As Long As You Love Me

by LuAnn McLane

  Ava’s heart skittered around in her chest and she stared at the phone as if it might bite her. He’d left a voice message, but she couldn’t bring herself to listen to it. What could he possibly have to say to her? He’d called once a few weeks ago, and like a fool, she’d picked up only to listen to a slurred and sloppy attempt to win her back. No apology, just that he was over his little dalliance with Angelica—the dancer he’d tangoed with—and he still wanted to marry Ava. And then, as a little sidebar, he’d mentioned that Angelica was a better lover, but that Ava won out as the more talented dancer. God. Ava had wanted to scream at him, but she’d listened instead in silence. Trembling with rage, Ava had hung up on Anthony and should have blocked his number. But she hadn’t, and now here she was, staring at her phone.

  Part of her wanted to simply delete the message, but morbid curiosity had her wondering just what he might have to say. Had he broken up with Angelica? Was Angelica the one who was heartbroken now? Not that Ava cared. She didn’t have any sympathy for a woman who’d cheated with an engaged man. Although oddly enough, she supposed Angelica had done her a favor. Breaking an engagement was easier than filing for divorce. “Dodged that bullet,” Ava whispered into the darkness.

  After a couple of minutes, Ava finally sat up. Swallowing hard, she brushed her hair away from her eyes and decided she had to know why he’d called. Her hand trembled, but she suddenly became angry that he could make her feel this way. After another bracing breath, she put her thumb to the arrow and listened.

  “Hello, Ava,” Anthony began smoothly, but Ava cringed. She used to find his deep voice sexy, but now he sounded so damned fake that she nearly stopped the message. “I hope you are doing well. I thought it only fair to let you know that Angelica and I are engaged.” He paused in the message then, making Ava think that Angelica was right there and he must have felt the need to kiss her or something equally gross.

  “You two deserve each other,” Ava grumbled aloud, and she was relieved that she felt nothing at all except for contempt, but then he continued . . .

  “Angelica and I have decided to enter the dance competition in your little town,” he said gleefully, causing Ava to gasp. “After all, it’s for a good cause . . . repairs for the little arts center where you, uh, work. We’re certain to win, adding to our first-place finishes, helping us to capture the number-one standing in competitive ballroom dancing. Anyway, we arrive tomorrow in . . . Where is it again, darling?” he asked, and Ava could hear Angelica answer in the background. “Right, Sea Breeze,” he said in a sneering tone. “Oh, and I know you’re not officially competing with that boy-band has-been, but you’ll still be judged. Hats off to you for being so willing to make a fool of yourself, but I guess a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Ah well, I’m sure our paths will cross in such a small town. Hopefully you’ll be able to handle yourself with grace.”

  Ava sat very still in the center of the bed, clutching the phone so tightly that she was surprised the screen didn’t shatter. She knew exactly what this stunt was all about. She’d heard through friends that Anthony was feeling the backlash from his deplorable treatment of her. And he and Angelica weren’t number one and weren’t likely to reach that lofty goal. Anthony’s stellar career was in jeopardy, and he was all about seeking revenge for something he’d brought upon himself. Insane.

  Ava released her grip on the phone and let it slip from her fingers onto the bed with a soft thud. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, not sure whether to cry or dissolve into hysterical laughter, so she simply groaned.

  A moment later her phone pinged, sounding loud in the darkness, startling Ava. She refused to look down, fearing Anthony was at it again. When the phone made the second annoying ping she sighed, looked at the screen, but then perked up. “Oh . . . Jesse,” she whispered, and read his text message:

  Hope I didn’t wake you, but I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your company tonight. That’s all.

  Ava read the message three times and then picked the phone up and held it to her chest. It was almost as if he knew she needed a reason to smile. She wanted to call him and confide in him about Anthony. God knew she could use a shoulder to lean on, but she shook her head and put the phone down. Her throat ached from holding back tears, but she refused to give Anthony Grecco the power to make her cry. Fisting her hands in the sheet, she decided that she needed to find a way to fight back. How? Well, that was another question.

