by Alexis Daria
“I think Lauren knows about your family. The truth about them.”
“Christ.” He shut his eyes, scrunched up his face in annoyance. “What am I supposed to do about it?”
“I don’t know. But I wanted to tell you, so you’re not blindsided by it.” She gave him a pointed look.
He rubbed his eyes. “Okay. You’re right. I should call my producers, just in case. Can I borrow your phone?”
She pulled it out of the pocket of her hoodie, unlocked it, and handed it to him. “I’ll work on the choreography. Take your time.”
As she slipped back into the rehearsal room, her heart rate returned to normal. Her nerves settled. The anger was still there, but it was tempered by . . .
Determination. No matter what happened in her life, the work and professionalism got her through. For the next week, she would throw herself into the choreography and the training. She and Stone would go back to their teacher and student partnership. She would show Donna and everybody what she could do, based on her own merit. And then her life would return to normal.
They were done, and that was the end of it.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Stone paused in the act of toweling off when someone knocked on the hotel room door. It was too much to hope it would be Gina. He stuck his head out of the bathroom and called, “Who is it?”
“Room service.”
Huh. He hadn’t ordered anything yet. Jackson and Alan had invited him out, but since the finals were filming live the next day, he figured he’d be better off going home to his lonely hotel room.
Wrapping a towel around his waist, he stood to the side and opened the door a crack to peer out.
“Surprise!”
Instead of a bored bellhop, his family stood in the hallway. Half of them, anyway.
His stomach jumped, and his hand clenched on the door. It would be rude to slam it in their faces, but this was the absolute last thing he needed right now. “Wow. Um, hi.” He cleared his throat. “What are you all doing here?”
“Aren’t you going to let us in?” his mother asked.
Stone took a quick head count. Pepper, Reed, Violet, Lark, and Wolf, plus a small camera crew.
“I’m not dressed,” he said. “And you have cameras.”
Pepper gestured for the cameras to wait. “Stone, let me in.”
Since she was his mother, he did.
Once they were alone, she took a seat in the armchair on the other side of the bed. “This is a nice room,” she said, taking it all in. “Bigger than the ones at the inn back home.”
The inn was home, since they didn’t actually live at Nielson HQ, but he didn’t correct her.
“I’ll be right back.” Stone went into the bathroom and rushed to get dressed, in case his mother started snooping. Not that he had anything to hide, except—shit, a giant box of condoms in the top drawer of the dresser, the first place she’d look.
He almost fell in his hurry to put his jeans on, but when he came out, his mother didn’t appear to have moved.
“Where’s Gina?” she asked.
Or maybe she had snooped. He shrugged. “At her apartment, I guess. Big day tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to watching you from the audience. Lark was like to burst when she found out we were coming. Stage-side VIP seating, too.”
“I bet.” He was like to burst when he saw them in the hallway.
“We were hoping you . . . and Gina . . . could join us for dinner.”
Of course they were. “With cameras?”
His mother flushed. “It’s the price we pay. They sent us down here so they could film us acting like country bumpkins in the big city.”
It was ridiculous. Pepper had lived in St. Louis when she was younger, and the family had lived in Seattle before moving to Alaska after Winter was born. Stone scratched his beard. “And they were hoping to get more footage of me with Gina.”
“You know the game.”
He did. And he hated it. But compromises had to be made. Living Wild had lent him to The Dance Off for the time being, but they still owned him.
“No Gina. But I’ll go to dinner with you.”
“Great.” She stood. “We already have a reservation. Now that you’re decent, come out and greet the others. We’ll have to reshoot you opening the door. Try to look surprised and happy, okay?”
He grunted. “I’ll do my best.”
* * *
After dinner, when the cameras shut down, Stone pulled his mother aside before she could climb into the waiting SUV with his siblings.
“Did Miguel tell you I called? One of the other contestants made a threat to expose us.”
She nodded, her expression turning serious. “I heard.”
“What’s going to happen if she tells?”
Pepper sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear. “It’s always been a possibility. A few of the smaller blogs have already run the story, which is probably how your nemesis found out, although they haven’t affected the ratings. Your father doesn’t like to think about it, but we’re on borrowed time. This show won’t last forever. They never do.”
As much as Stone hated being part of it, the truth was Living Wild had been a good source of income for all the Nielsons. “That Swamp Hunters show is on its tenth season.”
She patted his arm. “I only ever wanted enough to live comfortably, on our own terms, and to help send the girls and Winter to college.”
Stone was the only one with a four-year degree. Reed had gotten an associate’s degree from a community college, and Wolf said college wasn’t for him. Then they’d gotten the show, so Winter and Raven had put off going to school. Everyone had made sacrifices for Living Wild, but the money had been too good to pass up.
Gina would have said the cost outweighed the benefits. She wouldn’t sell her integrity for money or fame, even though she wanted both.
It was hard to fault her for it, especially when he was so damn proud of her. She was going to get the show in New York, he just knew it. And then she’d be even farther away from him.
