Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Sophie
My muscles protested as I climbed the pole again. I shifted my leg and hooked the pole tightly with the back of my inside knee. After sucking in a breath through my nose, I let it out through my mouth, bracing myself for what I’m about to do. At this point, I’m not sure I have any skin left back there, but I’m determined to perfect this move at least once before I leave the studio.
“You got this,” Anjannette said.
She and Keera stayed after class to go over things I might be asked to do in the certification classes one last time, and Eve stayed for moral support. The cupid is the one move I’ve struggled with for years, but I’ve gotten closer tonight than I ever have, so I can’t stop now.
Pressing my foot against the pole, I pushed up, shifting my hips forward and squeezing my knee tighter. I slowly released my grip on the pole and held my arms out. Engaging my core, I leaned out to the side, arching my back.
“Yes!” Anjannette screamed.
“You’re doing it,” Keera said.
“That’s it!” Eve yelled.
I held the pose until my foot started to slip. Before I totally lost it, I wrapped my hands around the pole, released my knee, and slid down to the floor.
“Please tell me you got that on video.”
“From start to finish.”
Eve handed me my phone as I sat on the floor next to them.
“You looked great,” Anjannette said.
I brought the video up on my phone and watched with a critical eye.
“I felt like I was up there forever, but it was only a split second.”
“You did it and that’s all that matters,” Keera said.
I shrugged and reached for my bag. Pulling out a tube of arnica cream, I squeezed out a dime-sized dollop, and rubbed it on the back of my knee.
“It’s not your best move, but it’ll do,” Anjannette said.
“With my luck, the stupid cupid will be the one thing certification hinges on.”
“It doesn’t work like that.” Keera said.
“And if we didn’t think you were ready, we wouldn’t have suggested you get certified through level four,” Anjannette added.
“Seriously Sophie, stop stressing,” Eve said. “You’re going to kick ass.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Obviously if I don’t pass the certification, it won’t be a huge deal. But one, I’m doing it so I can help out at the studio—even if I only teach one class a week, it will give Anjannette and Keera a break. And two, I’m a very competitive person, so when I set out to do something, I don’t stop until I’m successful. It’s both a blessing and a curse.
“Maybe I should practice my outside hook into superman again.”
“ Maybe you should go home and get a good night’s sleep before heading out tomorrow,” Anjannette said. “You’re ready.”
“You know I’m shit at freestyle.”
“Stop thinking so much,” Keera said. “You. Are. Ready.”
“You’re going to do great,” Anjannette said, then offered a dramatic sniffle, placed her arm around my shoulders, and squeezed. “I can’t believe you’re getting certified by Elliott just like I did. Like a pole family tradition.”
“I’m actually kind of jealous,” Keera said. “I had to do my certification online because of stupid Covid.”
“I wonder if I’d be less nervous if I was doing it online.”
“Probably not, because you’re a perfectionist,” Anjannette said. Before I could respond, the door creaked as it slowly opened and the three of us looked over as Leo Marakis walked through. “My chariot has arrived.”
“No rush,” Leo said. “I’m a little early.”
“I’m ready.” She stood and gave him a quick kiss. “I want to stop at Dunkin’ for an iced coffee and you know traffic will be crazy.”
Leo’s family lives a couple hours away in New Jersey and they usually go visit every other weekend during the off season.
“Sophie, tell Tyler I’m free any night during the week if he wants to get together to throw.”
“Would my sixteen-year-old son who’s obsessed with baseball want to throw with his favorite Major League catcher?” I rolled my eyes. “He’ll have you out every night.”
“That’s fine.” Leo chuckled. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get together a few times before I have to report.”
Tyler has been in Leo’s company socially a couple times and he was pretty starstruck. Which I get. It’s not often we get to meet our idols. And when Leo offered to catch for him, Tyler nearly fainted.
“I’ll find out his schedule and let you know,” I said. “And thank you.”
“No need to thank me. It’ll help me get back into game shape.”
“He’s good, but I’m not sure if his high school arm is up to that.”
“I watched some of the videos you uploaded to YouTube. He’s good. Definitely encourage him.”
Rob records every game Tyler pitches and YouTube is the easiest way to share them with family and friends. It’s touching that Leo has actually watched them.
“No encouragement is needed there. I swear his first word was baseball.”
