Page 47 of Dirty Dancer

“I wanted to tell you first.”

“Thank you for telling me,” I said. “I can be there when you tell them or you can just do it, but I guarantee you they are going to want to support you.”

Freddie sniffled and then laughed. “Liam’s probably going to want to send me to some fancy school.”

“Probably, but you should let him pay for part of it, even if you want to earn your own way.” He’d earned money on the tour, not that I think he’d ever touched it. But they all had, the tour had paid them for their time. “He likes being your big brother.”

Pressing his forehead to mine, he sighed. “I know he does. It’s kind of funny when he and Jas argue about who is the best.”

Yes, it was. Even more so because it showed Freddie how much they loved him.

“When do you want to start?”

CHAPTER 19

EMERSYN

Waiting until after I spoke to the new instructors and went over the class schedules with them, as well as student assessments, just added an edge to my own impatience. Freddie’s news was incredible. I couldn’t remember the last time he said hewantedsomething for himself.

As soon as we wrapped though, he climbed into the passenger seat of the car while I drove us back to the clubhouse. I’d sent a message to the guys earlier and asked for family dinner tonight. There would be some schedule juggling, but they all said they would be there.

“Theo might be there too,” I reminded Freddie. “I can take him out for dinner if you need the time.” It would mean not being there for the discussion, but I didn’t want Freddie to be remotely uncomfortable.

“I don’t care if the kid is there,” Freddie said. “I kind of like the punk.”

The punk.

The description fit Theo so much.

“For once, I’m not the youngest and I actually get to give someone else advice.” He shrugged. “He’s family.”

I was going to poke him about not being the youngest when I was there either, but I loved that description. Theo had become something of a baby brother to all of them.

He played tough so much. We got it, all of us. I saw it in Mickey’s eyes and in Jasper’s. None of us got to be kids. Maybe our experiences were different, but we recognized it in each other. So, if Theo needed to play tough, we could support it.

But hedeservedto be a kid too. He deserved those days in the sun. If I did nothing else, I was going to make sure he got that. Seeing the smile in Milo’s eyes now, and the difference in him since I’d first met him?

I wanted that for Theo too.

“Hey,” Freddie said, settling his hand on my thigh as we idled at the traffic light. “My turn. You okay?”

“Worrying,” I admitted.

“About me?”

“No. I mean, yes. I always worry about you guys, but not specifically aboutyou. Not right now.” I blew out a breath as the light changed and I put my foot down on the accelerator. I loved the car. I loved the freedom of driving myself. Didn’t mean I didn’t love riding with them too. Like now. “Truthfully, I hate that you felt the need to score. At the same time, I am so damn proud of you for flushing it and reaching out for help.”

He gave my leg a squeeze. “Thank you. So if not us, what are you worrying about?”

“Theo. The tour. What comes next. How to hold onto all of this.” The words tumbled out of me. “It feels like this has been our normal for so short a time and I’mhappy, Freddie. Reallyhappy. I want to keep being happy with you guys and I want you to be happy.”

“You’re worried it’s going to slip through your fingers?” He stroked a slow circle with his thumb against my leg.

“Yes,” I said, shaking my head. “I know it’s stupid but…”

“It’s not stupid, Boo-Boo. We don’t take being happy for granted. We don’t take having the people we want around us for granted either. Honestly, I don’t think we take anything for granted.”

When I glanced at him, I found him watching me, head against the seat. “No, we don’t.” I had to agree. “I never want to take it for granted either.”

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