Fallen Stars and Broken Dreams - C.C. Masters Page 0,20

we intend to bring that up to half within the next five years. We’re going to become an irreplaceable fixture in people’s lives.”

“That’s impressive,” I admitted hesitantly.

I probably should have spent all day today researching my new ‘family,’ but I hadn’t - mostly because I was so resentful of them pushing their way into my life. Now that I was sitting here with Richard, I realized that this was an opportunity that people across the world would kill for. This man had created an empire in only fifteen years and showed no signs of slowing down. He was right that Awake.com was quickly becoming a staple in so many people’s lives. Maybe I should take advantage of my time here.

“Have you thought about adding a ballet store, like how you have with other sports?” I asked. “You have almost everything under the sun listed except for dance or ballet. We go through quite a few tights every month, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to offer them on your automatic ordering service,” I suggested. “Pointe shoes would be more difficult because the fitting is so crucial, and a lot of dancers have a preferred maker, not just a preferred brand, but if anyone could do it, it would be your company.”

Richard blinked. “We don’t have ballet listed as a sport?”

I shook my head. “Nope. And dance is a pretty big industry. Tons of little girls all over the country take lessons. While a lot of them drop out before they get to high school, it’s annoying to be forced to buy everything from expensive dance shops.”

Richard sat back. “Huh, I’ll have my people look into it.”

The waiter came by with our first course, and I found myself relaxing. This dinner wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

“What colleges are you considering when you graduate?” Richard asked curiously. “You’re going into your junior year, but it’s not a bad idea to start narrowing down your options now.”

“Oh, I don’t need college to dance professionally,” I said happily.

I immediately knew I made a mistake by how his face hardened, so I tried to explain. “Once I’m close to graduation, I’ll start auditioning for different dance companies. Initially, I’ll just be hired for the corps de ballet, but I might be promoted to soloist if I do well. Eventually, I want to be a principal dancer, which means I get the best roles in the performances the company puts on.”

Richard didn’t look happy. “And if you get injured? If you don’t get promoted?”

I squirmed in my chair. “Injury is always a risk in any competitive sport, but I’m careful with how much I push myself. I always listen to my instructors, and I stay healthy.”

Okay, that part was a lie. I’d been pushing myself a little too hard lately, but the old Katya did all of those things.

“Having a college degree would give you something to fall back on in case something unexpected happens,” Richard pointed out.

“I can get a degree at any point in my life,” I argued. “I can only be a ballerina until I’m thirty-five. Maybe forty if I’m really lucky. If I delay my career for four years, I’ll never get the opportunity to live my dreams.”

“And what about when you’re thirty-five?” Richard challenged me. “Are you going to retire?”

I shrugged. “I’ll become a choreographer, a dance instructor, or maybe eventually a company director.”

I was surprised that Richard was acting like he cared. My mother just looked bored with the conversation and probably wasn’t even listening. I doubted she would be in my life for much longer, anyway. It was strange that Richard was the one acting like he was my long-lost parent, but there was no doubt in my mind that he had been the one to push for this meeting.

“Maybe she thinks she can mooch off you for the rest of her life,” Kingston interrupted out of nowhere. I hadn’t heard either him or his brother enter the restaurant.

I stiffened when he and Maverik took their seats at the table. I was hoping they were going to defy their father and not show up at all.

“She’s pretty,” Maverik flicked his eyes over me derisively, but I caught the flash of heat that he tried to hide. “As long as she stays fit and flexible, she shouldn’t have a problem finding a sugar daddy. Right, Nina?” I was glad to see his glare directed at her instead of me, but his comment was still out