Page 65 of Lovers' Dance

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like a drink, Mr Bradley?” Gloria asked from behind the desk.

The only drink Matt wanted was a strong whiskey, and he doubted they would have that on the premises. He declined her offer and resumed pacing.

“Madi’s a nice person,” Gloria said, keeping her eyes on the screen in front of her. “And, I’ve, well, we’ve all seen the stuff on the net.”

Matt stopped his pacing to observe her, his demeanour suddenly standoffish. Gloria stole a peek over the screen, then blurted out, “I know you’re this rich playboy and whatnot, but she’s lovely and I hope you’re not going to hurt her.”

Matt felt a smidgen of annoyance at her forwardness, but assumed she did so out of loyalty to Madi. It was touching and wholly unnecessary.

“I have no plans to do so,” Matt stated, a friendly smile on his face to take the edge out of his words.

“Good.” Gloria beamed at him, then returned to her work.

Matt’s attention went to the door as a group of three people came bustling through. They didn’t look like reporters, but one could never be sure.

“Those tossers are still out front,” a slender man in sweats exclaimed while jostling his bag from one hand to the next. “Blocking the road like they own it. Where’s—” He stopped when he noticed Matt standing quietly to the side.

His eyes widened in recognition, and he nudged the two women next to him.

“Morning, all,” Gloria chirped, grinning at their faces. “Dante and Madi are in the back studio and you’re late.”

“She’s in?” One of the women asked, gaze fixated on Matt.

“Yup. Hey, which one of you took the office phone?”

“Ask Liam,” they said in unison before walking off. Matt could hear their excited, low chatter as they moved away. He sighed softly, being out of his comfort zone and not liking it.

Nathan returned, a grim smile on his face as he walked through the doors.

Matt strode up to him. “Well? How did it go?”

“Reasonably well. A few probing questions, but I kept on script. Can we get out of here? It’s almost one and I’m needed at the office. You should come in, too.”

Matt ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head slowly. “No. I’m staying. Take my car.” He pulled out the keys and handed them over to Nathan. “I’ll get a lift back with Madi.”

Nathan frowned as he took the car keys. “Matt, I think—” He stopped talking at the look on Matt’s face, sighing in resignation and nodding. “Fine. I’ll pop over to yours later. We need to talk.”

Matt had no intention of discussing his love life with anyone, but he nodded before saying his goodbyes.

“You can watch if you like, Mr Bradley. They’ll probably be in the fish bowl now,” Gloria piped up as Matt was about to take a seat. “There are chairs outside the room Madi’s in, and it’s better than sitting here with boring old me.”

Matt smiled in gratitude, perplexed over her fish bowl comment, and allowed Gloria to lead him to the back of the building. It was a large property. Matt wanted to wander around, but the chance to see Madi dance won out. Gloria stopped, explaining cheerfully, “It was Dante’s idea, this room. He said it would be nice for the students to be able to see how the professionals danced whenever they passed by.”

Matt stared through the clear glass that gave him full view of the room and spotted her immediately. She had changed into a black leotard and tights, one leg perched on the woodenbarreas she stretched in front the mirrored wall. Gloria pointed to a group of chairs and fidgeted with her hair.

“If you need anything, come find me.”

Matt nodded, making his way over to the farthest chair and sat down. Gloria hesitated for a moment before finally flashing him a nervous smile and disappearing back down the corridor.

He watched as Madi and the three others who’d arrived when he was in reception joked amongst themselves. Dante clapped his hands and they sobered up as they took their positions.

They began to dance. Their movements fluid and graceful as they glided and leaped across the space. Matt had been to ballet productions at the Royal Opera House, and he knew the dancers he watched were skilled. Trying not to be biased, he compared Madi’s dancing with the others, deciding after watching her complete a complicated round of steps which ended with her being lifted into the air above Dante’s head, that she was absolutely fantastic. He’d never witnessed anything that beautiful. The sound of voices coming closer broke his fascinated observance of his woman. A mixed group of five jovial people sauntered past. They didn’t notice Matt sitting at the back and hurried into the room, leaving the glass door partially open.

“Liam,” Madi groused to a tall blonde. “Stop moving the office phone. No one knows where it is.”

Liam laughed as he and the newcomers shrugged off their jackets and trainers before pulling on ballet shoes.

“All right.” Dante called order. “Now that the ten of us are here, let’s start from the top. Bri, can you put the music on?”

---