Jilted

Amy walked around the studio, double checking to make sure there was nothing on the floor. She was mildly OCD about the condition of the floors. They’d been cleaned and freshly waxed two nights ago, and the studio had been closed to lessons all weekend, but the first class of the day was a group of fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds. They were a handful in their own right, but once the music got pumping, they were worse. Not to mention, at that age, the hormones were rampant. She had several students who were here because they were serious about becoming professional ballroom dancers. Others, though, she was convinced they were just here to cop a feel with a member of the opposite sex. She remembered what it was like at that age. And she vividly remembered what it was like to dance with a boy she had a crush on—Brett Hudson. His name still gave her goose bumps.

Amy started dance classes when she was five. She met Brett when she was ten. They were paired up together during one lesson and as they say, the rest was history. They became dance partners, best friends, and now they were business partners. Four years ago, they opened their own dance studio and have been teaching together ever since.

Satisfied that the floor was clean and safe, she moved on to make sure all the music CDs were near the stereo. Nothing disrupted the flow of a class more than having to stop and search for the correct music. That was one thing their studio was known for—the music. They combined the most traditional dance moves with the hippest, most popular songs. The kids loved it.

“I got it!” Brett rushed through the doors, his blue eyes sparkling. “I got it, Amy!”

“Dancing with the Stars?” Amy exclaimed. “My God, Brett, that’s fantastic. I’m so happy for you.” She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him.

Brett picked her up, spun her around, and laughed. “I can’t believe it either,” he said, setting her back on her feet.

Amy couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “Don’t forget your friends when you become famous,” she teased.

“Never.” He dropped his bag on the floor and kicked it toward the corner. A habit of his that really annoyed her. “We have to go out and celebrate tonight.”

“Yeah.” She laughed. Since Dancing with the Stars had become so popular, Brett had joked about trying to become a professional dancer on the show. Amy had always encouraged him to do it, but it wasn’t until recently that he finally took her encouragement to heart. And now it had paid off. Big time. She was thrilled for him.

“We’ll go to Gregorio’s for dinner, and then to that new club on the boulevard for drinks and dancing.” He snapped his fingers and wiggled his hips.

Amy laughed. “You mean Nefarious?”

“Yeah, that’s the place. We’ll go there and dance the night away.”

Like they didn’t dance enough as it was. She smiled and shook her head. It was a rare occasion to see Brett in such a good mood. He’d had a string of bad relationships lately and it had taken a real toll on him emotionally. Getting on this show was exactly what he needed.

“I’ll pick you up at six?”

“I’ll be ready.” She refocused her attention on the task at hand—getting the music ready for their upcoming class. “Oh, and Brett, tonight’s my treat. No arguments.”

He grinned big enough to showcase his dimple. Amy had more than one fantasy about kissing that very dimple. She looked away, afraid her true thoughts would be displayed on her face for him to see. Lying to him was something she never could successfully do.