Page 92 of The Dance
“You remember Dylan,” I said.
“Yeah.” Molly gave a little wave. “This is Stacey’s mom, Judy, by the way. Judy, this is Blake and Dylan.”
It wasn’t lost on me that Molly didn’t give me a title, and I didn’t blame her. I suppose Stacey and I weren’t even friends, but mere acquaintances that had a history of fucking. After all, I only got the tickets because Molly showed up at The Wild Pony drunk, and I had done the right thing by calling her roommate.
I shook hands with Judy. “It’s nice to meet you finally. How’s the clothing store?”
Judy blinked as though surprised I knew anything about her. “It’s doing very well, thank you. How do you know Stacey?”
My gaze flicked to Molly’s, and Molly answered, “We met at a party a few years back. Been friends ever since.”
“Yeah, back when being a backup dancer was just an aspiration. No way would I miss her first night living out that dream,” I stated. While I’d had no clue she’d finally gotten a backup dancer gig, I was excited I was getting to see her on stage living her dream. I was proud of her.
Stacey’s dad showed up with her stepmom a few minutes later, and I got the impression it made Judy uneasy since she never looked their way. Dylan and Molly chatted and danced the entire concert, and me? I watched Stacey dance her ass off.
* * *
After the concert was over,Molly led us toward the backstage area. After a while, Stacey appeared and told security to let us back. Molly went to Stacey, wrapping her arms around her and congratulating her roommate. Judy did the same, followed by Stacey’s father and stepmom. When it was my turn, I was beaming with pride for my sexy dancer.
“You were amazing out there,” I gushed.
“Aw, thank you. I’m so glad you …” She paused for a moment, and before I could follow where she was staring, she continued, “I’m so glad you came. I need to go but stick around. You can meet Maze.”
She left the group, and by the time I turned around, another man was engulfing her in a hug. His back stayed facing me, but I was certain he was a big part of her life.
A life I didn’t fit in.
It was time I did what was best for me and shadowing my brother would hopefully teach me some things. He’d offered for me to visit California whenever I wanted, and I was going to do just that. It was time I lived my dream, even if that meant having my brother help me.
30
Stacey
“What are you doing here?”I squealed as I wrapped my arms around Eddie’s neck. I was still sweaty from the concert, but having my friends and family see me dance, plus Eddie—who I didn’t think was coming because he told me he had to sort out Brody stuff—made me the happiest I’d been in a long time.
“No way I would miss your first show, sunshine,” he replied into the crook of my neck.
I pulled back and looked into his brown eyes. “I thought you had … you know?”
“He cut a deal.”
My eyes widened. “Really?”
“I don’t want to talk about him orthat. I want to celebrate with you.”
I was itching to pull him aside to get all the details because Molly and I needed to know what would happen to Brody. Was he going to jail? Or was he getting off scot-free?
“Is he at least going to jail?” I whispered.
Eddie’s lips formed a thin line. “No, but later, okay?”
How could he not be going to jail? What kind of plea deal was given? Maybe community service or something that wasn’t hard time.
My parents still didn’t know about the attack, so I took a step back, ready to introduce Eddie to everyone he didn’t know, but Blake and who I remembered as his friend Dylan were walking away. I eyed Molly curiously, and she shrugged. I didn’t think Blake would leave without a goodbye, but maybe it was for the best.
Eddie greeted my mom first with a hug, then Molly, and as he turned to my dad, I said, “Dad, this is Eddie. Eddie, this is my father, Chad, and my stepmom, Linda.” There was no need for me to tell my father that Eddie was almost my stepbrother once. He’d never met him, and Ian wasn’t in my mom’s life anymore. I hadn’t seen him since Eddie and I had been hanging out, either.
They shook hands, and my dad said, “Eddie. You’re the one who got Stacey this gig, right?”
