Page 57 of Single Dad's Second Chance

“Not a drunk.” I shook my head and tried to catch my breath. Well, maybe Henry was intoxicated. I doubted it, though. When I spotted him in the audience and understood that his gaze implied he had recognized me, he seemed clear headed and with it, not buzzed.

“Huh?” She frowned. “I saw him. Charlie was dragging off some balding dude who reeked of booze.”

I shook my head. “Henry. Henry’s here.”

Her eyes almost bugged out. “What?”

“He was in the audience. He saw me. I think he saw my birthmark and recognized it and knew it was me.”

She covered her mouth. “Oh, my God.”

That’s what I said.

“I have to go. I have to get out of here.” If he was still out there, I couldn’t face him. It was bad enough for one thing to implode in my face. He’d found out my secret about having a record. But also learning that I was a dancer, too? I didn’t know how to face him at all anymore.

I couldn’t stomach his opinion of me sinking even lower with the news that I moonlighted as an exotic dancer.

“Shit. Go. Just go.”

I had one more act to handle, but I simply couldn’t go back out there.

“I’ll have Samantha cover for you for the closing number. Someone. Just go on. Get out of here.” She grimaced, worried about me. “And if I see him, I’ll try to keep him back.” Then she bit her lip. “Unless… maybe it would help to talk to him?”

I shook my head, taking off my headpiece and kicking out of my shoes. “No. Hell no. Not like this.” One thing at a time. I couldn’t imagine having to fess up that I was the dancer he’d wanted to hire for Fifty.

Lies were awful. I hated telling them. I despised keeping them. And a huge dose of guilt swamped me. I never should’ve let it get this complicated to begin with!

“Fuck.” Gina grabbed my hand. “You can’t go back to my place.”

I furrowed my brow, unzipping and removing my dance costume. It wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen before. “Why not?” That was where I planned to go. Henry knew where I lived. I could avoid him and hide at Gina’s. I’d wait for her to come home so we could talk and she could—hopefully—give me advice on what to do next.

“I got an email that the maintenance guys are changing locks because of that break-in two floors down.” She cringed. “They won’t give you the key. I have to pick it up as the registered tenant.”

“Dammit.” I ran my hand through my hair, bunching it back. The hair spray crinkled, but I didn’t care about the slimy yet stiff texture. I couldn’t care about anything other than getting away.

“Run home, and I’ll check on you as soon as I can.” She looked at her watch. “Gotta go. Stage time.”

I waved at her as she left, then as soon as I stuck my feet in my sandals, I grabbed my purse to leave.

Henry wasn’t at the back door when I slipped out. He wasn’t lurking in the alley either.

I wouldn’t put it past him to not give up, though. Not with how determined he’d been to sneak past security to get to me backstage.

I won’t cave. I will stay strong.

I walked home, assuming that he’d be there waiting to intercept me. And when I saw him, Ihadto guard my heart. I couldn’t be so dumb as to let him convince me into thinking he didn’t judge me like scum.

Sure enough, he was there, standing at my door, hands in his pockets. It wasn’t fair how sexy and hot he looked, simply leaning against the wall, casual and patient.

Half of me wanted to run into his arms. But the logical other half of me warned me to toughen up.

Holding my head high, I walked up without a rush, hoping to show that he couldn’t get to me. He couldn’t control me through this desire and friendship that I once thought was mutual.

“Are you here to judge me some more?” I asked, proud that I kept my tone steady and clear, not cracked or too snappy.

He watched me, taking in the sight of me like he was a starved man and I was the feast he envisioned in his darkest moments.

“No.”

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