Chapter 11
11
Margot
M argot showed up at the Keagan ranch after starting her first day at the community college. She’d been able to enroll in a math class and a business class, but what had been more exciting was the flyer she’d found in the hallway of the arts building.
She’d pulled it down from the bulletin board the second she saw it, and she couldn’t wait to tell Liam about it. Margot had never been one to get giddy about something. She’d been so down about how her life was going that this new excitement couldn’t have been explained as anything but.
Liam’s truck wasn’t parked out front when she arrived, so she’d folded the flyer into a small square and placed it in her pocket. Instead of finding her favorite place to stretch, she went right into the barn to see Prada.
Her horse’s excitement matched her own. Prada danced and pawed within her stall, anticipating her turn to get out and stretch her legs. “In a little while, sweet girl,” Margot murmured. “First, I have to get some work done.”
She rubbed Prada’s nose and moved over to where the tools were hung. She could get to work before Liam arrived. If she got enough done, they’d have extra time to chat about the opportunity she’d found.
Margot hummed the tune to the black swan’s song in her favorite ballet, and a smile tugged at her lips. Perhaps moving back wouldn’t be the end of things. She hadn’t thought it was possible to find happiness in a place like the community college, especially when her father was forcing her to take classes. It had been a couple of weeks since Liam had pushed her in this direction, and already she was full of more energy and feeling lighter.
“You’re here early.”
She yelped and spun around to find Liam watching her from the doorway of the stall she was cleaning. He leaned his arm up over his head, a crooked smile on his face. There was a smudge of dirt on his cheek, but what drew her attention more was the dimple. She grinned at him. “That’s because I have some news for you.”
He pushed against the doorway and moved closer, making the stall feel even smaller than it already was. “Oh yeah? I could use some good news.”
“I never said it was good ,” she teased, her voice giving her away. “I only said I have news.”
His grin widened, and a flurry of butterflies filled her stomach. He was adorable, and he knew it. But of course he did; she’d said as much. The funny thing was that with each day she spent with him, the more attractive he became. “Okay, give me the news and I’ll decide if it’s good or not.”
Margot stopped her shoveling and rested a forearm on its handle. “Do you remember when you convinced me to sign up for some classes?”
“Yes,” he drawled. “I recall you signed up for a couple business courses. Are you going to tell me that you found your calling and you’re going to work in finance with your father?”
She made a sour face. “Absolutely not. First of all, I’ve only been in those classes for a couple weeks. Second… you know me better than that. My heart will forever be on the stage.”
“Okay, so what is it? I’m on pins and needles.”
Margot beamed as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out the folded-up flyer. She handed it over and held her breath. If Liam didn’t think it was going to be a good fit, she wasn’t sure how she’d react. Currently, he was her cheerleader. She didn’t even think that her father would approve of her interests. Biting down on her lower lip, she watched him closely as he unfolded the paper. Each agonizing second he took, he’d glance up at her with his own teasing grin.
She’d finally had enough and groaned with exaggeration. “Will you just open it already? I want to know what you think.” Margot bounced her weight from one foot to the other and nearly tore the paper from his hand.
His eyes swept over the words. Brows lifted. Liam made a few humming sounds, and then he looked up at her. Lifting the paper, he motioned to it with the other hand. “Is this for real?”
She nodded. “Apparently, this year they’re working together with the Hendricks Theatre. They’re letting some students from the college audition be extras in the Colorado Ballet.”
“But I thought you said you couldn’t dance.”
Margot didn’t want to feel the wind be sucked from her sails. Liam was right about what she’d said. “This is different,” she hedged. “I don’t think I could ever be a lead ballerina. The amount of work that goes into perfecting those dances would wreak havoc on my bones and muscles. But as an extra?” She leaned forward and tapped the paper. “This is just a start. I was thinking about something else you said—about finding something that would fit.” She poked the paper again. “The only way they can do this is by reaching out to local dancers who want to be in charge of people from their community. When I was in New York, we had children and young adults come from all local studios to dance in our ballets, but our choreographer wasn’t the one who oversaw them. It was someone local.”
Liam didn’t seem to understand what she was trying to say. While his blank stare was just as adorable as ever, she needed him to cheer her on.
Margot cleared her throat. “I want to find a studio to work at. I want to teach other little girls how to dance.”
His eyes widened. “That’s an excellent idea. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it.” He smacked his forehead with his palm. “It’s so obvious .”
