Love is a Dance Step

2. Lola

2

LOLA

Lola Ramirez couldn’t recall the day she’d fallen in love with her best friend.

But she did remember the exact moment she realized he didn’t love her back, at least, not the way she wanted him to. Asher Stone, the beautiful boy she’d known since she was four years old, had been sitting on the player’s bench at the Gulf City ice rink after hockey practice. Even at sixteen, he’d been so sure of himself both on and off the ice.

Lola had rushed out of work at the Beach Club resort—a job Asher’s dad got her renting cabanas at the beach—worried she’d be late to pick him up. Asher failed his first driver’s test, but Lola had never minded driving him around when it meant spending time with him. They’d been inseparable since they were kids.

When she arrived at the rink, she found Asher sitting with a girl from their class, the flirty grin Lola recognized plastered across his face.

She’d watched them before walking closer. That was when she heard them.

“Are you and Lola like together?” The girl leaned in as if the answer wouldn’t have changed her intentions.

Asher’s answering laughter sliced through Lola. “Me and Lo? No. No, no, no. She’s like a sister to me, if anything. Or like one of the guys. I could never…” The girl cut off his words with a kiss.

Lola wasn’t proud of her next moments. She’d rushed away, wanting to leave but stopping herself. She couldn’t leave Asher without a ride. So, instead, she sat in the parking lot, waiting half an hour before he came through the doors with a satisfied grin on his face.

Lola vowed right then she would get over her feelings for Asher, that she’d put him in the sibling category just like he’d done to her.

But that was the thing about feelings… they only left when they wanted to.

Now, three years later, that girl he kissed was nothing but a memory, and Lola was the same girl in love with her best friend.

She lifted her eyes to the marketing professor writing on the blackboard at the front of the room. Seriously, who used chalk and blackboards anymore? But he was ancient. Maybe he hadn’t yet realized they’d left the Stone Age.

“You’re not just marketing a product,” he said. “You must sell yourself.”

Business wasn’t all that different from love. She traced the doodles in her notebook, knowing she’d regret not taking notes later. She’d spent years trying to make Asher see what was right in front of him. Was she pathetic? Yes. But did she care? Also, yes.

She couldn’t seem to snap out of this cycle of pining and falling over and over. She’d dated over the years but never for long. Asher hated every guy she kissed, and they never stuck around to duel it out with him. Part of her gleaned some kind of hope from his reactions, but the other part hated him for it.

He didn’t want her.

But no one else could get close either.

It left her in a perpetual state of loneliness, watching Asher go from one relationship to the next and hanging out with her in between.

She stabbed her pencil into the page as anger raced through her. Anger at Asher. At herself.

Professor Warren turned to the class. “That’s it for today. Don’t forget to do the reading. I’ll have study guides for the test next week.”

Lola shoved her notebook into her messenger bag and pulled it onto her shoulder. She followed the rest of the students from the room and checked her phone for the time. The professor let them out early. If she hurried, she could make it to the library before Asher finished his tutoring session—he was the tutor, not the tutee.

She hightailed it out of there and pushed through the double doors into the cloudy Florida day. The University of Southern Florida was about an hour north of Gulf City, yet both Asher and Lola lived at home. It was the only way they could afford college. They’d have a heck of a drive back if the brewing storm erupted.

She ran toward the library, her bag slapping against her leg. By the time she reached the glass doors, rain spritzed down on her. She yanked them open and ducked inside, ignoring the glare from the student working the front desk as water dripped onto the floor.

“Perdón.” Lola shrugged. She used her Spanish when she didn’t want anyone stopping her or talking to her. Her mom would be proud of her for using it for something, even though she wouldn’t like the reason. Her eyes scanned the expansive lower level for the telltale mop of blond hair. The entire Stone clan sported golden locks just like their mother. It was a joke in their house that their darker haired father wasn’t their dad after all. “Gotcha.” She found Asher hunched over a book at a table in the back.

The girl sitting next to him stared at him in fascination. Join the party. There was something entrancing about Asher, a charm beneath the surface. Add in his tanned skin, athletic build, and intense chocolate eyes, and most girls were goners.

Asher looked up from the book, his gaze finding Lola. A smile curved his lips. “We’re done for today, Tessa. My ride is here.”

Disappointment flashed across Tessa’s face, followed by annoyance when she saw Lola. She didn’t realize yet that few women captured Asher’s attention for long. Except Lola. That was why she’d never revealed her feelings. She was the one constant friend in his life, and she didn’t want to lose him.

