Colin wore a U of T Jersey and a smile. His dark hair was ruffled a bit and he looked relaxed and happy.
“Someone got lucky this morning,” Rich said under his breath to Colin as Roni led them to a table.
Colin chuckled deeply, put his hand on Rich’s shoulder and squeezed. “A great way to start the day.”
“Don’t I know it.”
They sat down in the booth and took their menus. Rich held Roni’s hand before she could turn to leave. “Thanks, sunshine,” he said with a wink.
Roni just looked at him and turned to walk away, but Rich could’ve sworn she was hiding a smile as she walked away.
“Well, I know you had a great morning, anything else new since we left each other last night?”
Colin leaned back in the booth and put his arm up over the bench. He really did look happy. “Nah, not really. That was some pretty great news Kent had last night though, huh?”
Rich thought back to the look on his friend’s face when Kent had told them that he was going to propose to Nicole this weekend. He’d never seen the man so excited. Kent always seemed pretty reserved and put together; it was great to see him acting like a little kid on Christmas morning.
“Yeah, it’s awesome,” Rich agreed. “I think those two are great together.”
“It’s hard to believe how much has changed in the last year,” Colin added.
“You ain’t kiddin’,” Rich began. The waitress came over and they ordered some coffee and their breakfast. When she turned to put in their order he looked back at Colin and continued, “I never would have guessed I would be back home opening a Rec Center, or that you and Bree would be living in sin in Austin, that’s for sure.”
Colin’s grin got wider at the mention of Briana’s name. “Things are better than I ever could have hoped. I love my job. I love my girl. Life is good!”
Rich chuckled and brought the coffee that had just been dropped at the table to his lips. He inhaled deeply, then opened his eyes and caught Roni watching him from her stand in the front. He nodded slightly to acknowledge he saw her, took a sip and smiled when she frowned and turned away from him.
Colin followed the direction of his gaze and said, “Anything new on that front?”
Rich turned his eyes back to Colin and shook his head, “Not in the way you mean.”
Colin raised an eyebrow and Rich’s response. “In what way, then?”
“She stopped by the warehouse and asked about renting space for a dance studio.”
“I didn’t know she was a dancer.”
“Me neither. Kent had mentioned knowing someone who could run a dance class at the Center, but I’d never imagined he was talking about Roni. She doesn’t just want to run a class, though, she wants to rent the space and open a studio. Have full creative control.”
“What are you thinkin’? Were you planning to rent space?”
“It hadn’t occurred to me, but I’m not opposed to it. Lord knows, I know nothing about dance. I figured I’d offer classes and leave the logistics of those classes to the people I hire to run them, but I can see the benefit of having a permanent studio on site. We don’t have one in town.”
“That’s true,” Colin agreed. “And it’d be no different than having the gym and the boxing ring. Those services are permanent, and you have plenty of space to hold other classes.”
“I agree,” Rich said with a nod. “I’m holding interviews and auditions in the next few weeks, and I’ve schedule an audition for Roni. If she has the talent and a strong business plan, I think it would be great for the center.”
“An audition, huh?” Colin asked with a grin.
As their food was brought out, Rich looked at Colin, “I’m taking this business very seriously. I want to make sure the people who are offering classes are talented, as well as able to teach, and have patience with the kids. Hence, auditions as well as interviews.”
Colin nodded as he picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite.
Then Rich grinned, “But I will admit that I’m looking forward to seeing Roni move.”
Rich poured some hot sauce on his eggs and scanned the room to find Roni. She was standing by the bar talking to Pam, an easy smile on her face as she laughed at something the other woman said. The lone dimple on the left side of her face peaked out when she laughed, and he let his gaze trail over her long lean body. Her long blonde hair reminded him of the sun, all soft and golden, which was why he couldn’t help but call her sunshine whenever he saw her. She drew him in.
Colin cleared his throat, causing Rich to turn back to his friend, who winked at him and said, “You’ve got it bad this time, brother.”
He couldn’t deny what his friend was saying. He could admit to himself that he liked Roni. A lot. Not just the way she looked, which was spectacular, but he loved her saucy attitude. The way she loved her brother and her friends. She was loyal, and that was a trait he admired in a woman. From his experience, it was hard to come by.
He looked back over at Roni, then brought his eyes back to Colin and nodded at his friends’ words, “Yeah, I think I’m in trouble.”
Chapter Six
Roni was a little unsettled by her recent reaction to Rich.
First, there had been the physical reaction to seeing him working out in his room, then, when she’d seen him standing at her podium yesterday, her heart had jumped and she’d nearly stumbled. She kept finding her eyes drawn to him while he and Colin had eaten breakfast, and when their eyes met, she felt a warmth flow through her.
She’d never had a reaction like this to a man before, and she hated that her body was betraying her this way. Rich was a total playboy. Why couldn’t some sweet, boring, accountant set her blood on fire? Why did it have to be the ladies’ man with the killer body?
She tried to clear her head of all thoughts Rich as she stretched, but she couldn’t help but feel excited at the thought of her upcoming audition. Excited and nervous. The more she thought about having her own studio, the more she loved the idea.
