Your Dangerous Kiss by Alicia Street

Author:Alicia Street [Street, Alicia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fancy Footwork
Published: 2023-05-15T16:00:00+00:00

8

LUCINDA

I was able to work a full day at the North Cove Performing Arts Academy four times a week because the director, Casey Richardson Byrne, ran a jam-packed summer program of dance classes in ballet, modern, ballroom, and hip hop—as well as theater arts and music from jazz to chamber to rock. The academy was housed in a huge converted warehouse that now had multiple studios and even a large double-ceiling theater space used for performances.

Although I gave private lessons in piano and violin, most of my days were spent as accompanist to the Casey’s ballet classes, playing excerpts of Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Scriabin or whatever piece suited the exercise she had given, be it ronde de jambes or grande battements.

Some musicians hated this job, but for me it was a warm reminder of my childhood when I used to sit at our old upright piano with my mom and we’d play a challenge game going back and forth choosing portions of a classical piece we liked. When she’d hit one I did not know yet, she would go find the sheet music for it and turn our game into a lesson.

So whenever sat on the piano bench, watching Casey demonstrate a pirouette variation or allegro combination, I could easily handle calling up the appropriate musical accompaniment from my vast repertoire.

What I did not handle too well was being bombarded in the academy hallway by a group of giggling twelve-year-old girls with questions about my famous boyfriend. Most of them were sweet—although I did overhear one catty little girl saying, “How did Lucinda get someone like him?”

I’d been hurrying from one studio to another, and instead of answering the girls, I kind of freaked out and raced into the next studio where I’d be playing for Casey’s advanced ballet class. Luckily Casey was there. She was in her late thirties, married with kids, and sometimes got into a big sister role with me, not to mention being the mother hen of her academy flock that ranged from pre-school to college age students.

“Turning to the girls, Casey held up a stop-sign hand and said, “Hold on. We have to give Lucinda her space. In the performing arts we get used to mixing with people who are famous, and we all need to respect each other’s privacy. You know we often have actors and dancers and musicians here at the academy who’ve been on television and in the movies and on Broadway.”

“And your sister who dances at Lincoln Center,” one girl added.

“But Rafe is special,” another girl said, bordering on a whine, and some others chimed in with their agreement.

I knew the world Rafe had represented in the films he’d done had become an integral part of the teen culture. He’d told me his agent was pushing for him to do an adult role next to break the mold.

“Can we at least ask Lucinda some questions about him?” another student said.

Casey glanced at me, eyebrows lifted.

I really did not want to get

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