follow my lead

  ADRIAN J. SMITH

  EREKA PRESS

  Copyright © 2024 by Adrian J. Smith

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Book Cover by Perrin of The Author Buddy

  one

  “I can do this.”

  Saylor dragged in a deep breath of the wet Seattle air. Her fingers trembled, her knees were jelly, but she was here for a reason. She needed friends. She needed a life. She needed to learn to love Seattle. That wasn’t going to happen if she continued to hole herself up in the apartment and see no one.

  “I can do this,” she repeated to herself, but it didn’t help the trembling in her hands.

  Pushing open the door, Saylor stepped into the hallway of the building that held the dance studio. At least she hoped it did, because the sign outside said that Follow My Lead was inside. She’d triple checked the address already, memorized the directions her phone had given her. Saylor’s heart thudded wildly, making it so hard to breathe.

  Why was she doing this again?

  She could be home on her couch, curled up under the blanket, and moping with the best of them. She hated it here. Who was she kidding? Seattle wasn’t her cup of tea. She missed the open skies. She missed the cold temperatures of winter. She missed the people she knew and saw every day.

  “You must be new.”

  The shock rang through her. Saylor wasn’t sure she wanted to look up. But the redhead standing next to her was stunning. Her hair was in braids that moved down her back, tight braids and no flyaway hairs.

  “I’m Jericho.” The redhead put her hand out with a generous smile.

  Saylor sucked in a breath. She had no choice now. She had to interact. Damn, she was so out of practice with this. She’d spent too many hours holed up in her apartment since moving here, and she’d completely forgotten how to interact with this thing called people. “I’m Saylor.”

  “Good to meet you.” Jericho’s eyes squinted, and her smile was genuine. “You’re here for the dance class, right?”

  “Uh…” Saylor stared at the door. Did she really want to do this?

  “Oh, are you nervous? I was too when I first started here. Come on.” Jericho slipped her hand into Saylor’s and started toward the door.

  Guess they were going in.

  The studio entrance was a small area with chairs and cubbies where people could store their things. Jericho was already pulling off her jacket and switching out her shoes. Saylor stood next to her awkwardly. She’d bought the shoes, and she’d even tried them on, but that niggling voice in the back of her head still made it seem like she didn’t want to be here. Maybe she would love dance as much as she loved figure skating. Maybe she would hate it with a fiery passion and never come back.

  The website had said the first three classes were free, so the only money she was out were the shoes. Her fiancé had encouraged her to go even, so he wouldn’t be upset about it if she lost out on the money. That was her own problem.

  “You can use this hook. I don’t think that Steven will be in today. I think he’s still on his honeymoon.”

  Saylor wordlessly slipped her shoes out of her purse and hung up her coat. She mimicked everything that Jericho had done comfortably, while her nerves tried to force their way up and out of her body in a violent attack of the run-aways. Saylor slipped her second shoe on and stood up. Jericho immediately grabbed her hand and started toward the interior door where the studio was located.

  “I know it’s stupid to tell you not to be nervous because we all have our own shit, but I think you’ll love it here. Everyone is welcome no matter who you are.” Jericho stepped through the doorway first and half-dragged Saylor with her.

  Her energy was contagious, and Saylor kind of loved it. The nerves eased a little, especially since she seemed to have found her new best friend. Maybe that’s exactly what this was. Or maybe she and Jericho wouldn’t hit it off. Either way, Saylor was going to stick as close as possible to Jericho tonight since she seemed like a safe person to be with.

  “Tia!” Jericho called across the studio room.

  The studio was larger than Saylor had expected. There were no windows, but the back wall was covered with mirrors from floor to ceiling. The floor was a stunning maple color, and Saylor’s new shoes slid across it, making it so easy to move. This was why she’d needed them. Jericho practically dragged Saylor with her as she walked straight toward a small door off the side.

  “Tia!” Jericho said again as soon as she reached the door. “We have a new student!”

  “Oh!”

  Saylor stepped closer, peeking into the office. The woman at the desk stole her breath away. Her dark hair was long and curly. It was in waves down her back. She had glasses perched on her nose as she stared at a computer screen before flicking her gaze up to meet Saylor’s. Her eyes were so dark that they seemed like an abyss or void that Saylor could so easily fall into and get lost there, never to resurface.

  “It’s good to meet you.” Tia stood up and pulled her glasses off, tossing them onto the desk covered in papers. She held out her hand and her lips curled up, her face open and soft.

  “Y-you too.” Saylor reached out and touched Tia’s fingers, her hand sliding into Saylor’s so smooth and strong at the same time. Her grip was firm. Saylor’s stomach flipped with nerves, her heart racing again from the state it had calmed to.

  “Thank you, Jer. Go ahead and get warmed up.”

  Saylor could feel Jericho leave the small office, her bubbly and warm presence gone in an instant. But that also left the full effect of Tia in her hand, literally. Because Saylor hadn’t snatched her fingers back yet. She sucked in a breath, moving her hand away from Tia and sliding it along her side.

  “So what’s your name?”

