Page 21 of A Certain Step
“I sort of did.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Sort of? Bummed I missed it. Sounds like a good time.”
“Ha! It wasn’t…trust me.”
She wasn’t about to explain that the drinking occurred because she was sad about wanting him.Nope. Ethan didn’t say another word, studying her for a beat too long, which brought those peculiar feelings back to the surface.
She turned to walk away, but his fingers circled her wrist, signaling her to halt. She looked back at him, eyes flicking to where he held her.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
No. No, she wasn’t.
“Yeah. Just a little stressed and anxious. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
He tipped his head to the side with a knowing gaze. “You sure?”
She crossed her heart with the hand that held her coffee cup, hoping the gesture would suffice for the words she couldn’t say aloud. She was indeed stressed and anxious—none of that was new. She didn’t need to disclose the parts about his contribution.
His understanding smile.
His comforting hugs.
His careful attention to everything she did.
The probability of something more lurking beneath his kindness and thoughtful gestures was not something she should have been reading into.
It had been easier to share her anxieties when her feelings for him hadn’t been the reason. It was easier to share secrets when she wasn’t hoping that one day she could see the vault he stored his in.
Something in his eyes said he wasn’t buying her wordless promise, but he’d have to. With a courteous look, he released his fingers and moved aside for her to sit.
“Full-on dress rehearsal, remember? I need to get prepped with hair and makeup.”
His lips curved into a straight, almost sad line. “Right, yeah. See you out there then.”
She needed to get her shit together because whether Ethan felt it or not, she was sure she was making things awkward. She could feel the cold intensifying. She wasn't melting the glaciers, she was creating icebergs along their path.
She sauntered toward the dressing room she shared with Sahar, finding Miles there as well. “Good, you’re here. I need to catch you two up.”
Willa placed her coffee on the vanity and squealed. “Go on then.”
“We went back to his place and talked until three in the morning before things escalated, and we’re meeting tonight after rehearsals for dinner if I’m not too tired. I’m pretty sure he’s the one, and I don’t even care if it’s too early to tell. I’ve legit never experienced something like this with a man before. I told him things last night that people who’ve known me my whole life don’t know, and he opened up a bunch, too.”
Sahar and Willa glanced at each other in unison before looking back at Miles, luminous expressions flashing in their eyes. Sahar bounced out of her seat and pulled him into a bear hug. “Mate, this is everything you deserve and more. I need this to work out more than I need my own relationship to,” she proclaimed.
“Listen, this whole concept of two people disappearing into each other in a room full of people has always sounded a bit far-fetched, but I watched you two all night, andIwas entranced. Pretty sure I’ve planned out your whole future,” Willa added.
Miles grinned from ear to ear, radiating in a way that appeared to be ethereal. This must’ve been what her brother felt when he met Anna, claiming he knew from their first date that he would be marrying her.
It was harder for Willa to picture what that was like, but it was a lovely detail to cling to, an idea that two people could be so entwined with invisible strings that they’d know they belonged together from their initial meeting. She hoped with everything in her that it would be true for Miles.
She also hoped,needed, to get her mind off all this—love, companionship, Ethan—all of it. When Miles left, Willa opened her phone to the dance playlist she had curated for getting ready. The first song, “I Don’t Want to Talk (I Just Want to Dance)” by the Glass Animals, did the job pristinely.
She started pinning her hair back to put it in the first wig, a snappy high bun with braids and a fringe. It was one of the more exciting ones, as it was the only time she could pull off the style without getting tired of it when her hair grew out.
She bopped her head and mouthed the lyrics.
Sahar dragged her feet behind her, dancing to the song instead of getting ready. “You’re trying to distract yourself, right? That’s what we’re doing here?” she asked.
