Page 43 of You're the Reason

“I’m not sure I believe that.” Jon took back his phone and crossed his arms over his chest. “After seeing it, you can’t say this is where you want to set up your gym.”

When Seth didn’t respond, Jon tapped at his phone, then turned it around again. “You need a place like this.”

It was the building down the road. And the worst part was, Jon was right. It would be perfect. Unlike that dump of a property in Lansing. His thought must have telegraphed more than he hoped because Jon just slid the phone in his pocket. “Put together a proposal for the board. You can present it at the next meeting.”

“Ninja gyms are expensive.”

Jon shrugged and took a step toward the door. “So are fruit packing plants. That turned out okay. Lay it all out in the budget.”

His job had gone well because the only person he’d really had to deal with in town had been Jon. Just the idea of staring down the board made his neck feel hot. “Maybe you should present it. I doubt they’ll go for it if I’m involved.”

“Nope.” He shook his head then pointed at him. “Your idea, your presentation, and it will be your gym.”

Seth walked out the front door toward Jon’s car. Last thing he needed was Jimmy and Zane to hear this part of the conversation. “I still don’t think this is a good idea.”

Jon’s long legs caught up with him in a couple strides. “Just because the Howells want you gone doesn’t mean that everyone does.”

Seth eyed Otis who had moved in front of the studio a few days ago. “This guy has been moving a lot lately.”

Jon rolled his eyes and leaned his back against his car. “Too much some might say.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” He seemed to shake off whatever he’d been thinking. “The Howells don’t speak for everyone. Don’t let them bully you.”

Seth leaned against the side of the brick building and looked up at his cousin. “So you heard about our run-in in the square.”

“You had a run-in?” His face shifted to one of concern.

“Nothing happened really. They just told me to leave. I’m not sure they knew I was back.” He dismissed it with a shrug, then narrowed his eyes on Jon. “If you aren’t talking about that, then what?—”

“They’ve been talking to people.” He dropped his head, then looked back at him. “Trying to convince people that you don’t belong. They encouraged me to let you go.”

“Are you serious?” Seth pushed off the wall and paced a few steps away. “You tell me this and you still think I should open a gym here?”

“I don’t agree with them and said as much.” Jon took on a more relaxed pose. “I am serious about this. Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll put it on the agenda.”

He didn’t answer, because what could he say? Jon wouldn’t take no for an answer, but with the Howells campaigning to get him run out of town, Heritage wouldn’t work either.

Jon offered him one last look, then took a step toward his car. “What do you have to lose?”

His dignity. The last shred of respect he clung to. He couldn’t spend his whole life fighting against the Howells.

Nothing would work. Which meant the gym would be like so many things in his life. A dream that would never happen.

If she’d had any lick of sense, Grace would have cancelled this morning so she could just focus on the audition and nothing else. But her ballet class had grown to four girls, and when they had begged her to have it, she agreed only if the class met from seven to seven forty-five that morning. She assumed it would be a deal-breaker. She’d been wrong and it wasn’t like she could say no after that. Just like she couldn’t say no to Susie who’d asked her to wait with her for her brother after class. But now seven forty-five had become eight o’clock, and she still wasn’t on her way to Chicago.

The little girl sat next to her on the front steps of the studio, swinging her pigtails in her face as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Of course she didn’t. She wasn’t the one who had to make an audition in—Grace checked the time on her phone again and added the hour she’d gain crossing into central time—four and a half hours. Should be still enough time, but the drive alone was three and a half hours with no traffic, and when it came to Chicago, there was always traffic.

The little girl paused her hair swinging and looked up at her. “Where are you going again? I forgot.”

“I have an audition in Chicago.” She stretched her feet forward and winced at the way her tights scratched on the steps. Please don’t tear. She had an extra pair in her bag but at this rate she wouldn’t have the time to change.

“To dance on stage? Is it big?” Her eyes widened.

“The stage? Yup.”

The audition? Huge. She still couldn’t believe Madame Laurent had invited her to reaudition. After her talk with Mallory almost two weeks ago, she’d assumed any hope of returning as Giselle was gone. But when she had talked to her friend yesterday, Mallory had said that the new lead’s moment in the sun was fading as she struggled more each night with the difficult dances.

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