“We’ll go throw at Lackawanna College so we get him on the pitching coach’s radar.”
Lackawanna is Leo’s alma mater and he credits the coach for getting him in front of major league scouts. Attending college in Scranton also gave him an appreciation for the city that led to him buying a house here a couple years ago. Which is how he met Anjannette.
“Thanks Leo.”
He nodded, then reached down and picked up Anjannette’s bag.
“Is this everything?”
“Yep,” Anjannette said to him, then looked at me. “Text every day to let us know what’s happening.”
She pulled me in for a big hug.
“I will.”
“You’re going to be great.”
“Thanks for all your help,” I said as I pulled back.
She looked teary-eyed and Leo put his arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the door.
“We better get out of here before the water works start,” he said.
Anjannette takes her role as the studio owner and pole instructor very seriously. Two years ago, a bunch of us competed at the Pole Dance Organization’s competition in Philadelphia and she acted like a proud mama the entire weekend. Many tears were shed.
Once they left, Keera slipped into her coat.
“If we’re done here, I’m going to head home. Simon is making one of his Hello Fresh! dinners.” She smiled. “He’s so adorable. I don’t know how I knew him for so many years without kissing his face.”
“Well now you can do it whenever you want,” I said.
“True that.”
Eve and I collected our bags and followed her out the door. As women “of a certain age,” the only time we wear actual coats is when the temperature dips into the single digits. Usually I’m good with a sweatshirt or sweater and Eve is the same.
“Don’t forget to text,” Keera said.
After giving me a hug, she opened her car door.
“I won’t. See you next week.” She closed the door and started her car. I turned to Eve. “Want to go grab some dinner?”
She scrunched her nose.
“Sorry, I can’t. My mom is cooking dinner and invited the whole extended family over.”
“Well, enjoy. I’ll see you when I get back.”
She wished me good luck for the hundredth time and I watched her get into her car and drive away before settling behind the wheel of mine.
The kids are all out and the refrigerator is empty. Looks like it’s takeout for one. I scrolled through my contacts and found Italo’s. Empanadas and a side of chips and queso should put me in enough of a food coma so I don’t obsess about tomorrow and the week ahead.
Jamie
My phone buzzed as I backed into a parking spot down the block from the pole studio.
Elliott: 911
I rolled my eyes and stepped out of the truck. An emergency text from Elliott could mean anything from the studio is on fire to the toilet paper roll in the bathroom needs to be changed. I don’t want to say he can be a drama king, but if the crown fits…
Another text appeared before I could finish that thought.
Elliott: Please get here ASAP
I made my way down the block and walked through the door of the studio within a minute of his last text. Elliott turned as I entered.
“Thank God you’re here.”
The studio doesn’t appear to be on fire and I didn’t immediately see anything else that would prompt such a frantic tone.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t get these lights to work.”
“ That’s the big emergency?”
“It’s all about the aesthetic, Jameson.”
He knows I hate being called by my full name, but instead of engaging, I walked toward the wall to check out the lights.
“They worked last night.”
I pressed the plug into the outlet making sure it was secure, then did the same thing to the iPad charger just below it. Both look good so I stepped over to the table to grab the iPad and try it myself. Not that I don’t believe Elliott, but like I told him, they worked last night, so something happened between now and then. Often with him it’s what I like to call OE…Operator Error.
The table was empty, so I turned to Elliott and realized he was holding it. I rolled my eyes and turned to look at him.
“Show me what you did to turn the lights on.”
He held up the iPad with his left hand and dramatically touched the screen with his right index finger. “Crazy in Love” sounded through the speakers, but the string lights remained dark. Thankfully I know exactly why that is and I’m looking forward to wiping the smug look off Elliott’s face.
“I texted you directions for the lights last night, right?”
“Yes.”
That single syllable came out more like a sigh.
“Did you read them?”
He gave a single nod.
“Do you remember where I said the device playing the audio needs to be plugged into the same outlet as the lights?” He looked less cocky than he had a second earlier. “And that the lights are controlled by a separate app?”
His eyes shifted to the screen.
“Which app?”
“The icon is a multicolored circle. I put it right next to Spotify.”
The lights turned on, giving the walls a light pink glow.
“They’re still not syncing to the music.”
