Evolving Dreams (New Beginnings Series) (13 page)

Trace recognized her “tough guy” act for what it was but decided to play along. “Thanks for that. One more thing . . . I wanted to let you know I added you to my contact list. If something happens, someone will get in touch with you. I’m not telling you that to make you worry . . . I’m gonna be fine!” Meg heard raised voices in the background and Trace said, “Okay, babe, gotta go. Take care!”

“Be safe, Trace!” But then he was gone.

She lay awake for a long time, finally dozing off around six o’clock. Her alarm rang a mere thirty minutes later and she dragged herself out of bed to start another Monday. It was going to be a rough week . . . and she didn’t even know the half of it.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

When Meg got to the Institute that morning she made a beeline to the faculty lounge for coffee. Tobi cornered her the minute she got a good look at her face. “Rough weekend, hon?”

Meg sighed as she slumped onto one of the lounge’s uncomfortable sofas. “It was a
great
weekend until about midnight last night,” she said cryptically.

Tobi raised her eyebrows. “What happened? Trouble in paradise?”

“We had so much fun all weekend. We hung out with my friends, Monte and Tatiana . . . dinner . . . SeaWorld . . . Then yesterday was just so relaxed and I feel so comfortable with him. Sonny came by . . . watched football . . . ate dinner. Then we watched old movies and talked. It was so great!” She took a deep breath. “Then his pager went off around midnight and he had to leave.”

“Leave? Like deployment leave?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s happening? How long will they be gone?”

“I don’t know what’s happening or how long they’ll be gone. They probably don’t know yet. Of course, he can’t talk about it.”

Tobi slumped on the couch next to her. “Wow. Just when things were getting good,” she tried to joke. She nudged Meg’s arm. “Hey, thanks so much for the heads up that Sonny came by your place yesterday. I could have casually dropped in too.”

Meg turned her head on the back of the couch and grinned. “Sorry. I should have thought of that.”

“So I guess Sonny’s gone too, then.”

“Yep. They all are. Were you getting ready to make your move?” Meg asked.

“Maybe. So . . . I guess you didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“No.” Meg decided to change the depressing subject. “Have you seen Sean yet this morning? He was acting a little weird when I met with him yesterday for lunch.”

“I haven’t seen him.” Tobi looked at her watch. “Gotta go get my studio ready. The kids’ll be showing up for class soon.”

“Yeah, I’ll go on to my studio too. Sean may have gone directly there.”

When they stood up Tobi gave Meg a hug. “Keep me posted, hon. And try not to worry. Throw yourself into your work . . . like you don’t do that all the time anyway.”

“That’s the plan.” They headed down the hall together, Meg trying to get her head in the game all the way to her studio.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

By lunchtime Meg was really worried . . . and not only about Trace, but about Sean as well. Anthony rushed over to her when she entered the cafeteria. “Well? Did he ever show up?”

Meg looked up at him, completely baffled. “No. I guess no one has heard from him. He’s not answering his phone. I even had Steffy’s friends try to get hold of her, but she’s not answering either.” She sighed. “Thank God for Kai. He filled in for Sean with me all morning. Don’t know what I’ll do if Sean doesn’t show up tomorrow. I can’t ask Kai to skip out on his classes for a second day in a row.”

“I can help out if you need someone. Just let me know,” Anthony volunteered.

Meg rose up on her toes and threw her arms around his neck. “Thanks, Anthony! You guys have been great—so supportive. It was a bad day before I got here and now this thing with Sean. What’s going on?”

Anthony steered her over to an empty table. “You sit down and I’m going to get you something to eat. Stay right here.”

“I don’t know if I
can
eat. My stomach is clenched tighter than a fist.”

“You have to. You have to get your creative juices flowing for the planning and choreography sessions this afternoon. Just try to concentrate on that.”

After Anthony sauntered off, Marcy Carrington, SDDI’s director, walked up and sat down next to Meg. “Have you heard anything, Meg?”

“No, Marcy. I’m so sorry. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Sean can seem like a loose cannon at times, but I’ve never seen him shirk his duties before. This really has me worried.”

Marcy patted Meg’s hands where they rested, clenched on the table. “Well, you’re being a real trooper. Thank you for continuing with the workshops this morning.”

“Thanks to Kai for stepping in. You have some great kids here, Marcy. Everyone has been so good to be there in whatever capacity we need. Well . . . almost everyone,” she added.