She shrugged, unable to keep herself from smiling at his overreaction. Liam grabbed her hands and spun her around, the shovel clattering to the side. They had to hop over the end to avoid getting caught by it. She let out a laugh, startling a few of the horses in the barn.
When he stopped, he placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her one of the most sincere looks he’d ever given her. “I knew you’d come up with something. It’s not your way to be down for long. You’re too smart for that.”
Margot had forgotten what it was like to have someone care enough about her to build her up like this. None of the guys she’d dated had known how to treat a girl right.
Oh goodness.
Moments like this one made it difficult to carry on acting like she wasn’t interested in him. She constantly told herself she’d been a fool to turn him down when he’d told her he liked her.
Now, as she stared into his eyes, she found herself wondering “what if”?
What if she could change how the future was going? What if she could convince him that she now realized she’d been wrong? Would he even want to give her a second chance?
“You okay?”
Her eyes widened. Wait a minute. Had he been saying something? Oh no! She’d got so caught up in the moment she wasn’t paying attention. Margot blushed with hot embarrassment and pulled away from him so she could reach for the oversized shovel again. “I’m great—nervous—but great. I figure if I can work with this company on this project, it will get me the local references to start something here. Then I can try to find a studio?—”
“Hey.” He chuckled, reaching for her wrist, stopping her from doing the work she was supposed to be completing. “One step at a time.”
She nearly argued with him but thought better of it. He was right—again. She couldn’t try to eat the whole cake when it would be better to take small bites. “Yeah, I know,” she mumbled. Her eyes shifted to where he held her. The warmth from his hand seeped into her body and warmed her completely. There was something comforting about being connected to him. It was like she knew she could do anything as long as he was beside her.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze and his eyes captured hers, pinning her to her place. She wasn’t sure, but she could have sworn that something electric passed between them in that moment. Liam leaned forward just enough for her to notice. Her heart doubled its pace, and her pulse roared with the strength of a lion.
He was going to kiss her. She could feel it in her bones. Liam still liked her.
Before he made contact, the sound of a bucket hitting the floor caused them to jump. Both of them shifted their focus to the open doorway. It could be anyone, but Margot wasn’t willing to be caught doing anything inappropriate while she was supposed to be working.
Her eyes flitted to Liam, who moved out of the stall to investigate. The sudden change in circumstances made her wonder if she’d imagined the whole thing.
All of Margot’s senses had gone haywire and just because a boy gave her that look. Geez, she was all over the place. It was time to get her head on straight.
But what if Liam could help with that?
That annoying but hopeful little voice hadn’t left her alone since she’d started coming to the Keagans’ ranch to take care of Prada. She hadn’t told Liam the news about what her father had said about her horse. Since she’d signed up for the college courses and had been doing Prada’s care, her father had told her she could take Prada back to the Callahans boarding program.
She wasn’t even tempted. She was starting to really figure out what she wanted in her life, and it had all been thanks to Liam. He returned and gave a shrug. “Not sure who it was, but they’re gone now.” Their eyes locked, but this time it was for a shorter amount of time. All the unspoken tension lay between them now. He knew what he’d done; she could see it on his face.
Part of her hoped he’d felt some degree of disappointment at the interruption. But any regret she saw was likely in her head. Perhaps it was time to actually do something. If Liam had been someone she’d wanted to date in New York, she wouldn’t have wasted any time in letting him know.
She gripped the shovel tighter and nodded to the stall. “I’m going to finish this up. Would you mind getting Prada ready for a ride?”
“A ride? You don’t want to exercise her in the pen?”
Margot shook her head. “I think it’d be nice to go for an evening ride. You know, like when we were teens.”
He studied her for a moment. Liam had this way of making everyone feel seen, but when he looked at her like that, she felt vulnerable—almost naked. Margot swallowed hard and forced herself to look away. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to—or if you’re busy.”
“Of course I’m coming. I just didn’t know what your plans entailed.” His half-smile returned. “Do you want me to pack up a meal or some snacks?”
She hesitated. Lately, she’d been able to push aside her bad habit of not eating. She felt stronger and more capable than she had before. But that wasn’t the best part. There was a clarity she only got when she was doing everything right. Margot knew eating more food probably had something to do with thinking more clearly, as much as she hated that idea.
Nodding, she scooted farther away from him. “I think that sounds like fun. Don’t forget the apples and carrots for Prada. She’ll want something special, too.”
“It’s a deal.” Liam hurried from the stall, leaving Margot alone with her thoughts that threatened to turn sour. No. She was going to stay positive.
And she would.
Because she had Liam in her life.