Page 38 of You're the Reason

Grace lifted the phone from where she’d balanced it. “I know that, but what am I supposed to do about that here? It isn’t like there are a plethora of male dancers in Heritage.”

“No, but there’s a strong physical trainer you’ve hired.” Mallory sat in front of her laptop on the floor of her room. Her knee was pulled up as she bent a new pair of shoes she was sewing the ribbons on. “Pay him extra to help you with the adagio.”

Grace sat on the floor and leaned her back against the mirror. “I don’t think dancing is what he’d consider a part of his agreement. Besides, I don’t think it would be a good idea. I need to keep things professional.”

“And your relationship with Tony when you danced with him in Giselle wasn’t professional?”

“It’s different.”

“How?”

“The more time I spend with Seth, the more time I want to spend with him. And it isn’t just because he’s good-looking. He’s kind and so patient with me. And so giving. I swear that if I walked into our session and asked him for his shirt, he’d just take it off and hand it to me, no questions asked. Who does that?”

“So you’re saying he’sgood-looking and now you want him to take off his shirt.”

“Mallory. Focus. I don’t know what to do. What is wrong with me?”

“Nothing is wrong with you. You have a crush on a boy. It’s that simple. Up until now, you have made ballet your whole life. You have lived, slept, and breathed ballet. But there’s more to life than that. There’s a whole world out there. Welcome.”

Ms. Margret’s words from the drive to the lighthouse came to mind, but she shoved them away. “First, I don’t have a crush on anyone. Second, I don’t have time for that world. If I am going to get back, I need a hundred percent focus a hundred percent of the time.”

“Is that you talking or your father?”

The barb found its mark. That had always been her motto, but she didn’t have to dig very deep to know that had been drilled into her from the moment Ms. Margret told her parents she was a natural with a lot of potential.

“What does Magic Doctor think of your audition?”

She didn’t even bother correcting the name. “He says that my knee is progressing faster than expected. But he fears I could set myself back if I push too hard.”

“There’s something you should know.” Mallory’s teeth tugged at her lip as if debating if she would, in fact, tell it. “I know I told you last week that Jami wasn’t cutting it, but she has found her stride, and...”

“And?”

“She’s really good. The Chicago Arts Online even featured her?—”

“The Chicago Arts? Do you know how long I tried to get them to do a feature on me? She dances a few weeks and she’s there?” Grace tapped at her phone until the article appeared. “They call her a breath of fresh air. Opposed to what? My musty scent?”

“You know that’s not true.” Mallory leaned into the camera.

She knew this would happen. “My mom was right, step out of the limelight, and they forget you immediately. Love is earned.”

At least she hadn’t gotten a text canceling the audition yet. Grace put the phone on the floor leaving Mallory staring at the ceiling as she pulled her legs into the butterfly stretch.

Mallory’s eyes narrowed on her through the screen. “Real love isn’t earned. Maybe you have to earn the love of the public, but that’s because it isn’t really love—it’s fandom.”

Grace stretched her legs to the side and leaned forward pressing her shoulders into the floor. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I know I am right. And you’re going to blow Madame Laurent away on the twenty-second and the fandom will come back. But if that’s going to be the case, you need to nail the supported adagio. So you have to ask for his help.”

“Seth’s?”

“What?” Seth’s voice echoed in the room.

Grace pushed up into a seated position faster than she ever had before as she snatched up her phone from the floor. “What?”

“Sorry. I thought I heard you say my name.”

He was in dress clothes, but his tie was in his hand and the top button of his shirt undone. Why was she actually hearing her pulse right now? Okay, maybe she had a little crush.

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