She nodded, waiting for me to continue.
“That’s great and all, but the theater is the complete opposite. Every note, every spoken word, every movement, every aesthetic of the stage—it consumes the audience to the point they don’t even want to blink, breathe, move, speak.”
I snapped my mouth shut when I realized I was talking like I was in La La Land. I should have never answered her damn question. A flare of heat lit up in my chest. “Are we done with the interview now? I thought we were working out.”
Her eyes shot to me. “I was just trying to understand your background. You’re not easy to read.”
I let out a laugh. “Good. Trust me, Kai. You don’t want to understand me. I like to keep my past as far away from me as possible.”
“Why?”
Instead of answering, I walked a few machines down and gestured for her to take a seat. “Time for leg extensions.” I don’t know what ticked me off more—the fact that she was asking so many questions or that I felt a nagging urge to let her in and tell her everything.
She walked toward me while narrowing her eyes. “Are you really going to ignore me?”
I shrugged, turning my eyes from hers. I didn’t care if that was immature. She didn’t need to know about my past when I was working so damn hard to live in my present.
She sighed and looked around the gym. “I think I’m going to do squats instead.”
“We’ll do squats after so I can spot you.”
“I don’t need a spotter for squats.”
Now, she was being the stubborn one. My jaw ticced with annoyance.
“The way I do ’em, you do. Just sit down and do the damn leg extensions.”
She huffed before sitting in the chair. I started to reach over her lap to adjust the weight, but she held up a hand, her sharp gaze halting me as she stuck the safety pin through a weight to secure them.
My hands were already on the cushioned lap bar before she could get to it. I set it just above her thigh and turned the lever to lock it.
“I can do this myself, Sebastian.”
I smiled at the annoyance in her tone. “Why are you acting all hot and bothered now? Angry you have nothing to take back to your new friends to gossip about?”
She shot me a glare. “I have zero desire to talk about you with anyone.”
“Clearly, that’s a lie, love. If it weren’t for the cast gossip, you never would have heard about what happened back in New York. Which reminds me. I never did ask you who told you.”
Spots of pink dotted her face. “W-what?”
“Who told you I slept with Dirk’s wife?”
When she didn’t answer, anger roared in my chest. I was sick of the rumors, the half-truths, all of which made me the villain in the story. And whoever it was, Kai was protecting them. That pissed me off most of all.
“Word of advice, Kai. You really should stop believing everything you hear.”
Her jaw dropped. “I only brought it up to hear your side of it. You’re acting like I’m the one who started the damn rumor. Newsflash: I may have been clueless to all the backstage drama when I auditioned, but you had to know that cast members talk. I was bound to find out the truth sooner or later.”
“You don’t know shit, Kai. No one knows the whole story, and no one ever will. You know what Dirk wanted you and everyone else to hear. Congratulations. You’re just like them.” I swooped down to grab my workout towel and water bottle. “That’s all for today. I’m going for that run.”
I didn’t bother asking her to come along.
Chapter 19
Kai
Our first day off from rehearsals came that next Monday, and we were able to disembark and have some time to ourselves. After the intense silent treatment Sebastian and I had been giving each other since our workout, I was more than ready to take advantage of a little time away.
As soon as I got to the exit door, Wayne was right there to help me down the ramp.
“There she is,” he exclaimed, hugging my side.
I hugged him back, burying my cheek in the crook of his shoulder and relaxing instantly. Being back in my best friend’s embrace felt good, back on solid ground where the memories of the waves couldn’t touch me. But that comfort became muddled when we reached the dock and my eyes caught on a figure in black swinging a leg over his motorcycle and placing a helmet over his head.
Sebastian didn’t even have to try to look sexy as his tight black jeans hugged his ass when he scooted forward and started the engine. Or when he leaned forward before revving his engine and looking straight at me. At least, I thought he was looking at me. The shades covering his eyes did little to hide his intensity as his stare lingered in my direction. Then he raced off, the sound of his bike still fading when Wayne opened the passenger door for me to get in. I didn’t miss the look my best friend gave me either.
“So tell me everything,” he said while holding the door. “Starting with the hottie on the bike.”
Rolling my eyes, I climbed into his car and adjusted the seat. I hoped that was a sign he and Shane were still doing well.
“Nothing to talk about there, thank you very much. And how have you been? I see that I’ve been replaced,” I teased.
He grinned as the color in his cheeks told me I’d just nailed it. “Shane’s a tall-ass dude.”
“So,” I said, “is it official? Do others know about you two?”
Wayne shrugged. “Seems like Shane was the last to find out. No one’s surprised.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Poor thing. He probably wanted to make a grand entrance.”
He grinned. “Oh, he did and tried. Serves him right. Still want to hit up Gravity today? Shane is teaching a dope hip-hop class.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Unless you’re totally danced out.”
“No, I’d love to. Will anyone else be there?”
“The usual crowd. Everyone’s home this weekend for some dance convention tomorrow.”
I relaxed in my seat with a smile my face, at peace for the first time in a while. Without the weight of my lackluster income, my unstable dance career, and my unknown future resting on my shoulders, I finally felt I was where I was supposed to be, which was hard when all your best friends were rock-star entertainers making names for themselves in the world of dance. That was intimidating most days, and while everyone was inviting and friendly, I never did feel like I fit in.
But now… I had balance, I had a good job, and I had great friends and a home away from home named Gravity Dance Complex. I was nowhere near the top of my goal sheet, but at least I felt I was headed somewhere.
“Tell me about the ship. You haven’t called me in a panic, so I assume you’re handling things well?”
“Things have been great so far, actually. I’ve been taking it all in, learning all about ship life, and busting my ass at rehearsals. But I don’t know. We have three weeks until showtime, and I’m already getting nervous.”
He cocked an eye at me. “Nervous about performing or the ship leaving port?”
“Both.” I laughed. “It’s kind of hard to keep the ocean out of sight like I’d hoped, but you were right about the Royal Athena feeling more like a small city than a boat on water. It’s massive. Everything I could possibly need is available to me. There’s entertainment everywhere I turn. I’ll practically live in the theater anyway. I think I’ll be okay. It’s just all a bit nerve-racking—that’s all.”