And he really is sweet.
And gorgeous.
Oh, God, is he gorgeous.
“Gavin, this is so nice of you, but…”
“Not a date,” he says. “Just a drink. A toast to your opening night.”
Well…it would be rude to say no, wouldn’t it?
“Okay,” I say softly. “But just one.”
“Of course. I won’t keep you out late. I’m sure you have class in the morning, right?”
I nod. Back on our date, I’d told him all about how crazy my schedule is—like how we have class even after we’ve performed the night before—and I love that he’s remembered that.
“I do,” I say. The words make my cheeks flush—I know it’s ridiculous, but somehow they feel like another kind of I do.
Quickly, I add, “Have class tomorrow morning, I mean. Anyway. Yes. I’ll take you up on that celebratory drink.”
“So, what did you really think?” I say, eyeing Gavin over the edge of my martini glass. “Be honest. I swear it won’t hurt my feelings if it wasn’t your thing.”
“What did I really think?” he says, lighting up the dim room with his smile. “I think I didn’t understand any of it, but I sure enjoyed it. It’s obvious how much work goes into putting on a performance like that.” He takes a drink of his beer. “And I can appreciate beauty when I see it.”
I’m grateful for the barely-there lighting as my cheeks heat up. And maybe it’s the gin or maybe it’s simply the way Gavin is looking at me right now, but it’s not just my face that’s feeling a little hot.
All right. I need to stop. This is a slippery slope.
If I’m not careful, I’ll end up inviting him to come home with me.
“Well, I’m glad you came,” I say, clearing my throat. “Seeing you standing there was a really nice surprise.”
“Good. I’m glad.” His gaze steadies on me. “I’ve thought about you a lot, Emily.”
My chest squeezes tight. Memories of our date flicker through my mind—our conversation, our flirting, our kiss. I want to tell him that I think of him a lot, too. But I don’t want to mislead him.
“Gavin, I…”
“I’m not asking you out on a second date,” he says. “I understand how important it is for you to focus on your dancing right now. But there is something I need to tell you. I’m going to wait for you, Emily.” His tone is low and serious and I can tell from the look in his eyes that he isn’t playing around. “I want you to know that.”
My breath catches and my throat tightens. I’m not totally sure how to respond.
Finally, I say, “I can’t ask you to do that. That wouldn’t be fair to you.”
“How would it not be fair?”
“I mean, you’re saying you won’t date anyone while you wait for me? Come on. That’s not fair.”
“I’m not interested in anyone else.”
My heartbeat quickens. “The season lasts ten more months, though. That’s such a long time.”
“So it’s ten months.” He shrugs. “Listen, I’m not asking you to agree to anything. I’m just telling you what my intentions are. I’m crazy about you, Emily, and those feelings aren’t going to go away just because we have to put off dating each other.” He pauses. “I’m not imagining the connection we have, right?”
I shake my head. Oh, God. I wish I could kiss him right now. I wish I could just…
“That’s really, really sweet of you, Gavin,” I say. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
“I’m really touched. I am. But if you change your mind, I’ll completely understand.”
“I won’t change my mind.”
The possibility of us being together in the future swells warmly in my chest. I want to believe it’s possible. I want to believe that somehow we can have a happy ending.
But I don’t want to get my hopes up too high, either.
“Another round?” the bartender asks, pausing in front of us.
“Nope. Not tonight,” Gavin says. He gives the bartender a quick smile before turning his attention back to me. “Gotta get this beauty back home.”
Chapter Eight
Gavin
Five Months Later
“It’s not over already, is it?”
I clap my dad on the shoulder. “Nope, Pop. It’s just one of the intermissions. Come on. Let’s go out into the lobby and stretch our legs.”
My dad and I join the rest of the crowd as people move from the auditorium into the lobby. I’ve been to this performance hall so many times now that it’s all become so familiar and comfortable, from the multiple-act structure of the ballets down to the