Asher stood, gathered his belongings, and held them out to Lola.

She raised a brow. “When are you going to start carrying your own bag?” She slipped his book and notebook into her already heavy messenger bag.

“Why would I do that when you have one?”

“You’re kind of hopeless.” She laughed. “Come, your chariot awaits, sir.”

He flashed her a grin before walking by her, waving to the girl at the front desk—the one who no longer looked angry, only wistful. What did he do to these girls?

They ran out into the rain, weaving their way through buildings to get to the parking lot where Lola’s ancient Subaru awaited them. She and Asher took turns driving to campus each day. They’d made sure to get on similar schedules.

They were only sophomores, and already, Lola was ready to get out of this place. Her business degree would position her for promotions at the resort, but she had no real passion for it. Not like Asher and his pre-med classes. He was born to be a doctor, and she could just imagine his patients falling over themselves around him.

Lola scrambled to unlock her door and pressed the button on the door to let Asher in. They fell into the car, slamming their doors shut. She leaned her head back against the seat, her chest heaving, as she looked sideways at Asher. “That was fun.”

He laughed. “You always did like the rain.”

“And you always hated how it messed up your hair.”

“Not true.” They both laughed because they knew it was.

A crash of thunder shook the sky, and Lola issued a string of curses in Spanish.

Asher grinned. “You always turn to Spanish when you’re scared.”

“I do not,” she scoffed, wishing for once he didn’t know her so well. Sure, she loved the rain, but only when it came without thunder.

Born and raised in the extremely white bread, suburban Gulf City, Lola stood out with her darker skin and Spanish curses. She might be a Floridian since birth, but her mom came to this country from Mexico when she was a kid. She tried to keep their culture alive within their own home, but she’d been unable to change Lola’s habits, like her preference for English.

Lola started the car, waiting while it sputtered to life. She patted the steering wheel. “Good Lola.”

“You know, it’s completely weird to name a car after yourself.”

She backed out of the parking spot. “It’s not my fault my name is the perfect car name.” She gripped the steering wheel, trying to avoid the other students flooding the lot.

Thunder and lightning chased them all the way to Gulf City, not ceasing until they’d reached the city limits. Daily storms weren’t anything new for Florida in fall. She pulled into the driveway of the small two-bedroom ranch home she shared with her mom, not bothering to ask Asher if he wanted to go home. She knew what his answer would be.

For some reason, he preferred the quiet of her lonely house to the beautiful chaos of his own. He didn’t get how lucky he was to have such a large family. There was always someone around.

Lola unlocked the front door and stepped into the darkened house, dropping her messenger bag outside her bedroom door on the way to the kitchen. “Mama?” she called.

No answer.

Dim light seeping past the kitchen curtains provided just enough glow to see the note taped to the refrigerator. She pulled it free as Asher flipped on a light.

Caught an extra shift tonight. There’s dinner for you and Asher in the fridge.

Te Quiero.

Lola sighed as she crumpled the note and threw it in the trashcan. Her mom did the best she could—always had—but Lola couldn’t help thinking she was the reason her mom was picking up so many extra shifts.

She worked nights as a nurse at the hospital, and lately, Lola saw little of her. She knew her mom felt guilty about the loans Lola took out for college, but she didn’t care about those. She just wanted her mom around.

Asher opened the fridge. “Yes!”

“Let me guess, she made tamales.”

He pulled out a plate of corn tamales, still in the husks. Making tamales was an involved process her mom only took on when she felt bad about something or excited. Lola figured it was the former.

She pulled two plates out of the cabinet along with the sauces for the tamales. As soon as she unwrapped one and ate a forkful, she groaned. Asher was right to be excited. Lucia Ramirez was a brilliant cook.

They ate in silence, both savoring every last bite. Her mom had known Asher would be with her. He seemed to bask in the stillness, but she craved more than an empty house and dinner served at the counter of a dim kitchen.

“So.” Asher shoved his plate back. “Big bro is coming to Tampa.”

She’d seen that. The news was everywhere. Drew Stone, the hometown boy who’d made it was a big deal. “Yeah?” She’d considered getting tickets to his concert, but they sold out within an hour. Not only was Drew coming to town, but British rocker Noah Clarke was a part of his tour. “And how do we feel about this?”

