Page 46 of Last Dance, Second Chance

“Yeah, I enjoyed it yesterday. And I definitely think I need to be filling my time up while I can’t dance.”

“That’s a lot of time to fill up.”

“I know. It turns out I didn’t really do very much apart from dance.”

Nathan was silent.

“Are you OK?” Jessica asked. She’d expected him to make a kind comment like he usually did. Something along the lines of he was sure she had plenty of other things in her life, or that she’d had to spend so much time dancing so that she could be the best ballerina she could possibly be.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, quickly. “Let’s get this food home before my ice cream melts.”

* * *

Jessica’s mum and dad were thrilled to find her waiting for them when they got home, although Jessica suspected that her dad was almost as pleased to be reunited with Monty, who he took out for a little walk within five minutes of arriving back. As sweet as Monty was, she breathed a sigh of relief that she was no longer in charge of him.

“How’s your foot feeling? Is it very painful?” Sarah fussed. “You haven’t been overdoing it, have you?”

“Don’t worry, Mum. I’ve been really careful. It’s not too sore, but it does ache more if I don’t rest it regularly. And Nathan looked after me really well.”

“Oh, yes. You and Nathan. What’s going on there? He’s very handsome.”

“Yes, he is,” admitted Jessica. There was no point in denying that; it was a fact. “But there’s nothing going on between us, we’re just friends.”

Sarah’s face showed that she wasn’t convinced, but she said, “If you say so.”

* * *

“Everyone’s coming round for supper tonight at about six,” Sarah told Jessica the next morning.

“Oh, great. I’m helping Madame Penny with a dance class, but I’ll be home by about quarter past.”

“Lovely. Would you like to invite Nathan?”

“Nathan?” Jessica asked, surprised.

“Yes, Nathan. The man who looked after you while we were away, remember. I’d like the chance to thank him.”

“OK, I’ll see if he’s free.”

Jessica didn’t know how she felt about Nathan coming to her parents’ house. Would it be strange for those two parts of her life to collide? Her mum would definitely be watching how she and Nathan were together. Well, she’d said she’d invite him, so she would. Maybe he wouldn’t be free.

She typed: Hi. My mum’s asking if you’d like to come for supper tonight. The whole family’s going to be here. Don’t worry if you’d rather not.

She read back over it. It didn’t sound very friendly. But she didn’t want him to feel obliged to come. Despite what he said about enjoying having her stay, he might be loving having his house back and being by himself. Or he might simply rather not spend an evening with her whole family. She sent it before she could overthink it anymore.

Almost immediately three dots appeared under the message as Nathan began replying. Then they disappeared. A moment later he started typing again, but once more stopped. Finally, after a third lot of dots, his message came through. Sure, what time?

I’m doing that dance class at 5. Meet me outside the studio just after 6 and we can walk to my mum and dad’s house together?

Great. What should I bring?

Just yourself.

My mother always taught me to never go to dinner empty-handed.

You’re always so polite. My mum and dad love chocolate.

OK. See you later. x

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