Page 19 of Two-Step
“That’s not her boyfriend,” I protest.
At the same time Beau says, “Wait.What?”
Meanwhile, Ramon and Sally’s eyes meet, and they smile at each other. “Sounds good,” Sally says.
“But—” I start, but what else can I say? Anything I say is going to sound juvenile and petty. I don’t want Ramon and Sally riding together because I think they need a chaperone? I don’t want to ride with Mr. Hebert’s nephew because he was rude to me? I’d rather my best friend ride with him even though they’ve already had words and she was glaring daggers at him?
Yeah, no. I’ll just shut up and ride with him. But one quick glance his way tells me I’m not the one who needs convincing. He’s glowering at his uncle.
“What?” Mr. Hebert asks, provokingly. “It’ll be good for you. You should get to know her since you’re going to be her new teacher.”
“What?!”Our questions chime in unison.
Mr. Hebert only points to his elbow. “Iris, you might recall that I signed a contract.La Fêteis obligated to provide four more weeks of dance instruction plus five weeks of scripted choreography.”
“So?” Beau scoffs.
“So unless you wanna see me break that contract and get sued—and believe me, if anyone would sue, it’d be that manager of hers—” His words send shame pouring down my chest like a bowl of oatmeal. And I’m just as hot and uncomfortable. “You will properly introduce yourself to your new client and start working out a plan for your upcoming lessons.”
One glimpse at the stone cold look on Beau’s face, and I want to crawl in a hole. We just met. What did I do to make him hate me so much? Besides injure his uncle? And cancel his class? And hijack his evening?
“Maybe,” I squeak, “we could talk about this later.”
“Good idea, darlin’. Rusticating in the back of this SUV isn’t doing much for this injury.” Mr. Hebert shoots a look at Ramon. “Drive, son. Lafayette General.”
“I take orders from her,” Ramon says, nodding to me. “What’d you say, Iris?”
Competing thoughts arm wrestle in my head. None of them good.
I shake my head as if the movement could clear it. “Go. Mr. Hebert needs a doctor. Just go.”
“You got it, boss,” Ramon says, and then he darts around the front of the Rover to open the door for Sally.
Mr. Hebert’s nephew moves to close the door to the back seat.
“Beau,” Mr. Hebert calls, stopping him.
“Yeah,Nonc?”
“Be nice.”
Beau leans in and says something to his uncle under his breath I can’t make out. But it’s obvious he told Mr. Hebert something he didn’t want me to hear. What the hell? When he steps back and closes the door, I meet Sally’s gaze through the side window.
We’ve been friends since we were nine, so a whole conversation transpires between us without words.
What did he just say?
I have no idea.
What do you mean, you have no idea??
I mean I have no idea!!!
She looks down as Ramon starts the engine, and in the next second I feel my phone buzz in my back pocket.
Sally: He said something in French and Mr. Hebert answered in French, sounding pissed.
French? Then it had to be about me. What the hell did he say about me in French?
