by Lisa Moreau
“Hey, you!”
Sydney’s eyes popped open to see Robin standing in front of her. They’d worked together at Leave it to Beaver until Robin quit to start PoleCat.
“Are you waiting to audition?” Robin asked.
“Yeah. This is the PowerBar job I was telling you about.”
“Right. The one you’re stiffing me for.”
Sydney flushed. “Well…you know…it’s…”
Robin lightly punched Sydney’s shoulder. “I’m just messing with you. But if things don’t pan out, I’d still love to tell you about my studio.”
“Okay, but…” Sydney took a step back and bumped into the wall when Robin got two inches from her face.
“My goal is to help underprivileged women be stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally.” Robin was as excited as a puppy whose owner had just got home from work. “As you and I have talked before, pole dancing can be so much more than a form of sexy entertainment. My place will be a refuge of growth for women who need it most. The ones who’ve been abused, living on the streets, in bad situations, you know? I’m sure I can’t pay as much as PowerBar, but we’ll be doing a lot of good. What do you think?”
Robin stared at Sydney in a non-blinking, maniacal sort of way. Sydney had to give her points for passion, that’s for sure.
“That sounds great, but…”
Robin backed away, frowning. “Right. I get it. I can’t compete.”
“It’s not that.” Well, maybe it was that. “I have my heart set on PowerBar.”
“It’s cool. Good luck. I really mean that.”
“Thanks, Robin. Take care.”
Sydney watched Robin disappear into the crowd. From the little she’d just heard, Sydney did appreciate her focus. The less-fortunate women did need help. Sydney knew all about that when she’d been living on the streets.
Sydney stretched her arms high overhead and tensed when someone yelled out her name. This was it. Audition time. Hurriedly, she grabbed her bag and followed a blond woman down the hall and into a room. Four bored-looking people sat behind a long table. The only one she recognized was Sue.
Sue studied a paper for a few seconds and looked up, expressionless. “And you are?”
What the hell? This was the second time she hadn’t recognized, or pretended not to recognize, Sydney. Sue knew good and well who she was.
“I’m Sydney Cooper.” Sydney gave a wry smile, trying not to show her irritation.
Sue jotted something down and said, “This is Haley.” She flicked her pen toward a girl standing next to the pole. “Pretend like you’re giving her a first-time lesson. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Suddenly, all eyes were on Sydney. Beads of sweat formed on her upper lip, and her heart drummed against her chest. She locked her knees in an attempt to stop them from shaking. Why was she so nervous? She couldn’t be any more prepared. She glanced from Haley to Sue, who had an I-just-dare-you-to-fail look on her face. Sydney froze, her feet superglued to the floor. She was going to totally fuck this up.
Sue loudly cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow. Sydney needed to move, speak, do something.
“We don’t have all day.” Sue frantically tapped a pen on the desk.
Sydney closed her eyes and visualized Emily standing in front of her.
“You can do this,” Emily said. “You’re better than all of them.”
Sydney snapped her eyes open and stared at Sue. “I’m ready to knock your socks off.”
* * *
Emily’s stomach contracted when she looked at the clock. This wasn’t going to be easy. She sat on the bed, opened her laptop, and connected to FaceTime. Within seconds her mother appeared on-screen.
“I’m glad you wanted to meet. We need to go over the reception menu.” Emily’s mom held up a notebook and read from it. “We’ll have lobster, vegetable and couscous salad…”
“Mom.”
“…mini gazpacho soups, tuna tartare cones…”
“Mom.” Was her mother deaf?
“…prosciutto-wrapped persimmons with—”
“Mom!” Emily practically screamed. That did the trick. Her mother’s eyes flicked upward. “I need to tell you something.”
“I know you’re not fond of persimmons, but I think we should—”
“It’s not that. There isn’t…Gretchen and I…well, really, it was my decision…um…”
“What in the world are you trying to say?”
“There isn’t going to be a wedding.”
Her mother gasped. “You two are not eloping. Not after all the work I’ve put into this.”
“What I mean is, we’re not getting married. I broke up with Gretchen.”
Gobsmacked. That was the only way to describe Emily’s mother. Utterly and completely gobsmacked.
“Mom? Did you hear me?”
“What. Did. You. Do?”
“I’m not in love with Gretchen.”
“What’s love got to do with it?” Her mother threw her hands up in the air.
“Really? You’re quoting Tina Turner songs?”
“Don’t you dare make light of this, young lady.” Emily’s mother wagged a finger at the screen. “I cannot believe you’re doing this.”
“Don’t you want me to be happy?”
Her mother stared, expressionless. It seemed like a simple question. Wouldn’t any parent want that for their child? Maybe not, considering her mom pressed her lips together hard and didn’t utter a sound.
“I’m in love with someone else,” Emily said. “She’s a pole dancer and the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
If they hadn’t been chatting via computer, Emily was sure her mother would have slapped her across the face. She looked mortified.
“A stripper?”
“No. Sydney is not a stripper. She’s a very talented pole-dancing instructor, and right now she’s auditioning for a position at a studio in Beverly Hills.”
