Page 89 of Up All Night

“I’ll see you soon,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

I smiled too, even though he couldn’t see me.

Kate looked between me and the floor vent and back to me before whispering, “I’m not sure what happened here, but you two are the cutest.”

My smile grew. I already liked West, and after our vent conversation, I liked him even more. I tried to ignore the thought that we could be good together, that he could be really good for me.

But we could also be a disaster, and he could break my heart, I reminded myself.

Enough of that. I would get ready and have Kate distract me until it was time to meet up with West and Cannon. I wouldn’t think about anything beyond that. I’d keep my mind occupied so my thoughts wouldn’t run rampant down paths that could only lead to pointless worrying.

So maybe my worrying hadn’t been so pointless after all.

I sat at a formal dining room table with expensive china and gold silverware as some hired help placed a fancy chicken dish in front of me. A dog excitedly followed the server, hoping for some scraps.

Around the table, everyone else seemed relaxed, like there was nothing unique about the monthly Vanderhall family dinner. I guessed they were used to this kind of high society living.

I was glad I’d picked a dress to wear tonight, as Demi wore a dress also, although it looked like it had cost three times as much as mine.

West’s mom, Rose, smiled at me. “We’re so glad you could join us tonight, Halle. We didn’t get a chance to really talk at the charity gala.”

“Thank you for letting me come at the last minute,” I said, trying to sound polite and proper.

“If I remember correctly, you’re West’s upstairs neighbor?” she asked.

“Yes,” Demi chimed in before I could respond. “And apparently she keeps him up all night.”

West choked on the bite of chicken he’d just put in his mouth, a smirk now on Demi’s face as she looked over at her brother. Cannon tried to hide his laughter by focusing on cutting his chicken. Rose’s eyes had widened, and Victor now wore a scowl. My face felt hot, and I was sure my cheeks were pink. I sat stunned in silence, not knowing how to move on from the awkwardness that had settled in.

Demi must have noticed my embarrassment because she mouthed “Sorry” to me. She probably hadn’t thought beyond teasing her brother with her comment.

“What she means,” West said, once he was able to swallow his food, “is that Halle is a dance teacher and has to work on choreography sometimes late at night. Her room is above mine, and the sound travels down into my bedroom, which has kept me awake a couple times.”

Rose relaxed at West’s explanation. I wanted to laugh at his use of the words ‘late’ and ‘a couple times’ but was able to hold it in. He was definitely downplaying how contentious our first several meetings had been, and I was grateful for that.

“You’re a dance teacher?” his father asked.

“Uh, yes,” I stammered. His attention made me nervous. “I teach at a local dance studio.”

“And what college did you attend for that?” he asked, like everyone went to college.

“Um,” I paused and looked down at my plate as I pushed some mashed potatoes from side to side. “I didn’t go to college.”

He gave me a tight smile and took a sip of his wine.

West’s hand reached over under the table and gave my leg a soft squeeze, and when I looked over at him, he gave me a swoon-worthy smile that eased the inadequacy I felt at his father’s judgment.

“Halle is starting her own dance studio,” West told his dad, a sense of pride in his voice that made me want to cry. “She presented an incredible business plan to get a loan, and she will start renovations on her studio space in a couple weeks.”

“Wow,” Demi said, sounding impressed. “You’re just going out on your own?”

“Yeah, I’ve dreamt of having my own studio for years. It’s time to finally making my dream come true.” Saying that out loud had me remembering there was nothing wrong with taking a different path to follow my dreams. Not all of us came from wealthy families who could have their daddies pay for college.

No offense to West and Demi. But I hadn’t had that opportunity, so I had to make my own way, and I was proud of that. Proud of all the hard work and perseverance I’d gone through to get to where I was today. If Victor Vanderhall didn’t think I was good enough, that was his problem.

“Congratulations,” Demi said with sincerity in her voice. Her eyes flickered to her dad quickly before coming back to me. “It must feel amazing, to be able to do what you truly love.”

Was that sadness in her voice, masked with a forced smile? West had mentioned how she would eventually work at Vanderhall Capital, but had she, like West, not had a choice? I kind of understood wanting your oldest child to take over the family business one day, but did their dad really need both of them working there? The way Demi’s comment had sounded made me wonder if she wished she could do the work she loved, too.

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