Page 87 of Love is a Dance Step
Each word he sang washed over Lola, tipping her over the edge of the cliff she’d walked along since agreeing to join the tour. The cliff that was Drew Stone.
“Hey Lola?” Brooke sounded unsure of herself for once.
Lola turned toward her. “Yeah?”
“Okay, so I’ve already had a couple drinks, and it might be going to my head. I’ll deny I said any of this later, but when I was dancing with Nolan, he reminded me you were one of us, so here goes.”
Lola braced herself for impact, reaching for her glass of water just to have something to focus on.
Brooke continued in a rush of words. “He’s right. You are one of us. I didn’t see it before because let’s face it, your audition sucked. I assumed you got this job because you were hooking up with Drew or something.”
Lola shifted her eyes away, afraid they’d reveal the truth.
“But I know you’re not. He must have seen something in you, and he was right. I saw the way you danced with him, like you were meant to stand up there. Frankly, it kind of hurt to see because as good as I am, I know my dancing lacks one thing. Emotion. Don’t get me wrong, I’m perfect in a way you could never be, but Drew never wanted that. So, I guess I just wanted to say, um…” She flicked her eyes to Nolan, and he gave her an encouraging nod. “I’m sorry I’ve been so awful to you, and I know now you’re here because you deserve to be.”
The words were meant to be encouraging, to be an apology and a vote of confidence from the last person Lola thought would ever give it. But she couldn’t help wondering if they were true at all. Brooke said she earned it, but Lola thought back on each time Drew looked like he wanted to kiss her. Now, she wondered if she had earned it after all.
What kind of Jedi mind trick had Brooke just pulled?
As Lola stared at her, all she saw was a reluctant earnestness. “Thank you.”
Brooke nodded and downed the rest of her drink. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ah, the denial she’d foretold.
Lola shared a smile with her, wondering how different things might have been if she’d joined the tour any other way. If she hadn’t been chosen over Brooke. If she hadn’t bombed her audition.
“Aw, we’re like one big happy family.” Nolan beamed at them.
Jo chuckled and muttered under her breath. “Dancers.” She sipped water, resting a hand on top of her stomach.
Lola didn’t realize she’d been staring when Jo narrowed her eyes. “Got something to say, Lola?”
Lola shook her head. “Just listening to Drew.” She turned back to the stage where Drew started in on his final song. Once he was finished, they were told dinner would be served.
Lola couldn’t help but wonder what kind of food rich people ate.
Drew fit in so well with them with his easy charm and ready wit. He hid his boredom much better than Noah, even looking like he enjoyed himself.
For once, Lola wished she could borrow even an ounce of his confidence.
Because the longer she sat in that room surrounded by fine things, the more she waited for her dress to turn back into rags, and for her prince to realize she was no princess at all.
* * *
Lola escaped to the bathroom as soon as Drew’s set was done. She needed a moment to breathe, to feel like herself again. The real Lola Ramirez would have never attended a ball, much less one thrown by a senator.
No, she was more content in pjs with her sopaipillas and Netflix. In some memories of her lame weekends, Asher sat next to her, stealing her food and complaining about the shows she watched.
In others, she sat alone while he went on dates or to parties, only showing up at her house when there was no more fun to be had.
She bent over the sink and cupped her hands under the water to splash it on her face. Brooke spent a lot of time on Lola’s makeup, and Nora would no doubt be mad she’d ruined it, but Lola needed a reminder that it wasn’t her, that the only time she wore that much makeup was on stage.
She lifted her face to the gold-rimmed mirror and stared at her reflection. The waterproof eye makeup didn’t run, but she’d rubbed some foundation from her cheeks, revealing real skin underneath.
Her eyes skimmed the bodice of her dress. Too fancy. It was too much.
The door opened behind her, and Lola whipped around, half expecting Brooke to be there to chastise her for ruining her “look.” Instead, Drew’s publicist walked in.
Lola hadn’t spent much time with Melanie, but she’d noticed how much the woman seemed to care about the rock stars she worked for.
