It was all Livi could do to bite back her confession. She tried to enjoy the rest of the evening but could tell that Caleb was still thinking about the past. He always would be until she told him what she’d kept from—yet she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
When Caleb took her home, he escorted her up the walkway. Livi unlocked the door but didn’t go inside. She looked into Caleb’s brown eyes and forgot to breathe. She wished things had been different and fought back regret.
Caleb touched Livi’s cheek with his fingertips before he leaned down and kissed her. Sensation flooded her body, and she leaned into him. But Caleb pulled back, then ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “Goodnight, honey.” Then he left and Livi went inside. She shut the door behind her, with her heart aching and tears running down her cheeks.
Chapter 7
The next morning, Livi went to a nearby coffee shop for a latte. She was on her way to the academy and it was pleasant outside, so she walked the extra blocks to pick up the drink. The storefront was painted light blue, and inside there was an accent wall the same color.
The parquet floors looked classy with the white walls and tile countertop. The place had comfortable chairs, so Livi decided to order the drink in a porcelain cup, then take a few minutes to relax with it. A moment after she stepped inside, a man entered.
She momentarily wondered if he’d followed her but realized that was ridiculous. After placing her order, Livi stepped aside and glanced at the man. He was in his thirties, dressed casually, and had dark, curly hair. She didn’t recognize his accent, but it wasn’t Southern or West Coast. It was foreign, although subtle—as though he’d practiced his English locally.
Livi was freaking herself out; she needed to chill. Just because she had been cornered in the alley the day before, it didn’t mean that a strange man had followed her. She hoped he would buy his drink and leave, but he didn’t.
When Livi sat by the window, the man sat at an adjacent table. He was slightly behind her, which enabled him to watch. Yet she would have to turn to look at him, and that would be too obvious. She sipped her drink and scrolled on her phone, pretending not to notice him.
Yet Livi was uncomfortable. She could feel his eyes on her, and it wasn’t her imagination. Something about his demeanor was unsettling. She looked out the window, ignoring him, but couldn’t disregard his undue focus on her. She held her cup in both hands, letting the warmth seep into her.
Lately, Livi had been so involved that she had forgotten this wasn’t the first time. It had been months, but she had picked up on a man watching her—but not this man. It could be admiration, as Livi was attractive. She wasn’t a classic beauty but was lean and toned from dance.
She wished that was it, then she could take the looks as a compliment and move on. Only the gazes weren’t of admiration. Each man had made an effort to hide his interest in her, which struck her as odd. And the stares weren’t flattering but made her skin crawl.
Livi considered leaving her drink, but that made her nervous. Maybe the guy would know that she had spotted him, and the situation would escalate. But there was no situation. All the drama in her life had her on edge, that was all.
When Livi’s phone vibrated, she looked to see that it was Julie. She gulped the last sip of latte and stepped outside to reply. She strolled down the sidewalk, relieved that the guy didn’t follow her.
Her daughter texted to share news from college. The social sciences department had sponsored a debate. Julie had prepared well and had won, so she was thrilled. Livi was proud of her and wished she could have attended.
Julie talked about visiting, but it wouldn’t be until the end of the semester. That wasn’t until the middle of May, and the last time Livi had seen her daughter was during spring break. The months seemed to pass slowly. Livi was used to sharing daily activities with her daughter and participating in school events.
Livi replied that she couldn’t wait until Julie’s visit, and that she missed her.
I miss you too, Mom!
Livi looked forward to Julie coming home during summer break yet hoped that life would settle down before that. At present, there was too much turmoil, but she didn’t want to share that with her daughter. It was enough to deal with the first year of college, without having to worry about her mother.
The academy was a couple of blocks up the street, so Livi increased her pace, since she was late. When she went in and noticed that Alex was in a meeting with the choreographer, she breathed a sigh of relief. If all went well, she could tend to a couple of important matters in the office and be gone.
Later that morning, Livi had to go to a luncheon with a few key donors. Often, Alex attended such events with her, but he had a meeting with the board. That was just as well, since Livi didn’t relish the idea of participating in a fundraising event with Alex.
Elena had managed the planning and reservations. That duty had fallen to her for the last few years. She did a good job with it, and Livi expected the event to be a success. It was also her chance to interact with a few contacts without Alex looking over her shoulder.
When Livi went to her desk, Elena looked over but didn’t interrupt her discussion with the costume designer. It didn’t take long to handle a few things, so Livi left early to get to the hotel. She liked to arrive before the guests and prepare.
Since it was too far to walk, Livi took the trolley. The ride gave her a chance to reflect on her goal to take the position of artistic director. She was looking forward to connecting with her allies. Not all the donors were biased in favor of Alex. There was a high-end restaurant gaining popularity that was owned by two women about Livi’s age. She had bonded with them at previous events.
The major donors were law firms, banks, insurance companies, and tech firms. Plus, there were many individual donors supporting the academy. In the past few years, more women held important positions at their company. That suited Livi, because each seemed to understand her purpose in vying for a key role at the academy.
