Once and for all.
“I’m going back home,” Gemma said. “To Ohio. I’ll stay in touch if that’s okay.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I hope you do.”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “She’s a lucky girl, Cole Turner.”
He smiled. “I’m the lucky one.”
“Well, I wish you guys the best,” Gemma said. “I mean it.”
“Thanks, Gemma.”
He closed the door, surprised by the strange turn of events that this summer had brought. He’d not only rid himself of his anger toward his ex-wife, he’d let go of his inherited feelings about women. In looking at Asher’s situation and now this ordeal with Gemma, he finally understood. People are broken. And when they’re broken, they hurt the ones they love. He’d made peace with that. All he could do now was put the hurt behind him.
Charlotte made him want to be the best version of himself, and he was pretty sure he’d love her till the day he died.
Which, if nerves could kill, might be that very night.
The backstage area of the theatre bustled with excitement and energy. Tiny ballerinas wearing white tutus ran around as if they were playing tag at recess.
Cole wore a tux that threatened to choke off his oxygen supply, and as he watched the audience filter in, he backed into the shadows, afraid he might be sick.
And then he saw her.
Beautiful, graceful, elegant Charlotte Page. She stepped onto the opposite side of the stage, wearing the red dance costume he’d seen in one of her videos. She’d had this costume and two others sent to her from Chicago, but he hadn’t been prepared to see her like this, in her element.
Her lips were bright red, her hair pulled back in a bun reminiscent of the one she’d worn the day he met her on the street. And her eyes shone bright and full of promise.
He loved her. More than he’d ever loved anyone before.
He’d tell her tonight, after his dance with Amelia, assuming he was still breathing.
Charlotte had been scarce all day. He’d only seen her briefly when he arrived and not since he’d gotten dressed in his tuxedo. He missed her.
How pathetic had he become that he couldn’t go a handful of hours without missing this woman?
Her solo would kick off the whole recital. They’d had two rehearsals in the theatre earlier that week, but she’d never performed her pieces in front of anybody, and thankfully she’d ensured that he and Amelia didn’t have to either.
But standing here now, watching her get her “game face” on, he was taken with her beauty, her strength, her talent. And he wondered if she regretted giving up her spot in the ballet.
Maybe that’s why the article upset her so much. It made her unsure of her choice.
As the lights dimmed and the stage went black, he caught her eye from the opposite wing. What if she was going to tell him she was leaving? What if that’s why she’d stayed away from him all day?
She took the stage and the music began, and Cole, like everyone else in the theatre, watched in awe as she used her body, her face, her movement to tell a story. She captivated the entire audience. She captivated him.
She moved with such power, such authority. She made it look easy, but he knew defying gravity the way she did was the result of years of training, of sacrifice, of focus. All things she would be throwing away if she stayed here.
A small crowd of crew members gathered around him, each one held prisoner by her beauty.
Charlotte was the best of the best, even he could see that. He couldn’t let her give that up.
Not for him. Not for anything.
The song ended and Charlotte struck her final pose. The audience erupted. Even his football players, lining the back wall and waiting for their entrance down the aisles, burst out in cheers.
In the darkness, she exited the stage.
He raced out into the hallway that connected stage right from stage left and found her standing there, thanking the many, many dancers clamoring for her attention.
She turned and their eyes met over the crowd of tiny humans. She smiled and made her way over to him. He pulled her close, hugged her, and prayed it wasn’t the last time.
“Wow,” he said. “You’re amazing.”
“Thanks,” she said. “It was fun.” She pulled from his embrace. “You look incredible.”
He smiled. “I clean up okay?”
She waggled her eyebrows. “You clean up hot.”
He laughed. “I love you, you know.”
Her eyes widened.
“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to blurt that out. It was supposed to be a lot more romantic than that.”
“Do you mean that?” The stunned expression hadn’t left her face.
He nodded.
Her eyes glassed over, and a single tear slid down her cheek.
“Hey, don’t cry.” He wiped it away, then took her face in his hands.
She wrapped her hands around his wrists and closed her eyes, inhaling a deep breath. “Nobody has ever loved me before,” she whispered.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Then nobody has ever known you.”
She found his eyes. “You’re right. You’re the first.”
He smiled. “But I’m not the last. People seem to keep discovering how amazing you are.”
“Cole, there’s something I need to tell you.” Her face fell.
His stomach went hollow for fear he knew what that might be. “You’re going back, aren’t you?”
“What? No.”
“But you belong on the stage, Charlotte,” he said. “You’re incredible.”
She looked at him thoughtfully. “I belong with you.”
A woman dressed in black, wearing a headset and carrying a clipboard, appeared from the side of the stage. “Cole, you’ve got one tiny tappers class, the football team, and then you and Amelia are on.”
A look of worry washed across her face as she brought her eyes to his.
“Go,” he said. “We’ll talk afterward.”
“Okay.” She squeezed his hand, then inched up to place a gentle kiss on his lips. “And Cole? I love you too.”
Her words lingered as she dashed off to the quick-change room to prepare for her next dance. He wasn’t even nervous anymore. Because Charlotte loved him.
And foolish though it may be, he was pretty sure that was the only thing he needed. Everything else was just detail.
46
Cole stood backstage with Amelia as the tap class banged their feet to an upbeat song he didn’t recognize. He turned and found Connor standing in the doorway.
“Have you already gone on?” he asked.
Cole frowned. “No. What are you doing back here?”
Connor knelt down in front of his little girl and took her by the shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry.”
Amelia squeezed his neck and Cole saw a lone tear slide down her cheek. “It’s okay, Daddy.”
Connor pulled away and looked at her. “I told the sound guy that you and I are dancing together.”
“But you don’t know the steps,” Cole said.
Connor didn’t look up. Instead, he focused on his little girl. “I know the steps for the last number her mom ever choreographed for us.” He smiled. “Do you remember?”