy upon her.
One by one, the couples saved by the public went backstage. Ava could hear their relief and the celebrations trickle out to the stage. With clammy palms, she waited to hear her fate. Now she had decided she wanted to win, her emotions ran amok. Two couples were left. Maggie, a children’s program presenter, her and their respective partners.
James’ voice came over loud and clear. “The final couple to dance next week is…”
There followed the ubiquitous pause.
“Ava and Luca.”
There, she had it. She would return next week. Dancing was the easy part. She’d throw herself into it and ignore her tumultuous feelings whenever Matthias appeared. Ava’s head spun, making her dizzy. She wanted to go home, get under her duvet and stay there. She wanted to stay here and celebrate. Anything at all to distract from the imminent arrival of Sunday.
For tomorrow she had the deep joy of seeing Matthias in the park with their daughter.
Chapter 10
Ava checked her phone for the umpteenth time. Still abrupt, the message was clear. Will be in the park by the duck pond at noon. Nothing to suggest this was going to be easy. Everything pointing in quite the opposite direction.
Well, she was here. The trees surrounding the pond were a riot of autumn colors, bright reds and yellows in the sunshine, coppers and dusty pinks. Geese flew overhead in the V formation and the general feeling in the air was one of change. Apt for her right about now.
Another sleepless night was beginning to take its toll. At four this morning, she finally allowed herself to stop chasing oblivion and got up to make herself a warm drink. The clock had marched inexorably around, bringing the day closer. What was going to happen? For once she had no idea. Would Matthias take Bella away from her? Hard at that hour to persuade herself otherwise, she had seen into a bleak future without her daughter. His readymade family could be a family for her baby but without her. Yes a girl needed her father, but at the cost of her mother? But could she afford to stop him? The thoughts circled her brain with no way out.
An early cold wind of autumn invaded her clothes and she moved around the pond, following Bella, trying to heat up. Whose bright idea was this anyway? Even the knowledge she was doing the right thing had no power to warm her.
All her acting powers were needed to get through the next couple of hours as she wanted to remain both calm and cheerful. Bel
la was a perceptive child and knew when her mother wasn’t happy, so this time was going to have to be full of activities, anything to direct her attention from her mother. Topics of conversation would be safe, covering the weather—she was English after all—and the dancing last night. If they were very stuck, she could chatter on inanely about…her mind drew a blank. Still, she consoled herself, given enough coffee she could talk about anything to anyone. As long as she didn’t go into caffeine overload where her thoughts delighted in disconnecting themselves from reality.
Bella’s shouts of glee at the sight of the geese coming in to land brought a smile to her face and she hunkered down to give her bread to throw into the pond. The geese were a beautiful sight, gracefully landing with water rippling out in a V behind them, shaking their wings imperiously. Despite her despondent thoughts, she was going to enjoy the brightness her daughter wrought. Time enough for shadows later.
He’s here.
From the corner of her eye, Ava noticed him, a dark figure standing in the clear sunshine. Clad in jeans and a brown leather jacket with the collar turned up, he made an imposing person for her two-year old to meet.
Let’s get this show on the road.
* * * *
Matthias had been watching Ava and Bella for a while. A charming picture, Bella, black hair in bunches with curls escaping to frame her face and Ava’s blond tresses swept into a ponytail. Both wrapped up in warm jackets but nothing could hide the contentment they felt in each other’s company. They were a team and his heart constricted while he just an observer. Their movements spoke of an ease of familiarity and something inside him opened and yearned toward them.
He was the outsider.
Bella was his daughter.
And Ava?
Clearing his throat, he walked over to them, seeing with a sense of satisfaction Ava lose her smile and her jaw set into place. She straightened, then after a quick glance at Bella, plastered a grin on her face.
“Hey, how are you?”
Any fool could detect the tension in Ava’s voice. It had climbed an octave. Bella clung to her mom’s jean-clad leg, and he glanced away, not wanting to scare her. A hitherto unknown feeling came over him, and he wanted to make this easy because she was flesh and blood. He cast aside his annoyance at Ava and decided there and then to concentrate on Bella, who was clearly a perceptive child. In order to make it easy for his daughter, he had to make it easy for Ava. He relaxed inside, allowing his angst to seep away.
“Hola, Ava, commo estas? Lovely to see you here.” He didn’t miss the shock flitting across her face before her pupils enlarged and her lips curved into a reluctant smile.
“Mouy bien, gracias.”
Oh what the hell, he opened his arms to hug her and after a pause, she moved in and pressed her chin into the hollow of his neck, her arms around his back. He tried not to, but couldn’t help inhaling the scent of her. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them to see Bella staring, one finger in her mouth as she sized him up.
Ava moved back and picked up Bella’s hand.
“Bella, honey, this is Matthias. He works on my dancing show.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “You’re not nice.”
Matthias saw her clutch Ava’s hand harder. Ava gave a laugh, sounding very forced. “What do you mean, sweetheart?” Over her daughter’s head, she glared, as if to say see what you’ve done? After delivering her line, Bella’s attention was drawn back to the geese squabbling on the pond.
“Matthias was working, sweetie. Besides, he was nice in the end of the show, wasn’t he?”
Bella shrugged.
He had his work cut out for him. This child was no pushover. A bit like him. The thought threw him off balance.
“What do we do now?” Ava’s words were low.
“I don’t know. You know her best.” Matthias kept an eye on Bella, a curious feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to see her happy.
