Page 70 of Love is a Dance Step
“Good. Everything here is great actually. Lizzy started dance classes.”
Lola closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his voice. She’d wanted to be the one teaching Lizzy. “She’s going to love that.”
“Penny is entering a competition.”
Her smile widened. “I’ve been trying to convince her to compete for the last year. What made her decide?”
“You. She said if you can chase your dream, she can do the same.”
“Really? She said that?”
“Everyone here misses you, Lo.” He went silent for a beat. “I stopped by to see your mom. She’s just working as normal, but she made me a double batch of sopaipillas and told me to share with my sisters.”
“Did you?”
“Heck no.”
A laugh burst out of her, and she covered her mouth as a few of the girls sent glares her way. “You’re bad to the bone, Ash.”
“Don’t I know it.”
“But thanks for going to see her. I’ve talked to her a few times, but she’s usually busy at work.”
He sighed. “Yeah, I guess she’s taken on more shifts.”
“Is she struggling for money?” She hadn’t had the chance to send some to her, but she knew her mom wouldn’t take it anyway.
“I don’t think so. She just misses you, and if she’s not working, she’s sitting at home alone.”
“Well, now I feel even more guilty about leaving.”
“Don’t. She’d never want you to feel guilty. Let’s talk about something else. Tell me about the tour.”
Lola’s eyes scanned the bus. She wanted to tell Asher everything—minus a few things—but not here surrounded by the others. “Can I call you when we get to D.C.? I’ll tell you everything then.”
“Definitely. Love you.”
“Love you too.” As she hung up, she realized those words didn’t have the same meaning they once had. It had hurt when she knew Asher’s ‘love yous’ didn’t hold the same weight hers did. But maybe now with some distance, they were on more equal footing.
And it felt good.
“You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend.” Nolan raised one brow.
Lola crossed her arms and leaned her head on the window. “I don’t.”
“Sure sounded like it.” He laughed.
She couldn’t explain her relationship with Asher to anyone else because she’d never quite understood it herself. Maybe now she could. Her feelings had always been so muddled, but they were starting to make more sense.
Because Asher never looked at her the way Drew had, like she was the only person in the room.
He’d never made her crave his touch or ignore the warning bells clanging in her mind.
21
Drew
“Drew, tell us about the dancer.” Mitch Hardy, the Entertainment News reporter, leaned forward in his chair and looked down at the notes on his desk. “Lola Ramirez, is that right?”
