Page 72 of Love is a Dance Step
“Somehow, I don’t think this falls under assistant duties.”
A smile tilted her lips. “Well, I’m not just your assistant, I’m your friend. And that’s why I need to tell you you’re going to have a problem on your hands.”
“You don’t think she’ll want to dance lead tonight?”
“Oh, she’ll want to.” She dabbed lotion on his face with a cotton ball to remove the makeup. “But I meant the other dancers. They already treat her like a pariah, and now you’re replacing Brooke with her at a few hours’ notice. Drew, you announced it on TV without telling either of them first.”
He rubbed a hand over his face. “Not my finest moment.”
“It’s okay, we all know you have a problem with thinking before you speak.” She finished wiping the makeup from his face and smiled. “There you are.”
“Thanks.”
She nodded and turned to pack up Drew’s belongings so they could leave when Noah and Jo were done. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Shoot.”
She hesitated for a long moment. “Why now? By all accounts, Lola’s practices with Nolan haven’t been going well. And it was worse with Noah. They were like two children who couldn’t stop giggling. Seriously, you should have seen it. What makes you think she’s ready?”
“I danced with her.” He spoke so softly he wasn’t sure she heard him. “Two nights ago. And it was…”
“Special?”
“Yeah. There’s something about dancing with Lola that affects me. It no longer feels like I’m just repeating the same steps for the millionth time. Concert after concert we put on the same show, but with her, it’s new. She has this passion… it’s like she needs to dance in order to breathe. I’ve never known anyone like that. The world of professional dance beats the passion out of us. Even Leah… this was a job, one she loved, but still a job.
“Lola hasn’t reached that point yet. For her, it’s still a dream. When you spend so long living your dream, you forget it’s okay to dream of something else, something more. And Lola… she makes me want to dream again."
He hadn’t meant to admit so much to Piper, or really even to himself. Piper’s silence was like a weight on his shoulders.
“Drew.” She sat on the edge of the dressing table, her legs hanging over. “I know a little something about wanting someone you can’t have.”
“I don’t want her, Piper. I want todancewith her.” At least, that was what he wanted to want.
Piper didn’t look like she believed him, but she hopped off the table and kicked his shoes to him. “I’m going to call a car. As soon as Noah is done charming all of Washington, we need to leave.”
“What’s the rush?” He checked the time on his phone. “We have another seven hours until the concert.”
She smirked. “Yes, but I scheduled a nap for you, and we don’t need a cranky Drew tonight.”
“Bet you didn’t schedule naps when you worked for Quinn and Ben,” he grumbled.
She flashed him one more smile before yanking open the door and walking away.
* * *
Drew didn’t see Lola until he arrived at the arena for the concert. The car pulled through the parking garage to the back entrance where a team of security led him through the bowels of the arena.
Two girls rushed toward him, different in both looks and personalities. Brooke reached him first, her mouth already moving quickly as she spouted vitriol he barely heard. Her blonde hair shook out over her shoulders as she snapped her hard eyes to his.
“I am the lead,” she growled. “Have I done a bad job?”
“No.” Drew’s eyes were on the dark-haired beauty behind her.
“Have I missed a single step?” Her hands flew to her hips.
He sighed. “No, Brooke, you haven’t.” Tearing his eyes from the waiting Lola, he settled them on Brooke. She’d done everything asked of her, stepping in without missing a beat. “You’re an amazing dancer.”
“Then, why am I being replaced?”
