Page 7 of Love is a Dance Step
“Not a chance, Ash.”
He lunged for her, knocking her onto her back as he tickled her. She squirmed beneath him, trying to break free as she laughed. “Ash. Fine. Uncle!”
He smirked down at her and sat back on his heels, one hand extended. She unlocked her phone and set it in his palm. His expression darkened as he scrolled through it. “You have every one of his albums on here. Years of music.”
She sat up and snatched the phone back, holding it to her chest. “I like him, okay?”
“No, not okay. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why would I? It’s just music.”
“Because he’s my brother, Lo. I don’t want you to be a fan.” Insecurity shone in his eyes, and Lola’s anger faded. Asher had always had this strange fear she’d leave him one day. It was one of many reasons she never told him how she felt. Romantic relationships ended, but friendships were forever, and she wanted to prove him wrong, to show him she’d always be there for him. Despite his arrogance, his total dude-ness, Asher Stone was her person.
“Ash.” She set her phone on the bed and leaned forward to wrap her arms around him. “I just like the music. I’ll prove it to you at the concert Saturday. Let’s go and have fun. We can forget who’s on stage. Besides, we’ll get to see Noah Clarke and Jo Jackson perform too. You love them.”
More like in love. Asher had an obsession with Jo Jackson, the pink-haired drummer. The same obsession she wouldn’t admit she had with Drew.
Asher rested his chin on her shoulder. “I just don’t want you to lovehim.”
And that was the problem. Asher Stone wanted to be her entire world in all ways except one.
And she wasn’t strong enough to pull away.
3
Drew
“Don’t forget the words this time.” Piper Hayes tapped her pen against the clipboard in a way that let Drew know she was nervous for him.
The action only made him smile. “I won’t.”
“But when you get too caught up in the dancing…”
“Piper, I’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, but just remember you are a singer first and a dancer second.”
He grabbed her hand, stopping the pen’s steady beat. “Chill.”
“Not exactly my strong suit.” She sighed and ran her free hand through her long hair.
Drew laughed at the sight of his normally calm—weirdly so—assistant letting herself get frazzled before his show. It wasn’t her fault. The week before, he’d gotten so caught up in his dance steps and the adrenaline racing through him, he completely spaced on an entire song, missing words and coming in at the wrong places. He tried to cover up his mistake by moving faster, letting his body mesmerize the crowd into forgetting the words too.
They hadn’t.
The tabloids the next morning revealed his mishap to the world, but he didn’t care, not like Piper at least. It was her job to keep the trains running on time, to make sure he was where he needed to be at the correct times.
She saw his forgetfulness as an indictment of her.
It was ridiculous, but there was no changing her mind on that.
He released her hand and dropped his voice playfully. “Write a song about it.”
She glared at him. Piper would one day be the biggest songwriter in the industry. He knew it in his gut. The entire world now knew she’d been writingFate’shits for years after her sister Quinn admitted as much at a press conference. Soon, everyone would clamor for a Piper Hayes song—Drew included.
Her pen resumed its tapping. “How did soundcheck go today? Sorry I missed it.”
“Pipes, you are there for everything. One measly soundcheck doesn’t break your streak of being the most diligent person I’ve ever met.”