Livi had made friends with many male donors, as well. She appealed to their competitive nature and desire to keep pace with other ballet companies. The academy graduates might join the Philadelphia Ballet, and talented ballerinas resulted in rave reviews and recognition for the city.
Plus, it was becoming more accepted to support changes and innovative methods. It seemed that no one wished to be left behind. Livi hoped to make significant progress in gaining support.
Soon, she would give the board insight into the current management of the academy and present her goals for the dance troupe. Then the CEO would seriously consider her application for the promotion. Money talked, and if donors voiced their support, that could sway opinion in her favor.
*****
That Saturday, Livi went shopping with Yvette. She was long overdue to update her wardrobe, so met her friend at Fashion District. The luncheon had gone well, and Livi received a positive response about taking the position of artistic director and being the first woman to do so.
A morning of shopping followed by lunch was a rare luxury. The new mall had recently opened, replacing the former shopping center. It was magnificent, with over fifty shops and a variety of restaurants. There were familiar retailers, along with a section of local shops.
The place was huge, so Livi met Yvette at Starbucks for an espresso as an energy boost before a day of shopping until they dropped. “I’m dating again,” Livi said, “and my wardrobe is all soccer mom, if you know what I mean.”
“Yes, I do,” Yvette said. “We’ll help each other fix that. And who are you dating?”
“Maybe Caleb.”
“You don’t know?”
“He took me to dinner,” Livi said.
“That qualifies as dating,” Yvette said, then dumped her empty cup in the garbage. “Okay, let’s get going.” They had both worn jogging shoes, prepared to walk for hours.
The sheer size of the place made it impossible to visit all the shops. Zac Posen and Alex
ander McQueen weren’t in Livi’s budget, but she tried on a couple of dresses just for fun. Primark boasted that they were the place to go for trendy fashion at inexpensive prices, which was more her speed. She found some good buys there, and Yvette did too.
There were shops for the younger crowd, but since Livi was thirty-nine, she didn’t want to look silly. She avoided graphic tees, leopard print, or bedazzled anything. She scoured the mall and bought a pastel shift dress, skinny jeans, a blazer, and heels that she could walk in.
Yvette did better, and by lunch she nearly had too many bags to carry. “I think we need to come back another time. I have a few more things to get, but I’m pooped.”
“Let’s go to Yards,” Livi said. “I could use a glass of wine, and I’m starving.”
Livi lugged her bags to the restaurant, glad to set them down and take a break. “My hip is achy. I thought I was used to walking, but we must have gone ten miles.”
“It feels like it,” Yvette said. “My feet hurt, rubber soles or not. I should learn not to wear new shoes.”
The waitress took their orders for wine and burgers. “To heck with the calories,” Yvette said. “I burned off at least that much.”
“Same here.” Livi sipped her water, waiting for the wine. “I hardly made a dent in what I need. It’s difficult to find stuff to fit right. It’s either too short, too frilly, or too something.”
“Yes, shopping is a workout,” Yvette said. “We’re just out of shape.”
Livi laughed. “I’ll take that as a challenge.”
The wine arrived, so Livi drank and chatted.
“You’ve known Caleb for a while, so you seem like a good couple,” Yvette said.
“I don’t think we’re at the couple stage,” Livi said. “But I do like him. I told you he was Brendon’s friend, but what I didn’t tell you was that we went out once.”
“Really? But you didn’t hit it off?”
“Quite the opposite,” Livi said, and her cheeks warmed as she recalled the passion. “But we only had one date.”
“Did anything happen, then?”
Livi nodded. “It was wonderful, really unforgettable.”
Yvette wrinkled her brow. “What am I missing? Weren’t you with Brendon then, or was that after?”
Livi took a sip of wine. “I had been dating Brendon, but he was away at the time. Caleb would have asked me out again. He did ask me out again. But I refused; I broke it off. And I married Brendon.” Livi was tempted to tell her more but held back.
Yvette looked at her but didn’t press for details. “Well, Caleb is in your life now. You have a second chance.”
The burgers arrived, and through mouthfuls of food, Livi talked about the situation at the academy, and how her plans to take over had become more dangerous than she’d anticipated. She revealed the recent incidents with Alex.
Yvette said, “The police have to do something.”
“He’s a respected member of the community,” Livi said. “I’ve told you the scandal about him beating his wife, and there’s been no consequences for that. I doubt anyone cares that he is pushing me around.”
“Can you succeed in taking over?”
“I have a chance,” Livi said. “I’ve been planning this for a while. I’ve done my homework. While Alex has been in charge, he has nearly driven the company into the ground. Financially, it’s struggling.”
“But I thought he wined and dined all the donors,” Yvette said. “Doesn’t he bring in a lot of money?”
“Sure, but he spends it. Like that Russian instructor he hired. He flew her here, all the way from Russia. But it didn’t work out. Can you imagine the expense?”
“The board has to take action,” Yvette said.
“I certainly hope so,” Livi said. “I worry that he will take out his rage on the dancers. He already does, and it might get worse, which is the opposite of what I’m trying to achieve.”
“I had no idea you were injured,” Yvette said. “How are you feeling?”