“Do you like ponies?” he asked. She swung around, delight bringing dimples to light in her cheeks.
“Yes.” She glanced at Ava, who had a half smile playing on her lips.
“Come, let’s see the ponies at the gate and see if we can’t get you a ride.”
Bella shrieked in delight and raced ahead of them toward the gate.
“Well recovered,” Ava muttered. “I haven’t actually let her ride the ponies because I thought she was too young. But obviously you know more about horses, so let’s do it.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she is fine.”
They walked a few paces, the leaves crunching below their feet. The park wasn’t busy, the cold air having kept most people away but the usual mix of folk were there. The lovers, oblivious to others, entwined around each other, families with kids on scooters and bikes, and the dog walkers.
“She’s great.” Matthias saw Bella skip along, stopping every now and then to examine a chestnut, pick up a stick or poke a spider.
“Mmm.”
Ava tucked her chin into the top of her jacket and glanced up. Sadness glimmered in the depths of her blue eyes and his heart constricted at the thought it might be because of him. But this afternoon was about Bella and he welcomed any good reason to put bad feelings between him and Ava aside, not questioning why. He reached out and pulled her close.
She fits.
“It’s hard for you. But we shall make this afternoon fun for her.”
She nodded against his chest and he heard an almost imperceptible sniff. Squeezing her shoulder tight, he breathed with her, forcing them both to relax into the conjoined space.
“I’m fine.” Ava pulled away, a determined edge to her jaw but nothing could mask her sadness which clung to her like a mantle.
Despite himself, admiration for her waxed once more. This was hard, but she wasn’t standing down. She deserved for it to be easy. Unforeseen, a warm kernel of pride opened within him upon watching Bella. Unknown women they passed smiled down at his daughter, then looked around to seek her parents. Once their eyes rested on him and Ava, they would nod, almost a congratulations, certainly an ah she’s lovely smile. Of course they would assume that Ava and he were together and who wouldn’t? As he walked beside her he found he wanted to encourage those thoughts from others. For the here and now, and the wonderful two-year-old running ahead of them. Whenever the opportunity arose, he placed his hand in the small of her back to guide her around something, a person, a bike, any excuse to enhance the couple that was him and Ava.
The ponies came into sight and Bella started running. Matthias reached for Ava’s hand and picked up his speed. “Come.”
Ava threw him a look he couldn’t decipher but quickened her pace to match his. All three arrived at the gates, slightly panting and warmer for their exertions. Bella stopped and stared. The men caring for the animals smiled but made no effort to engage her in talk.
“Are you ready, Bella?” Matthias hunkered down to talk to his daughter and saw awe in her expression as she pondered the horses, which must have seemed huge to the toddler. She glanced, full of doubt, at Ava. What she saw must’ve encouraged her for she came straight back, and in a gesture lifted directly from him, nodded once. But didn’t move.
Ava hunkered down. “It’s okay, honey. You can ride the ponies if you want to, and if you don’t, we can come back another time.”
Matthias held his breath. He wanted to be the one to introduce her to horses.
“I’ll tell you what, Bella. Why don’t you come up here in my arms and we’ll go and say hello to the horses, and then you can decide what you want to do.”
Bella gazed from him to her mother, uncertainty looming large in her face. Ava nodded encouragingly and with an audible pop, she removed her finger and held her arms out toward Matthias.
The shining trust in her little face caused a glow of happiness within. Despite wanting to hold her tight, he cautioned himself not to crush her, bending down instead to allow her to slip her arms around his neck. But she he
ld on as he scooped her into his embrace. The feeling inspired by having his daughter in his arms took him completely by surprise. Little arms clung to his neck, her sweet face only inches away. He wanted to grow taller to shield her from life and his arms tightened involuntarily while he shifted her until she sat tall against him.
He glanced at Ava in time to catch the deep expression of sadness sitting heavily on her face, pulling her lips down. Her eyes shone with luminescent tears, and she had her opal firmly in hand stroking it.
Embrace her.
How he managed not to reach out, he didn’t know. Every instinct screamed to bring her into the little circle he had created with Bella. Almost as if she knew what he was thinking, she stiffened her spine and dashed a hand across her face. Plastering on a smile, she reached out and gently stroked Bella’s back.
“Matthias will take care of you, honey, don’t you worry. I’ll be right here, watching.”
She fixed him with a stare, which if he didn’t know every nuance of her expressions, he would find hard to read. It was carefully implacable, telling him volumes. She hurt inside.
A cleared cough brought him back to the present and a man stood in front of him, holding a palm out. The next ten minutes were magic. Bella stayed quiet as a mouse and he gently persuaded her to touch a pony on his neck, stroking him softly while Matthias murmured to both his daughter and the beast to put both at ease. When the time came for Bella to sit on the back of Jake, the look of pure pink pleasure on her face struck through to his heart and it busied itself growing to make space for the love he felt. His beautiful daughter.
* * * *
The rest of the play date had passed by in a haze for Ava. She stirred the risotto absentmindedly and sipped gratefully from the wine she had bought for it. It was already her second glass and she cautioned herself to slow down. She should be tired, but she was quite wound up, hence the wine.
Her thoughts and emotions weren’t easy. She tried to concentrate on the complexity of the dish she was cooking, but all she needed to do was stir. And stir. Round and round.
Taming the Tango Champion Page 10
