Page 52 of Last Dance, Second Chance

“Yes, please. Do I have to help cook, though?”

“It’ll get it done faster.”

“Hand me a chopping board.”

* * *

They sat down to home-made chilli con carne and fluffy white rice an hour later.

“This is so good,” Jessica said, putting another forkful into her mouth.

“I’m not sure I should have let you be in charge of adding the chilli powder,” Nathan said before gulping down more water. Jessica watched his lips parting as the glass met them again, and his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. A shiver of desire passed through her.

“When are you next helping out at the dance studio?” Nathan asked, bringing her attention back to the conversation.

“Tomorrow. It’s the older students so it should be really interesting. Diana also wants to go over some of the lesson plans with me so that I know what each student is aiming towards.”

“It’s great that she’s paying you.”

“I know. That money combined with the insurance payout from my company will mean that this month is probably the most I’ve ever earned as a dancer.”

“I take it dancers don’t get paid very well?”

“It’s not terrible,” said Jessica. “And I would have got a raise when I started rehearsals for The Sleeping Beauty because of moving up to being a principal dancer, but people certainly don’t go into it for the money.”

“I guess you really have to love it to want to do it for a career.”

“Yeah, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Nathan looked down at his plate and was silent for a moment before he said, “You’ll need to at some point, though.”

“You mean in case my foot doesn’t heal properly?” Jessica wished Nathan wasn’t bringing up her injury now. They’d been having such a nice evening.

“Yes, and also because of your age,” Nathan said carefully.

“What about my age?” Jessica put her fork down.

Nathan looked like he wished he could be transported as far away as possible. “Forget I said anything. It doesn’t matter.”

“I’m guessing that you mean that because I’m thirty-one, I’ll soon be over the hill?”

“I wouldn’t have put it quite like that, but you must know you’re reaching the end of your ballet career. I looked it up and most dancers end their careers around age thirty-five.”

“And some continue for a lot longer,” Jessica said coldly. She took a sip of her drink and took a deep breath. “Do you like being a doctor?”

“I love being a doctor, most of the time,” replied Nathan.

“Did you ever think you might become something else?”

“Sure, I wanted to be a firefighter for a while when I was small, and then an astronaut.”

“You see,” explained Jessica, “I’ve only ever wanted to be a dancer. The only thing I can remember ever having any interest in being was a ballerina. There simply wasn’t an option for me to be anything else. Ballet is so much a part of me. I don’t know what I’d be without ballet.”

“Can I be honest with you?” asked Nathan.

“Of course,” Jessica said automatically, although she really wasn’t sure she was going to like what he had to say.

“I think your foot is going to be completely fine in just a few weeks. You’ll need to be careful for a while and build the strength back up in it gradually, but there’s no reason why you can’t dance again professionally.”

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