Page 48 of Love is a Dance Step
His eyes glassed over as he took a step toward her. “I know. Drew makes me crazy, and you took the brunt of it.”
“But why? Why does he make you crazy? Is it jealousy, Ash?”
“Maybe. It’s like I can’t control myself around him. He takes everything, every bit of oxygen my family has to give. I guess I thought if you were a fan, he’d take you too.”
“No one can take me.” She reached toward him and rested a hand on his arm. “I make decisions for myself. Our friendship hurts me, Ash. It literally hurts. And I don’t think friendship is supposed to do that.”
Asher’s tear-filled eyes flicked to hers as silence stretched between them at her admission. It happened so fast Lola didn’t have time to prepare herself. Asher pressed his lips to hers. It was the moment Lola had dreamed of for so long, but nothing about this was right.
Not anymore.
She put a hand on his cheek and pulled back. “What was that for?”
“I think…” He sucked in a breath. “I think I’m in love with you.”
Wasn’t that what she’d wanted to hear? Maybe once. But now, as she looked into his eyes, she realized she didn’t feel the same way. “Ash, you don’t love me.”
“How can you say that?”
“Because I know what loving you feels like. It’s not this desperate attempt to keep each other from moving on, to hold on to our friendship.”
“Lo, I’ve never felt this way before. It hurts right here.” He took her hand and pressed it to his heart.
“That’s loss, Ash. Not love.” A soft smile curved her lips. “I have wanted to hear you tell me you love me for too long, but I’m not waiting anymore. Those feelings, I don’t think they were real. Just like yours, I think they were an attempt to hold on to the only person I’ve ever really counted on. But we don’t have to be in love to keep each other.”
He put his hand over hers. “I thought our friendship made you tired.”
“It shouldn’t. That’s the point. Let’s make a pledge to each other, Ash.”
“A pledge.” He nodded. “Okay.”
“No more holding each other back. We support each other, but it’s not okay to rely on each other so much anymore.”
He brushed a hand over her hair, and one corner of his mouth curved up. “Sounds like you’re breaking up with me.”
She shook her head. “Never. That’s part of the pledge. We remain friends no matter what.”
He swallowed. “I think I can handle that.” Pulling her into a hug, he sighed. “As your friend, I feel the need to tell you you’re an idiot.”
She tried to pull back, but he didn’t end the hug. “Uh, thanks?”
“I might not be too fond of my big brother, but a rock star just invited you to join his tour as a dancer, Lo. And you said no. What would you prefer I call you?”
“You think I was wrong?”
“I can’t pretend to know what’s holding you back, but a few minutes ago, as I watched you dance, I saw what Drew must have seen. You love it like I’ve never loved anything. Not everyone gets a passion in life, and he’s giving you the chance to live yours.” He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “I made a binding friendship pact with this girl, and it says I need to support her, that I can’t hold her back. So, Lola Ramirez, are you going to hold yourself back?”
She pressed her face into his shoulder. “What if I can’t do it, Ash? What if he realizes I was a mistake?”
“That doesn’t sound like Lola at all.” He rested his chin on top of her head. “You, my best friend, are not a mistake.”
She nodded against him and pulled away to dry her face. “So, my doctor-wannabe best friend thinks I should drop out of college, quit both my jobs, and join a rock tour?”
“Nah. Your doctor-wannabe best friend thinks you should do anything that’ll make you happy.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “You have exactly one hour before Drew leaves for the next tour stop. The contract isn’t ready, so they’re having the new dancer meet them in Orlando.”
An hour? She looked down at her sweaty clothes. She hadn’t even showered before coming to the studio. “Where is he?”
“Probably at his bus. They parked them in an overflow parking lot by the high school.”
