Dance With Me by Heidi Cullinan Page B

thinking of Ed sexually put a shadow over their dancing together, which had become a bright beacon in Laurie's life. He knew Ed was doing it because he'd discovered a love of dancing, that it was giving him an outlet he missed. He knew Ed came to the class as a favor but stayed for fun. But he knew too that the fun wouldn't last. Ed would want to move on. He'd want a different partner or want to compete or want to go back to his weights. They would end, possibly very soon. Laurie didn't want to sully their time together by pining after Ed, however desirable he was.
    There was no denying, though, that now he found himself wishing Ed were coming to his performance. He told himself it was ridiculous and to stop thinking about it at once. He told himself he'd look like a fool asking, and even if Ed agreed, it might backfire and make him nervous. It might make their time end too quickly. It might stop the magic.
    But he couldn't stop thinking about Ed at the performance all through the rehearsal, couldn't stop wishing things might be different, especially when he found that the harder he wished Ed were there, the easier it became to dance.
    Ed had to admit, right now things weren't bad.
    The sound system had never been fixed in the weight room, but they'd given up and just established Ed at the back of Laurie's class in the gym permanently. Eventually Vicky found him an alternate room, but by that time Ed wasn't interested, because now he kind of liked being in the gym. He'd started working with not just the songs but some of Laurie's moves too, giving the guys Pilates bands to pull in time to the beat. For the machines, he arranged to have the kids come in on Saturdays at eleven. That had the added benefit of keeping them out of trouble.
    Duon came to every class, and every time Ed stopped by to check on something with Vicky, it seemed like the kid was there. While Duon had always been a regular at the center, he had started to seem like a fixture. Ed asked Vicky about it.
    “I'm looking into it,” she told him, grimacing. “I have a feeling something bad is going down at home. I'm not sure he's even there anymore.”
    This wasn't good. “You think he got kicked out?”
    “Or he removed himself. I don't think he's got a sugar daddy, but that might just be wishful thinking on my part.” She sighed and sank back in her chair. “I probably dropped the ball on him like I'm dropping everything else.”
    Ed frowned. “What do you mean? You're not his social worker, Vic.”
    “He comes to the center. He's my kid.” Vicky flicked a pen across the papers littered on the desk. “I've just been so busy. Funding is a special kind of hell this year. We're running out of grants, and the city is eyeing us like we're the fat it could trim and seal up its budget.” She glared at him. “And don't bring up local sponsors again. You know how I feel about them.”
    “Even if they're the difference between keeping the center open or having it close?” Ed said.
    Vicky pursed her lips and started sorting through her papers again. “It's not going to come to that.”
    Ed hoped she was right.
    He did what he could with Duon, just like he always had, just like he did with all the kids. He even thought maybe things were pretty good, finally. Twice he offered to give Duon a lift home, and he took him up on the offer, and even when Ed stayed for half an hour on a side street, watching, Duon stayed put. Things might be bad inside, but at least the kid wasn't turning tricks in some alley. Not that night anyway.
    Dancing with Laurie was great.
    The ballroom class had one more session before it was done, but Laurie had already hinted heavily that he'd keep giving Ed lessons after. Which was fine by Ed.
    He had managed to control himself after that one night when he'd seen Laurie in tights. It helped that he didn't leave the car until mere moments before class, and on the nights they met for bonus lessons, he made sure he lingered in the waiting