Page 76 of Then and Now
“I would think it would be obvious by our attire and the tools present that we are here to make any necessary repairs to the studio.” Paige pushes her glasses up her nose. “Oh dear, I did not anticipate that news making you weep.”
“Shut up, Paige, these are tears of gratitude,” Serena sniffs before throwing her arms around Paige, and then everyone else in turn. When she finally reaches me, she squeezes me so tightly it makes it hard to breathe. “You did this, didn’t you? You didn’t need to, you know.”
“You said it would be hard to sell without the repairs done. I wanted to, at the very least, take care of this for you.”
“But if I take my dad’s money, I could pay a contractor to do all this,” she murmurs, and I put one finger over her lips.
“Your dad’s money doesn’t matter right now. Everyone who loves you wanted to help; all you have to do is let them. It’s a lesson I’m learning for myself, and maybe you need to as well.”
“We can learn together.” She giggles softly and I grin down at her.
“I’ll do anything together with you, Tippy. Anything.”
“Anything?” She arches one brow. “Oh, Leo. You haveno ideawhat you just committed yourself to.”
My brows draw together in confusion. “What?”
Serena’s smile is wicked when she says four words that have the potential to make anyone shrivel up in fear.
“Fall. Festival. Dance. Recital.”
Chapter twenty-five
Serena
“You do know I’m meant to be an authority figure in this town,” Leo grumbles and I can’t contain my giggle.
“Sure, but you also told me you would learn anything with me, and I do mean anything.”
His long sigh comes out sounding a little pained, and I stifle another laugh. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately — laughing, that is. I did eventually accept my dad’s money, and the dance studio is securely paid off and in my name. Dad and I have gone to a couple of counseling sessions together over in Westport, and we’re working through our feelings. At the end of the day, I love my father, and I’m grateful for a little bit more time with him. That’s worth more than my studio. That’s priceless.
“Yeah, I guess I never realized that meant learning a dance I’d have to perform on stage in front of the entire town.”
“You’ve got Violet with you and the other moms.” I try to reason, but he’s having none of it, judging by the glare on his face.
“Nice outfit, buddy,” his cousin Sawyer says as he walks up to us in a Dogwood Cove Fire Department T-shirt and jeans. “You really make that pink shirt pop. But where’s the tutu?
“Shut up,” grumbles Leo. “Why are you here, anyway? Shouldn’t you be wrangling children climbing all over you at the fire truck?”
“What, and miss the show? No way. I told Cap I needed to take a break so I didn’t miss my cousin’s big debut.”
“Do I really have to do this, Tippy?” Leo turns to me, his eyes pleading. “Are you sure Aunt Claire can’t do it?”
“Aunt Claire did not learn the choreography becausesomebodypromised his daughter that he would do it.” The woman in question comes up, her hands on her hips. “You’ll get on that stage Leo, and you’ll smile and have a good time.”
“You’ll be fine. The only thing anybody will think is that it’s so adorable watching a hot dad up on stage with his beautiful daughter,” I say quietly, squeezing his hand.
“I don’t care about anyone thinking I’m a hot dad, except you.” He dips down and presses his lips to mine. “Besides, I’m not so sure Violet is gonna enjoy looking at videos of her father making a fool of himself when she’s older.”
I give him a gentle shove toward the stage where the rest of the girls and their mothers are waiting to go on. Violet is there with a little girl named Macy she’s become friends with, while I’ve been arguing with Leo over the pink shirt all the performing parents are wearing. Okay, so it’s a little snug on him, but that isn’t a problem — at least not for me.
“You can do this. Stop being a big baby.”
“You owe me for this one,” he growls under his breath, flashing me a dark look.
I just wink back at him. “I’ll make it up to you tonight, don’t worry.”
Leo reluctantly heads over to the stage, and I make my way to the area just in front where I’ll be leading the girls, and their parents, in our dance for the fall festival.
