Stars, Love And Pirouettes (Dance 'n' Luv Series) (13 page)

Could she trust him? She’d always seen Tony as a straight shooter. And right now his words rang true to her. In which case, it was a whole new ball game. And an exciting one. “How soon would I have to decide?”

“Decide? Is there a problem?”

“I just need time to think it through. I recently made some commitments with my dance.”

“Next Wednesday. And, sweetie, I don’t have to tell you about
Reaching Out
. We’re talking big. An offer like this comes once in a lifetime. Say yes before he gets antsy. Marvin’s going over the contract now. He’ll be calling you later.”

They ended the call, and Jenna continued toward the dressing rooms with an extra bounce in her step, totally thrilled with this unexpected turn. Tony was right.
Reaching Out
was the biggest show on TV. If she were in it, her acting career would go over the top. She’d be a fool to turn it down.

Before she reached the dressing rooms her phone rang again.

“Hey, Marvin.”

He started right in, obviously revved by the offer. Jenna was, too. But when she thought about Aiden, she asked, “Is it mandatory that I move to the west coast?”

“Yeah. Sorry about that, but the rigorous primetime schedule would mean you’d have to live out there. Which you should do anyway if you’re serious about your career.”

She chewed on her fingernail. Once again her head was spinning. Would she lose Aiden? Did their relationship mean as much to him as it did to her?

The other problem was that her dance company leave of absence would end just as her work on the series would begin. She’d have to get an extension.

Jenna ducked into her sister’s private office. Thankfully, it was empty right now. A large desk took up one side of the room. The other side had a sitting area with white leather chairs, potted plants and a round coffee table covered in dance magazines and catalogues.

Jenna scrolled through the numbers on her phone and called Ted Hertig, assistant to Lydia Charkow, the ballet company’s artistic director. Ted usually acted as go-between with the dancers and Lydia.

“Hi, Jenna. Caught you on
Sunrise Lane
last week. You’re a good little actress.”

“Thanks, Ted. But I feel so guilty when I think of how many talented and dedicated unemployed actors there are walking the streets wishing for a deal like mine.”

“Wrong attitude. Give yourself some credit. Last time we spoke you said the ratings went up after your stint on the show.”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t really me that did it.”

“Same old Jenna. You’ve always worked your tushy off as a dancer. Never satisfied. Constantly striving for perfection. You obviously jumped into your new role with the same determination and pluck.”

She laughed, thinking of the way she’d practiced her lines over and over around the clock, even sitting up in her bed in the middle of the night. “Guess I don’t know any other way to do things.”

“Which I hope means you’ve kept up your technique. We’ve got a heavy rehearsal schedule planned for this spring.”

“Actually, that’s why I called, Ted. I’ve been offered a role in another series, but it would mean adding eight more months to my leave.”

His silent pause had an ominous feel. “That won’t be possible.”

“How about six months?”

“No, Jenna. Be back as scheduled or you’re out.”

“Out? As in… fired?”

“Call it what you want. But those are the terms.”

“Understood.”

Jenna put away her phone and sank into a soft leather chair. Ted’s ultimatum put a knot in her stomach. When she’d chosen to explore another career, trying to figure out why she was so unhappy, the leave of absence allowed her to keep an umbilical chord to the ballet company. An underlying assurance that she could return to the familiar foundation she’d built and called her professional home.

But this was a whole new ballgame, all right. If she lost her job at American Ballet Theater she knew she’d never get it back. And she wouldn’t blame them. Why should they cater to a dancer who isn’t fully committed when they had literally thousands begging for a chance to dance with the company?

Sure, there were other good companies around, but ABT had been her dream since she was a kid. Like little boys who dream of playing for the Yankees. And she realized how extraordinary it was to have actually gotten that dream. But…

The door opened and Casey walked in. Seven years her senior, she’d been like a second mother to Jenna. Today Casey wore a silky tunic top over her slim jeans. Her chestnut curls were pinned in an up do.

“What’s the matter, baby sis? You look totally freaked.” Casey went to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup. “Is it about that guy you’ve started seeing?”

