Page 61 of One Short Summer

“All right. The director wanted me to give you a phone call tonight, to talk over some things with you before he’ll call you himself tomorrow.”

Well, that certainly gets my attention.

“Everyone wants you back, Mo. They watched the videos you sent, and they’re going to offer you a solo for this next tour, if you think you can handle it.”

My mouth opens and closes several times, and I almost drop the phone before I finally get a good grip on it again.

This has been my dream for so long. I absolutely love doing all of our group numbers and partner dances.

But asolo.

The spotlight completely just on me and no one else?

That’s a totally different ballpark, and nothing else compares to it.

“Seriously?”

Ivan’s low chuckle rumbles in my ear. I used to love that laugh, and now it doesn’t do anything for me. Absolutelynothing.

“Seriously. I’ve seen them too. You were absolutely breathtaking. You were good before, but now? The improvement was impossible to miss. Whatever ignited that change in you, hold on to it.”

My brain’s buzzing, his praise too much for me to fully comprehend everything he just said.

“And, Mo?”

“What?”

He pauses, his breathing the only indicator he’s still on the phone. “I’m sorry about what I said to you last year. I wasn’t sure if you’d even take my call, but I had to try. I should’ve done this a long time ago, but I was too much of a coward.”

Sadness slams into my system so hard, I’m surprised my body is still functioning.

“I really mean it. I handled the situation like a total ass, and... I don’t know. There aren’t the right words to apologize properly.”

“Yeah.” That’s the only word I can get out before the tears start flowing.

One after the other, as the memories I’ve tried so hard to keep locked away assault me, ruining this whole moment for me.

“There was something else I wan—”

“I gotta go,” I interrupt him, and don’t wait for an answer before pushing the End button.

And with my luck, Gabe chooses that exact moment to come outside.

“Hey, every—”

He stops mid-sentence, getting a front-row seat to the mess I must look like. I didn’t notice the overhead light from the kitchen illuminating most of the porch, making it impossible for me to pretend everything’s okay.

In less than ten steps, he’s in front of me, grabbing me under my legs and behind my back to lift me off the chair. Instead of taking me inside, like I thought he might, he simply switches positions with me, sitting down in the chair with me curled up in his lap.

I’m not used to being treated with so much delicacy, which is exactly the reason why this does me in even more.

Breaking me open. Utterly and completely.

Big, fat tears run down my face as I’m incapable of stopping the sobs that jolt through my body.

“Hey now. What’s going on? Did something happen?” Gabe’s voice is quiet and soothing, but I can easily detect the urgent tone he’s probably trying to hide.

“Everything’s okay.” I’m pretty sure the words don’t come out very clearly, but he seems to understand them anyway, seeing as he lets out a big breath.

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