She inhaled the salty air and took the leap. “Yes, we did. He’s a very nice man.”
“Also smart. He could have gone far in the corporate world. Some people thought he was foolish to leave the fast track behind and return to the mill, but you have to admire a man who has his priorities straight.” Charley pulled out a handful of shredded purple cabbage and a sprinkling of cilantro from his cooler and began assembling the tacos.
“I admire a lot of things about him.”
“Then you have excellent taste in men.”
“It doesn’t matter in this case. I mean, it isn’t like getting too friendly with him could lead anywhere. I’ll be leaving in a handfulof weeks. There isn’t much call for someone with my background in Hope Harbor.”
He began wrapping the tacos in white butcher paper. “You do have a very specialized skill set.”
“I know. And the closest ballet company with any sort of cachet is in San Francisco. That’s not exactly commuting distance.”
“True.” He slid the tacos into a brown bag one by one as he talked. “It would be hard to match the prestige of your current position, or the visibility and notoriety it provides. I imagine it would also be difficult to give up the adrenaline rush of standing ovations and the applause of thousands.”
She waved that aside. “Those are all perks, not priorities. I dance because I love the mastery of motion and the oneness with the music. When everything is clicking, it’s magical.” She exhaled. “But those fleeting moments of almost transcendent joy come with a high price tag. Ballet is a demanding taskmaster.”
“So I’ve heard. I’m sure finding balance is difficult.”
“More like impossible. During the season, I eat, sleep, breathe, and live ballet. The pace is fast, the days are long, and the rehearsals are relentless.”
“Do you enjoy that?” He set the bag in front of her, then leaned down and rested his forearms on the counter, putting himself closer to her eye level.
“Not always. But I don’t know any other kind of life. I’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember.”
“I can see how it would be a challenge to strike out in a new direction, leave that familiar world behind. I imagine Aaron struggled with a similar dilemma as he was evaluating his corporate career. It was fortunate he managed to find a new use for his business skills. And he got his life back in the process.”
“Business skills are more transferable than ballet.”
“I understand from Lauren you have those too, which is admirable. Getting a degree while juggling your demanding career had to be difficult.”
“It was, but I believe in thinking ahead and being prepared.”
“Also admirable. Maybe you could somehow combine your business and dancing skills down the road.” Charley held her gaze for a moment, his dark eyes intent, then straightened up and motioned to the cooler. “I can put a bottle of water in the bag if you like, but with clouds moving in and the breeze picking up, my recommendation is to stop in at The Perfect Blend and get a hot drink to go with your lunch.”
Devyn gave the sky a distracted scan as Charley’s comment continued to loop through her mind.
The sun had disappeared behind a mass of gray clouds, and there was a definite chill in the air.
“I think I’ll follow your advice.” She dug out her wallet, handed over several bills, and picked up her bag as a hoard of customers descended on the taco stand from across Dockside Drive. “Looks like you’ll be cooking for a while. I hope you weren’t planning to paint this afternoon.”
“My muse can wait. It’s a pleasure to feed bodies as well as souls. And sometimes it’s the same thing.” He winked. “Enjoy your lunch.”
“Guaranteed.” She stepped around the person in line behind her and set a brisk pace for the coffee shop as the tantalizing smells wafting up from the bag triggered a rumble in her stomach.
After checking both directions for traffic, she crossed Main Street, reading the saying-of-the-day on the A-frame sign in front of the coffee shop as she approached.
Today’s words of wisdom were from F.Scott Fitzgerald.
Our lives are defined by opportunities.
Even the ones we miss.
She stopped beside the hand-lettered board.
Huh.
Zach, the owner, typically featured humorous adages.