  With another groan, Ava pulled the covers up and prayed she’d fall fast asleep.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  TRUE TO YOUR HEART

  Jesse walked into the rehearsal room with a smile, but when Ava only gave him a slight nod, he wondered if something was wrong. They’d had a great night—what could possibly have happened between then and now? Immediately, though, he shook the thought off. She was probably just tired—and he could definitely relate. Thinking of Ava last night had robbed him of way too much sleep. And then, once he’d finally been able to drift off, he’d had an incredibly erotic dream about her that’d had him tossing and turning so much that he became tangled in the bed sheets like a mummy. At one point, he’d considered a cool swim in the pool.

  Ava went back to stretching, looking incredible in black tights and a snug white tank top. Jesse frowned. Just yesterday, she’d relaxed, opening up to him enough for him to hope she’d let down her guard for good . . . but judging by the tense set of her shoulders, they were back to square one.

  “Let’s get to it,” Ava said in a businesslike tone, but when she glanced his way, Jesse noted a slight pink blush in her cheeks.

  Ah . . . interesting. So they had made progress.

  “Okay, boss.” Even as he walked over to her, more thoughts floated through his head. Could he be lucky enough that she might be as attracted to him as he was to her? Had she tossed and turned as well? “And good morning to you too,” he said cheerfully, but she inclined her head without looking at him. Wait, oh damn, was she angry that he’d sent her that text message late last night? Should he address it? Crack a joke?

  “Are you going to stand there looking lost or come over here and start stretching?” Ava asked in a tone Jesse couldn’t quite read. While she didn’t sound angry, he could tell something was off.

  “Do I look lost?” Jesse put his duffel bag down and tilted his head in question.

  She gave him another brief glance. “A little,” she answered in a bland tone that Jesse didn’t like. He didn’t want her to be upset, especially if he was somehow to blame.

  “Although I admit, I don’t always have the best sense of direction. Hmmm . . .” Jesse glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Well, I’m on time, and I got your car here without a dent or scratch.” He dangled the keys in front of her. “If that helps lighten your mood.”

  “Thank you.” Ava stood and took the keys from him. She put them in her purse on a nearby hook and then walked back to face him. “Granted, you are on time, but you’re wasting it by standing here chatting with me.” She pointed to the barre in front of the mirrored wall. “And my mood is just fine.” The slight waver in her voice said otherwise.

  “Okay . . .” Jesse started stretching as close to her as he dared, but Ava remained silent. He made grunting noises while he went through the moves, trying to get her attention, but she pointedly ignored him. “All right, Ava, I have to ask. Who pooped in your Cheerios?”

  Ava stopped stretching, put her hands on her hips, and gaped at him. “That’s just disgusting.” She shot him a glare, but he could see something else in her eyes.

  “Yeah, I guess, but at least I got a rise out of you,” he retorted, bending his leg to stretch his hamstrings.

  “Is that what you’re trying to do?”

  Jesse planted his feet firmly on the floor and turned to face her. “Yes.”

  “It’s working!”

  “Like a charm?”

  “Um, no charm involved.”

  “Hey.” Jesse put a gentle hand
on her shoulder and was glad when she didn’t pull away.

  “What?” she asked in a short tone, but the pain in her eyes went straight to his gut.

  “Tell me what’s bothering you. Is this about me? Did I do something wrong?” He wanted to ask about the text message but decided to let her explain. “According to my brothers, I can do things and not realize I’ve pissed them off until, well, I get the cold shoulder.” He pointed to his mouth. “The no-filter thing continues to plague me.”

  Ava closed her eyes and swallowed hard. “No, you didn’t do anything,” she finally answered softly. “Forgive me for my mood.”

  “Forgiven,” Jesse said quickly.

  Ava gave him a ghost of a smile. “Thank you.”

  “You can tell me what’s going on and it stays right here.” Jesse pointed to the floor.

  Ava blew out a long sigh. “I don’t want to talk about it, but I guess there’s no getting around it.”

