“Mommy! Daddy! I’m on the big stage!” she exclaimed, and everyone giggled. She must have realized that she was in fact on the big stage and had to dance, so she quickly caught up with everyone else. Reese looked out at the crowd and of course, Harper and Elli were dabbing their eyes free of tears as their little princesses moved across the stage like butterflies. When the song ended, the whole front row, which consisted of the whole Assassins’ family, stood up, cheering the girls on. Ally and Shelli were beaming and it actually brought tears to Reese’s eyes, something that never happened, and she blamed it on the fact that they were part of her family as she ushered them off the stage.

The next act, a duet, was already lined up and headed on the stage, as Reese made sure the backstage Mom took the little bits. She went back to her spot and watched Skylar and Addison dance. Reese was proud of this dance of sisterhood and when she peeked out to the audience, she saw that everyone else was, too. When someone came up beside her, she looked to find Claire and Brian.

“What are you two doing? Your duet isn’t for a while.”

Claire nodded. “I know, I changed my solo.”

“What?” Reese asked incredulously. “To what?”

“Into a duet. They already have my music, so it’s ready.”

“You didn’t tell me,” Reese said, a little pissed and a little hurt.

“I know because it’s for you.”

“Huh?” she asked as the song ended, and the lights went out.

“You’ll see,” Claire all but sang as they went, hand in hand, onto the stage. When the music started to Pink’s “Try”, Reese crossed her arms and watched the powerful dance that Claire and Brian had put together. Of course, it was amazing and extremely hard hitting, but what killed her the most was that she had heard this song countless time and didn’t think twice about it. This time, as she stood there watching as they threw each other across the stage, singing the song with their bodies, every single word that Pink sang was the soundtrack to her life. She did have to try, or she was going to lose it all. It didn’t matter that it could get ruined, because she had to try to make sure it didn’t. She had to do what Phillip said and that was to choose not to hurt him, and he would choose not to hurt her. They had the kind of chemistry people dreamed about, and she couldn’t throw that away.

She loved him way too much to do that.

She had to try.

When the song ended and Claire and Brian came running off the stage, the crowd lost their marbles screaming. Phillip being the loudest, of course. Reese reached out, stopping Claire and looking deep in her eyes as she asked, “When did you do this?”

“This morning.”

Shaking her head, she smiled. “You amaze me with your talent, Claire. That was outstanding.”

“Thank you,” she said, wrapping her arms around Reese’s waist and hugging her close. Reese closed her eyes, holding Claire so tightly, and knowing that she couldn’t live a life without this girl in it. She looked up at Reese, her blue eyes swimming in tears, and said, “I danced it because you won’t listen to my words, so I thought maybe you’d listen if you saw me dance. I think you are more of a dancer than a talker, and I had to speak your language.”

Reese’s heart jumped into her throat as she slowly nodded. “I’m listening, Claire. I’ll always listen.”

She hugged her again, as the music to the next song started, and decided that Claire might be on to something. She may not have the words to say to Phillip, but she had her body and she had the gift of dance.

That had to amount to something.

Phillip had no clue why he was sitting between two best friends.

For one, they wouldn’t shut up. They kept ooing and awing over each dance and had to lean across him to do it. Secondly, they both scared the shit out of him, so he refused to move or say anything. So he was pretty much stuck. Watching as each dancer hit the stage, he decided that Reese’s company was stacked when it came to dancers. Each one was stunning in their own way but when Claire hit that stage, he noticed that the whole place fell silent. Even Harper and Elli didn’t have anything to say. They only watched in awe as pride was bursting within him.

Claire had grown so much since the first time she came to him, and he was so proud of her. Loved her more than ever and was excited for their future. He could already see himself sending her off to some major dance school, or maybe she would stay home, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he would do everything to support her and to love her. He was excited for when the playoffs were over because he was taking Claire and his cup to the beach and maybe, just maybe, if she wanted, Reese would be there.

Man, it was killing him seeing her come on stage with the tiny girls and leading them in their dance. She wore his favorite black shorts and short shirt that showed her perfectly toned belly. Desire hit him hard every time he set eyes on her, and it was really awkward sporting a stiffy between his boss and the sister of the girl he was in love with, but he couldn’t help it. She drove him insane, rocked his world, and tied him in knots all at the same time.

“I wonder if Reese is gonna dance,” Elli said, and Harper shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t think she is,” Piper called from down the way.

“No? That sucks,” Harper complained as she sat back.

“Yeah, it does,” Phillip found himself saying, and then received a pitiful look from all three women.