Page 48 of A Certain Step
He bent down to place a kiss on the top of her tiny head before migrating back into his room to change and leave.
Willa was alreadyon stage when he stepped in from the wings, taking the show from the top with Sahar for “Doors Open.” God, even the simple way she moved was transcendent. She wasn’t doing anything other than walking, head in the clouds for the act, and it was already too much for him to deal with.
She wore forest green leggings with a matching sports bra and her hair in a high ponytail. Ethan hadn’t switched out of his glasses yet, and a part of him didn’t want to now. He thought of sitting in the stands and watching her. Good lord, he almost sought to tell Christian to go on for him, fake an illness or something. Except, he wouldn’t do that to Willa. He had to be the strong one for her debut—the anchor for any of her possible needs. If she even needed him at all.
Get your shit together,he nagged at his brain.
She spotted him after concluding the number, and her eyes flicked in his direction, a sweet smile rising on her lips.
He shuffled closer, taking her quickly into his arms. “You’re going to be amazing,” he whispered, loud enough so only she’d hear.
“Glad one of us has that faith in me. I’m extremely nervous,” she admitted.
He tucked his fingers underneath her chin, nudging her to look up at him.It doesn’t mean what you think it does, Ethan. She’s just nervous about the performance. These are common debut jitters.“Don’t be. I’ve got you. You can do all of this in your sleep.”
She nodded, the apprehension in her eyes mollifying a tiny bit. Ethan removed his fingers from her chin and slid his hands to her shoulder, holding her in place. He wanted to say something and toss a few more compliments in the ring, but he couldn’t speak.
He moved aside, letting her resume from the top, waiting until it was his turn to enter the scene. With all their movements and singing occurring while seated, “Bennet Sisters’ Interview” didn’t require much physical labor from the women. Ethan couldn’t do his part without Sam yet, so he stood by until it was his turn for “Obstinate, Headstrong Girl.”
It was riveting to move beside her like an equal—to mark Darcy’s cold gaze upon her stunning frame. It was even more rousing to experience a new side of their rehearsals, a shift utterly different from their dynamic as friends.
The meat of “Smile More” and “Lost in the Lights” were heavier for the ensemble, leading to “Stubborn Bastard,” which required Declan, then to the “Midnights at Pemberley” title theme and one step closer to “Marry Me.”
One step closer.
They got into position for their small solo in “Midnights at Pemberley.”
He rubbed his palms up and down her bare shoulders.
She squared herself to start.
“You two are doing so great I can’t handle it,” Miles called out at one point. “We won’t be giving Dina an ulcer today,” he continued with a laugh.
Willa had turned to face him through a spin. “Keep throwing compliments at me, Miles, it’s helping,” she joked.
Miles obliged with a huge smile. “You’re a beautiful stage mermaid, Wills! At least I didn’t wake you up at four a.m. screaming because I had a dream about a video we should make this time around.”
Her dimpled smile morphed into a hearty laugh, and Ethan could swear her eyes shimmered. He was grateful for Miles’ charm at a time like this. Pleased that he knew Willa so well as a dancer.
Yes, Ethan and Willa had danced before, but watching her act like this was a breathtaking experience he wouldn’t ever take for granted. Watching her transform into someone else and evoke all sorts of emotions while simultaneously inhisarms was a gift he’d hold onto for the rest of his life.
Smooth sailing was almost inevitable with Willa, as if their bodies were made to dance together. He wondered if she felt it, too—if it was as seamless for her as it was for him when they were together.
While many of these numbers required intimate moments—Darcy’s notable hand flex included to excite the audience—the ensemble’s presence made the movements far less daunting.
It was “Marry Me” he was shitting bricks about.
Ethan wasn’t a particularly religious man, but when it was time for “Marry Me,” he sent a prayer to the ethers. He implored for the strength to pull off the moves without keeling over in front of her, begging on hands and knees for her to be more than his friend.
Miles got closer to them, his hands animated, eyes twinkling with excitement and a bit of concern simultaneously. “You two are dazzling together, but here’s where you need to be more mindful of your movements, E. Willa is taller than Naomi and Lea, so you don’t have to bend as much. But when you reach for her as you sing, “Wait,”I want you to still carry some of that nervousness Darcy does. Curl your shoulders slightly, and then you’ll straighten your posture again when you pull her up.”
Ethan nodded, taking in Miles’ every word, trying to focus on nothing but the performance.
Miles clasped his hands together. “The most important thing to remember about this number is that the aggression is passionate. Darcy’s feelings are raw, and he’s deeply conflicted, so I almost want you to go even harder with all the movements. Because Willa trusts you, and I trust you with her, I want your off-stage friendship to push through here because it’ll make the momentum more palpable.”
Miles nudged Willa to face Ethan and instructed him to grab onto her forearm. He did so and with as much force to create an impact without hurting her. Miles turned to Willa then, gesturing the next movement himself for both of them to see. “And you, my wondrous stage mermaid. You’re the most flexible dancer, so what if you bend back as much as possible when he grips your hand during the climax, then suspend it right as you touch the ground? Lea can dip somewhat as low, but Naomi can’t. I know you can, so I want us to use that. Then you rise slowly and thrust forward but pause, a little too close for comfort before the kiss happens. In other words, I want you to give Ethan’s leg the ladder treatment.”
Willa let out a boisterous laugh. Ethan’s breath caught in his throat, and he tried to smile.
