“You’ll be in Toronto, not Winnipeg for a change. Do you know how much easier it is to drive there than Manitoba?”
His parents didn’t like to fly. Well, Mom didn’t, and their home in Mercier, Quebec meant they didn’t see him play too often, except when he played Montreal or Ottawa. “I don’t know if I want anyone I know there seeing me.”
“Lucas, are you telling me you’re happy to be seen by millions on TV and not your own family?”
He wasn’t saying that anymore.
“Besides, I want to meet her.”
“Meet who?”
“Your dance girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend, Ma. She’s my dance partner.”
“Potato, potata, I don’t care. I want to meet her.”
He held back a sigh, feeling this was perhaps only fair considering he’d forced Bailey to meet his friends. Via video chat, but whatever. “I’ll see what I can do,” he finally said. “If not this week, we’ll try for next.”
“Good. Now make me proud.”
“Always, Ma.”
The call ended, and he prayed for his folks. They might not know Jesus yet, but they were on the journey. Which got him wondering about the girl his mom was so desperate to meet.
What would she say when she met his folks? He blinked. And did her parents want to meet him? Oh man.
CHAPTER 7
Not even dancing for the first time in The Nutcracker had drained her so much as four, no, five hours training with Luc Blanchard. She’d never been so exhausted as when she’d returned to the apartment and crashed on the cream floral couch.
“How did he go?” Poppy asked.
“Oh my gosh, Poppy.”
“That bad, huh?”
Bailey sighed. “He’s trying. But honestly, I don’t know how we’re going to get past this first elimination let alone reach the third round.”
“That’s when you get your second five grand, right?”
She nodded. She probably shouldn’t have said anything to Poppy about her payment, especially when she’d gathered from Coco that Bailey had been getting paid a bonus rate for stepping in as an emergency dance pro. But Poppy understood the pressing financial concerns of the dance studio, and the meager earnings of dancers. And while the network was helping subsidize things, and she was giving all the teacher fees to Poppy while she looked after the studio’s classes, and giving her free rent while she stayed here, she still felt like Poppy was probably being shortchanged.
“So, you have to get to the third round.”
“I don’t know how committed he is to the cause, either. I mean, he’s competitive—”
“All hockey players are.”
“That’s right.” She sat up, studied Poppy. “I keep forgetting that Franklin plays.”
Poppy laughed. “I love that about you. You’ve always been oblivious to much beyond dance.”
“Not oblivious, just not exactly… aware.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s the same thing.”
Bailey threw a cushion at her, and Poppy threw it back.
“So, tell me more. Is he as serious as he looks? Funny? Charming?”
“Sometimes.” To all three.
Poppy studied her. “You like him, huh?”
“No.”
“Come on. He’s all big and brooding, and I know you’ve always had a thing for broody guys.”
“No, I haven’t.” Bailey threw another cushion at her, just missing a china teacup that had belonged to her grandmother.
“You need to be careful,” Poppy said, with a schoolmarm finger.
She winced. “Yeah, I’d hate to break that.”
“No, I mean with Luc Blanchard.”
