8. Mia
8
MIA
H earing Henry’s praise hit me in the heart. When he said he trusted my judgment, I felt important and wise, valuable and worthy in a manner that went beyond meeting the expectations of my job.
His compliments about my dancing, though…
I bit the inside of my cheek and hid a grin.
He had noticed me at Danger and fell under a spell of watching me dance. Yet, he didn’t know it was me.
This is going to get so messy.
That evening, after work, I got into his car and rode along to Danger. I intended to do as he asked. I’d offer advice about the dancers if he wanted an honest critique, but I sure as hell wouldn’t be helping him to find, well, me. On the way there, as we listened to a video call with Laura and Jason, I wondered how far Henry might go to look for me. Gina told me that he and Owen wanted to get backstage. They’d given her a card. But what would happen when he didn’t find me there? Would he give up?
It was weird to show up as a guest, not a dancer, and I couldn’t help but want to hide from all the staff. The waitstaff didn’t really know me, but I bet the dancers could figure out I was out here in the audience. They knew what I looked like without the mask I always had to wear for the program.
Henry didn’t let me dwell on any weird feelings, though. Like we always did when we were together, we talked and laughed. We joked and teased. He made it fun, and I expected nothing less.
We got a table, and as we settled in with a drink, I forgot that this was supposed to be about work, that he was here to look for a dancer for the purpose of opening a new club. Instead, I provided my critical observations about the dancers on the stage. I pointed out how Margaret was too fast, sometimes hurrying through beats. He laughed at my remarks about Tyler being too nervous and not natural in their steps.
“You want to look for a balance. A dancer who shows an ease with being on the stage while also being genuinely excited to perform.”
He nodded. “You sure seem to know a lot about this.”
Crap. I didn’t want my knowledge to show. I finished my nonalcoholic drink to stall. “Well, it’s common sense, isn’t it?” I shrugged. “Besides, why are you looking for a dancer to hire? Don’t you have reps and scouts and managers who do this?”
“I do. But sometimes, I like to handle parts of the business myself.”
I tensed under his stare. While I looked ahead, at the stage, at my colleagues, I wondered why he wanted to focus on me. If he was here to find a woman he wouldn’t find on the stage…
“What?” I faced him, on edge. His smile was gentle yet curious. I felt proud to earn his intrigue, but depending on what he wanted from me, I had a reason to be wary.
“You seem to be really into this.” He gestured at the stage. “Very observant.”
I smiled. “I pay attention.”
He huffed a light laugh. “You always have.”
“Do you really intend to ask a dancer here to come work at your new club?” I asked, wanting to keep the conversation about his goals here.
“I do. Fifty is opening in a new location, far from here. Miami is a big step in a new direction, but I feel good about branching out to a different area.”
“Miami.” I sighed, envisioning the Floridan heat. “That is far away. But you know what? That sounds like a good thing. A new start in a totally new place. I’ve wondered about doing that myself.”
“Opening a nightclub in Miami?”
I elbowed him gently, but he snagged me closer by draping his arm around my shoulders and keeping me close. “No. Starting over somewhere new.”
Without releasing me, he peered down at me and frowned. “You’d want to leave New York?”
I did and didn’t. I couldn’t, anyway. I had no prospects elsewhere. And I would never be able to leave Henry. Or Jason. Even Eddie. Not the family-like setting at the office, either. I’d miss them all too much. At the same time, I knew it was stupid to want to stay stuck in place because of a crush on my boss that wouldn’t ever go anywhere.
I lowered my gaze, but he turned toward me, forcing me to glance up.
“Why would you want to leave New York?” he asked, taking my hesitation to reply as an answer that I would want to go far from here.
I sighed, searching for words. I couldn’t tell him the truth. Not like this. Maybe not ever. I had no business wanting him, and even if I was stupid enough to admit that I yearned for a relationship with him, strict policies at the office stood in the way.
“Mia…” He furrowed his brow and shook his head. “I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life.”
Damn, does that hurt. His blunt words cut at me. I felt friend-zoned, horribly so, and a raw ache burned in my chest.
He couldn’t see a life without me because I was a good worker. Because I was dependable in the office. Because I helped with Jason.
Under his close gaze, I was stuck under the obligation to say something. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry.
“Want another drink?” he asked, noticing my throat flexing. “Thirsty?”
I nodded, wondering how he could be so damn sweet and attentive to me but also stubborn to keep me at arm’s length. It wasn’t a hot-and-cold treatment. It was simply the sad signs of an unrequited love. One day, I’d just have to accept that he didn’t want me like I did him.
“Um, yeah. A drink would be nice. Just a water.”
He lifted his head, looking around. “I’ll head to the bar instead of waiting for someone to come to our table.”
“Okay. Sure. I’ll be right here.”
The smile he flashed at me felt too good, like he enjoyed my promise to stay put for him. I relished the idea that I could make him so happy. Pleasing him as a good employee was one matter, but wanting to make him content as a friend felt better.
I watched him walk off, nervous since it was a break in the program. Any minute now, someone could come up and talk to me, and that would be one more step closer to my “secret” being revealed.
But I was safe. For the several minutes while Henry went to the bar, I sat there in peace, free to be and wait with the rest of the crowd for the show to commence. No Danger employee approached me. The shadows shrouding our table must have done the trick of hiding me from my coworkers on the stage, but too soon, another man stalked up to me from the next area of seating.
“You’re too lovely to be sitting here looking so lonely,” he said with a smarmy, sleazy smile.
“Oh, I’m not lonely,” I replied, not turning toward him fully. The less I engaged with him, the quicker he might leave. Still, his wording hit me. I’d just talked about being lonely with Jason when he’d asked. Truly, I was lonely. So desperate to fit in with Henry.
“Looks like you’re all alone right here and now…” He reached for my hand, grasping two of my fingers in a swift clutch.
“Get your hand off her.”
Henry was back, two waters in hand. His eyes were slitted, and nothing about his tense expression suggested that he was in a patient mood. I’d heard his no-nonsense tone of authority many times, but never like this.
And not over me.
“Whoa. Hey, now.” The man stepped back, holding his hands up in a truce-like manner. “I was just?—”
“You were just leaving,” Henry finished for him coldly as he shouldered his way toward me. He didn’t take his stern gaze off me for a moment, locking his eyes on mine. In those dark blue eyes, I caught the hint of jealousy. The tightness in his jaw proved it.
He was… jealous? Of another man trying to talk to me?
I couldn’t help a little laugh as he gave me my water. “Henry. He was…” I shook my head, too confused to make sense of this. He couldn’t be acting jealous when he had placed me so firmly in the category of “just an employee” or only a friend.
“He was flirting with you.” He put his glass on the table and leaned closer, standing in my space as he faced me.
“I think he was,” I agreed with a shrug. “But so what?”
I wasn’t interested.
“It’s not a big deal.”
He furrowed his brow.
“I mean…” I blinked, struggling to figure him out, to navigate why he’d be so upset. “It’s not like we’re here on a date.”
He stepped closer. One foot toward me. The nearness robbed me of my breath, but not as much as the heated look in his eyes.
“Why can’t we be?” he asked slowly as he lowered his mouth to mine.