CHAPTER 3
Theo
As soon as I was safe from the crowd, I hurried the rest of the way down the hall and closed—and locked—the staff room door behind me. “Holy shit, someone should have warned me there would be a crowd today.”
Laughter filled the room while one of the voices yelled jokingly, “Did you check the schedule?”
“Nope.” I had no clue who I was responding to. I didn’t care. I never checked the schedule before making my pop-in visits.
Taking a quick look around the room, I found fellow choreographers, Gravity staffers, and Lifers, our name for the dancers who had found a home there, like me. None of them would fangirl over me like the crowd outside. I was safe.
Reggie knocked into me while opening the fridge and grabbed a water, his scheming grin stretched wide. “Got that worldly sex appeal thing going for you with those aviators and leather, man. Nice touch. You see anything out there you liked?” He stuck his tongue between his teeth and threw me a suggestive glance, as if we shared some secret language. “Lots of fresh meat lately.”
I rolled my neck, the tension already building. I’d never been a Reggie fan. He was the epitome of a snake in the grass, just waiting for the opportunity to strike. And I felt inclined to egg him on.
“Yeah, some nice ones, Reg. If sloppy seconds are your style, head on out there.” From the look he gave me, I knew my sarcasm was not lost on him.
“You’re a chump, Noska.”
“As are you, Maynor.” I elbowed past him and yanked out a chair at Janelle’s table.
She smiled, her expression playful as she leaned in. “That’s Dominic’s mob scene out there. It’s gonna be a good one tomorrow. Hope the ladies didn’t hurt you, though. Clawing and purring all over you and shit.” She laughed. “That’s about how it went, right?”
I tipped my head, considering her comment. “Pretty damn close.”
Long, wavy blond hair, sapphire eyes with swirl of green near the center, and a smattering of freckles on a small button nose flashed through my mind. I had noticed her before that asshole boyfriend of hers shoved her into my arms. She had that “fresh meat” look Reggie was referring to. Doe eyes, flushed cheeks, timid smile. A girl like her would get eaten alive at Gravity.
When my thoughts turned slightly lewder in appreciation of the girl’s … assets, I swiped them away. “I really should learn how to check the audition schedule.”
Reggie grabbed a chair near Janelle, swiveled it around, and sat on it. He leaned in, his arms folded on the table. “If you had taken a look at the schedule, hotshot, you would have seen that nothing’s changed around here. In fact, things are busier than ever. Rooms are booked solid for the month.”
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath. My eyes turned away, my mind reeling at how much I’d managed to fuck up lately.
I could tell Reggie’s curiosity was eating him alive. “You here to take a class? I’ve got a master class coming up later tonight if you want me to fit you in.” His condescending tone bled through his words.
I would have rolled my eyes if a gesture like that weren’t beneath me. “I’m good. Thanks.”
His gaze hardened. He knew I was up to something.
“What brings you back to LA, Noska?”
“Winter.” I blurted it out and watched every inch of Reggie’s arrogant expression fall into something resembling annoyance then anger. I loved it.
He tensed further. “The Vegas gig?”
He and I were the only two in the room who knew what we were talking about. Winter, the one-name-only pop sensation with an obsession for the color white and anything Dior, had scored a six-month Vegas residency series that was nearly sold out. She’d recently been on the search for a choreographer, and Reggie wanted the gig. Badly.
I nodded and watched his expression settle into his natural “I don’t give a fuck” face that I knew was a lie. Reggie had been a contender for the Vegas gig, and it would have been his big break into professional choreography outside the studio.
Unfortunately for him, I was the better choice. Apparently, he just hadn’t been told yet.
“So, that’s it, huh?” Reggie’s nose flared. “Gig’s yours? Officially?”
I shrugged. It wasn’t my job to babysit Reggie’s feelings. “Yeah, but you can still audition for backup.” I knew I was being a prick. I just didn’t give a shit.
Janelle snorted, and he shot her a glare. “Sorry.” She threw her hands up but couldn’t stop laughing.
“Oh, I will,” Reggie said, shoving his spoon into his yogurt cup, most likely scheming about my demise. “And don’t you worry, Noska. When you fuck up, I’ll be right there to save the day.”
My teeth ground, a completely unintentional response. It wasn’t like me to let Reggie wind me up, but that comment did the trick. I had already fucked up. I’d fucked up with my last assistant, big-time, which started a domino effect of mess up after mess up. I was back in LA to pick up the pieces and somehow put on the award-winning show I had promised Winter.
I cleared my throat. It was time to focus. That was why I came to Gravity today. There was no better place for me to get back in the game. “Who’s got the performance center this week?” I looked around the room, my question directed at anyone who would answer. “The studios are booked solid, but the stage should be open, yeah?”
Janelle reached for her phone and nodded. “It’s all yours, baby. I’ll book it for you right now.”
I reached over the table and squeezed her arm affectionately. “Love ya, Nellie.”
“Love you more.”
I almost smiled.