Her mother put her hands over her ears. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. You’re dating a stripper.” Suddenly, she disappeared from the screen. Less than a minute later, she returned, breathing heavily into a paper bag.
“Are you all right?” Emily asked, concerned that her mother would faint from hyperventilating.
After a few moments, she lowered the bag. “Are you proud of yourself? This is what you’ve done to your mother.”
Emily sighed and rubbed her forehead. She needed to take a different tack here. “Remember how you told me that you were in love with someone before Dad? Well, Sydney is my Troy. Don’t you ever wonder what would’ve happened if you’d married the love of your life?”
Her mother paused and actually seemed to consider the notion right before she vigorously shook her head. “We accepted your lesbian thing and have learned to love Gretchen like she was our own, but not this. We would never condone you dating a stripper. You’re making the biggest mistake of your life, Emily. Gretchen is perfect for you.”
“No. She’s perfect for you. Look. I’m done talking about this. I wanted you to know so you could cancel any arrangements as soon as possible. I’ll be happy to pay for anything that isn’t refundable. I’ll talk to you later.”
Emily disconnected and sat back against the headboard. She wasn’t sure why her mother’s reaction surprised her so much. She should have expected nothing less. Still, though, Emily had hoped she’d have been understanding, especially after the Troy comparison.
Emily looked at the door when Sydney cleared her throat. “Hey. When did you get back? How’d it go?”
Sydney was pasty white and looked like she might faint. The audition must not have gone well. Sydney shuffled into the room and stood by the bed with her arms crossed.
“It went fine. They said they’d call tomorrow with their decision.”
“Great. So, you’re happy with your performance?”
Sydney nodded but seemed anything but pleased.
“Are you nervous?” Maybe that was w
hy she appeared so morose.
“No. I feel pretty confident.”
“Great. Are you tired?” Something was obviously bugging her.
“No.”
“Is something wrong? You seem upset.”
Sydney paused and looked at Emily’s computer. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
Damn. She’d overhead Emily’s conversation with her mother. Emily scooted to the edge of the bed and looked up at Sydney. “How much did you hear?”
“Enough to know that she doesn’t approve of us dating.”
Emily placed her hands on Sydney’s hips. “Don’t let anything she says bother you. It certainly doesn’t reflect how I feel.”
“I don’t want to come between you and your parents.”
“You’re not. They’ll come around.”
Sydney took a step back, causing Emily to drop her arms. “Maybe us dating isn’t such a great idea.”
“What? No. Of course it is.”
“Why don’t we take some time and think about things?” Sydney spun around, like she was about to walk out of the room.
“Wait!” Emily said. “Did you also hear me tell my mother I’m in love with you?”
Sydney stopped and turned, her expression unreadable.
“I don’t have to think about anything, Sydney. I know exactly what I want. And that’s you.” Emily stood and closed the distance between them.
“You’re in love with me?” Sydney’s eyes softened, and a slight grin played on her lips.
“Totally and completely.”
“I love you, too.” Sydney slipped her arms around Emily’s waist and kissed her.
A giggle bubbled deep in Emily’s throat. Seriously? This was one of the most romantic moments of her life, and she was about to burst out laughing. It wasn’t her fault, though. She felt downright giddy. Emily withdrew her mouth. “I think this might be the happiest I’ve ever been.”
Sydney outright laughed. Maybe she’d been holding back a giggle, too. “I never thought I’d ever meet anyone I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. Hell. I didn’t even think happily-ever-after was possible. But now I do because I want that with you more than anything.”
They pressed their lips together and collapsed into the bed, where they made love well into the night.
Chapter Twenty-one
Truth and Consequences
Emily couldn’t snap pictures fast enough. This was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen. She and Sydney were on separate ladders just a few feet away from twenty lovebirds perched in a fig tree. This was the first time she’d been back since falling. Emily lowered her camera and looked at Sydney, awestruck by the breathtaking smile on her face. Emily wanted to ask what she was thinking but was afraid the sound of her voice would scare the birds away. And anyway, Emily could tell from the sparkle in Sydney’s eyes that she was just as excited as Emily was.
The moment was perfect and got even better when one of the birds flew onto a branch literally inches from Emily’s nose. It was magnificent with its emerald wings, grass-green belly, and gray head. She still couldn’t believe she was actually looking at the elusive Madagascar lovebirds and that she had a disc full of photos in her camera to prove it. The Tweet would be the talk of the birding world for sure. Emily gazed at the incredible creature as it flew upward and landed next to another bird, who was obviously its mate. They rubbed necks and bit and nipped each other’s beaks. Emily snapped a few more photos and motioned to Sydney that she was going down the ladder. Sydney gave her a stern be-careful look.
“Wow. That was amazing,” Sydney said when they both reached the ground. “I particularly liked the two that were snuggling. They’ve got the right idea.”
Sydney snaked her arms around Emily’s waist and kissed her. It was one of those intimate, deep kisses that left Emily weak all over. Finally, they parted but stayed a breath away from each other.
“I’ve been waiting to do that all day,” Sydney whispered.
“All day, huh?” Emily grinned. “I do believe we spent the morning in bed doing more than kissing.”
