Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“You have to stop hovering,” I lectured Sadie as she kept pace at my side into the living room. Gavin had dropped me off an hour ago after I refused to go anywhere near the Haven Cove ER, and Sadie hadn’t been more than two feet away since I came through the door. She’d even sat on the bathroom rug as I showered.
The intuition of dogs was indisputable.
I already had three text messages from Hudson, checking on me, and the tone of the messages was anything but pleased since I’d demanded he accompany Juniper to the ER to meet Caroline. I typed out a response to his latest message and dodged two of the packed boxes Anne had left beside the far armchair.
Allie: Eating. Drinking. Everything is fine.
It was quietly odd yet freeing to be in the house alone. It would be hours until everyone else returned from the reception. “Go lay down, honey,” I said to Sadie, motioning to her fluffy bed at the edge of the living room as I walked through the baggage-strewn foyer that only served to remind me that the summer was over. So was my time with Hudson.
My heart rebelled against the thought as Sadie gave a sigh of resignation, and I looked over my shoulder to see her turn a circle and collapse with a huff onto the bed as I headed into the studio.
I flipped the second light switch, and the wall sconces turned on, illuminating the studio with a soft glow instead of the bright overhead lights that spotlit imperfections when we trained at night.
We. I polished off the brownie as I pondered that particular term. We had trained here. We had been broken and remade. I just wasn’t sure what each of us had been shaped into. Even me.
I hadn’t even called my mother to tell her I’d won my part back.
Putting the bottle on the floor, I moved to Lina’s barre position, searching for any trace of her in my own reflection as I stood barefoot in cotton pajama pants and a tank top. But I didn’t see Lina, or even my mother. I only saw myself, principal dancer at whatever company I chose from the stack of contracts I’d been offered. I could go to Paris, or San Francisco, or I could go back to New York, sleep in the apartment my mother had chosen, work for the company she’d worshipped, and dance the role that had been created for me. I could secure Eva’s position too. I’d have to see Vasily every day, but I could go home.
My chest buckled, and I rubbed my hand over my sternum like I could somehow ease the ache accompanying the simple truth that every choice took me far from Hudson. He was expecting orders any day. At best case, he’d be in Sitka, six hundred miles away from the nearest professional ballet company, and God I wanted that for him, even if it cut me to the quick when we said goodbye.
At worst case, he would remain here, stifled but surrounded by the love of his family, and even if I wanted to be with him, to throw caution to the proverbial wind and let him all the way in, it would kill the career I’d just victoriously reclaimed. The nearest company was in Boston.
The best company was in New York.
There was no solution that even let me ponder keeping him.
Unless he gets stationed somewhere with a company, like San Francisco. But would either of us be happy, knowing our relationship had come at the cost of the very things we’d dreamed about?
A pair of headlights shone through the studio windows, and I turned to watch Gavin’s car roll up the long drive from the main road in the dying evening light. But it wasn’t Gavin who parked in front of the house and charged up the steps like a man possessed.
It was Hudson.
The front door blew open and was shut with the same energy a second before he walked into the studio, collar of his dress shirt undone, tie missing, and hair mussed like he’d ripped his hands through it a dozen times. His eyes held a wild desperation that made my heartbeat trip over itself as we locked eyes.
How was it possible that this was my last night with him?
“I wanted to bring you home.” He strode toward me, his gaze roving over my body. “And you let Gavin?”
“Shoes,” I reminded him, heat flooding my body as I retreated a step for every one he took. “And you’re the one with medical training. It only made sense to send you with Juniper, seeing as Caroline was meeting you at the ER.”
“Fuck the shoes.” He kicked them off. “And you refused to be seen—”
“The EMT cleared me at the scene,” I reminded him, passing Anne’s barre spot and entering the familiar territory of mine, where I stopped retreating and stood my ground. “And I have enough memories of that hospital without making any new ones, thank you very much.”