“No. Although that’s part of it. I can’t expect him to fly out to California every time he wants to see me.”

“California? What are you talking about?”

“I’ve been offered a role on
Reaching Out
.”

Casey’s mouth tightened, her attempt to control her annoyance apparent. “And you’re going to take it?”

Jenna’s lips tightened in turn. “I might. I’ll never get a chance like this again. I’m afraid if I don’t do it I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

“That’s not a good enough reason.”

“What is?”

She sat in the chair next to Jenna. “Your love for something. Like the love you have for dance.”

“Do I? I’m not really sure.”

“How can you say that? All the hours and hard work you’ve devoted to training?”

“I also remember spending hours memorizing every plant in the botanical manual for Parker. And driving myself to get straight A’s on every report card so I wouldn’t disappoint Mom. And working to invent silly circus acts to make you guys laugh. Not to mention my compulsion to keep my clothes and room immaculate.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I wonder if I pushed myself to become a dancer for you.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it? I worshipped you. And I knew how much you sacrificed for me. Turning yourself into a mother and a mentor at such an early age. Even giving up your own dream so I could have a chance.”

“A chance at something
you
wanted.”

“Who decided that, Casey? I was only a kid.”

“You loved it!”

“I loved
you
.”

“And I you.” Casey shook her head. “I’m sorry, but people just don’t drive themselves as hard as you have for things they don’t really want.”

“They do when they’re terrified their world will fall apart around them if they don’t keep everybody happy.” Jenna broke into tears.

Casey came to her, squeezed herself into the chair, and held Jenna as she cried. “I’m so sorry, baby sis. I never meant to make you do anything you didn’t want.”

Jenna looked up at her. “Nobody meant any of it. Daddy didn’t mean to die on us. And Mom didn’t mean to hurt me when she disappeared into her black moods or lost herself on a bender. And you and Parker didn’t know I saw how worried, strained and tired you were. Teenagers trying to be adults, keeping us from going under. I saw the family that I loved fall to pieces.”

“The problem is you’re still haunted by what happened in the past. What you need to realize is that was then—this is now. Mom’s not the person she was when Daddy was dying. She takes her meds. She likes her Bed & Breakfast. Times have changed. Sure, I saw how childish she got when you lost
Sunrise Lane
. But it didn’t last.”

Jenna thought about it a moment and said, “It’s so scary to let go and believe that. I had trouble sleeping for the past couple weeks worrying that Mom would slide back into a trough. But when I think about it, you’re right. She didn’t.”

“And she’s not going to. The question is: when will you get over it?” Casey reached out for the box of tissues on the coffee table and handed a few to Jenna.

“I’m working on it. In the meantime, please don’t mention this offer I got. To anyone.”

Casey mimed a zipper across her lips. “And by the way, I’ll love you just as much as always, whether you dance or not.”

Chapter Twenty-One

A couple nights ago Aiden had called Coty saying, “Looks like you won’t be parting with your autographed Mike Tyson boxing glove. You won the bet.”

Aiden and Jenna were as close as two people ever could be. They shared everything, including a bed, spent as much time together as possible, and yesterday she’d said she couldn’t imagine getting through a day without seeing him.

No, she hadn’t come out and said she loved him. And that was actually a good thing. Because one night when Aiden wanted so badly to say that to her, his guilt over abandoning Wendy seized him.

And he couldn’t do it.

That was one reason he wanted Jenna to meet Coty. Aiden thought bringing her into a part of his life from the past might joggle things around. Besides, a visit from Jenna was the prize Buster had said he wanted if he won their bet.

It was a cold Friday in early March, snow flurries swirling in the white gray sky. Aiden and Jenna arrived at the retirement community around two in the afternoon.

Buster “Coty” Cotes answered the door looking freshly washed and shaved. Aiden made the introductions and watched them, sensing a warm approval on both sides.

The voluminous sounds of rising and falling crescendos cascaded from the compact speaker system. “
Eugene Onegin
by Tchaikovsky,” Jenna said. “I adore this piece.”

Coty grinned, apparently thrilled to have his newly acquired taste for fine music noted. “One of my faves, too. But I keep it at a discreet level. Don’t want to bother my neighbors.”

