Thankfully, her parents hadn’t seen her freefall. They’d planned to come tomorrow night for her final show, but now…
Would the show go on?
So many unknowns.
The portable lights were turned off, the moon shining from the open flaps and the multiples strings of fairy lights providing the only glow in the tent.
As if beckoned by an unknown force, Rosalyn dropped her bag on the packed floor and walked back to her silks, trailing her hands over the glossy fabric. It’d been way too long since she performed for herself. For joy. For love of the sport.
After everything that happened—would she get that back? Or would she always be afraid of falling now?
She swallowed. But it wasn’t just about the accidents. She stared up at the long strips of material. She’d been losing her edge way before the falls. Before Blaine’s lies, before Saudi Arabia. When had it started?
When had she lost herself?
Her knee trembled. She shuddered as the replay of her fall flashed through her mind. Figured—she’d needed the best performance of her life tonight. For Cade. For the scout, for the town.
And yet when the stakes were the highest, she’d given the worst performance possible. There was something almost poetic in that.
Rosalyn took a breath. Her pride throbbed a lot harder than her knee, though it didn’t feel great. And yet, she had to do this.
Needed to.
A prayer formed on her lips, one she couldn’t quite put to words. Then before she could change her mind, she inverted onto her silks, wrapping each pole around her foot. There was no music. No audience.
Well, maybe an audience of One. If she hadn’t disappointed him too.
She channeled her grief into the fabric. Rolling, wrapping, climbing. Her breath came in even gasps as she expelled the energy and adrenaline flowing through her weary body.
Man, she’d messed up. Big time. Trusting Blaine, being naive, letting herself get taken advantage of. Denying what was obvious out of pride.
Cade had tried to tell her the truth. But now she was stuck. The Mafia was out there—somewhere. Blaine was gone, her only link to paying off her debts. He’d have to get in touch with her eventually to handle that, but it’d be like him to leave her hanging until the last minute. Let her be scared for the way she stood up to him.
She flipped upside down into the splits, extending her leg above her head. It was her fault. Blaine held all the cards becauseshe’dlet him. Rosalyn shook out of the split wrap and climbed again, arching into a perfect pendant. Then she began to wrap for a star drop. The crash mat was no longer under her silks, but she didn’t care.
She needed Something way bigger to catch her this time.
Rosalyn wrapped the silks around her leg. Blood pounded in her temples from the upside-down pose. It wasn’t just Blaine who had her in chains. It was expectations—her mother’s, her own. A lifetime of trying to be the best.
Maybe achieving perfection all those years at school had been the issue. Maybe that’s what made Rosalyn spiral into panic when faced with the idea that she might not be perfect after all. If she wasn’t, what did she have to offer?
Maybe that’s why she clung to her pride with both hands.
She was afraid of falling from it too.
She wrapped the fabric tighter.
Held the star position, arms and legs extended, one hand grasping her silks. All she had to do was let go. This time, unlike earlier in the evening, she knew she’d wrapped correctly. But her hand felt glued to the fabric.
What if she fell?
Tears dripped off her face to the ground below. What if she never got free of Blaine or this debt? What if she never felt like she was enough for Mom? What if she never got to perform forherselfagain?
And Cade…her heart ached. She needed him. His very presence comforted her, challenged her. Brought out the best in her.
Made her laugh. Feel safe.
She gulped. He’d apologized, but…did he want her to stay?Couldshe? It seemed best to tie all this up on her own. Get away from Magnolia Bay and settle her debts, finish this paperwork nightmare of a marriage, and stand on her own two feet awhile.
