Page 58 of Vicious Cycle
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: ALEXANDRA
Two weeks had passed since the night I’d slept with Deacon. I continued coming to the compound every day like nothing momentous had happened that night. I usually stayed for dinner at least two nights a week. I found myself in a peculiar dance with Rev. He continued not to make a formal move on me, but whenever I was around, he gave me all his undivided attention.
Whenever I would find myself talking at length to Rev at the dinner table or around the compound, I would always feel Deacon’s hot gaze on me. His behavior was so confusing. Deaconstill seemed to want something romantic to happen between Rev and me, but his pointed looks seemed to tell a different story. Of course, I knew better than to question him. He was the master of being evasive and turning the tables on me. Besides, I wasn’t sure I could handle a relationship with sweet, respectful Rev, never mind volatile and brooding Deacon.
Today after Willow and I finished with our lesson, I was surprised to find Deacon waiting on us outside the door. “You got a minute?”
“Sure.”
“I wanted to show you something.”
Willow stomped her foot beside us. “Deacon, that’s not fair!” Then she flounced past us to go to Archer’s side.
My brows creased in confusion. “What’s she upset about?”
Deacon chuckled. “She’s pissed because she knows I’m going to show you the work I’ve done on the ballet studio.”
“But why would she care about that?”
“Because I’m making her wait to see it until it’s finished. You know, to be a surprise.”
I couldn’t help smiling at him for not only building the studio for Willow, but for wanting the finished product to be a surprise. Our shoes crunched down the gravel path. “Any idea when Willow might be able to return to school?”
Deacon shook his head. When he didn’t say anything else, I sighed. “You ready to get rid of this job already?” he asked.
“You know that I love working with Willow. I just worry about her.”
With true concern etched on his face, Deacon questioned, “You think I’m hurting her by keeping her here?”
“No, she’s perfectly safe and happy here. I just hate that she doesn’t have involvement with other children.”
He scratched the stubble on his jaw. “Maybe I can get Kim to bring her kids over more. She and Case have some close to Willow’s age. Mac’s got a granddaughter close to her age too.”
“I think that would be a great idea.”
Deacon motioned for me to go on ahead of him up the porch steps. When we got inside, Willow sat at the kitchen table with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
“Hey thundercloud face, you’re going to make it rain in here,” I said, with a smile.
“I wanna see the studio.”
“And you will when it’s totally finished,” Deacon replied, as he opened the basement door for me.
“I’ll come down with you two and see the progress,” Liz said.
Knowing that now Mama Liz was also getting to see the studio made Willow fume even harder, so I gave her an understanding smile and said we’d be back up soon. I stepped carefully on the worn boards of the stairs. From my vantage point, I could see why Willow had found it frightening. But when I reached the bottom of the staircase, I gasped in surprise.
While the basement was one large room that ran the length of the house, Deacon had worked to clear out the far end. Mirrors ran the length of the far wall while a new tile floor had been placed down. I don’t know how he had known to get the kind like I had at the dance studio. New lights had been put up to where it didn’t appear so dark and foreboding, and the walls closest to the studio space were painted pink. Willow’s wish had been granted with a barre.
“So what do you think?” Deacon asked.
Gazing around the room, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “This is…amazing. You thought of everything.” Turning to him, I asked, “You really did all this yourself?”
With a wink, he replied, “I’ve told you before I’m a man of many talents.”
Liz chuckled. “What he means to say is that we have a few electricians and contractors in the club who helped him.”
“Thanks for giving away my secrets, Mom,” Deacon said, good-naturedly.