“We’ve got your medical bills, too,” Stone reminded his mother. And himself. It was the reason he’d come to LA in the first place. For the money.
And then he’d met Gina. He couldn’t bring himself to regret it.
“We’ll get to those. You kids are more important. And you have your own student loans to pay off. I do wish you’d do those first.”
He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “If I win, I’ll be able to do both, with some left over. How’s your hip?”
She patted the hip that had been replaced. “Better than the old one.”
He leaned down to give her a hug. “I love you, Mom.”
“Oh, where’s this coming from?” But she hugged him back.
“Just missed you is all.”
“We all miss you, too. Now, you’ve got a big day tomorrow. You’d better go up and get some sleep.” She climbed into the car. “We’ll be in the audience cheering you on.”
It should have comforted him, but it didn’t. His worlds were merging. His family—and Living Wild—were sucking him back in. The person he’d become on The Dance Off didn’t fit into the Nielson dynamic, which had been set decades before, changing slightly with the addition of each new child, or the show’s script.
He didn’t want to go back to being the person he’d been. It was already happening, though. He’d been quiet through dinner, while Reed and Violet dominated the conversation. He was quieter in rehearsals, since he wasn’t joking around with Gina.
His old life was calling. What would it cost him to stuff himself back into the Living Wild role? And was it worth it?
One more day. And then he’d find out.
* * *
Gina gave Stone a high-five after they finished their redemption jive. “That was great,” she said evenly. “Good job.”
They’d reached a tentative peace, where they could at least work together. Despite their distance,
Stone’s dancing was better than ever. He’d thrown himself into rehearsals with a gusto that made his previous efforts look like those of a slacker.
She, on the other hand, felt as brittle as blown glass. Through sheer willpower, she’d managed to smile and play the role of excited finalist, but her control hung by a thread.
Stone nodded, a glint of determination still in his eye. “One more dance,” he said.
“One more.” This night was never going to end.
They joined Reggie to receive their scores. Stone chatted with the host, which was great because Gina was barely following what they said. If things had gone differently, she would have been proud of how he handled the questions. He’d come a long way since their first meeting, more at ease on camera and in his own skin. The boylesque dance had marked a turning point for him, and while she was glad he was opening up, it hurt at the same time. The impending separation would be easier if he were still the same closed-off, recalcitrant giant she’d first met.
Their score flashed on screen. One hundred percent.
Holy shit. Their first dance of the finals, and they had a perfect score.
With a cheer, Stone picked her up and spun her in a circle.
Even as she clung to him, her chest ached. While her anger had diminished over the week, it left in its place despair and guilt at the things she’d accused him of. After blowing up at him in the kitchen, her warning about Lauren had struck some kind of truce between them. But being this close to him every day, missing him and wanting him, and pretending that things were fine, was utter torture.
The show must go on.
The rest of the night was a haze. Every minute that passed brought them closer to their rumba, and she dreaded it. The dance contained everything she felt for him but didn’t dare say.
All the longing, the passion, and the incredible gratitude. He’d opened her heart and made her feel. He’d seen her, and helped her be comfortable with being seen. With him, she didn’t have to hide, to guard herself. She’d felt safe with him.
And despite his boneheaded mistake, she still did.
More fool she. He was leaving soon, just as she’d always known he would.
After she changed into her rumba costume—a bedazzled beige leotard with a sheer white skirt draped loosely over her hips—she hung around backstage in the Sparkle Parlor. She cheered for the other dancers, did funny dances for the cameras before commercial breaks, and made small talk with the celebrities who’d returned for the finale.
No matter how many times she repeated the words one more dance to herself, it didn’t sink in that this was the end. She’d never made it to the finals before. She’d wanted to win for so long. Now, it was so close, and . . . she didn’t care.
Maybe some things were more important than winning.
She turned, caught Stone staring at her from across the room. His troubled gaze churned up her longing for him. They were both suffering. She shook her head and shrugged. What did he want her to say?
There was something in the set of his jaw that made her think he was going to come over and comfort her. But she couldn’t take his sweetness right now. Not with the end so imminent. Instead, she slipped through the crowd and found Kevin. Kevin would talk, and she’d pretend to listen. It was what she needed.
Finally, it was time to take the floor one last time.
She took her place with Stone, listening to the behind-the-scenes package with half her attention. The narrative played up Gina’s preoccupation with the choreography, her commitment to perfection, Stone’s determination to win, and their journey from the beginning. It made no mention of the kiss revealed in last week’s footage, or their fighting in the kitchen.
Small mercies.
The music rose in a swell, and their last dance began.
Gina folded into the first move, curling in and hugging herself with her arms. Stone tugged her back to him, leading her through the steps of the rumba.
She couldn’t have kept her eyes off his if she’d wanted to. He wore an intense, stricken expression, something akin to grief flashing in his blue eyes. Every time he pulled her close, her heart broke anew. When she danced away from him, it was like swimming through molasses. All she wanted to do was curl up against him and let him hold her. She’d taught him too well—he knew how to lead, and whatever drew her to him was too strong to be denied.