“The iPad needs to be plugged into the same adapter as the lights for them to sync.”
He marched across the room and jammed the charger into the iPad. The music continued to play and the lights stayed on, but they didn’t sync.
I dragged my hands through my hair and rubbed the back of my neck.
“Turn everything off.”
Surprisingly he did what I told him without a snarky comment.
“Turn the lights on for a few seconds and turn them off again.” Once he did that, I added, “Now turn the lights on and start the music.”
The lights started off solid but within a second were twinkling to the beat of “Born this Way.”
“I told you I’m not good at this stuff.”
“Good at what? Turning on lights?” I held my arms out wide. “All you had to do was pay attention to what I said. What I just told you to do was all in my text. Specifically the fact that the iPad needed to be plugged into the adapter.”
“I was distracted last night. Sue me.”
“What about this morning?” A slow smirk crossed his face and I shook my head. “I don’t want to hear about it.”
“Of course not, because you’re jealous.”
That’s not true in any way, shape, or form, but I’m not engaging. The students will be arriving within the hour and I don’t want to be bickering with Elliott when they get here.
I walked over to the desk and realized we had been doing just that, at least in front of one student. She stood in the doorway, eyes wide, seeming unsure if she should walk farther into the studio or back out the door.
“I’m Sophie Baxter,” she said when I looked in her direction. “I’m in the Level 1
certification class.”
“Hi Sophie, I’m Elliott Booth.”
He walked over to shake her hand then led her forward into the room.
Thankfully Elliott answered because I just stood there staring at the woman in front of me. She’s incredible. It’s not only the chestnut highlights in her brown hair, hazel green eyes, or mouth-watering curves that have me struck speechless. There’s something magnetic, a confidence that has me so drawn to her, I’m frozen in place. It’s definitely a new experience for me.
“Sorry I’m early. I was expecting traffic, but there really wasn’t any, and I can’t get into my rental until three,” she said. “But if you’re busy, I can go–”
Elliott cut her off.
“No worries. You’re welcome to hang out here until everyone else arrives.” He looked at me. “This is Jamie Dunne. He and I were just working on the lights.”
Of course Elliott had noticed my distraction and his raised brow indicated that he correctly assumed what it meant. I cleared my throat, hoping I hadn’t totally lost the ability to speak.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, forcing a smile.
I probably should shake her hand as well, but I’m not sure how my body would react if I touched her. Even if it’s just her hand.
“You too,” Sophie said, her gaze shifting between us.
Elliott settled into the chair behind the desk and brought the computer to life.
“You’re with us through Level 4, right?”
“I am.”
He pulled up the list of attendees.
“Ooh, you’re from Anjannette’s studio.”
“I am,” she said again.
“She’s one of my all-time favorite people.”
“Mine too.”
The smile that spread across her face had my heart pounding against my ribs. I heard their voices, but my brain didn’t register actual words. It did, however, notice the silence when they stopped speaking.
Sophie looked at me with wary eyes while Elliott smirked at me.
“Can you show Sophie to the dressing room?” he asked in a tone that let me know it wasn’t the first time he’d asked.
I wanted to tell him I’m not his assistant and that I only agreed to help with class. But that would make me sound like a total dick.
“Sure.” I pointed behind me. “It’s this way.”
I inhaled her sweet scent as she stepped next to me and tried to distinguish the notes. There’s definitely vanilla, but it’s more sophisticated than that. She smells warm and beachy and I wanted to press my nose against her neck and inhale the summery goodness. Instead, I walked toward the dressing room with her by my side.
“There’s a restroom toward the back of the dressing room and there’s also one over here,” I said, pointing toward the door directly behind us.
“Thank you, Jamie.”
The combination of my name on her lips and the smile that made her eyes twinkle made my dick twitch. I focused to keep it from totally tenting my pants.
“You’re welcome,” I said, then stepped back and watched her walk into the dressing room.
Sucking in a breath, I let it out slowly through my nose in an attempt to get my body under control. I felt Elliott behind me and glanced over my shoulder.
“We’re gonna have lots of fun this week,” he said around a knowing smirk.
Maybe he is, but I know I’m going to spend all my time and energy fighting my attraction to the sexy woman in the other room. I’m not normally so affected by a pretty face, but apparently Sophie is the exception to that.