Her body moved naturally to the music as she envisioned what having a studio would mean for her. She wondered if there would be enough space to have a small boutique as well. She could sell shoes, leotards, and tutus. Her face bloomed at the thought and smiled as visions of pink tights and sparkly hair ties bounced through her head.
She was beginning her cool down when she heard what sounded like a herd of elephants bounding up the stairs to her front door.
She turned as the door busted open and Nicole came bounding inside. Roni braced herself as Nicole ran full throttle and launched herself into Roni’s arms.
Roni started to laugh until she realized her friend was sobbing in her arms. “Hey, are you okay?”
Nicole pulled back and smiled threw her tears. “I’ve never been better. I’m getting married!”
Nicole laughed loudly and pulled her hand free to show Roni the sparkling ring that sat happily on her finger. “Isn’t it perfect?”
“Yes, it is,” Roni agreed. “I’m so happy for you.”
Nicole hugged Roni tightly, then pulled back and kissed her squarely on the lips. “We’re gonna be sisters.”
Roni felt her eyes fill at that and nodded at Nicole, “Yes, we are.”
“I’m so happy, Roni,” Nicole put her hands on either side of Roni’s face and looked into her eyes. “Will you be my Maid of Honor?”
Roni felt a tear slide down her cheek. She nodded as she pulled Nicole back into a hug. “I’d love to.”
Roni looked up as her brother came walking into the apartment.
Well, it was actually more like a strut. The look on his face was pure bliss, which turned to tenderness when Nicole turned to him. “How are my favorite women in the world?”
Nicole turned from Roni and walked over to hug her fiancé. “I love you,” she said as she reached up to kiss him.
“I love you too.”
Roni felt like her heart was going to burst, she was so happy for her brother an
d Nicole.
“I know Kent already told you he was going to ask, but I had to come tell you first, and ask you to be my Maid of Honor.” Nicole said with a smile. “We’re going to go and tell Briana and Kara next.”
“He did tell me he was going to propose, but not how he was going to do it,” Roni said. “Tell me everything.”
Nicole seemed to bounce up and down and smile more broadly, if that was possible, then started to speak, “He told me to pack an overnight bag, that he’d talked to Pam and gotten me a couple days off so we could go on a trip. I was really excited about going away together; I had no idea that he was going to propose.” Nicole stopped long enough to turn and give Kent a big kiss on the lips, causing Roni to laugh at her friends’ exuberance.
“Anyway, we drove for a couple hours, then pulled up to the sweetest B & B I’ve ever seen. It was a pretty blue with white shutters, a wraparound porch, and a white picket fence. The total dream. When we checked in the owners told us about the amenities: hot tub in each room, gardens in the back, and wine tasting in the evening. I loved it immediately, but the best part came when we got to the room,” Nicole paused again and grabbed Kent’s hand tightly in hers, smiling up at him.
“Kent opened the door and let me walk in first. The room was decorated beautifully, all white and lace and antique furniture. Pink rose petals covered the bed in the shape of a heart. More rose petals led a trail to the balcony, where the hot tub was bubbling and the champagne was on ice. There were even chocolate covered strawberries. He thought of everything,” Roni got a little misty at the look of pure delight on Nicole’s face. Who knew her brother was such a catch?
“While I was admiring the view from the balcony, Kent came up behind me. When I turned to tell him how beautiful it was, he was on bended knee. I couldn’t breathe,” Nicole laughed out loud at the memory. “He looked so handsome, smiling up at me with the small box in his hand. When he opened the box and showed me the perfect ring inside, I couldn’t help but squeal. I was saying yes before he even had a chance to ask.”
Nicole hugged Kent again, then Roni, before looking at her watch and saying, “Sorry we can’t stay, but I really want to tell the others before work. I’ll see you tonight.”
“See you tonight, and congratulations,” Roni said as they all walked to the door. She hugged her brother, then Nicole and watched them walk hand in hand down the stair.
She closed the door and leaned against it allowing the tears to fall freely.
She really was happy for them. Thrilled, in fact, that her brother would finally have everything he deserved.
Deep down she knew she also cried for her failed attempt at marriage. In a few weeks the marriage she’d naively thought would be a fairytale for her, would officially be over. She didn’t miss Hank, their house, or the life that they’d shared, but she did miss the dream.
She sank down to the floor and allowed the tears to purge the regret from her soul.
Chapter Seven
Rich couldn’t believe how far things had progressed in the last week. His boxing ring had been delivered and was set up in the back corner of the warehouse. It was in a large enclosed room, which housed the ring, speed bags, heavy bags, and had an entrance into the men’s locker room. It was his favorite part of the Center so far.
That was about to change, since he’d just gotten a call from the guy driving the truck which carried his workout equipment, and he’d said he’d be arriving in about thirty minutes.
Rich walked through his door, past the kitchen, taking care to avoid the parts of the warehouse that the crew was currently working on. He made his way towards the workout area. One section would hold the weights and there would be an adjoining room for the cardio equipment.