“What do you have to lose?” the live singer crooned.
Everything.
They flowed with the music, breaking apart and coming together, pleading with their hands and bodies. For what?
See me. Understand me. Love me.
Her body rejoiced when he held her against him. Her heart hurt when she pulled away.
This was the last time she’d feel his hands on her. She cherished every moment.
“What’ll you do when you have nothing left to lose?” The last line of the song rang out. Their bodies stilled.
Gina burst into tears.
She’d already lost the things she’d tried so hard to protect. Her private life, personal relationships, her spotless reputation.
Her heart.
What was left?
She’d done everything she could to win the trophy. It was up to the judges now.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
The dance ended with Stone holding Gina against his chest. His heart pounded so hard he couldn’t catch his breath.
He didn’t want to let her go. Not now, not ever.
Gina covered her face. Her shoulders hunched and her body shook.
“Gina?” Stone turned her, cupping the back of her head.
“I’m fine.” She pulled away from him and wiped her eyes carefully. “Come on.”
They moved toward the judges’ table to receive personal comments. The judges looked concerned. It was like a flashback to last week, after the damning footage from Alaska.
Juan Carlos stepped in and urged Gina closer. “How are you doing, Gina? You all right there?”
She nodded. “I’m sorry. It was a very emotional dance, and an emotional journey. I can’t believe it’s over.”
“This is your last dance with Stone.”
She bit her lip and nodded. “I know.”
Helplessness washed over him, along with the need to comfort her. She was hurting, and he wanted to soothe her, even though he was hurting, too.
Instead, he just had to stand here, watching as she struggled to control her reaction. It fucking sucked.
All of it sucked. He was tired of holding back from her. But a gap had opened between them and there was no easy way to cross it.
Dimitri Kovalenko went first.
“I don’t really know what to say.” He flipped his pen in the air. It landed on the desk and rolled off. “That was perfect.”
Juan Carlos grinned. “High praise, from that guy. Mariah, tell us your thoughts.”
Mariah Valentino, a classically trained dancer, pop singer, and choreographer, dabbed at the corner of her eye, then leaned in, giving the camera a look down the front of her skintight dress and golden cleavage.
“You two have danced well together all season, but this was the most connected I’ve ever seen you. It was like you were one being in two parts, bound by an invisible cord and a telepathic bond. Truly a stunning, emotional dance. And Gina, I think this is the best rumba choreography I’ve ever seen on this show.”
Blinking hard, Gina pressed her hands to her chest and mouthed, “Thank you.”
Juan Carlos extended a hand toward Chad Silver, all the way to the left. “Chad?”
Chad turned a kind smile on Gina. “I know the past few months have been an emotional roller coaster, but you’ve both handled every challenge with grace and determination.” He turned to Stone, eyes intense. “Stone, you’re the underdog, but you’ve approached each dance with trust in your partner and a commitment to getting it right. Maybe you never danced before coming here, but I hope you’ll continue after you leave. You’re a force to be reckoned with
, and we’re so very glad to have you here.”
Chad’s words hit hard. Stone swallowed, and nodded. “Thank you.”
Sensing vulnerability, Juan Carlos leaped in with his microphone. “Stone, do you have anything to say about that?”
Aside from the fact that it was the kind of thing he wished his father might someday say? “Ah, well, it means a lot to me to hear that. I respect the judges for their experience, so, it . . . it means a lot. Thank you.”
“All right, you two crazy kids. Go meet Reggie to get your score one last time.”
Stone didn’t try to hold Gina’s hand or put an arm around her as they ran back to the Sparkle Parlor. She looked as fragile as he felt. Nothing had prepared him for the overwhelming emotion of this night.
Reggie awaited them with the microphone. “Come over here, you guys.” She made room for them in front of her camera. “That was such a romantic dance. I was back here in tears. Thank goodness for the makeup department, am I right? Stone, what was it like for you to hear comments like those from the judges, after months of critique?”
This was easy to answer. “It’s all thanks to Gina,” he said. “She’s been the most amazing teacher and partner, patient and giving. If not for her, I never would have made it this far, and I’d still just be an emotionally stunted wilderness nut.” Everyone backstage laughed, but Gina looked over her shoulder at him, tears shimmering in her eyes. He said the next words directly to her. “I’m very . . . very grateful, for all she’s done for me.”
Now, he did put his arm around her, and she gave him a squeeze in return.
“Thank you.” Her voice was soft, as was her expression.
“So sweet.” Reggie grinned and turned back to the camera. “Let’s get your scores.”
Colors swirled on the screen. His heart pounded. At his side, Gina tensed.
A giant, sparkly one hundred appeared.
Reggie cheered. “Another perfect score!”
Stone hugged Gina fiercely. She was so little and strong, so inspiring and maddening. When the cameras cut away, he let her go. He wanted to kiss her but didn’t dare. Her eyes still looked watery.
She took a step back, averting her gaze. “Come on. Let’s watch Lauren and Kevin’s rumba.”