“This morning seems like an eternity ago.”
“Why, Ms. Cooper, I do believe you’re a romantic.”
Sydney’s cheeks tinted pink. “That’s a side you seem to bring out in me.”
Emily was going to suggest they take a break and head back to the cabin, where they could have a repeat of this morning, but she spotted someone approaching.
“It’s Fran,” Sydney said, as the figure came into view. “Have you told her about finding the you-know-what?” Sydney pointed upward.
Emily shook her head and felt suddenly ill. She hadn’t put much thought into what would happen to the lovebirds, mostly because she hadn’t even known if they actually existed. She could call the National Audubon Society and have them transported back to the aviary in San Diego, but that didn’t sit well with her. They’d survived in the wild for this long; she wanted them to be free. Whatever the plan, it was clear that Fran wanted them off of her property…and fast.
“I had a feeling about you two.” Fran wagged her finger.
At first, Emily wasn’t sure what she meant but then realized that she and Sydney were entwined in each other’s arms.
“Actually, we weren’t a couple when you asked at dinner but,” Emily gazed at Sydney, “things have changed.”
“I’m happy you two finally wised up. I could see it plain as day that you belonged together.”
“And what about you and Bud?” Sydney smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.
“Oh…well…” Fran stared at the ground and shuffled her feet. “We…uh…we’ve seen each other a few times.”
“Have you now?” Emily grinned. She wanted everyone to be as happy as she was.
“Any wedding bells in the future?” Sydney nudged Fran’s shoulder.
“Now you two stop joshing me. I came out here to see if you’ve had any luck finding those birds.” Fran ducked when a lovebird whizzed over her head. “What the hell was that?”
Emily smiled tightly. “That was a lovebird.”
“You found those dang-blasted things and didn’t tell me?” Fran spread her legs wide and rested her fists on her hips.
“Just the other day,” Sydney said quickly, probably trying to help. “But then Emily fell out of a tree.”
Fran scrunched her thick eyebrows together. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Fran, there’s something about the birds I haven’t told you. They’re rare Madagascar lovebirds. They escaped from an aviary two years ago, and it’s amazing they’ve survived. They don’t exist in the wild anywhere in the US. What you have on your farm is a huge exposé in the birding world.”
“Wait a second.” Fran held up a hand. “You never intended to help me, did you? You’re just trying to get a story for your magazine.”
“No. No. Well, yes.”
“If that don’t beat all.” Fran clenched her fists and looked like she was about to deck Emily. “Is that why some man was asking all sorts of questions?”
Emily and Sydney exchanged curious glances.
“What man?” Emily asked.
“Some stranger come knocking on my door yesterday wanting to know about the lovebirds.”
Emily’s heart raced. “What did he look like?”
“He was kindly large, bald…oh and he wore a hearing aid and kept talking about it like I should feel sorry for him.” Fran snorted.
Every muscle in Emily’s body tensed. She turned to Sydney and whispered, “Owen.”
“What the hell’s going on here?” Fran asked.
“Owen is my biggest competitor.” Emily sneered. “What’d you tell him?”
“Nothing. I threw him out for ignoring my no-trespassing signs.”
Emily sighed in relief and grabbed Fran’s arm. “Please keep the Madagascar lovebirds a secret, Fran. This is too important.”
Fran jerked back. “Why should I? Maybe he can help me if you won’t.”
“Owen is a thief,” Sydney said. “He stole a story from Emily and printed it as his own.”
“None of that is my concern. It’s been almost two weeks, and these little buggers are still eating my figs!”
“I understand how you feel,” Emily said. “Just give me another week to take photos, write the story, and send it to press. After that you can tell anyone you want to about the lovebirds. Please, Fran. I’m asking you as a friend.” Emily flashed pleading eyes.
“A week? I’ll give you two more days. Come Wednesday, I want those birds gone.” Fran stomped away.
* * *
“How in the world did Owen find out about the lovebirds?” Emily covered her face with her hands.
Little did Emily know that Sydney actually had the answer to that rhetorical question. This was all her fault. If she hadn’t made a pact with the devil, none of this would have happened. She needed to tell Emily the truth, but now wasn’t the right time. Not when she was so upset.
“Let’s look on the bright side,” Sydney said, hoping Emily didn’t detect the tremble in her voice. “You still have a couple of days to get the article printed.”
“I need more time than that.”
“Well, Owen probably doesn’t know that the lovebirds are Madagascar ones. Otherwise he wouldn’t have asked about them. You’ll have a huge jump on him.”
“I suppose. If I can wrap everything up and put a rush on the print job before he even knows what’s going on…”
“Exactly,” Sydney said and forced a smile. “Have you written the article yet?”
“No, but it won’t take long. I’ve already done all the research. I just need to get it down on paper. The most important thing is the photos.”
“You got a lot of good ones today, right?”
“I did.” Emily nodded. “I still can’t figure out how Owen found out about this.”
“It’s getting late,” Sydney said. “Let’s go, and we can come back tomorrow.”
They walked hand in hand down a dirt path through the forest of fig trees, Sydney feeling guiltier with every step.