“About that . . . my assistant is calling Steffy’s phone every thirty minutes without fail. We’re trying to find one of her friends to drive over and check on them at her place, but they all seem to be in protection mode. They have millions of excuses about why they can’t leave campus today.” She sighed and ran her fingers through her boy-short dark hair. “She doesn’t have a lot of friends, but the ones she has are loyal.”

“Do you think they’re just skipping out? Maybe something bad has happened and they just couldn’t get here.”

Marcy looked intently into Meg’s eyes. “I just don’t trust her. She’s always been a troublemaker.” She patted Meg’s hand again. “You hang in there . . . and let us know if you need any kind of help or support with anything. I’ve got students chomping at the bit to be able to work with you, so all you have to do is ask and we’ll set it up.” She rose to leave. “If you do hear from Sean, would you let him know I’d like to see him?”

Meg nodded miserably. Marcy turned and walked away just as Anthony was returning with a tray of chicken noodle soup, crackers and tea. “Here you go. Just what the doctor ordered.”

Meg had to laugh. “I’m not sick, Anthony.” She leaned over and took a big whiff. “It smells great, though.” She picked up her spoon and dug in.

“Not ‘sick’ sick . . . but heartsick. Am I right?”

“You’ve been talking to Tobi about Trace. Right?”

“Maybe a little. We’re just concerned about you. We don’t want you to make yourself sick and have to drop out of the showcase. Pure selfishness on our part.”

“I don’t think so. I think you guys have been better friends to me than anyone I’ve worked with in a long time . . . better friends even than my partner is turning out to be.” She took a few more sips of her soup. “Anthony, what do you have on your schedule this afternoon?”

“Just one class right after lunch. Why?”

“After that would you want to meet me and help with some ballroom choreography? I love Latin ballroom, but I’m no expert . . . and with my partner gone . . .”

“Really? You’d let me help you with some of the routines?”

“I’d actually really appreciate it,” she smiled.

“I can help you as soon as lunch is over. Let me find my TA, Sergei. He can fill in for me in class. He’s completely up to speed.”

“Oh, no . . . I don’t want you to skip your class. We can do it afterward.”

“Are you kidding? We’re doing this! Finish your soup and meet me in my studio.” He jumped up and was out the cafeteria door before Meg could stop him. She smiled and forced down the rest of her lunch.

When she got to Anthony’s studio he was speaking to the class and filling them in on what he expected of them in class that day. He and Sergei turned when they heard her enter the room. “Here she is. Have all of you met Meg yet?”

Over half of the students nodded their heads and smiled at her. “I look forward to our workshops coming up next week so I can get to know all of you.” She glanced over at Anthony. “I guess Anthony’s told you I’m stealing him away for a while today. I hope you don’t mind.”

They all shook their heads. Anthony teased, “I really don’t know how to take that. You’re not going to miss me at all?” The class laughed. “I know Sergei is looking forward to cracking the whip over your heads.”

Meg turned to Anthony, “Do you mind if I take a couple minutes to talk to your students? Just a short survey.”

“Not at all.”

“I just want to get your opinion on what you’d like to see the Institute present in the area of ballroom dance. I’m, at heart, a contemporary dancer—though I like to integrate ballroom flavors into my choreography. But you all are experts.” She looked around the room. “Just jump in and speak right up. Let me know what you’d like showcased.”

Everyone enthusiastically participated and Meg had a hard time keeping up as she made notes. The ideas were coming fast and furious. Anthony and Sergei got into the spirit as well, shaking their heads at the most outlandish ideas and puffing up with pride at the more creative ones. After about fifteen minutes Meg called the brainstorming session to a halt.

“You guys have given me some great ideas. Thanks so much for taking time out of your class to help me out.” She glanced over at Anthony. “We’ll get out of your hair and go see what we can do with all of this,” she said gesturing to her notes.

She and Anthony gathered their things and left the room on their way to the small studio she and Sean had been using during their tenure at the Institute. They worked hard and by five o’clock had the bare bones of three routines down. They would need to spend hours more polishing and refining, but Meg felt good about the work they had done. Tobi had dropped in to sit on the floor in the corner and watch them work for the last hour. She called out suggestions occasionally. When they decided to quit for the day she insisted they all go out for dinner, mostly to distract Meg from her worries.

After they quickly showered, they met up and caravanned over to a nearby Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner. Meg’s cell rang as she pulled into a parking space.

“Hello?” She didn’t recognize the number on the screen.