  “Then spill.”

  Ava groaned. “My ex-fiancé called me last night.”

  Jesse felt his heart skip a beat. The fact that she’d had a fiancé bothered him for no valid reason, and picturing her with another guy made his stomach do weird things. In all honesty, he hoped he might have a chance with her, but he didn’t know whether she was over Anthony or not. He knew he had to tread carefully. The trouble was, he wasn’t very good at treading carefully. “And?”

  “He and . . . Angelica, the woman he left me for, are entering the dance competition.”

  “Here?”

  “Yes,” she replied hotly. “How shitty is that?”

  “As shitty as shitty can be.”

  “Uh, yeah.”

  “Why?” Jesse asked, and when Ava sat down on the floor, he joined her.

  “They’re not doing so hot in ballroom competition, and they want an easy first-place win.”

  “Does something like this little unofficial competition really count?”

  Ava shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt. And I guess they have their sights set on the five-thousand-dollar first prize. But honestly?”

  Jesse raised his eyebrows in question.

  Ava gave him a steady look as if trying to decide whether to confide in him. “This falls into the category of staying right here.” She pointed at the floor.

  “Of course.”

  “Okay, then.” Ava flicked a glance at him and then stared across the room. “Anthony tried to get me back a few weeks ago and of course I flatly rejected him.” She shook her head. “I mean, seriously? Anyway, he called to let me know that he’s engaged to Angelica and that they are heading here today.” She scooted her knees up to her chest.

  “And he’s doing this to hurt you?” Jesse asked, and when she nodded he felt a hot flash of anger along with the intense need to protect her. “What a complete and total asshat.”

  “Yeah.” Hugging her legs closer, she took a deep breath.

  “What else did he say to you, Ava?” Jesse felt a muscle jump in his jaw.

  Ava shrugged.

  “Please tell me.”

  Ava plucked at the stretchy material of her leggings for a moment. “He . . . he belittled my job here. Let me know that they will crush us in the competition.”

  “We’re not really competing. We’re hosting.”

  “We’re being judged.”

  “We can change that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m not a ballroom dancer. We can tell Nancy we don’t want a score.”

  “Do you think that bothers me?”

  “I know you want to do well. Like you said, your performance reflects upon your reputation. I get that. But would it bother you to be compared to Asshat and his sidekick?” Jesse asked quietly.

  Ava hesitated. “It shouldn’t, but . . .” She pursed her lips. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She paused for a moment. “I don’t want him ever thinking he’s better than me.”

  Jesse leaned over and nudged his shoulder to hers. “Well then, that settles it. We’ll dance for a score. We’ll just have to best theirs even if we’re not officially competing.”

  Ava looked at him with big eyes. “Jesse, Angelica and Anthony aren’t as good as they want to be, but they’re still world-class. We can’t cram a lifetime of knowledge into the next few weeks.” She leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. “Look, it doesn’t matter. We’re doing this for the center. I need to get over myself.”

  “Will he be posting this all over social media?” Jesse asked. “I mean, it seems as if he also wants the publicity.”

  “I didn’t think of that.” Ava groaned. “This is exactly what I wanted to escape. It took me a long time to get over what happened, and it’s really difficult to contain my anger right now.” She turned and looked at him. “I didn’t mean to take my mood out on you. I’m sorry, that was unfair.”

  “Don’t worry about that.”

  Ava shook her head slowly.

  “Are you angry at him, or pissed that he can get to you?”

  Ava licked her lips. “At him for disrupting my life, for sure,” she said, but then sighed. “And at myself even more. I’m trying not to give him that power.” She wrinkled her nose. “But kinda failing.”

  Ava appeared so forlorn that Jesse wanted to reach over and take her hand . . . but then inspiration struck. “Okay, look, I have an idea.”

  “Oh boy.” Ava raised her eyebrows. “Should I be frightened?”

  “Normally I’d say yes, but hear me out.”

  Ava scooted around to face him. “Okay . . .”

  “Let’s take a Step Up approach to this routine.”

  “Step Up? The movie?”

