Page 3 of Nightmare's Dance

We raised our glasses.

Phillip singled out a few of the newer circus artists, praising how far they’d come in the last six months. We were all happy to drink to that. Then we broke off from the main table to mingle. I headed for the bar to get another drink and Geraint headed off to chat with some of the other performers.

I loved the show season, but I was looking forward to getting home. We had a comfortable routine for our summer months, and I needed the downtime.

“Are you and your Irish knight ever going to make it official?” Casey came up behind me.

“What?” I accepted my fruity drink and turned to face my friend. She took a minute to grab her own drink before gesturing for me to follow her to one of the standing tables where finger food waited.

“You and Knight?”

“Oh. You mean like get married or something?”

“It’s so obvious you’re totally into each other.” She sipped her drink, a grin on her lips and eyes shining above the rim of her glass.

“I don’t know. I mean, what we have works. Why mess up a good thing?”

I didn’t tell her there was something holding him back. I had no idea what, but it had been hard enough to talk him into my bed in the first place, and I wasn’t willing to push any further. I’d known Geraint most of our lives, but there were certainly things I didn’t know, and he didn’t like to talk about his past, so I’d never pushed.

“Besides, marriage isn’t everything. We have a solid, committed relationship and a solid business partnership.”

“As long as you’re happy, Ember. That’s the important thing.”

I smiled and nodded. “I am.”

“Besides, I’m one to talk. I’ve got a better relationship with Ferdie than I ever manage with anyone else.” Casey chuckled and downed her drink.

“There’s someone out there with the willingness to share your love with a metal hoop.” I nudged her playfully.

“Oh, I know. I’ve even found a few. It just never seems to last. Okay, on to other topics or I’ll get more drunk than I want to. You got a contract lined up for the fall yet?”

“I don’t think so. Robby doesn’t usually commit to anything until later in the summer. We’ve got one last gig, a private event tomorrow, and then we’re heading home for Mom and Dad’s summer camp like we always do.”

“I envy you,” she said. “You know that, right?”

“We could always use another teacher. May not pay what a contract does, but it’s rewarding and comes with housing.”

Casey smiled. “I’ll think about it. Regardless, the reason I brought it up, I’ve got a line on a few potential gigs in the Caribbean for the winter.”

My eyes widened at that. Spending the winter some place warm was always the dream. “That sounds amazing. I’ll have Robby get in touch with you.” White sand beaches, sun, and warmth all winter long. A lot of outdoor performances with those gigs. I loved it.

“Great. I can’t wait to work with you again. Maybe we can develop that threesome act we talked about a few months ago.” She mock leered at me.

Chuckling in response, I tilted my glass to her in a salute. “I’ll totally think about it. If we do all end up on the gig, I bet we can work something out.”

“Great!”

My knight caught my attention, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“I don’t even have to look to know you’re staring at your man. You’re practically drooling.”

“I mean, you’ve seen him shirtless, right?”

“Babe, I’m not saying you’re wrong. I just know he’s the one you’re looking at, and I’m sure you’re ready to get out of here and keep each other up for the rest of the night. Go on. Have Robby get in touch with me, and I’ll see you this fall.”

I refocused on Casey. “I’m serious. If something doesn’t come up for the summer, we need another instructor. It’s not a camp counselor type position, it’s purely instruction. Gymnastics, aerial, things like that.”

“What happens at this camp? You’ve mentioned it, but I’ve never thought too hard about it.”

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