They all nod with great big eyes and I smile encouragingly. This is one of my favorite parts of this job. Jax leads the girls to the stage and I take my place in the audience, standing near the stage so the little ones can see me. The music begins and camera flashes start going crazy around me as parents take photos of their little girls twirl and smile on stage, waving at their moms and dads. Sophie smiles big and says, “Hi, Daddy!”
They are so freaking adorable.
When their two songs are over, they wave and leave the stage and a few moments later the older girls replace them on the stage.
They’re so funny as they try to act more sophisticated, remembering their steps and singing along with Kelly Clarkson as she sings about being stronger.
There are loud applause and whistles when the number is over, then all of the girls come back out on stage for one more dance.
When all is said and done, the girls are bursting with excitement, so happy about how their performance went. Jax and I are given lots of hugs and kisses on the cheek.
“I love you, Miss Mer,” Maddie Montgomery says and wraps her arms around my neck. “I want to be a dancer just like you and Mr. Jax when I grow up.”
“You do?” I chuckle and hug her back hard. “I know you can make that happen, sweet girl. You are a talented young lady.”
“Really?” She braces her hands on my shoulders and gazes at me with wonder.
“Absolutely.” I nod with confidence and smile widely.
“Will you help me?”
“I would love that.”
She smiles again and runs to her daddy, Caleb, who is cradling a newborn baby against his big chest.
The man is massive, making the tiny baby look even smaller against him.
“Who is this?” I ask and point to the baby.
“This is our new baby brother,” Josie says proudly and Caleb smiles kindly down at me.
“The program was great,” Brynna says. The new mom looks fantastic.
“Thank you. When did you have him?” I pat his little diaper-covered bottom, but stay back. Babies kind of scare me.
“A month ago,” she replies and gazes lovingly at her son.
“His name is Michael,” Maddie says.
“That’s a great name,” I reply. “Congratulations, you guys.”
“Thank you,” Caleb replies and kisses his son’s head. Geez, all these hot men with babies are making me squirmy.
I turn to look for Jax and instead find Mark walking toward the exit. He’s going to leave without saying goodbye again? I shouldn’t be disappointed, but I can’t help it. But then, as if he can sense me, he turns back and smiles at me, nods and points to my pocket where my phone is, and disappears through the door.
***
“So, tell me about Mr. Hot Tamale,” Jax says and passes me the vinaigrette dressing for our salads.
“Who?”
“Don’t play coy with me. That tall drink of water you were talking with today. He was the same guy at the funeral.”
We settle in the living room, me on the couch and Jax on the floor with our grilled chicken salad and water.
“That’s Mark.”
His fork stills midway between his plate and mouth and he stares at me. “He’s that Mark?”
“The one and the same,” I reply and take a bite of salad.
“I knew I couldn’t get lucky enough for him to be gay.” He shakes his head in disgust and continues eating. Jax is a hot guy. Tall with dark hair and eyes, chiseled face and body. He’s perfect physically, even at thirty. He could have kept dancing another year or two but he chose to retire and come back to Seattle with me when Mom got sick last year.
He’s also the best friend I’ve ever had. We met my first week in New York and we’ve stuck together ever since. We’ve been through everything together: Auditions. Gigs. Lovers.
All the drama that comes with the dance world.
He’s my brother in every way that counts.
“He’s definitely not gay,” I mutter and drink half the water bottle in one guzzle.
“He’s into you,” he says and watches me closely.
“Used to be, Jax. Used to be.”
“No, he is.”
I raise my eyebrows and stare at him like he’s crazy. “He doesn’t know me anymore.”
“He’d like to get to know you again, sugarbaby.” He points his fork at me and keeps talking with a mouthful of food. “Trust me. I know what a man in lust looks like.”
“I’m sure you do, man whore.”
“That stings.”
“Only because it’s true.”
Jax laughs and shrugs. “Okay, it’s true. So, see? I know what it looks like.”
I finish my salad and set the plate aside then pull my hair up in a ponytail with my hands and lean my head back on the couch.
“Mark and I were a long time ago.” Yet when I’m standing next to him, it feels like yesterday. It feels like home.
“I saw that look of mutiny in your eyes today when you thought he had a wife and kid,” Jax says and sets his plate aside.
“It was just a gut reaction,” I insist but Jax shakes his head.
“You gave a shit about him, Mer. You still do. Just admit it.”
I blow out a long breath and hate the heaviness I feel on my chest. “I do.”
“Do you know how to contact him?”
“He gave me his number today,” I reply absently and pick at a string in the cushion of the couch. “I don’t know if I should call him. We were kids, Jax. Babies. It was forever ago.”