  “Saylor McGinnis.”

  “I’m Tatiana Schroeder, but everyone calls me Tia. I’m the owner of the studio, and the primary teacher here.” Tia sat back in her chair, crossing her legs. The skintight leggings she wore had laces up the sides of her legs that ended at her hips. Her shirt was just as tight.

  Saylor sucked in a sharp breath and held it.

  “Sit on down. There’s some paperwork you’ll need to fill out to join us today, and if you choose to continue classes, we can register you then.”

  “Paperwork?” Saylor asked nervously, sitting down on the uncomfortable wooden chair.

  “Just some liability waivers.”

  “Oh.” Saylor rubbed her palms together. “I can do that.”

  “Good.” Tia shuffled through the papers on the desk until she found the right one and then handed it over with a clipboard and a pen. “So tell me a little about yourself.”

  “Um…” Saylor stared at the paperwork, realizing quickly she wouldn’t be able to fill it out and talk at the same time. She was too nervous to focus like that right now. “I just moved here to be with my fiancé. I thought dance would be a good way to meet people.”

  “It can be.” Tia’s eyes twinkled, and she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “So you’re looking more for our noncompetitive class then?”

  Saylor shrugged. “I’m not opposed to competition. I’ve done it before.”

  “What type of dance?” Tia seemed intrigued now. Her head canted to the side, and she leaned in closer.

  Biting her lip, Saylor dropped her gaze from Tia’s eyes to her full, full lips with a purple-red lipstick. “Not with dance. But I have taken a lot of dance.”

  Tia narrowed her gaze, as if even more intrigued now. “You’ve taken a lot of dance but haven’t competed. Oh, color me curious.” Tia grinned and leaned back in her chair, not taking her gaze from Saylor. “Tell me.”

  “I did figure skating.”

  “Oh.” Tia smiled. “Why not continue that here? We have some great rinks.”

  Saylor shook her head. She had moved here to start new, and she didn’t want to be stuck in the same ruts she’d gotten herself in back home. Dance was a close enough alternative, and it was easier on her body in the long run. But how could she explain that in a brief few seconds before Tia had to leave to teach?

  “Wanted a clean break?” Tia asked.

  “You could say that.” Saylor put her pen to the paper and wrote her name in the box. She wasn’t shaking anymore, so that was a good sign.

  “So you took dance to help with skating, I assume.”

  Saylor nodded an answer, not sure she could trust her voice. Something about Tia seemed to leave her struck dumb.

  “Well, let’s spend today testing out where your skill levels are. We can pair you up with some people and figure out if this is the best class for you or if you need to be in a more advanced class.”

  Saylor gulped. She didn’t need to be in a more advanced class. She’d studied the class levels for hours before she’d made the choice of which one would be the best fit for her. Tia couldn’t mess with that. Saylor wasn’t ready for it. She couldn’t make herself speak either. She couldn’t tell Tia that she was wrong and that this was a bad decision.

  Maybe she should just leave and forget the whole thing.

  “What type of dance did you take?” Tia rolled her ankle in a circle as if stretching it.

  Saylor really didn’t belong here. That’s exactly what this conversation was telling her. Sh
e was a skater, not a dancer. She didn’t belong in Seattle. She belonged back home in Denver. Saylor shuddered, her gaze dropping back to Tia’s ankle as she continued to roll it.

  No.

  Saylor had to do better for herself. She was here to make friends, not to be perfect at something she was just starting. She had to lock that thought away if it was going to make a lick of difference for her in the long run.

  “I did several kinds. Swing, hip-hop, salsa, a touch of ballroom.” Saylor looked deep into Tia’s eyes, looking for some kind of affirmation. “Oh yeah, and quite a bit of ballet.”

  “I see.” Tia nodded slowly, her tone giving off a sense of disbelief.

  Most people did that when she told them. But she’d been in competition skating, which was vastly different from hobby skating. She would skate in the morning before school, in the afternoon after school, and she’d take dance classes on the side when she could to increase her stamina, skills, and balance. It had been a second job on top of school, and when she’d graduated high school, she hadn’t stopped.

  Not until she moved here.

  Her body was about to shake again, the trembling of nerves coming right back up and trying to take over her entire body. She was just about to get up and leave when Tia leaned in and covered her hand. Her fingers were so warm—so soft.

  “I’m sure you’ll fit right in. Jericho seems to like you already, and she’s a fantastic person to get to know. We’re working on the rumba this month, but we have improv nights on Tuesdays.” Tia leaned back in her chair again. “This is a couples dance class, but you’re not required to bring someone else to join.”

  “I primarily did singles skating.”

  “But you’re well aware of how much trust it takes to work with a partner, how in sync you need to be with each other.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Saylor answered.

  “Good.” Tia looked through the doorway to the classroom. “Looks like warm-up is over. Fill out the form and come join us. We’re working in lines today since no one has really danced the rumba before.”

  “Okay.” Saylor let out a breath and gave Tia a small smile, though she worried it looked way more like a grimace than a smile.

