Authors: Jean Joachim
Epilogue
On a plane to Los
Angeles
When Grace found her good friend was
flying west, she pleaded with the stewardess to allow them to sit together.
Since the flight was light, there was an empty seat next to Gracie, and the
switch was made. They were flying first class.
Once the seatbelt sign was off,
champagne was served.
“Why back to L.A. so soon?” Gracie
asked.
Dorrie’s
eyes glowed. “I’ve been hired to choreograph a new movie. The producer is
paying for this first class seat. I couldn’t afford it.”
Grace’s eyebrows shot up.
“Yep!
Hustle and Dance
, the Broadway musical, is being made into a movie.
Chaz
Duncan is going to star in it, too.”
“That’s fabulous!”
“If the movie is successful, they’re
planning a miniseries and then a regular TV series.”
“Wow! You’ll make a ton of money. I
didn’t know you did choreography.”
“I started after I broke my ankle. I
had to kiss my dance career goodbye.”
“A silver lining to a terrible cloud.”
Dorrie
nodded just as they were interrupted to place their order for dinner. Both
women requested the chicken Cordon Bleu.
“How awful to lose your career like
that.”
“My star was on the rise, great role
in a movie, hot producer fiancé. I was living my dream.”
“And then?” Grace coaxed.
“I couldn’t dance anymore. The part in
my second movie went to someone else, and my fiancé went south, too. It’s
ironic, I broke my ankle falling down the stairs of his beach house.”
“Oh my God! What a bastard!”
“Yeah. I’ve missed dancing. I give
dance and yoga lessons to be doing what I love, but I barely scrape by. The
dance contest brought some important people…thanks to you and Jake.”
Their meals arrived, and the hungry
women tucked into their food.
“This new
job’ll
bring you big bucks?” Grace asked between bites.
“I hope. So much depends on other
people. I mean, the movie pays well, but the other stuff…have to wait and see.”
“Your fiancé walked out on you
during your biggest crisis?” Grace shook her head.
“It’s been three years. I’m finally
over it.”
Dorrie
speared a cooked carrot with her
fork.
“You’re so beautiful. I’d think
you’d have your pick,
Dorrie
. Why’d you choose him?”
“I was pretty full of myself five
years ago. I walked away from three terrific men in New York to come to L.A. to
end up with him. Maybe I was hasty.”
Dorrie
ran her fingers
through her dark auburn locks.
“Three guys?”
“Yeah. Still wonder if I had had one
more day with each of them, would it have made a difference?”
“And yet you ended up with this
creep?”
Dorrie
chuckled and took another sip of champagne. “My first movie was a big success.
Success attracts all kinds of bloodsuckers.”
Grace thought of George for a
second. “Well said. Who is this lowlife producer?”
“You might have heard of him—Gunther
Quill?”
Grace spit out the champagne she had
been drinking. “Who?”
“Gunther Quill. We were engaged for
a year. Guess you’ve heard of him.”
“He has quite a reputation,” Grace
sensed blood rushing to her face.
“Well deserved, too. He’s slime.”
They continued to eat in silence for
a bit.
Dorrie
noticed Grace’s ring.
“Let me guess–engaged to Jake?”
Grace nodded and smiled.
“You two make a great pair. He’s
smart to snap you up.”
“Thanks. What about you? On the
verge of great success. Anyone special in the picture?”
Dorrie
shook her head. “Haven’t met anyone good. I’ve been working so hard to get this
chance, and now with no one to share it… makes it a little…empty.”
“What are you
gonna
do about it?”
The ride got a little bumpy, and the
seatbelt sign flashed on right away. The stewardess came by to take their trays
and refill their champagne glasses.
“I have to go back to New York for
three weeks this summer to film a dance sequence in Central Park for the movie.”
“Oh?” Grace lifted her eyebrows.
“Yeah. I’m tacking on some vacation
time, too.”
“Are you going to look up…?”
“You got it. I’m going to have my
one more day with each of them.”
“That’s so cool,
Dorrie
.
I hope you find the right guy.”
Dorrie
raised
her glass to make a toast. “Love, this is your last chance!”
The women clinked glasses. After
they drained the bubbly, a ding from
Dorrie’s
cell
phone sounded.
“Text,” she explained to Grace.
Dorrie
took out her phone and opened the message.
We need to talk. My car
is coming for you at the airport.
Gunther
*THE END*
About the Author
Jean Joachim, wife and mother of two sons, is owned by a
rescued pug, named Homer. She’d been writing non-fiction for what seemed like
forever until she got up the nerve to try fiction. It was love. Now she spends
her days in New York City in the company of her family, her characters, a cup
of tea and a secret stash of black licorice.
OTHER BOOKS BY JEAN JOACHIM:
Now
and Forever 1, A Love Story
Now
and Forever 1, the Book of Danny
Now
and Forever 3, Blind Love
The
Renovated Heart
Under
the Midnight Moon
Love
Lost & Found (with Ben Tanner)
If I
Loved You (Hollywood Hearts)
Red
Carpet Romance (Hollywood Hearts)
Memories
of Love (Hollywood Hearts)
Call
of Duty (anthology)