Love Waltzes In (Dancing Under The Stars) Read Free Page A

Bridge, a humongous Navy carrier slid underneath it. Selena couldn’t help but wonder if her ex-fiancé and dance partner, Bret Lord, was somewhere on that ship. After he became a Marine, they had lost touch, though a part of her heart always ached for him.
    The limo pulled in front of the Sheraton San Diego. The bellman strode over to assist the driver with their luggage. Selena didn’t have time to wait for Dima to check them in. “I have to hurry to the spa, and then Benny asked me to run through some quick choreography for the show. I’ll text you later.” She kissed him on the cheek, jumped out of the car, and rushed into the hotel.
    She wanted to turn and chase after the limo, hitch a ride to the beach. No more fresh air and cherry blossoms. From this moment until the competition, it would be all business. Competition eve was always a headache, with all the tanning, makeup, hair, fasting.
    Selena closed her eyes and smiled. The calming effect of lavender filled the reception area. The hotel spa was her standard primp spot for competitions. The staff was thorough and professional. Even better, they were nice. Selena could stand a good dose of nice before she walked into that den of dancing wolves. A competition dance floor was no place for the weak or the unprepared. “Selena Marcil, here for my ten-fifteen appointment.”
    “Oh yes, Ms. Marcil. We’re so thrilled to have you here.” The receptionist consulted her computer screen. “You’re scheduled for a facial, a Brazilian bikini wax, a brow wax, a Mandarin Orange Body Polish followed by a custom sparkle spray tan, and then you’ll receive a mani and pedi while Alberto touches up your roots and tightens up your hair extensions.” She abandoned the screen and leaned forward, her eyes wide. “You know, Ms. Marcil, I just love Dancing under the Stars —really, it’s my favorite show. You ballroom dancers must lead such glamorous lives.”
    Selena pressed her lips into a forced smile. “Yes. We’re so blessed.” She sat on the sofa. She didn’t see her life as glamorous. She lived in the gym and the studio, sometimes dancing up to eight hours a day. Every weekend was spent in a hotel in some random state competing. Her diet consisted of egg whites, vegetables, soup, and salad. Selena couldn’t even eat fruit. Too much sugar. And she hadn’t had a weekend off in two years. The paparazzi stalked her. No man had the guts to date her, knowing that his picture would be a TMZ headline if they were ever caught together. Selena couldn’t even take her trash cans out of her house in her sweats for fear that she’d get photographed. She hated all the nonsense she had to endure to dance. Selena was exhausted—mentally and physically. Often she wondered if she had chosen the right path many years ago. Especially when she longed to hold her own baby in her arms.
    But enough of the self-pity. Selena did love her life. How blessed was she? The older generation of ballroom dancers had spent every penny they earned on competing. The show allowed her to pursue her dream of winning Blackpool and not having to worry about money. For years, she had struggled. Her mother had worked three jobs and cleaned dance studios at night in exchange for her lessons. Selena was finally in the position to support her family. Her first big splurge had been buying her mom a condo and starting a college fund for her sister. Now Selena could make twenty thousand dollars just for appearing at a party. She and Dima had even started their own charity, bringing ballroom classes to inner city kids. She was so appreciative of the opportunities the show had given her. How lucky was she to make a living out of her true passion—Selena lived to dance. She chastised herself for even feeling ungrateful for a second when so many people struggled. But deep in her heart she knew what she had given up to have this life could never be replaced.
    Selena had only opened the magazine to page one when the