Page 51 of You're the Reason

“I mean you lived here for what, five years? What was your favorite thing to do when you weren’t dancing?”

She offered a half shrug “I was always dancing.”

“But on your time off.”

“I slept. We had a tense, full schedule. I mean some of the girls would go out, but I didn’t.”

“Why not?”

She tilted her head back on the head rest and closed her eyes. “Why didn’t I have sugar? Why did I never go on a date? Why did I never stay up a minute past ten? Why? Why? Why? It’s always the same answer and not a very interesting one. I am a dancer with a singular focus.”

They both sat quiet in the car a moment. “Well, I think that should change today.”

Her eyes opened, wide. “What should change?”

“All of it. Seeing Chicago. Eating sugar.” The date. Yeah, maybe he wouldn’t mention that. “Maybe even staying up past ten at night.”

He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What do you say?”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

Because you deserve it even if you don’t think so. Because you’re beautiful and can’t even see it. Because he was falling in love with the girl and he couldn’t stop, no matter how hard he tried. “What can I say? You’re easy to be nice to. Have you ever been to Navy Pier?”

“I’ve heard of that. Isn’t that where the Ferris wheel is?”

“The Centennial Wheel and that’s perfect. We’re going to get you a ride. But first we need to get you some sugar.”

Thirty minutes later they stood in a line that stretched twenty yards down a busy sidewalk, inching their way forward. “Stop number one, the famous Sprinkles cupcake ATM machine.”

Grace tried to lean around the person in front of her to get a better view. Her hair was still in her performance bun, but she had slipped into the back seat of his car and traded the leotard and tights for leggings and a button-up white blouse. He’d stood watch while she did her quick change and it had taken every ounce of willpower to keep his gaze outward and away from the car. Really, he deserved an award.

She inched forward again. “How have I never even heard of these?”

“The world of sugar is a strange place.” He pointed at the pink rotating door that had just delivered a brown box to a little girl.

They were up. He stepped up to the ATM and tapped the screen. “What kind do you want?”

“I don’t know.” It wasn’t the I-don’t-know of someone debating over the menu at their favorite restaurant. It was pure and utter panicked confusion.

“It’s okay. What type of cake do you like?”

She breathed deep and nodded. “Chocolate cake and chocolate frosting.”

Seth navigated the screen until he found one like that, then added their classic red velvet to the order for himself. As soon as the machine spit their cupcakes out, Grace grabbed her brown box. After turning it over in her hands, she opened it and pulled out the chocolate-on-chocolate creation with chocolate shavings over the icing. “This is amazing.”

“And they taste better than they look.” Seth peeled open his box and pulled his out. It was domed with white frosting and topped with the signature red-and-blue dot. It was something straight out of a cooking show. “Ready?”

He tapped his cupcake to hers before taking the biggest bite he could. Seemed fitting.

She mimicked his action, leaving a glob of chocolate frosting across her upper lip and nose. But she didn’t seem to notice. She just closed her eyes and moaned at the goodness.

“Good, right? When was the last time you had cake this good?” He offered her a napkin.

“When I was thirteen.” She accepted it and took a moment to clean her face. “So, ten years.”

“That was rather specific.” He took another more modest bite.

“It was the last time I had cake.”

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