‘There’s no one else who might want some of it?’ he asked as he followed her.
‘No. My mother was an only child. So was I.’ No aunts and uncles, no cousins. She was the only one left in her little family.
‘What about your father?’
Roxie hardened her heart enough to be able to answer lightly. ‘I don’t know anything about him.’
‘Not even his name?’ he joked.
But she couldn’t do more than answer baldly then. ‘No.’
‘Oh.’ He cleared his throat and looked anywhere but at her. ‘Sorry.’
‘It’s okay.’ Now she felt sorry for making him feel awkward. She shouldn’t have said anything but she felt as if she had to explain more now—to ease over the moment. ‘There aren’t any records. No clues in any of those boxes. Naturally no bureaucratic department is able to help either.’ She forced a smile. They never seemed to be able to help her.
He met her eyes and half smiled back. ‘So this was your mum’s house?’
‘No, she lived in the UK. I was raised by my grandparents. This is their house.’
‘And they left it to you?’
She nodded.
‘When?’
Oh, man, hadn’t they covered enough already? He didn’t know it but he was dragging the conversation to even boggier ground. But she maintained her smile and quickly recited the facts. ‘My grandmother died when I was sixteen. My grandfather died just over a year ago.’
‘I’m sorry.’ He turned slightly away and looked at the beautiful house, which was good because holding her smile was causing mouth ache. ‘Where’s your mum now?’
Roxie closed her eyes for a split second. ‘She died when I was eight.’
‘Man,’ he muttered softly. ‘That’s rough.’
Roxie shrugged and downplayed it. ‘She lived overseas. I grew up with my grandparents so I didn’t know her that well. I’ve lived here all my life.’
Long ago she had mourned for what could have been, as a kid she’d been filled with the idealistic hope that her mother would one day return to her and would answer all her deep-held questions. But that hadn’t happened and any chance of getting those answers had been buried with the last of her family. She’d spent the year sorting through papers, sorting through those feelings. Now she’d put them all into boxes and sealed them away.
She glanced at him and saw the one thing she’d never seen from anyone else. The one thing shedidn’twant to see from him.
‘I don’t need sympathy, Gabe,’ she said, annoyed by it. ‘A year or so ago, it would have been nice.’ And she couldn’t help throwing him the challenge that one last time. ‘What I need now is some fun and adventure. It’s been a long time coming.’ There was no soft coo, or coy look this time, she spoke with hard, raw honesty.
‘I don’t think diving off the deep end is the way to go,’ he answered with clipped finality.
Roxie couldn’t believe it—so the flirt of mere minutes ago had just been that? He was still denying this? So much for him being the ultimate slayer. He’d come over all old-school gallant because of that one stupid word—virgin. She had no idea how he’d got that playboy reputation; it truly was misplaced. And she was mortified because she’d thrown herself so hard at him.
‘You don’t think I can handle it? I’ve handled more than you can ever imagine.’ But she sure as hell wasn’t going to give him the fine details of her sob story to gain points like some try-hard on a reality TV talent show. She was mad with herself for saying the bit she had already. Sympathyreallywasn’t what she wanted.
He looked at her too intently for another too long moment, his stance rigid. ‘I’ll see you at the game tomorrow.’ His parting words came over his shoulder as he strode away. ‘Dance hard.’
FIVE
Roxie pulled on her costume,engulfed by embarrassment. Gabe was avoiding her. She’d seen him duck his head back from the window when she’d been out in the garden this morning and he’d immediately zipped the other way when he’d seen her down the corridor at the stadium as she’d arrived half an hour before. So, yeah, she’d made a huge mistake. He wasn’t interested at all—had merely been flirting for amusement. And now he knew some of her history he was probably afraid she was all fragile and about to go crazy like his ex.
‘Almost ready?’ Chelsea asked with a bouncy flick of her hair.
Roxie nodded and bent to smooth her outfit so she could hide her face. Yep, she should have paid closer attention to Chelsea’s warning. If it weren’t for the fact that she didn’t have her funds together yet, she’d be on the next plane.
And now there was this. Her first night dancing as a Silver Blade. She stared at her reflection, trying to tell herself that if she didn’t recognize herself, no one else would, and therefore it wouldn’t matter if she made a total dork of herself on the pitch. Only she was terrified—all her confidence and self-belief sucked away.Whatdid she think shewasdoing? She was going to make a total fool of herself. She didn’t have the experience or thetraining for this. And as she frowned at the mirror she realized she couldn’t remember the start of their first routine. She’d gone totally blank. She tried to breathe but she needed fresh air—not the clouds of hairspray in the Blades’ change room. The fumes were stinging her eyes.
