Free Love's Dance by Marianna Roberg Page A

Warkworth. Quiet enough that Colin commented.
    "Are you all right? Is your ankle giving you trouble?"
    Jaina jumped, a little startled. She actually completely forgotten about her ankle. "No, I'm fine. I just didn't get to sleep after you left, so I've been up for 24 hours and the world's kinda weird right now." She pulled a wallet of CDs out of her bag and selected one, then slid it into the player in the dashboard.
    "Did you take the meds?"
    "If I hadn't, I wouldn't be fit to go anywhere, let alone work." She looked at her foot. Even though it was getting colder, with winter approaching, she'd been forced to wear her black canvas shoes--shoe, rather, since the other foot was braced and wrapped--and her black flare jeans, since they were the only ones that would fit over the brace. Unless she wanted to wear her sweatpants, which she most certainly did not .
    Jaina wanted to talk to Angela, but didn't know which she wanted more, to spend the entire day with Colin, or to talk to her friend. Colin was getting to be one of her best friends, but she couldn't talk to him about her feelings for him.
    "My life sucks," she muttered.
    "What was that?"
    "I said 'I'm such a klutz'," she said, perhaps a little too quickly.
    If he noticed, he didn't give any outward sign. "Yes. And it's partially because you wear those shoes."
    "I said I'm short." Jaina crossed her arms under her breasts. "You try being eight inches shorter than you are."
    "I'll pass, thanks." Colin gave her a brief smirk. "You do realize that this means we can't go biking until your ankle is healed?"
    As much as Jaina hated biking, she felt a stab of regret at the thought.
    "This isn't bad," Colin remarked, of the music. "Who is this?"
    "Darren Hayes," she said smugly.
    Colin gave a low whistle. The song was pretty blatantly discussing sex. She considered changing it, but felt defiant. "This is certainly different than Savage Garden."
    "Yeah, Darren seems more inclined towards the risqué these days."
    Jaina looked at her hands, listening to the words. It made her think about how she'd been opening up, revealing so much to him... and he had done very little reciprocating.
    "What's your favorite Star Wars movie?" she demanded suddenly.
    "What?"
    She shifted in her seat to look at him. Even having spent six months in Australia and New Zealand, it was odd to be sitting where the driver's seat would be in the US. "I just realized that I've been telling you all this personal stuff, and you have hardly told me anything."
    Colin eyed her warily, then said, " Return of the Jedi ."
    Jaina barely ke pt herself from gaping. "Really? Mine, too."
    "Hmm."
    And then they lapsed into an awkward silence again. Jaina sighed and pressed her cheek against the window, spending the rest of the ride to Warkworth in silence.
     
    ♥♥♥
     
    Feeling irritated, Jaina let Colin carry her things, but declined further help. He followed her around like a dejected packhorse.
    "What happened?" Sara Whitman exclaimed, seeing Jaina as they approached the area where filming was to occur.
    "I have a pretty bad sprain," Jaina said. "Last night. Fell down the stairs."
    "Ow, ouch!" Sara winced. "How did you do that?"
    "I was walking down the stairs in high heels, twisted my ankle, fell." Jaina motioned for Colin to put her things down by a group of trees. "You can put that stuff there. Thanks."
    Sara looked Colin up and down. "You're not supposed to be here today," she said.
    "I'm helping my mistress," he said, affecting a hunchback. "Is Igor's fault. Now I must carry her things."
    Jaina tried not to laugh, but ended up giggling anyway. Angela joined them just in time to hear Colin's monster impression.
    Her brow creased, looking from Colin to Jaina. "Okay, Igor, John saw you're here, and he wants to talk to you and Sas."
    Colin straightened, flushing, with a sheepish laugh. He looked at Jaina. "If you need anything, let me know."
    As Sara and Colin left, Angela grabbed Jaina's arm. "I thought you were