He wasn’t starting with a lot, just a complete set of weights, machines for a full circuit, and four of each cardio machine. He had room to grow if he needed to, but figured it was smart to wait and see how much use the fitness portion of his Rec Center got, before he invested too much in it.
His focus was going to be on the kids, but he also wanted to offer classes and activities that the entire community could enjoy, and he thought a fitness center would bring in a profit. When he allowed himself to dream really big, he admitted that he’d love to eventually put a lap pool in behind the building, but knew that would be much further down the road. For now, he was really pleased with how smoothly everything was coming together.
He’d used the boxing equipment last night, and couldn’t wait to try out his weights when they arrived.
When he was satisfied that the rooms were prepped and ready for the delivery, he turned to go back towards the front of the warehouse. His first interview was scheduled to start in five minutes.
Before he made it, a small brunette popped her head around the corner.
“Hi,” the pretty woman said with a smile and an outstretched hand. “Are you Rich?”
“I am,” Rich responded, trying to conceal his surprise. “Are you Alex?”
When his dad had asked him to set up an interview with a Karate instructor from his parents church named Alex, the last person he’d envisioned was the petite woman before him.
“Yes. I was thrilled when your parents told me what you were doing here. I loved taking Karate lessons when I was growing up, and I’d always hoped to get a chance to lead my own class someday.”
“Great,” Rich said with a smile. “If you want to follow me, we’ll go ahead and get started. I’ll ask you some questions, then see your demonstration. Afterwards, I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.”
“Okay. Your dad mentioned an audition and an interview, so I thought it was best to wear this first and then change into my karategi. Is that alright?”
“Of course,” Rich replied. “Once we’re done, you can get changed in the women’s locker room. It isn’t completed yet, but the restrooms are fully functional.”
Rich led her to one of the rooms that would be used for Karate lessons. He had a couple chairs set up for the interview portion. The room was complete with hard wood floors and a floor to ceiling mirror covering the back wall.
Rich asked her the questions he’d prepared and was impressed with her answers and her demeanor. Alex worked for the Mayor and was very intelligent.
The position he was hiring for was part time. Week nights and weekends, so the fact that she had a full time day job wasn’t a problem. He found out that she was single without any children, and she wanted to dedicate her spare time to teaching and keeping her skills current.
While she was getting changed, Rich moved the chairs to the corner of the room and waited for her to return. Alex seemed like a perfect fit for the job. As long as she didn’t fumble through the audition, Rich was prepared to offer it to her.
She nailed it.
She was strong, confident, precise, and loud. Boy, was she loud.
Alex took off the outer jacket portion of her uniform and draped it over her arm as they walked out of the room. She wore a white tank top underneath, which showcased her firmly toned arms.
“The job is yours if you want it,” Rich was saying to Alex when Roni rounded the corner. He looked up at her and smiled, holding a finger up to let her know he’d be with her in a minute, then went back to his conversation with Alex.
Rich’s heart thumped in his chest at the sight of Roni in a black button up with a red pencil skirt. Damn, she looked good.
He said goodbye to Alex, then turned to where Roni was waiting. “I just have to go sign for a deliver, then I’ll be right with you. You can wait in here if you’d like,” he said, gesturing to the room he’d just exited.
“Okay,” Roni said with a nervous smile.
Rich hurried to the loading dock. He found the driver and his crew had already started unloaded the equipment. He picked up the paperwork and asked the driver, “You need me to sign here?”
“Yup.”
“Okay. Hey, Jason, can you check the items off as you unload them to
make sure that everything is here. Let me know if you have any issues. I have another interview to conduct, then I’m done for the day. I’ll come back to help get everything set up.”
He waited for Jason’s answer, then went back to where he’d left Roni. She was sitting on a chair, ankles crossed, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. She looked up and met his hazel eyes.
“Sorry about that, you ready?” Rich asked as he took the seat across from hers.
“Yes.”
“We’ll start with the interview portion, then I’ll show you where you can change for the audition. Afterwards, I’d be happy to walk you around and answer any questions you may have,” he explained.
Roni nodded and clasped her hands together, placing them in her lap.
“Relax. It’s just me, and it’s just you,” Rich said with a warm smile.
“I know,” Roni said, “but this is really important to me, and it’s been a while since I’ve danced in front of anyone.”
“You’ll be great,” Rich assured her. “So, I want to start by saying that, as long as everything goes well today, I’m open to renting the space to you for the studio.”
Rich was rewarded with a dazzling smile. It took his breath away. He cleared his throat and went on, “I’d like to hear your ideas for the space.”
“I want to run the studio full time, and for all ages. I’ll start off with ballet and tap for the youngest dancers, and offer contemporary to the more serious dancers. Ballet and tap teach the fundamentals, so it’s a great place to start. If I get enough interest, I’d offer more classes in different styles, but I think these will be a good place to start. I have some money saved, and would like to focus on the studio full time. I’ll still work part time at the Bar & Grill, at least for now, but eventually, I’d like this to be my only priority. I’ll train each class for an end of year performance that we could hold at the town theater. I’ll look into all that, but, basically, I want to offer a full-fledged dance studio to the community.” Roni’s eyes had lit up with each sentence, her excitement over this opportunity apparent.