Page 37 of Dancing on Air

Currently, Dancing on Air didn’t have Cora’s character Ella in a solo dance. The play was centered around Pete’s abandonment and the dreamworld between life and death.

Now, he knew he had to add a solo for Ella. Instead of her just finding Pete in the field, Pete would dream about her dancing the dance that Cora had done for him last night.

Same music. Same moves. Cora’s way.

He pulled out his phone and sent her a text telling her that he had a surprise for her.

Hearing laughter, he glanced up to see his mother and Reece step onto the stage.

“Can you believe I used to get more than a dozen standing ovations when I performed here,” his mother said as she spun around a few times.

Reece chuckled and then rushed to her and lifted her up in his arms.

Max looked away when the twenty-two-year-old kissed his mother.

He was trapped there. If he stood up and walked out, they would know he was there and there’d be an awkward scene with his mother.

So, instead, he slouched down, kept his eyes glued to his shoes, and waited until the pair walked off the stage again.

When they were gone, he marched back to his office. He stilled when he heard his father’s voice. Turning the corner, he felt his back teeth clench when he saw his father leaning against the wall chatting with Cora Jenkins. The pair looked as if they were having a private conversation. A passionate one. Cora, or Jynx as his Cora called her, appeared upset and angry.

He cleared his throat, and the couple pulled apart. Seeing him, Jynx spun on her heels and disappeared down the hallway quickly.

“Dad,” he said and opened his office door.

“I thought I’d watch the first half of the practice,” his father said, casually stepping into his office behind him.

“Whatever.” He tossed his bag down. He’d only come to his office to avoid another run-in with his mom and Reece. He hadn’t expected to bump solidly into his father with his latest plaything.

Half an hour later, Reece was back with everyone else, warming up onstage.

He’d hated to let the guy back in. Hated that his parents had that control over him, even now.

He wanted to be free of them. He was trapped and tired of not being allowed to follow his own heart.

He was jealous of Missy’s freedom. He wished more than anything that he too could escape to some small town and start his own life, far away from his parents’ clutches and control.

Instead, he allowed the man his mother was currently sleeping with to poke fun at him while he tried to maintain some sense of control, all the while watching Jynx torment Cora for some reason. The girl obviously had it out for her. Maybe simply because she’d gotten the lead over her?

By the end of the practice, his head was splitting and he no longer wanted to share the good news with Cora. He just wanted to go home, down a glass of the expensive bourbon that he kept around just for his father’s visits, and fall face-first into bed.

Cora stopped him before he could even go to pick up his bag.

“Why the hurry?” she asked, caging him in the aisle.

“Long day.” He tucked his hands in his jeans.

She glanced over her shoulder and lowered her voice. “You had a surprise for me?”

Now he felt stupid. What was once a good thing had been tainted by his mother and Reece.

He shrugged.

“Is everything all right?” she asked, moving a little closer.

He’d been a fool. He was acting just like his parents. He knew the unwritten rules about getting involved with someone he worked with. The negatives outweighed the positives.

Still, all through practice he’d dreamed about the previous night. About holding Cora in his arms again.