Tash shrugged. “I know I have daddy issues. I was wondering when you were going to cop to yours.”
“I started thinking, what if I just don’t want to be alone? A few months ago, that didn’t seem like a good enough life goal. But now…”
“Now you’ve met someone you wouldn’t mind being not-alone with.”
“Exactly.” Gina sipped again, then set her glass on the coffee table next to her trophy—slightly smaller than the oneThe Dance Offgave to the celebrity winners, but no less tacky. “I think I’d like to be not-alone with Stone. I don’t know how we’d make it work, but I’m willing to try.”
“Aww, look at you, sounding like a rational adult.” Tash smirked and raised her glass.
“Oh, I also found this on my phone.” Gina pulled up a video and pressed play. Natasha leaned over to watch.
Stone’s face appeared on the screen, too close, and shooting nervous looks over his shoulder. He was in the hallway ofThe Dance Off’s rehearsal studio.
“Gina, I’m… fuck, I don’t even know why I’m doing this. I hope you never find it. Or at least, I hope you don’t find it until I’m back in Alaska.”
He let out a sigh and scrubbed a hand over his face.
“I just want to say, I think the world of you. You’re smart and funny, beautiful and determined. For months, you’ve pushed me to do better, be better. You’ve helped me learn a lot about myself along the way. I have you to thank for that.”
He shook his head and muttered something like “that sounds cheesy” under his breath. His face was bright red. When he looked back at the camera, though, his eyes were dark and filled with pain.
“I’m hurt, Gina. Really hurt. I was hoping we could… well, it doesn’t matter anymore. I understand why you’re angry, and I’m sorry. If I could go back and do it differently, I would, but… Idon’t want to hide. I want to love you in the open.” He swallowed visibly. “If you ever… well, you know where to find me. Glacier Valley Inn, room one oh seven.”
The video ended.
Natasha screeched. “When did you find this?”
“This morning. While waiting for my flight back.” It still gave Gina a warm, tingling rush every time she watched it, even though she’d played it over and over on the flight to LA, grinning like a fool the whole time.
“This is some romantic comedy shit right here.” Natasha flipped open her laptop on the coffee table and sat on the floor in front of it. “You know what, I think it’s summer in Alaska right now. What if I just happened to look up flights?”
Gina grinned. “I have over a week before rehearsals start…”
“Nearest airport?”
“Check Juneau.”
A heavy knock sounded from the apartment door.
Tash got up, giving Gina a quizzical look. Gina shrugged. She wasn’t expecting anyone.
After looking through the peephole, Tash spun around with a huge grin on her face. “It’s him,” she mouthed, then grabbed her wineglass and tiptoed into her bedroom.
Him? Did she meanStone?
Hands trembling, Gina set her glass on the coffee table and went to the door. After taking a deep breath, she pulled it open.
Stone stood on the other side, wearing dark jeans and a navy button-down that made his eyes look like they glowed. His hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and he carried a duffel bag slung over one shoulder.
Gina’s heart gave a hopeful thump in her chest. Before she could greet him or ask what he was doing there, he spoke.
“I’ve been watching your interviews.”
“Oh.” Despite what she’d told her agent, her sense of obligation was too strong, and she’d made the circuit through all the daytime talk shows. But if he was here, that meant he must have seen themost recent one, where she slipped up and admitted she wanted him to stay. “I saw your video on my phone.”
He blushed. “When?”
“This morning.”
