Page 110 of Love is a Dance Step
Piper pursed her lips. “A few months ago, I had to ask myself the same thing about Ben. I even gave him up until he stormed a stage to declare his love for me. These boys love their drama. Anyway, Drew has become one of my favorite people, so if you choose him, Lola, I need you to be sure. I need you to know without a doubt that you won’t break his heart. He might seem like nothing bothers him, hiding behind sarcasm and jokes, but that man out there is one of the good ones.”
“Are you done with your little protective speech?” Asher crossed his arms, eyeing the assistant.
Piper shot him a scowl. “I wouldn’t need to be so protective if you hadn’t come to ruin everything.”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“Oh really?”
Lola left their bickering behind as she stepped back onto the stage. Drew’s song came to an end, and he stood staring out into the crowd. Lola kept moving, knowing what she had to do.
Piper was right. She couldn’t break his heart. Ever. Because if she did, it would destroy her. And that was when she knew.
Their relationship started as a series of dance steps, two dancers making sense of the world through the movements of their bodies.
But in the end, it was just them. If hurting Drew would shatter Lola, it meant only one thing.
She stepped around Brooke, who gave her a curious look.
Drew didn’t see her as she took her normal spot at his side.
“I have to admit something to you all.” He spoke to his fans. “I’m dancing up here a little broken hearted.” There was a collective ‘aww.’ He went on. “I fell in love with a girl, and she doesn’t love me back.”
A handful of girls screamed that they loved him.
“Thank you.” He smiled. “I’ve never felt this way before, and I’m not really sure what to do now, so how about you guys just let me dance through it?”
They cheered as he took up his position in the center of the stage again and the lights dimmed. A familiar song started, Drew’s voice echoing out through the arena as he sang the first words without moving. This song started slow before building up to the fast pace of Drew’s best dance number.
Brooke moved into position, but Lola waved her away. Brooke nodded with a small smile before stepping into the row behind them. The noise of the crowd grew louder as soon as they saw her waiting. When the lights rose, Drew lifted his gaze, holding a hand out to his side, probably expecting Brooke to place hers in it.
As soon as their fingers connected, Drew’s eyes shot to her. His face showed no expression as he sang, but when the beat picked up, he pulled Lola to him, going through the steps like they had so many times before.
Their bodies moved in sync like they were always meant to dance together.
Each beat filtered through Lola, pumping adrenaline into her heart. Each time she connected to Drew, she never wanted to leave him. She understood what Asher had said now, how watching them dance was different. He was right, every dance step that pulled them apart hurt them until they were drawn back together.
The song ended with Lola and Drew facing each other, their chests heaving. Drew didn’t move, he didn’t say a word. He wouldn’t, not after Lola ran from him.
His dancers ran from the stage like they’d always done after the final song, leaving only Drew and Lola as the crew worked to change out the set.
Neither of them said anything, but Lola raised a palm. Drew fit his against it, closing their fingers together.
“You came back.” His whisper wasn’t a whisper with his mic still on. He switched it off. The crowd, as if sensing something big happening, started chanting Drew’s name but not only his. The moment Lola heard her name on the lips of thousands of people was not one she’d forget.
Lola stared at Drew, wanting to memorize the way he looked at her. His lips twitched as if he suppressed a smile, and his eyes held more hope than a spurned man’s should.
“We should get off the stage.” Lola fidgeted, unable to stay still.
Drew looked around as if realizing where they were for the first time.
The noise of the crowd faded to the background until all she could hear was the beating of her own heart.
“I—”
Drew took a step toward her, not letting go of her hand, their connection. “You what?”
“I think—”
