When they arrived at the Richardson Ballet practice facility there was one moment of indecision for Matthew. He sat in the car looking down at his sweatpants and t-shirt and then looked at his daughter one last time. “Are you sure this is okay?”

Rolling her eyes, she shrugged on her coat. “Dad, come on! Miss Laura said it was fine. Come on. Get your coat on so we can get inside! I don’t want to be the last one to get there. Miss Laura always said that showing up on time is being late when you’re a dancer. You have to warm up before you dance.”

He nodded slowly. “Am I going to be hearing a lot more of ‘Miss Laura says’ before the end of this?”

Swinging open the door to their SUV, Juliet slid down to the ground before she swung around to give him a wide-eyed stare. “Yes… tons! So get used to it!”

Juliet closed the door and then skipped off a few steps before jumping up into the air. “Miss Laura!”

Yep. He was doomed.

Not only did the butterflies start up again but he was sure his heart was pounding in his chest.

Grumping at himself, he pushed open his door and got out of the car, grabbing the backpack with his new shoes and then his coat.

“Come on, Dad! We’re going in to warm up!”

Shaking his head, he shut the door and started after his daughter and her…

And really, what was her role? Pretend mom?

Stage mom? No, that had a different meaning.

Really, he wondered, what did it matter? She was just going to be there for the rehearsals and the performances.

At least that’s what he kept telling himself.

Passing through security, he gave his name to the guard in the reception area and was cleared to head into the rehearsal space.

It was immense!

The room looked like it could house several houses and a good-sized yard. There were mirrors on two sides of the room covering every inch of the pristine white paint from the ground up to about twelve feet in the air. The center of the room, bordered by about three feet of plain floor, was a dark rubbery surface that looked like it was duct-taped down.

He was more than willing to admit how clueless he was. With the exception of her recitals, he’d never really ventured into Juliet’s classrooms, but it must be ‘the norm’ because Juliet and Laura didn’t seem phased in the least.

When he reached their sides, Juliet had already shed her outerwear and was sliding on her pointe shoes. He set his things down beside his daughter’s bag and marveled at how she wrapped the satin ribbons around her ankles and tucked the ends of the bow into the inside where the ribbons were wrapped. “Thank goodness you don’t need me to do that for you. It’s like braids.”

She looked up at him, her cheek lightly touching her knee and he was struck by how much she looked like her mother.

“I’ve got it,” she told him, “but you need to change your shoes.”

He looked over at Laura who was laughing while hiding her face from him. “Go ahead and laugh. This is totally not my wheelhouse.”

Laura finished putting on her shoes, tucking the end of one strap under the back end of the buckle. She reached up and grabbed the ballet barre, bringing her to her feet.

“You look worried.” She told him with a smile in her eyes. “Don’t. I’ll make sure you’re okay.”

He nodded slowly. Not quite sure he should trust the hint of a glimmer in her eyes.

She put her hand over her heart. “I have my professional reputation to uphold.”

“Ah,” he laughed, “that is true. Believe me, you’re going to work for it with me.”

She lifted her hand from her chest and set it on his upper arm with a throaty laugh. “I always do.”

He swallowed something that felt suspiciously like his heart down into his chest at the simple gesture. He was still wearing a thick coat, but he swore he could feel her fingers trailing down his skin like electricity. “Laura, I was-”

“Laura Chun, is that you?”

He’d been saved from blurting something out that would have sounded like he was asking her out… Well, because he’d been about to.

Turning toward the sound, Laura’s face was full of joy.

“Adrienne!”

The woman crossing the floor was quite possibly the tallest woman that Matthew had ever seen. Her legs were definitely those of a dancer, but the entirety of her body from leg warmers to leggings to leotard and some kind of a wrap around her flame-red hair was just a shade darker than bright purple.

“Laura Chun, as I live and breathe! You better give me a hug!”

Laura stepped into the embrace and rose up on the toes of her shoes to reach the other woman’s shoulders. “Surprise!”

When Adrienne pulled back she looked down at Juliet. “Is this your old teacher?”

Juliet nodded like a bobble-head just after a big bump, her smile eager and wide. “Miss Laura is the best!”

“I was so proud that you selected her for the party scene.”

Adrienne waved off the compliment. “The girl is a true talent. And you, Laura, you gave her a great start. Her technique is spot on.”

Before Matthew realized what was going on, they were seemingly surrounded by everyone in the rehearsal space. They were all clamoring for an introduction to Laura and Laura made sure to introduce everyone to Juliet.

And his darling daughter looked like she was ready to burst with excitement.

By the time Adrienne called everyone to the front of the room, Juliet was riding a high but he saw the shift in her expression. She was ready to get down to work.

And work it was.

Things had started off simply. They listened to the music for the ballet and Adrienne talked through the story along with the music.

The families on their way to the party.

The servants readying the living room for their guests and a small private moment between Clara’s parents.

The arrivals of the guests.

And a funny moment with Clara’s Grandfather before the arrival of Drosselmeyer himself.

Matthew leaned in closer to Laura and whispered. “Has she ever considered just doing it by herself. She’s a natural.”

Laura nodded. “She does something like this with school groups. She tells the stories behind the ballets while a few dancers perform key moments of choreography. She was incredible when we did Scheherazade.”

“We?”

Laura’s face was suddenly bright red.

“Is that why everyone wanted to meet you?”

She shrugged but he saw her look away for a moment. When she lifted her gaze to meet his she nodded. “I was about a year away from becoming a principle with Richardson when I was… injured. Adrienne was in the corps with me. Together we were lots of fun and trouble.”

He wanted to ask more, but the dramatic recitation was done, at least for what they were going to learn at that rehearsal and Matthew found himself dragged across the floor to the other side of the practice area.

Adrienne stood dead center and looked at the two groups on either side of the space. “Okay. This side,” she pointed at the other group, “is the Stage Left group. When you have directions for performers, WE are the important ones. So everything is from our vantage point. Stage left is performer’s left.”

She pointed toward their group and called him out. “Matthew?”

“Uh, Yes?”

“Do you want to guess what side of the stage you and your beautiful family are on?”

He looked down at Laura and Juliet, linked arm in arm, and gazing up at him with hopeful eyes.

“We’re the Stage Right group.”

“Yes!” Juliet jumped up in the air. “Point for dad!”

The group shared a laugh and Matthew felt some of the worry slip from his shoulders. He could do this.