Page 77 of Facing Off
His team quickly grabs their seats. I decide to stand where I am, my arms folded.
“In a little under a month,” Hughes begins, “there’s an audition for Bob Pepita’s new ballet. Invitations to try out for it have been extended to only the strongest dancersaround the world. Sonya is one of them. Our goal is to assess her for yips as quickly as possible. If we can produce an assessment report for her within a week, that would be ideal.” With a click of the a button, Hughes turns a projector on. Lights dim and a slideshow starts. There are references to studies about performance blocks in athletes. Highlighted excerpts are shared.
“This is just what I’ve found so far,” Hughes says.
My heart gives an erratic thump.He researched all of this himself?
He continues. “I want to introduce everyone to Sonya. The yips might be new to her, but she’s a master athlete when it comes to ballet. Trust her when she tells you if something is working or not.”
Iris starts passing around sheets of paper. I’m not given one, and that’s because Hughes announces, “Those are the non-disclosure agreements my lawyer emailed you about. You must sign these before Sonya speaks to you.”
My stomach does a tumbling thing, because the way he’s phrasing everything… It’s like I’m in charge. As if I’m the one in control of all this.
“The timeline to figure this out isn’t a lot,” someone says.
“I’m aware.” Hughes clicks the projector off. “Just like I know ballet isn’t anyone’s specialty here. But do you know what I also know? What everyone sitting before me is capable of accomplishing.”
Shock moves through me. His manner is steely and businesslike, and not at all what I was expecting.
“You are who I call when everyone else tells me ‘you can’t’ because I know failure doesn’t scare you,” Hughes says. “You don’t get discouraged because it’s too hard or it’s never been done. No, you get hungrier and try harder, and you win.”
He pauses for a beat, then continues. “You win because you get the best out of others because you give the best of yourselves. You are my people. There is no one else I have more faith in.”
His team of experts have leaned forward in their seats.
“You got this,” he tells them with absolute certainty. “You’ll help her.”
I’m not ready for blue eyes to meet mine, or the energy charge that ricochets through my body, covering my skin with goosebumps.
This is so dangerous in a way I can’t explain.
The thought trickles into my brain like melting ice.
I don’t recognize the man across the room. Where is the flirty playboy? His goofy immaturity with all that arrogance? Those sparkling blue eyes creasing with constant amusement?
All the boxes I’ve put this man inside are rattling. I mean, his face is still infuriatingly attractive and overwhelmingly self-assured, but that’s not…all I see…
I see…a…
Don’t think it, don’t think it, don’t think it.
The word hums inside me.
Captain.
He’s not grinning or even smiling that usual patronizing, teasing smirk. His face is completely serious.
A slow warmth rises behind my ears, impossible to ignore. This is bad.
He’s not supposed to be dependable or trustworthy. Even though it doesn’t escape me that he’sbeenshowing up in ways I didn’t ask for, but have needed just the same. The hospital, outside my dance studio, taking me to a rage room, trying to see if I have the yips.
Could it be that I haven’t figured out who Adrian Hughes is, after all?
An alarm stirs deep inside me, but I don’t want to think about it.
Thankfully, people start clapping, and the noise jerks me into action. I tear my gaze from Hughes and observe everyone else.
Iris is passing Team Nutcracker shirts around. People are taking off their sweaters and blazers and putting them on as if everyone is part of a team.Myteam. NDA forms are being signed, returned to Hughes, and then people are coming to me to shake my hand.
