“Want to say the same thing about you dancing, Savannah,” he murmured.
His voice coming at me in that murmur did things to me. Like spark my imagination of what it would be like having him in my bed murmuring in my ear.
I shivered at the thought and forced myself to focus on the conversation. “I’m good at it though. How did you put it? ‘Toofuckin’good at it.’”
“Don’t remind me.”
My lips tipped up as I fought a smile. “It won’t be forever. Just long enough for me to build up a bigger cushion.”
He paused. “I’m not trying to overstep here, but it seems to me that moving to a smaller place with a more affordable mortgage would give you a cushion.”
I made a noise, but he continued. “Before you interrupt, I’m guessing you aren’t moving because of your sister, too.”
Even though he couldn’t see it, I nodded. “You’re right. Plus, losing Mom and me shifting from sister to more of a guardian-role is more than enough of a change for both of us.”
He groaned. “Forgot about that. Where’s your dad? I’m surprised Cat isn’t living with him.”
I explained about Mom’s insistence on visiting a lawyer years ago. Somehow the subject of lawyers got Punc to talking about his parents and their estate planning. Our conversation was easy - even when the topics were heavy - and the next thing I knew, we’d spent almost two hours on the phone.
“I better let you go, Savannah,” Punc said.
“All right. Sorry to bend your ear for so long.”
“Don’t be. I called you, remember?”
“Yeah.”
“Add me to your contacts. You need someone to walk you out, I’m your man, got it?”
“Yeah,” I murmured, loving the idea of him being my man.
“Good. Catch you later.”
The phone did the double beep of the call ending, and I set it on the bed. The best sensations took hold inside me. Warmth and the feeling of having a weight lifted off my chest. I’d had no idea I was even carrying that weight.
It was similar to how I felt after talking to Alanis…but it was different. Exciting and almost reassuring.
I made dinner while portions of my conversation with Punc replayed in my head. By the time I locked up the house for the night and went to bed, it hit me.
So much for nipping my excitement about Punc in the bud. If anything, I’d given it Miracle Grow and a hefty dose of water.
Monday afternoon, I’d called Rita to rearrange my schedule, so my afternoons were free. That gave me time to train with Desiree. I parked next to a car where a woman was grabbing a bag from her trunk.
I hurried out of my vehicle. “You must be Desiree, right?”
She locked eyes with me over the top of her trunk, then nodded. “Sure am.”
With a sigh of relief, I nodded “Oh, good. I’m Savannah. Or I guess you can call me Ava, since that’s the name I’m using on stage. I hope you can show me where I’m supposed to enter the club since whoever’s at the door probably doesn’t know who I am.”
She closed the trunk of her car and grinned. “You’re right and you’re wrong, Ava. Not that many women show up during the day, and they don’t carry makeup cases. Guys at the door would figure out you’re working sooner or later.”
I nodded. “That makes sense.”
She pulled a key card from her purse. “They’ll give you one of these today. We go in through the back door. If the sun’s setting or it’s already dark, call for someone to walk you inside. Seems like overkill, but there’s been some shit happening lately, so better to be safe than sorry.”
I fell into step beside her. “Should I be worried?”
She waved a hand in front of her. “Nah. Management is determined to keep us safe. Follow their rules, and it’ll be fine.”
