Page 13 of Teach Me to Fly

Angelique

“You saidwhat?!”

Lando’s voice echoes across the guesthouse, practically shaking the French press in his hands. I wince, tugging the sleeves of my sweater over my palms as I sit curled in the armchair, trying—and failing—not to feel like a total idiot.

“I didn’t know what to say,” I mutter, staring into my coffee like it might have the answer. “I panicked.”

“Angelique.” Lando plants both hands on the kitchen counter and leans forward. “My father ambushed you in the studio and asked you to star in Swan Lake and you just… agreed? No questions asked?”

I groan and press my fingers to my temples. “I didn’tagreeagree.”

He blinks. “What is‘didn’tagreeagree’supposed to mean?”

“It means I didn’twantto say yes, but I didn’t exactly say no either. It all happened so fast and—God—he made it sound like I owed it to him just for staying in his guesthouse.”

Lando rolls his eyes. “Classic Charlie Harrington. Emotional manipulation but make it classy.”

“I should’ve said no.”

“Damn right you should have.”

“I froze, okay?” I look up at him, voice cracking. “Even Reign looked surprised.”

Lando softens, moving toward me with a sigh. “I’m sorry, love. That wasn’t fair. To you or Reign.”

My throat tightens. “Yeah, well ... Reign wasn’t exactly thrilled that I agreed.”

“Oh no. What’d he say?”

I force out a bitter laugh. “‘You should’ve said no’, and then he left.”

“Oof.” Lando winces. “That’s … very Reign of him.”

I nod slowly, sinking back into the chair. My legs feel heavy, like all that unspoken tension is dragging me down. “Now I’ll be dancing with a partner that doesn’t even want to do this.”

“Well,” Lando sighs, plopping down on the armrest beside me and nudging my shoulder with his. “Maybe it’s time we figure out whatyouwant. Screw my dad’s schemes, and screw Reign’s broody dramatics. What doyouwant?”

I go quiet because that’s what I’ve been trying to figure out since moving back to Marlow, isn’t it? I used to want everything. The spotlight, a future…a stage to make magic on. But now? All I want is to feel whole again, to breathe without guilt, and to dance for myself.

“I don’t know yet,” I whisper. “But I think… maybe this is how I’ll find out?”

Lando shifts beside me, his knee bouncing slightly, which only happens when he’s holding something back.

“What?” I ask.

He hesitates, then exhales through his nose. “If you’regoing to do this… I meanreallydo this—Swan Lake, with Reign—you need to put your whole damn soul into it.”

I blink at him. “Gee, thanks for the pep talk?”

“I’m serious.” His tone sharpens. He leans forward, elbows on his knees, eyes locked on mine. “Reign isn’t easy to dance with. He’s intense, demanding, and ruthless when it comes to the work. You’ve seen what he’s like on stage—he gives everything. And he expects the same in return.”

“I know how he dances,” I say, bristling. “We grew up watching each other dance.”

“Watching each other is different from being partnered with him.” His voice softens, but the warning stays. “He’s broken dancers almost every single time he’s done a pas de deux. He pushes hard, and if you go in half-present, trying to protect yourself, or trying not to feel too much—he’ll break you too.”

My chest tightens. “You think I can’t handle doing this?”

“I think you can.” He places a hand over mine. “But only if you’re doing it because you want to. Not because Charlie cornered you and not because you think you owe anyone something. You’ve already survived too much to be torn down by someone else’s version of perfection.”

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