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)
I let my anger slip its leash just enough for her to see, and she paled in the house lights, but I kept my mouth shut. Allie would handle her, just like she’d handled Quinn.
Caroline’s gaze jumped between Eva and me, and then she bristled. “Look, I don’t know what the hell you did to earn what my brother is dishing out—”
“She threw Allie’s reputation in the mud, then stepped on it to steal the role that had been created for her,” Gavin supplied.
Caroline’s mouth unhinged. “But . . . you’re her sister.” Her tone implied that a worse crime didn’t exist. “She defended you. She made sure Hudson pulled you out of the boat first. She—” Caroline’s mouth snapped shut. “You know what? You don’t exist to me. From now on, Allie is the only Rousseau girl as far as I’m concerned.”
“You sure about that?” Eva arched a brow at me.
“Nawh.” Gavin shook his head. “Anne’s pretty fucking great, too, and Lina . . . well, I can say on pretty good authority that Lina would be ashamed of you.”
Eva drew back like she’d been hit, and Caroline looked at Gavin like she’d never seen him before. “Look,” Eva hissed, “if Allie can’t hack it, then she needs to graciously depart so her inability to perform doesn’t hold back Isaac. It’s his ballet too.”
For a second, I wondered if he also called her darling.
“You’re a sh—” Gavin started, then fell quiet as the house lights dimmed and Anne walked out onto the stage with a handheld microphone.
She smiled brightly as the audience clapped. “Thank you. I’m Anne Rousseau, chairwoman of the Haven Cove Classic and daughter of our event’s founder, Sophie Rousseau. It’s my honor to personally welcome you on behalf of our family to the Haven Cove Classic!”
“I thought she was married?” Caroline whispered as we applauded.
“Divorcing,” I answered, noting Anne’s bare left hand. That was a new development.
“But neither of you dated her, right?” Caroline darted a glance at Gavin. “Because I think I’m picking up on a trend.”
I shook my head as the applause died down.
“Mother is currently occupied dedicating herself to the next generation, so you’ll have to deal with me instead.” The audience chuckled. “She founded the Classic to foster the spirit of community, spread the beauty of ballet, and give dancers at every socioeconomic level access to professional critique, advancement, and scholarships from local instructors all the way to international companies.”
She paused for another round of applause, and a flare of pink caught my eye to the left. Juniper peeked over the edge of one of the boxes.
My stomach jolted. Holy shit, she was going to get us caught before she even started.
“As usual, our thanks goes out to our sponsor, the incredible Metropolitan Ballet Company!” She gestured to the auditorium, and a spotlight swung to the door. Reagan Huang and Candace Baron walked in with wide smiles, followed by Vasily, who simply nodded as they took their seats in the center of the judges’ row. “Naturally, this morning’s festivities will focus on our juniors, starting at the beginner division, before our seniors compete this afternoon. My sister and I thought our up-and-coming generation might like to see what’s possible when you follow your passion.” Her smile sharpened as she looked to the judges, like it was directed at Vasily. “From the Metropolitan Ballet Company, please welcome to the stage principal dancers Everett Carr and, for the first time since her injury, my sister Alessandra Rousseau!” Anne gestured to the side of the stage, then quickly retreated into the wings as Everett and Allie walked out hand in hand.
The theater erupted with overwhelming applause, and Caroline put two fingers in her mouth and whistled. I brought my hands together again and again as I drank her in.
She was as radiant as the sunlight she represented in her sunset-colored costume, the jewels and metallic embroidery reflecting the stage lights as she dipped into a low, elegant curtsy, and Everett bowed in black and silver, the personification of night.
Allie stood, her smile lighting up her eyes as her gaze swept the auditorium, pausing on Vasily, then jumping up to me.
I clapped harder, and my chest drew tight. Ten years ago, I’d sat in this very seat and watched the very same woman take the same stage, and held the very same feelings, but now they’d grown tenfold. I could barely breathe around the enormity of what she meant to me. This couldn’t be the last day of our only chance. Not when it felt like this.
Wait and see how she feels after you confess what you’ve done. I shut my conscience down. I’d handle that later, and who knew if I’d get my first selection anyway. But I still had to tell her. I owed her every ounce of the truth.