Page 148 of Just Like Home

“I never should’ve let you go to that funeral,” Marcia said. “I should’ve known it would bring everything back up again. How many times did I tell you to let it go? You did what you had to do.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Charlotte said. “What did you say to Cole?”

Marcia shrugged. “I told him the truth. That you didn’t belong here anymore than he belongs in your world.”

“That’s not your call.” Heat rushed to her face.

“And, of course, we had a conversation about how much you really owe to Julianna.”

Panic washed over her. “You didn’t.”

She waved her hand, feigning innocence. “Of course, I thought you would’ve told him. The two of you looked pretty close when you were dancing up here.”

Charlotte’s mind spun. This couldn’t be happening. This was not how he was supposed to find out.

“I spoke with Martin,” Marcia went on. “Now that you’ve gotten this out of your system, it’s time to get back to reality.”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Charlotte drew in a taut breath, as if that would calm her nerves.

“I’ve saved you from making a giant mistake,” Marcia said. “From throwing everything away. Let’s not forget what Julianna gave up so you could have this dream.”

Charlotte was so angry, the only thing she could do was walk away.

But Marcia followed her. “So, you’ll be back on Monday. You’ll have to rehearse for a few weeks before they let you perform. Looks like you might’ve put on a few pounds during this little sabbatical, so we’ll hit the gym right away.”

“It’s not a sabbatical.” She smoothed her hair back and drew in a breath. “This is my life. I’m staying. I’m buying Julianna’s dance studio, and I’m staying. That man is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Marcia inched back and studied Charlotte a little too intently. “You can’t be serious. You and the high school football coach? In what world is there a happy ending for the two of you? Especially now that he knows what kind of person you really are?”

“No, Mother, what kind of person Iwas.Before Julianna showed me what sacrifice looks like. Some people learn that from their mothers, but I learned it from her.”

“Fine, but you’d still be an idiot to waste everything you’ve accomplished,” Marcia said. “If you stop dancing, what do you have left? You’re nothing without the ballet.”

The words hung between them, confirming every fear Charlotte kept bottled up, every motivation for living the way she did.

And she thought about what Hildy had said. Real love didn’t have strings. She might not have earned it, but she’d found it just the same.

She’d found it in Cole, in her friends, in Hildy, in Amelia.

But she’d never found that in her mother.

“If I give up dance, I’ll just be Charlotte,” she said. “And I would hope that that would be enough for you.”

Her mother started to say something, but Charlotte held up a hand to silence her. “I’m done living the life you want me to live.”

Charlotte walked away, toward the stage door, and didn’t turn to look back. Not even when her mother called out, “I’ll tell Martin to expect you on Monday morning.”

It was pointless to try and make her understand.

After all, Marcia didn’t know her at all.

49

Cole yanked the tie loose and raced to his truck. He got in and drove around, replaying the events of the night over and over in his mind.

How could his feelings change so swiftly? Only an hour ago, he’d been so smitten with Charlotte he couldn’t have imagined a day without her in his life.

Now he wondered if he knew her at all.

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