Rescue Me(38)

"I know. You won't have to. I've been talking with Katrina, and she can handle it for now. And I can help, too, from a distance. I can run the management aspect of it from New York."

"You don't have time for that," he objected.

"I make time for things I care about. And this is something that means a lot to me. Not only because I love it, but because you're my brother and I'd do anything to help you."

Brandon looked at her and she saw again just how much this had taken out of him. He was worn down. He needed her help.

Please say yes.

After what felt like an eternity he nodded slowly, looking through the papers again. Her heart leaped. She couldn't believe he was agreeing.

She squealed and threw her arms around her brother. It felt great to do something for her brother, instead of the other way around. And it was something she loved. He even looked somewhat relieved.

"Let me work out some more details, and we'll talk tomorrow," she said, grabbing her notebook and leaving him to his work.

She couldn't wait to tell Cole.

She stopped short outside of Brandon's office. Why was her gut instinct to go straight to Cole? Was it because he was the person she was closest to at the resort so it was only natural that she would want to share her exciting news with him? That had to be it.

But the heavy feeling in her chest had her worried. She was afraid it was much more than that.

***





Meredith tried to tamp down the nerves that were roiling in her stomach. The dance class they'd been working on for nearly two weeks was getting ready to start. The more students that piled into the studio, the more nervous she became, but it was tinged with excitement. This was what she'd been working toward and it was finally time to put her hard work into action.

After her conversation with Brandon several days earlier, she had spent a good amount of time working on plans to help build up the program and it was going well. She'd also ruthlessly ignored her growing feelings for Cole, knowing it was all coming to an end sooner than later. She'd vowed to enjoy the time they had left together, though, and she'd done a pretty good job. Every night they'd spent together had been even more incredible than the one before if that was possible.

He stood beside her at the edge of the room and she felt some of her nerves settle as he reached for her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You've got this, baby," he whispered in her ear.

"No, we've got this." She smiled up at him and her heart clenched in her chest when he smiled back.

"Are you nervous?"

"A little," she admitted. "But with you here, what can go wrong?"

He studied her with intensity and she had no clue what was going through his mind, but as he intertwined his fingers with hers, she knew that whatever it was, it was okay.

"Here we go," Katrina said, coming up to them with a huge grin spreading across her face. "This is going to be amazing."

"I hope so," Meredith replied, but she knew Katrina was right. They'd worked tirelessly, and enjoyed every minute of it. It was time to shine.

Katrina went to the front of the room as the class continued to fill up and began to speak, telling the students that they were part of a brand new program at the resort. They were going to pair off and learn some basic steps first, working their way up to a full dance by the end of the afternoon.

"Allow me to introduce our lovely and talented demonstrators, Meredith Jacobs and Cole Phillips."

They stepped forward and Meredith spoke the rehearsed instructions she had written out the night before. "First, Cole and I will demonstrate what the complete dance will look like, and then we will break it down for you. Believe me, the goal is not for it to be perfect today, but just for you to have fun and explore your interest."

Katrina went to set up the music and Cole and Meredith took their places in the center of the dance floor. She had worn a short flowing white dress that would enhance the beauty of the dance, and she thought Cole looked like a total heartbreaker in black pants and a tight black shirt that perfectly emphasized his strong arms.

She hoped she could keep her hormones under control enough that they wouldn't look like they were ready to move it to the bedroom.

As they were about to begin, she noticed Brandon sneak in at the back of the room. She hadn't expected him to make it, but the reassuring smile and thumbs up that he gave her made her feel more happy than nervous. Her brother was supporting her in something she loved.

She turned her gaze back to Cole and inclined her head slightly. His nearly imperceptible nod let her know that he had seen Brandon as well. They had to be on their best behavior.

Not an easy task when they were about to demonstrate one of the sexiest dances of all time.

Then the music started and awareness of anything other than Cole and the dance fell away. She threw herself into it completely, feeling a rush of adrenaline that pushed her harder and further than before.

She felt like she was flying across the floor, and when Cole lifted her up in the air and back down to press her flush against his body, there was a small smattering of applause. Meredith fed off the energy, and when the song came to a close, her leg wrapped around Cole, his face pressed into her neck, she knew they had done their best yet.

The students murmured excitedly, ready to learn it for themselves. Cole and Meredith walked up to Brandon while Katrina took over showing the class what they would work on first. They would be needed again in just a few minutes, but Meredith had to know what Brandon thought.