Free Touch Me and Tango by Alicia Street, Roy Street Page A

and
forced himself to take a calming breath before saying in a casual tone, “What’s
it to me?
    Casey paused, sipping her tea. He felt her concerned eyes
studying him. She’d been there to witness the torn-up mess he’d turned into
after Tanya dumped him.
    “Fair warning: she may not be able to pay you. I saw Tanya
today, too. She came to the Performing Arts Academy looking for a job. She said
her mother is broke.”
    “Did you hire her?”
    “Not at first. But then Julio, my ballroom instructor, saw
her and went nuts. Begged me to sign her on as his teaching partner.”
    “Who is this Julio dude? Is he gay?”
    “No.” She smirked. “Must you stereotype? You never heard of
Baryshnikov or Mario Lopez? Two of the biggest ladies’ men? Julio likes women.
And they luuuv him. That’s one reason I hired him. I knew he’d draw ladies into
the ballroom classes.”
    “Good build?”
    “Ripped. But why should you care? You just said Tanya didn’t
matter to you anymore.”
    Parker backed off, realizing he sounded like a jealous
idiot. His hand tightened on his glass. Here he was again. That same guy who’d
made a fool of himself falling in love with Tanya and actually expecting her to
love him back.
    Casey checked her watch. “I can’t stay. I’ve got to face
room full of miniature ballerinas in twenty minutes.”
    Parker smiled, thinking that only a year ago his sister had
called him in tears when it looked like she would lose her small dance studio.
And now she was the owner and director of the North Cove Performing Arts Academy.
“Your due date’s so close. Are you sure you should still be teaching?”
    “Absolutely. My delivery will be that much smoother if I
keep active.” She tapped his hand. “Listen, Mom asked me to tell you to stop by
this afternoon. She needs you to run some errands for her.”
    “Will do.” He walked Casey to her red SUV parked on the
grass near the long dirt drive that led to the street. She looked up at him.
“Why don’t you come to dinner at our place tonight?”
    “Got plenty to eat here, thanks.”
    “But you always eat alone.”
    “Ah, now you’re insulting Skipper and Reef.”
    Casey slid into the driver’s seat, her pregnant tummy barely
fitting behind the wheel. “What if Tanya’s at the house when you go there to do
the gardening?”
    “Stop worrying about me.”
    “Like you never worry about me.”
    “I’m allowed. I’m the big brother.” He grinned and mussed
her chestnut curls the way he used to when they were kids. Casey laughed and
swatted his hand.
    As she drove away, he walked back to his greenhouse,
purposely avoiding the lilac garden. Grateful it was too early for their
fragrant blooms to intoxicate him.

Chapter Nine

 
 
    They arrived at the sun’s first light. Like hungry sharks
circling, desperate to be the first to claim their chunk of the meat. Tanya
shook her head in amazement as she sipped her coffee at the kitchen table. An
elderly gentleman and a silver haired woman in pink-rimmed sunglasses cupped
their hands to the window, peeking in at her.
    “Who are these people? It’s five thirty, the sun’s barely up
and the sale’s not scheduled till seven.”
    Tanya’s mother sat across from her, crutches resting against
the table. “Animals. Just say house sale and they descend like vultures to pick
the bones of someone’s decaying past.”
    Uh-oh. Her mother was in one of her angst-ridden, drama queen
moods. But then, many of the valuables they would be selling today were items
that had special meaning to Eva. Like her grandfather’s bent wood rocker. Or
the cut glass punch bowl she’d been given as a wedding present. Still, Tanya
knew her mother would snap at her like an angry lion if she tried to offer
comforting words. “Too bad the outer gate is totally broken now. That would’ve
at least kept them waiting in the street.”
    The sound of car doors slamming in the U-shaped drive that
bordered the front porch signaled more