“Wow, I love this show.” She claps her hands excitedly. “Are you going to do it?”
I enjoy the show as well. It’s a dance contest where celebrities are paired with professional dancers and have to learn routines and compete each week until one of them wins. It’s reality television, but one of my favorites.
“I don’t know. They usually film it in Hollywood, which would’ve prevented me from doing it. However, this year they’ve moved it to Louisiana for the first time, making it simple for me to do. The studio is only an hour away. I wouldn’t need to disrupt Izzy’s schooling, and the truth is I’m not sure I’m ready to return to acting yet, but I want to do something. I want to challenge myself even if only to prove to myself I can do it.”
“I think it’s a brilliant idea. I’ll help with Izzy. It’s off season now for Rhys, so we’ll not be traveling for a couple months.”
My stomach turns, and I feel sick. I’ve not thought about doing anything in the spotlight for a long time. I’ve shied away from it. After the divorce was made public and I left Hollywood, the press chased after me, trying to get a story. I don’t think many people believed irreconcilable differences were the true reason for the split, especially as I was covered in bruises from a supposed burglary that was never reported to the police. Eventually, they realized they wouldn’t be getting anything different out of me and left Izzy and me in peace to get on with our lives.
“I just don’t know if placing myself back into the spotlight is the right thing to do. I’ve not heard anything from Simon in over a year now, and I’m happy about that. I’m not living in fear of a beating should I do anything he perceived as wrong…”
“But…”
“I’m bored, and spending most of my days going to lunches and shopping with my mama is driving me insane. I’ve missed you while you’ve been away the last few weeks, and the other girls have all been busy too. You all have hectic lives. Maybe I should look at applying to a nearby acting school as a teacher? It would give me something to do.”
“So you can teach all your mama’s and my mama’s friends to act and perform a show once a year to raise money for a local charity? Elise, I remember you telling me you took the lead part in all the school shows from the moment you started there. Acting is in your blood. Being in the spotlight is what you need to feel happy. Okay, this offer isn’t an acting role, it’s dancing, but it is the one that’s caught your interest enough to put in your handbag and bring to me. Why should Simon be the one on our movie screens every few months, starring in some new action movie where he kills the baddies and gets the girl? He’s a bully, plain and simple. What he did to you was wrong, and he got away with it. If I’d been there, I would have told him what for. However, I didn’t know you well enough back then. I only knew you as the first-rate actress who made me cry on Rhys’s shoulder when watching your amazing films. But I do know you now, and I say give them a call immediately. Tell them you’ll do it and ask them to pair you with a hunky dancer, so you can get your groove back...and now I’m rambling.”
“It would be fun to dance with a sexy man. I had a few lessons when I first went to Hollywood, but I’m not good enough to be a professional, by any means. It’ll be a lot of hard work.”
“One on one with a sweaty man,” Gabby purrs, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.
“I’m not sure that’s a positive thing.” I wrinkle up my nose.
“You’ve not been getting sweaty with the right men then.”
At that moment, Rhys chooses to walk in through the door, rubbing a towel over his hair that’s damp with perspiration from his workout. Gabby certainly has landed on her feet with her handsome, green-eyed giant of a man.
“See what I mean?” Gabby turns her head up to receive a kiss from her husband.
“See what I mean, what?” Rhys looks confused.
“Nothing,” she replies, winking at me. “Elise has been asked to appear on a celebrity dancing show. I’m just telling her I think she should do it.”
“Sound goods. If you need help with Izzy, she’s always welcome here.”
“See, the right man,” Gabby sing-songs, and I shake my head at her.
“I’ll think about it. Now, can we change the subject please? I want to hear more about Chicago. It’s somewhere I’ve never ever been.”