“I’ve mostly recovered,” Livi said. “But I’m being careful, because I have a lot of important meetings coming up. I can’t afford to be out of commission.”
After lunch, Livi went to the trolley with her bags. Yvette went the other direction but promised to call soon to set up another shopping day. In the trolley car, Livi took a seat, then a man got on and sat a row behind her. On the way by, he’d looked at her for a beat too long, and a tinge of fear ran up her spine. Livi wondered if he had been following her, and she took a deep breath. She was being paranoid; no one had any reason to follow her.
*****
Livi didn’t feel safe and couldn’t get over the feeling that she was being watched. In the mornings, she walked to the academy without stopping. Late in the day, she took a cab home, then locked the deadbolt when she got there.
When Livi had to go farther, she took public transportation but watched for any suspicious behavior. That blow to her head might have affected her more than she’d thought. But it wasn’t mood swings that caused her to be nervous—it was her sense that danger followed her.
There was no reason to think so, and she didn’t tell Caleb. She was sure that he would worry unnecessarily. She was overwrought, and had every right to be after what she’d been through recently. Whatever lurked in the shadows was driving her crazy, and she felt like a victim of circumstances, a prisoner in her own life.
Livi saw Caleb more often, and he sent frequent texts to check in and took her to lunch a few times. She wasn’t sure where it was all leading. Caleb was concerned about her and watched out for her. But she didn’t know if there was a chance that the relationship would develop.
Around Caleb, Livi’s emotions threatened to take over. Desire was increasingly difficult to ignore. Caleb seemed interested but had yet to make a move. It was hard to pretend that she didn’t want him to. The more they talked, the more they shared. She knew that Caleb had been married and finally asked him about it.
Caleb’s wife had divorced him years ago. She didn’t like the military life and grew tired of waiting at home, while her husband went on one mission after the other. Livi could sympathize with that. It had been difficult to have her husband facing danger in another country, never sure if he would make it home. And separation was lonely for both spouses.
When Caleb’s schedule allowed, he drove Livi home from the academy. He didn’t like her taking public transportation. If Livi had shared the tricks her mind played on her, the men she imagined following her, he would have been worried—or thought she was losing her mind.
One day, when Livi returned from lunch, she learned that Elena had received an unusual phone call.
“It was a man, claiming he worked in the college admissions office,” Elena said. “He stated it was a routine follow-up, and he was verifying income. It had to do with Juliette’s eligibility.”
“Why didn’t he call me?”
“That was the first red flag,” Elena said. “But while I pretended to look up your personnel records, I called on another line. Haverford admissions has not heard of a James Billingham.”
Livi sagged into a chair. “That’s distressing. Why would someone be checking up on me? And who was it?”
“He tried to sound official,” Elena said. “Maybe he thought he would fool me by letting me know I couldn’t reveal your income. I already knew that. But he asserted that you have another source of income, that your means far exceeded what you listed on the financial aid application.”
“What income?”
“That’s when I knew for sure that it was a ruse,” Elena said. “I would know if you’d suddenly come into a windfall. And I wouldn’t be stupid enough to confirm any information about you over the phone, to a man I don’t know. Sharing anything without your permission violates privacy.”
“Thank you for fending that off,” Livi said. “But it’s alarming. I have to tell you something that I haven’t told anyone.” She proceeded to tell Elena about the times
that she’d suspected that she was being followed. “I brushed it off as delusion. But that call makes me think there is something to it.”
“I’d take it seriously,” Elena said. “That was a weird call.”
Livi was shaken, but class was starting in a few minutes. “I have to get in there. We’ll talk about this later.”
The class was dressed for dance practice and greeted her brightly when she entered. “I see you’re all anxious to get started.” She began with some warmups, then guided the dancers through poses. While some of the dancers worked on splits and pirouettes, Livi coached the partner teams.
The principal dancers practiced with their ballerina partners, perfecting the skill of catching their partner in the air without stumbling, or worse, missing or dropping her. The ballerinas worked on the timing, which was crucial to success.
The Nutcracker performance was months away, yet the dancers needed more practice. With diligence, gradually the performance would come together. The costumes were going to be stunning, as there were some new styles that Elena had developed in coordination with the designer.
When class ended, Livi returned to the office to find Alex waiting for her.
Elena shrugged. “He wouldn’t tell me; he wanted to wait for you.”
What now?
Livi walked over to the desk and faced Alex. He sat in her chair like he owned the place. For a while, things had been awkward between them, and borderline explosive. “You’re in my chair,” Livi said, unable to be civil.
Alex stood and stabbed his finger at her. “You went behind my back. Oh, you didn’t think I’d find out, did you? I have friends, and they clued me in. You were schmoozing with the donors at that luncheon, bad-mouthing me.”
Livi pressed her fingernails into her palms until it hurt. “You could have been there. I didn’t tell you to go to the board meeting that day. No doubt you went to the board to try and turn them against me.”
“You’re the deceitful one,” Alex said, red-faced.
“Hey, I set up that luncheon months ago,” Elena said. “You had plenty of opportunity to rearrange your board meeting.”
Caleb Page 7