Asher sighed. “Well, I managed to avoid him most of this summer when he was in town.”

“Drew was here this summer?” She didn’t know why it hurt that Asher hadn’t mentioned it. He was weird about his famous brother, almost… jealous. She was always careful not to let him know she listened to Drew’s music or that she pored over YouTube videos to see him dancing, memorizing every step.

Asher shrugged. “Does Lucia have any ice cream?” He slid from the stool and opened the freezer.

“There’s probably some macha.”

“Gross.” He shut the freezer.

Lola raised one brow. “You know… your mom keeps an entire freezer full of ice cream.”

“Yeah, but then I have to listen to my sisters’ chatter constantly.”

She loved his sisters. Standing, she gathered their plates and took them to the sink. “So, you were saying about your brother.”

He pulled himself up onto the counter next to the sink. “Mom says I have to go to the concert.”

Lola gave him a deadpan stare. “Oh, poor baby. It must be hard to have to go to the most sought after concert in town. I feel really bad for you.”

“You don’t know Drew.” He sighed.

She didn’t, not really. Despite practically being a member of the Stone family, she barely knew the oldest brother. He was around when she was a kid but always on the peripheral, never really part of her life. By the time she was eight, he’d left for L.A. He came home to visit his family, but she wasn’t family.

“Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you two?” She poked his knee.

“I mean…” He scratched the back of his head. “It’s not like anything happened. We just grew apart.”

“You idolized him when we were kids.”

“I did not,” he snapped.

She backed away from him. “Whatever you say, Ash.”

He jumped from the counter and followed her down the hall to her bedroom. She pushed open the door, revealing her perfectly ordered space. A white carpet spanned the hardwood floor underneath the double bed with a turquoise comforter. Her room was her sanctuary. Everything had a place.

“You’re such a neat freak.” Asher laughed.

She scowled over her shoulder at him. “Take your shoes off.”

He did as she asked before collapsing onto her bed in his damp clothes. Some days, she struggled to understand why she had these feelings that wouldn’t go away. Asher was kind of a selfish prick. She had no delusions about that.

“Off the bed.” She crossed her arms.

He ignored her and turned onto his back. “So, you coming with me or what?”

“Coming with you…”

“To the concert. Didn’t I ask? Mom got an extra ticket for you. It’s Saturday though, so if you have to work I can find someone else.”

She couldn’t help thinking he hoped she’d turn him down so he could bring a date instead, but it just so happened she could be free Saturday if she begged her boss for a night off. The studio wouldn’t say no to her when she never asked for anything. “If you think I’m missing a Drew Stone concert, you’re cracked in the head.” She collapsed beside him on the bed, no longer caring about their damp clothes or hair.

“Ew, gross.” He shrank away from her. “You’re a fan. You never told me that.” He held his hand out. “Give me your phone.”

“What? No.”

“Come on. Don’t make me come and get it.”

“Not a chance, Ash.”

He lunged for her, knocking her onto her back as he tickled her. She squirmed beneath him, trying to break free as she laughed. “Ash. Fine. Uncle!”

He smirked down at her and sat back on his heels, one hand extended. She unlocked her phone and set it in his palm. His expression darkened as he scrolled through it. “You have every one of his albums on here. Years of music.”

She sat up and snatched the phone back, holding it to her chest. “I like him, okay?”

“No, not okay. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why would I? It’s just music.”

“Because he’s my brother, Lo. I don’t want you to be a fan.” Insecurity shone in his eyes, and Lola’s anger faded. Asher had always had this strange fear she’d leave him one day. It was one of many reasons she never told him how she felt. Romantic relationships ended, but friendships were forever, and she wanted to prove him wrong, to show him she’d always be there for him. Despite his arrogance, his total dude-ness, Asher Stone was her person.

“Ash.” She set her phone on the bed and leaned forward to wrap her arms around him. “I just like the music. I’ll prove it to you at the concert Saturday. Let’s go and have fun. We can forget who’s on stage. Besides, we’ll get to see Noah Clarke and Jo Jackson perform too. You love them.”

More like in love. Asher had an obsession with Jo Jackson, the pink-haired drummer. The same obsession she wouldn’t admit she had with Drew.

Asher rested his chin on her shoulder. “I just don’t want you to love him.”

And that was the problem. Asher Stone wanted to be her entire world in all ways except one.

And she wasn’t strong enough to pull away.