  Tia touched her hand again, and tingles rushed through Saylor’s body. Her nerves were on overdrive today. She knew they would be bad coming here. She’d barely managed to get any work done on finding a job that day because she was so nervous about the class in the evening. She’d tried to tell Jameson about it, but he just hadn’t understood what she was so worried about.

  “See you on the dance floor in a bit.” Tia walked right on by her.

  Saylor had to close her eyes and do a centered breathing technique her therapist had taught her. She’d never managed her anxiety well. But when she was on the rink, it was like all of that vanished—if she could manage to block out the crowds, listen to the music, and force herself to ignore the world around her and the fact it was a competition.

  It took her all of two minutes to fill out the waiver. But Saylor took an extra three minutes before she put the paper on Tia’s desk and walked to the door. Now was the moment. Now was when she had to take a breath and listen to the music, focus on that and nothing else.

  Tia had everyone in three rows. She stood at the front of the class, her back to the students and her front facing the mirrors. She could see everything from there, and she would make small corrections when she needed as she taught the moves. Jericho caught Saylor’s eye and immediately walked over to her.

  “Come on! Class doesn’t last forever. Though I wish it would.” She laughed lightly as she pulled Saylor into line next to her.

  Saylor closed her eyes and focused on the music as best she could. She found the beat and let it into her soul. When she glanced up, Tia was staring at her in the mirror. Their eyes locked, and a rush ran through Saylor. Tia nodded firmly and led everyone into the next step.

  By the time class ended, Saylor was sold. She hadn’t moved like this in ages, and just getting exercise was amazing. But Tia’s gentle way of teaching, her keen eye, and her way of paying attention to everyone and encouraging them was exactly what she needed. Jericho threaded her arm through Saylor’s as they started toward the lobby area.

  “So what do you think?”

  “It felt so good to just move. I didn’t realize how stationary I’d become since moving here.”

  Jericho grinned broadly. “So you’ll be back?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Tia stepped closer to them, her long, lean legs strong. She didn’t even have a sheen of sweat on her. “And you did well today, Saylor. I’m glad to see you haven’t forgotten a lot of those dance moves.”

  Saylor shook her head, grinning genuinely. “Me either.”

  “Our class meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. But there are other classes if you want to check them out. I have one competition ballroom class, if you’re interested.”

  The thrill that ran through Saylor was unmatched. Competition? She’d never thought she’d be back in that realm, but if this could just be something fun on the side? “I’ll think about it and talk it over with Jameson.”

  Tia canted her head to the side as if confused.

  Saylor added, “My fiancé. Since I’m not working yet…” she trailed off. How bad did that sound? That she had to check with him before doing anything? She’d never wanted to be that woman. But had she become the kept wife already?

  “You just let me know what you’re interested in. I have to set up for my next class.” Tia walked away.

  Jericho hummed, a sound of pleasure that was pure and sweet. “She’s strict, but she loves every student that walks through these doors.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Saylor struggled to drag her gaze away. Had she messed this up already?

  “We should get drinks sometime!” Jericho pulled her jacket over her shoulders and buttoned the front of it. “Like after Wednesday’s class.”

  “Sure.” Saylor gave a little chuckle. She could manage that. And she wouldn’t even ask Jameson about it. She could be a strong independent woman. She wasn’t under his thumb at all. She could do this. She could make friends, she could build a life here, she could be exactly who she wanted to be. Whoever that was.

  two

  “Hey there, rat bastard.”

  Tia shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her wool jacket and kicked her boot against the wet grass. If only there were rocks, she’d gladly kick them all over the damn headstone. She hated him. So why was she even here?

  Sighing heavily, Tia pinched her face and closed her eyes.

  What was she doing here?

  Her big brother’s birthday was in two days, and for some damn reason, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him in the last few months. So much so that she found herself standing over his grave when she hadn’t been there in years.

  Not since she’d come out here to rail at him for being such a rat bastard.

  And again, and again, and again.

  She would call him that every day she was alive. Because he was. He deserved to be six feet under in a grave of his own making. In fact, she’d pushed for him to be cremated so he could burn in the fiery inferno of hell he had caused.

  So why was she here?

  Tia cringed. This spiral wasn’t new, but she hadn’t been on the twirly ride in quite some time. So why now? Her niece was back in town. And staying in town for the most part. But more than that, her two nieces, Fallon and Monti, were talking. Probably for the first time in their entire lives, they were actually having conversations and being sisters.

  The change left her in an odd in-between state.

  And heaven and hell knew how much she hated change.

  “Why am I here, you sick bastard?” She kicked the stone and dragged in a breath of cold, damp air. “You never did anything for me. You were the bane of my existence growing up, and I spent the last three decades cleaning up your mess. A huge one. And you know what? I’m kind of thankful for it.”

  Now why was she talking to his grave? He wasn’t here, and she didn’t need to justify anything to him. Yet she was drawn here. Her fiftieth birthday was looming and because of her brother’s idiocy, she’d spent most of her good years raising his two kids instead of figuring out who she was. Now she just wanted to know who Tia was.