Fade to Red Read Free Page A

luck they did, she hadn’t figured out yet how she could actually do it.
    “I’m not gonna get the job, Chloe.” She shook her head. “You know I have the worst luck ever…” her voice trailed off quietly.
    Roxie got on the highway and crept slowly in the rush-hour traffic. She looked in the rearview mirror at Leo, who was holding the good fight of staying awake, just barely.
    “You were there a long time. They must have liked something they saw. Rox, you’re an incredible dancer,” she said quietly. “I think you need to think about what will happen if they call you back.” Chloe poked Roxie in the arm for emphasis.
    “There’s no way I can do it!” She softened her tone when she saw the concern in Chloe’s eyes. “I don’t know why I went—I think I just needed to see if I still have what it takes.” She adjusted the air and sighed. “If they do call back, which they won’t, I’ll know to pursue opening the studio. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do anyway. It would make today worth the stress, don’t you think? And Mom and Dad might finally get behind the idea if they hear I was good enough to tour with Beckham Woods.”
    “You don’t need to teach yet. Save that for later. People need to be seeing you out there, dancing the way only you know how,” Chloe argued.
    “I found out today how long the tour really is, Chloe.” She swallowed hard, needing to have a good cry. “They’re going pretty much non-stop for almost a year , not to mention the months of rehearsals in L.A. I’m sure there are breaks here and there, but … a year . ”
    Chloe groaned and stared out her window for a long time. Both of them had one person on their minds: Leo. When they turned onto their street, she looked at Roxie again.
    “Rox … I’m ready for you to start living for you again. I hoped this was the start of that.”
    “And it is. I’ve known for a while that I can’t keep living like I have been. Coming to the tryouts and making it to the last round … it helped more than I can say. It was worth it for me, just to get that far, because now I know I have to get back to what I love—but I have to do it the right way. Doing whatever I want had to end when I got knocked up,” Roxie whispered under her breath, but Chloe heard every word.
    “Moms have lives too!” Chloe cried.
    Leo piped up out of his stupor. “Moms have lives too! Moms have—how many lives you think you got, Mama?”
    Chloe grinned. “See? They do!”
    “Shall I make a bumper sticker with that on it, Chlo-bo?” Roxie snapped back and got out of the car, giving her door a good slam.
    “Oh, cut the shit already!” Chloe yelled back and then clamped her hand over her mouth, cringing when Leo hopped out of the car.
    Leo’s eyes got wide. “Aunt Chloe said shit . I thought we couldn’t say shit .”
    Of course he could say that perfectly.
    “We can’t, Leo. Aunt Chloe just let it slip on accident .” Roxie’s eyes narrowed on Chloe.
    “It sounded like she could say it. Why we can’t say shit ?” Leo looked between his mom and aunt, confused.
    “Just stop already,” Roxie said.
    “I’m sorry, Leo. I’ve gotta watch my mouth,” Chloe said and mouthed ’sorry’ to Roxie, but her shit-eating grin wasn’t convincing.
     
    The next morning at ten, Roxie was just finishing up on a loan at work when her cell phone rang. She checked to see the time of her next appointment and picked up the phone.
    “BB Credit Union, this is Roxie. How can I help you?”
    “I … must have the wrong number. Wait, did you say this was Roxie?”
    “Oh sorry, habit … yes, this is Roxie.” Roxie tucked her cell under her ear and rolled her eyes at herself. Of course, her work phone started ringing then, just to nail the point home that she was an idiot.
    “This is Anthony Douglas, Beckham Woods’ choreographer. How’s it goin’?”
    “Uh, I’m good. How about you?”
    “Great. Listen, you really impressed us with your audition