“It’s a ballet as well as an opera, you know.” Jenna took a seat on a red upholstered sofa, Coty across from her, while Aiden poured out mugs of coffee.

“I didn’t know that,” Coty said. “But Aiden did inform me about your being a ballet dancer as well as an actress. I had the pleasure of seeing you in
Sunrise Lane
.”

“Well, be sure to watch next week, because that’s when they kill me off.”

“They got rid of you?”

“Yeah, I was sent off into the sunset with a drug overdose.”

“Damn. Whatchya gonna do now?”

“I have until Wednesday to decide if I want take an offer to do another show, which means moving to L.A. Or go back to the dance company. Or neither. It’s a tough call.”

Coty exchanged a glance with Aiden. The man knew him like a book and had to be guessing how painful this was for him. The fact that she was considering a move to the west coast had at first put Aiden in a slight panic.

But when he’d asked her if she figured they’d ever see each other again if she went, Jenna had said, “You seem to be quite mobile in your work. Why don’t you come with me?”

Which of course sent him over the moon. And proved to Aiden that she did want him just for who he was. He wished he could tell this to Coty now, so his caring friend wouldn’t worry.

He got the chance when Jenna excused herself to the bathroom.

“Good to hear that,” Coty said. “Anyone who has eyes can see the love between you two.”

“That’s something I wanted to talk to you about. I haven’t been able to say it to her. I… do you think Wendy will forgive me for loving someone new?”

Coty leaned forward, fixing a fatherly gaze on Aiden. “I guarantee Wendy is looking down at you right now from up in the stars and finally smiling because you’re not alone anymore.”

**

It was dusk when they reached the B&B. Jenna watched the headlights from Aiden’s car break against the embankment of freshly plowed snow lining the driveway.

“Leave it to Parker and his snowplow,” she said as the car rolled onto the blacktop surface. “Always reliable.” She turned to Aiden in the driver’s seat as he unfastened his seat belt. “Don’t you love the snow?”

“More than you can imagine.”

“Why is that?” she asked her lips slowly closing in on his.

“There’s all kinds of fun stuff to do,” he replied, his lips meeting hers for a tender kiss.

She smiled. “You mean like sledding, or skiing, or building a snowman?”

“Among other things.”

“Such as?”

“First let’s go inside. I’ll tell you then.”

“I’ll heat up some soup.” Jenna sprang from the car and started to lope her way up the walk toward the front door when she felt a light whap on her back. She turned and saw Aiden crouched on one knee scooping snow into his hands. “As I was about to say, it’s also great for…”

Jenna countered with a looper that caught Aiden flush on the cheek of his grinning face. A fuzzy white burst of soft fine powder signaled a clean hit.

They giggled like third graders as Aiden retaliated by lofting a feeble powder puffer that fell apart in mid air. Jenna’s next shot held together, but Aiden deftly stepped to the side and watched it sail by.

Their frolic led to cupped hands desperately shoveling flurries of loose snow at each other at close range. Aiden dropped low and wrapped his arms around Jenna’s legs, flopping her down safely onto the soft blanket of snow.

Laughing uncontrollably, she wrestled and rolled with Aiden, her arms and legs entwined with his. Soon they were hugging and kissing in a wintry world of white.

The snow had stopped a while ago and the night had turned clear. Looking up at the starry sky, Jenna said, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

“You’re beautiful.” Aiden said. He kissed her, stroked her cheek with his gloved hand, and then hovered over her, gazing into her face. “There’s something I have to say to you. Jenna Richardson, I’m in love with you.”

She looked up into his brilliant emerald eyes, his handsome face the one she thought of first thing in the morning and before she slept each night, and realized she felt the same. Jenna was truly and deeply in love with this man. “Oh, Aiden. I love you, too.”

Sober now, they got to their feet and strolled toward the door, stopping at intervals to kiss and hug and say “I love you” over and over. Jenna had never felt such contentment.

“Let’s celebrate,” Aiden said. “How about tomorrow? I know a fancy place where we can go in New York City. Well leave early. You can wear the dress Lexi made for you.”