Dancing for the Lord The Academy - By Emily Goodman Page 0,67
in a couple of weeks,” he suggested quietly.
Danni managed to get the words out, though her voice was very soft. She’d thought that dancing with the man was amazing. Having the opportunity to work with him….
It was beyond anything she would have imagined for herself.
You always know, don’t you, Lord? She prayed silently as Nicholas escorted her back to the party. You always know what I most need…and exactly when I most need it.
There was no way she could have been more overjoyed—until she rounded the corner and ran smack into her family.
“Mom! Dad!” Danni was aware that she had shouted the words. She stepped out from under Nicholas’s arm and bounded for them, hugging first one, then the other, in rapid succession.
“Hey, baby!” Her mother returned her hug with interest. Her father was more stilted, but he warmed quickly under the force of her evident joy.
“We got the news at the last minute,” her mother told her excitedly. “Your father didn’t think he was going to be able to get off, but then he did—we decided to surprise you.”
“It’s so good to see you!” Danni went back for another hug. Had it really only been a month and a half since she’d left home? It seemed like so much longer. “And you saw me dance? Really?”
“Really.” Her father smiled. “The Sugar Plum Fairy, Danni-girl—I’m proud of you. You looked amazing out there.” He looked back. “And this is Prince Charming, huh?”
“Daddy!” Danni still had her heavy stage makeup on—good. It would conceal her blush admirably. “Prince Charming is for fairy tales! This is The Nutcracker!”
“Oh, I’m sorry. My mistake.” But her father’s warm brown eyes twinkled as he looked over at Nick.
Nick grinned back. “Danni?” he prompted.
“Oh—sorry.” She bounded back to his side—displaying considerably more energy than he felt, after the amount of time they’d spent on stage that night. “Nick, my mom, Sandra; my little sister, Lizzie; and my dad, Jeffrey. Guys—this is my partner, Nicholas.”
“It’s nice to meet you all.” Nicholas didn’t extend his right hand, Danni noticed, concerned. With his usually impeccable manners, that was a warning sign.
“Nick?” she murmured, under the cover of conversation.
He met her gaze and let his lips curl into a faint smile. “You didn’t write them all out, Danni,” he pointed out softly. “But I’ve got time for dinner.”
“Are you sure?” she pressed.
“I’m sure.” He took her hand, squeezed it. “We have to eat, right?” And with all of the dancers either in the production or in the audience, none of the house mothers would have put dinner on the table.
“Let me know, okay?”
Neither of her parents—used to these quiet exchanges, since she and Michael had had them all the time—seemed to notice anything. Lizzie, on the other hand, stared down at their linked hands, a strange expression on her face.
“Michael was really upset that he couldn’t come,” she informed them both. “He was desperate to see you, Danni.”
Nicholas’s grip on her hand tightened. “It’s a shame he didn’t,” he said lightly. “I’d really like to meet him—congratulate him on training her right.”
Danni laughed. If she hadn’t been on his right, she probably would have shoved into him; but she had the feeling that his shoulder was aching enough already, and she didn’t want to hurt him. “Oh, please. After your last partner, you would’ve taken anyone,” she informed him.
“Didn’t your last partner get hurt?” Lizzie demanded.
Nicholas shrugged. “I wasn’t trying to get rid of her,” he joked, “but I’ve got to say, the new model is a serious improvement.”
Danni relaxed. It looked like Nick wasn’t going to take Lizzie too seriously—good. It would be less painful for all of them in the long run.
“So, what about your family?” Danni’s mother asked as they moved toward the reception area. “Are they here?”
“My mom will be,” Nicholas agreed. There was an odd tension in his face as he said it. Danni wasn’t surprised. She knew men often had issues with their sons being dancers, particularly ballet dancers. Michael’s dad had had his fair share of issues with it; he’d just gotten over them over time. “I’m hoping she’ll be able to find me.” He grimaced. “Though in this crowd, I suppose I probably ought to go hunting.”
“Want me to come with?” Danni offered. It was crowded backstage; the search would go easier with two—not to mention the fact that Nick would be a lot better off with her there to keep people off of his right side.
“Do you mind?” Nick’s naked gratitude