“Yes.”
“He plays for Calgary, right?”
Bailey caught Poppy’s slightly exasperated look, as she pressed her lips together. “That’s right.”
“And you—sorry, Bailey, but Poppy is interesting, too—I understand you grew up on a ranch with its own movie set.”
“You’ve certainly done your homework. Yep, it’s the Three Creek Ranch. They’ve filmed some of the As the Heart Draws series there, which is something Dance Off’s winner, Jason Streetley, once acted in.” Poppy rose. “Is there anything else? I have some work to do.”
“No, thanks. That’s great. Actually, can I get a quick photo of you? Maybe the two of you together?”
“Sure.”
They got a picture taken of them, then Poppy exited to the office, and Stella asked Bailey to continue. “So, you and Poppy opened the studio? You must’ve been very young.”
“Yes.” Young and foolish, some might say. “But we loved working together, and loved teaching, and because we had a range of experience it meant we could offer a wide variety of classes.”
“I see. And the call-up to Dance Off?”
“I’ve been friends with Coco Flintoff since our earliest dance days, and then she moved more into theatrical performance while I went to Europe and later opened my studio here, but we always stayed in touch. When she heard there was a Winnipeg-based celebrity she recommended me for the job, as it meant we could start training straight away.”
“I see. Well, that’s most interesting. Now, I wonder where your boyfriend is?”
She shrugged, not biting, as she wondered that too.
“Can’t say or don’t want to say?” Stella teased.
Just then the door opened and Luc walked in.
Her chest grew tight, and she knew an overwhelming desire to cry, but she blinked it back, conscious Stella was watching closely. Bailey stood, smiling as he drew nearer. “Luc, this is Stella Jones from the Winnipeg Post.”
“We talked on the phone,” Stella said, shaking his hand. “Thanks for coming.”
“Sorry I’m late. I had a meeting with the GM and couldn’t get away.” He glanced at Bailey, but she could only smile briefly before glancing down, before realizing how that must look to Stella, and fixing her attention her way instead.
Why she felt awkward around him, when she’d been doing so many interviews with him in recent times, she couldn’t explain. Except she really needed him to hold her, for him to notice that she needed him, and the fact this woman was here while she had an urgent need for his hug felt too difficult to explain. And maybe that made her as immature as one of her tiny tots but she couldn’t help it. The fact he’d barely acknowledged her in the past few days, especially when she’d really needed him, made her want to cry.
“Bailey?”
Luc’s deep voice sparked fresh tears, and she shook her head. “Excuse me a minute.”
She hurried to the washrooms, bracing her hands on the edge of the metal sink, and stared at her reflection. Good. Red eyes hadn’t made an appearance yet. She needed to get it together. She’d managed the rest of her life without leaning on a man, so why had she let herself fall so fast?
She sucked in a deep breath, smiled at her reflection. She was a performer. A pro. She could do this. Her shoulders straightened, and she drew comfort from her excellent posture, something which always gave an edge, or so her many dancing instructors had said.
She exited the bathroom only to startle at the sight of Luc, arms folded, leaning against the opposite wall.
“Bails.”
No. She wasn’t going to lose it. Not with a reporter out there wanting every juicy bit of gossip. “I can’t, Luc.”
“Can’t what?”
“Whatever you want to do or say, I just can’t right now.”
“I told her I needed to speak with you.”
“If you do, then I’ll cry, and I don’t want that. Please, let’s just do the interview, and talk after. Okay?”
He nodded, and she returned to her seat, and smiled. She’d fake it until she made it to the end.
Had he done something wrong? Bailey was hardly her usual sunny self. She’d barely looked at him, and he had a funny feeling he was somehow responsible, but he didn’t know exactly why. He studied his shoes as the reporter asked another question. He hoped she would finish this interview soon, because he had another meeting at twelve, and already he was burning to hurry this up and talk to Bailey properly. They’d be squeezed for time as it was.
“Luc?”
“Sorry, could you please repeat the question?”
“I asked which was your favorite dance during the show.”
“The tango.”
Stella smiled. “I’m going to guess that’s because of the special ending?”
“Sure.” He wasn’t about to tell her it was the dance that made him feel most alive.
“And Bailey wanted us to wait until you were here before answering this question. Can you tell us about the rumors that you two are now a couple?”
