Page 65 of Dancing on Air

Cora followed her back, curious. “What’s Missy’s aura show you?”

“She’s a bright yellow. So much is going on there. I’d love to read her charts. They show me much more about a person,” Crystal said as she grabbed her keys.

“Maybe after we’re done next door, they’d be up for it. I’d love for you to do my reading too. Last time you did it was helpful and fun.”

Crystal hugged her. “That would be wonderful.”

While Crystal filled Missy in on the building, Max walked around checking everything he could. The faucets. The toilet. What was in some cupboards. It was funny to watch him inspecting the place for his sister.

To Cora, the building looked just like any other. It was about a quarter the size of next door, but completely empty. There were white walls and a long L-shaped counter in the back of the main room. Double doors led back to a kitchen that had no appliances other than a sink.

One bathroom for customers sat off the back hallway that led out to the rear parking area.

It was as much of a blank slate as any potential store could be.

It was strange. While Missy talked about turning the place into her perfect bakery, all Cora could think of was what it would take to turn it into a dance studio.

Soft pink paint on the walls. Sanding and staining the hardwood floors. Mirrors and barres on each of the walls.

Then to her surprise, after half an hour in the empty shop, Missy turned to Crystal and said, “I won’t have the money to purchase the place at first, but I’d love to start renting it from you, if you’d be open to it?”

Crystal’s smile grew. “Honey, it was yours the moment you stepped foot in here. I could see your entire aura glow and pulse. This is where you belong.”

Missy surprised everyone when she laughed and hugged Crystal.

They went back next door, and Missy finalized a few details with Crystal.

Crystal, being who she was, even offered Missy somewhere to stay while she looked for a place of her own.

The moment they stepped outside, Missy stilled. “What did I just do?”

“I think you just started your own business and moved to Silver Cove,” Max said, hugging his sister. “I’m proud of you.”

“Oh god. I think I need a drink.” Missy laughed.

“Lunch,” Cora said, looking down at her watch. “We’re supposed to meet Kayla at the pizzeria across the street. We can head there early and have a beer.”

“Perfect,” Missy said, wrapping her arm through hers. “Now, tell me about all the hot single men in town.”

Lunch with Kayla, CJ, and Willow was another amazing time. She spoiled Willow, who sat on her lap the entire meal while CJ chatted about his school and his dog, and, well, everything else going on in the eight-year-old’s life.

When Willow fell asleep in her arms, she gently laid her back down in her stroller. Saying goodbye to her sister was so hard. For some reason it really hit her that she had a family this trip. Part of her wondered why she’d ever wanted to leave Silver Cove.

Then Kayla mentioned that she and Rowan had arranged to come to New York for opening night. A wave of pride rushed over her. She was going to headline in Romeo and Juliet. She’d earned that role all by herself. Worked her entire life to get there.

What she’d had to do to claw her way through life faded away as she thought about her dancing career. She didn’t know what she wanted or where she’d be a year from now, but in less than two weeks, she was going to be center stage, under the spotlights, with every eye on her as she danced. This was her lifelong dream.

Wasn’t it? Was it still?

For the rest of the day, her mind was preoccupied with that question as they strolled through the town, stopping in to all the little shops.

By the time they were on the ferry, she had a slight headache. Just watching the water pass below her as they rode the ferry back to the resort had her questioning life. In the city, she woke, ate, danced, slept, and repeated. Every single day.

There were no fun shopping days. No kids to fall asleep in her arms. No time to enjoy or, for that matter, relax.

“Hey,” Max said, wrapping his arms around her, “you look sad. Everything okay?”

She turned in his arms and held onto him. “Just… going to miss this place.”