Page 109 of Take the Lead
Gina pushed her hair out of her face. “I can’t really think that far ahead, not until after we get through the finals.”
“One more week.”
“Yeah. One more week.” One more week, and then Stone would be out of her life forever.
Even without this whole kissing footage fiasco, it would have happened anyway. He had to go back to Alaska to resume filming. She had to continue building her career. It was all she’d ever wanted.
Career came first. Always.
Gina collected their cups and brought them to the sink. “You want to tell me what’s going on with you and Dimitri? Again?”
Natasha groaned and covered her face with one of the colorful throw pillows brightening up the beige sofa. “Not really.”
“Should I guess?”
“Probably.” The word came out muffled.
“You guys had too much to drink at the club, he turned those sexy chocolate brown eyes on you and said in that deep Brooklyn accent”—she dropped her voice to imitate Dimitri’s baritone—“‘Yo, Tasha, you wanna go home with me?’ And you tripped and fell on his dick.”
Tash threw the pillow aside and scowled. “That’s exactly what happened.”
“Was it good, at least?”
“It’s always good. That’s the problem.” Tash got up to rummage in the fridge. “Did you get in one last round with Stone?”
Gina sighed. “Yeah.”
“Was it good?”
“Of course. Just made the rest of it worse, though.”
“One more week.”
“I know.”
Thirty
After an especially punishing session at the hotel gym that did nothing to keep his mind off Gina, Stone returned to his room just in time to pick up a call from downstairs.
“Yeah?” He held the phone away from him, since he was dripping with sweat.
“Hello, Mr. Nielson. This is Omar at the front desk. We have a message for you. Your mother called and asked you to connect with her on video chat.”
Stone’s cell phone had been off since the semifinals for this very reason. He suppressed a groan and thanked Omar.
Hanging up, Stone plucked at the wet tank top clinging to his chest. He was drenched. His family would have to wait until he’d taken a shower.
He wished he could put it off longer. Ever since he’d visited Alaska with Gina, resentment toward his family popped up at odd moments. He’d recall someone from college, and then remember he wasn’t allowed to reach out to anyone from his former life. Or someone atThe Dance Offwould ask himanything,and he’d have to lie or clam up.
And after everything that had happened with Gina… shit, he just didn’t want to talk to anyone.
He was hurt, he could admit that much. And angry. And he still had to fucking dance with her and pretend like everything was fine. It was fucked up.
He glanced at his laptop. As much as he wanted to ignore them, the pull of family was too strong. After a quick shower, he sat at his laptop and called his mother.
Pepper’s face popped up on the screen, crinkling into a smile when she saw him. He could see her room at the Glacier Valley Inn in the background. “Hi, honey.”
Stone couldn’t help it. He smiled back. Yes, he was mad at her for asking about Gina on camera, and for adding to it in the interview, but she was his mom. He loved her and always would.
