least twice what you’re making per hour, I’m certain of it.”
“May, I don’t—”
“How long, exactly, do you want to live in my bedroom with me?”
Jasmine’s jaw set.
“You need money if you want to dance, right?” May pressed. “So go over there and earn it.”
Jasmine tamped down on the rest of her excuses. Her sister was right. Giving dance lessons wasn’t something she’d ever pictured herself doing, but it could give her the financial freedom she needed to achieve her dreams.
Nodding once, she returned to Will’s table. His gaze followed her until she sat back down.
“Do I now owe your sister a favor?” he asked.
She gave him a wry look. “I doubt she’d turn one down. But no. She was merely letting me know that she’d be willing to let me cut some of my hours here so I could have time to work with Katie.”
He smiled. “That’s great.”
“I think this could be an interesting opportunity,” she said. And was surprised she meant it.
“I don’t want you losing any money on this deal, so I’d like to at least cover the cost of your lost hours here. I’m not sure how often kids typically take ballet classes. Any thoughts on what kind of schedule might work best?”
“I wouldn’t recommend much intensive work with kids Katie’s age,” she said. “It can be hard on their knees and feet if you push them too hard. But there are plenty of fun dance activities I think she’d enjoy. We could meet two or three times a week if she wants. I wouldn’t say more than an hour per lesson to start.”
“Sounds good. Does a hundred bucks a lesson sound fair?”
As much as she hated to admit it, she said, “It sounds too high.”
“The cheapest classes I’ve been quoted were twenty bucks an hour, and those were only that cheap because the classes had fifteen or more kids.” Leaning closer to her, he added, “And I’d pay twice what I offered you if it gives me the chance to see that smile on my little girl’s face again.”
A soft sigh caught their attention. They both glanced at May, who had obviously been listening to every word. She abruptly straightened and returned her attention to the bakery case she was packing up. Will looked from her to Jasmine.
“You’ll have to forgive my sister,” she said in an elevated voice. “She’s nosy and always thinks she knows what’s best for me.”
May shot her a look that Jasmine matched with one of her own.
“I get it,” he said. “I’m the youngest of four siblings. It’s like having three more parents.”
They exchanged smiles. She felt something more pass between them…a feeling of connection and awareness. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Do we have a deal?” he asked, extending his hand.
She hesitated as it once again occurred to her that she was about to make one more compromise on the path to becoming a professional dancer. Would this decision somehow derail her?
“Come on,” he urged. “I swear, I won’t ever compare your ass to a keg.”
Her mouth fell open.
He gave her a charming grin. “Too soon?”
Unable to resist, she started laughing. “Fine.” She accepted his handshake. “You’ve got a deal.”
Chapter Nine
They scheduled a trial lesson to take place during Will’s next home stand nearly a week after their meeting at Steamy Beans. It gave him time to work out where they were going to meet for it.
Jasmine had explained that she didn’t have an appropriate dance space in her sister’s duplex where she currently lived, but she did have a freestanding barre she could transport somewhere if she drove her roommate’s SUV. She mentioned the importance of Katie being able to see her reflection during the lesson, stating that a mirrored wall would be ideal. That helped narrow down the space options.
Ultimately, Will recruited his dad’s help. They decided Giuseppe’s would work well as long as his dad made sure it was safe for Katie and Jasmine to be inside. The restaurant had a mirrored wall that hadn’t yet been uninstalled. His dad intended to remove the panels intact if possible so they could sell them or repurpose them for another project.
Depending on how this lesson went, Will might consider adding a mirrored wall to his home gym. He didn’t particularly like watching himself work out, but if it made it easier to host Katie’s lessons, it was an easy enough project. It wasn’t like they could use Giuseppe’s indefinitely.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, Will, he cautioned himself