  “Yes. What if we combine the Argentine tango with some sweet hip-hop moves?”

  Ava shook her head. “No, the judges will hate it. Give us low scores. Ballroom judges are purists. Haven’t you ever watched Dancing with the Stars?”

  “Yeah, but don’t you see? Who cares? The audience will eat it up with a spoon. Like you said, beating them might be impossible, so scratch that. We don’t have to play by the strict ballroom-dance rules. Instead, we’ll break them.”

  “I don’t know . . . I’m not much of a rule breaker.”

  “I am. Leave it up to me.”

  Ava frowned. “I don’t know . . .”

  “Ava, bringing down the house will be our victory. Trust me, this is my town. The audience will go nuts.” Jesse tapped his chest with pride. “And then, the day after the contest, nobody will be talking about Anthony and— What’s her name again?”

  “Angelica, but believe me, she’s no angel,” Ava said in a flat tone.

  “So, what do you think about my plan?”

  Ava sucked in her bottom lip for a few seconds. “Unconventional. We’ll catch some serious flak for it,” she warned, but Jesse could tell she was interested.

  “ Unconventional is my middle name. Any other concerns?”

  “Well.” Ava raised her eyebrows, seeming to think for a second, and then said, “No, actually. I think it’s kinda genius.”

  “Thanks.” Jesse inclined his head. “I get that a lot.”

  “Really?”

  “Why are you so surprised?” he asked.

  “I . . . um . . .”

  Jesse raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, that was a first.”

  Ava laughed, but Jesse loved that she seemed to take to the idea of doing something inventive.

  “We need to put our heads together and do some serious choreography,” Ava started, but then she frowned slightly. “I’ve always gone by the book when it comes to traditional ballroom dance. I do interpretative dance, but that’s spontaneous. This needs some choreography, but I’ve never done anything like this, and we don’t have much time. Jesse, I don’t know that I can come up with anything so freestyle in time for the competition.”

  “I think that you and Arabella should get together. She’ll be happy to work with you on this.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Can’t you do the c
horeography?”

  “Normally I could give it a try, but the ballroom-dancing-and-hip-hop combo might give me a bit of trouble. And in my opinion, Arabella is the best.” He smiled. Plus, he thought to himself, it’ll give Ava and Arabella the chance to become friends.

  “I don’t want to bother her. I’m sure she’s busy.”

  “Are you kidding? This is right in her wheelhouse. I can stop over at the house and ask her.”

  Ava remained quiet for a moment.

  “You’ll like her. She can be full of discipline, like you, but she’s also laid-back and fun, especially when you get to know her.”

  “Thanks, Jesse. And I’m sorry this happened. You sure as hell didn’t know what you were getting into when you signed up for this.”

  “This isn’t your fault,” Jesse said. His heart rate accelerated when another idea popped into his head. Dare he ask? “And, um, there’s something else I want to toss out there,” he said slowly.

  “Is it a good thing I’m already sitting down?”

  “Probably.”

  “It’s been a crazy morning and the day is just beginning. Fire away.”

  “What if we gave Asshat Anthony the impression that we were, you know . . . a . . . thing.”

  Ava sat up straighter. “Thing? As in a romantic thing?”

  “Um, well, yeah.”

  “Why should we do that?”

  Jesse cleared his throat. “Well, because it seems to me that he’s trying to upset you by throwing his engagement in your face. Don’t you agree?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then if you have a boyfriend, his asshat move is pointless. He’s trying to get the gossip going.”

  “Which is something I want to avoid. Jesse, if we parade around as a couple, especially during the next few weeks, we’ll be the talk of the whole town and beyond. I don’t want that to happen.”

  “It’s going to happen anyway, Ava. So why not do this so you’re not painted as the victim? Let’s beat Asshat Anthony and Non-Angel at their own game.”

  Ava frowned as if mulling the offer over. “Jesse, I appreciate your willingness to do this for me, but I don’t want to play games.” She looked at him with stormy eyes. “It’s the last thing I want to do.”