May 7, 1995

She pulled the Tracker into a parking space, then sat there, staring up at the tall building that housed a small portion of the UCF student body. It was a solid structure, but her heart sank at the roughness of the perimeter. Basically, her new home – for the next semester, at least – had all the classic appearances of being in a less than desirable section of campus.

Okay, Mom … maybe you were right about using that college fund for housing.

A quick horn blast came as a Jeep with three guys crammed into the front and a pile of boxes stacked in the back pulled into the space next to her. When she saw who was driving, she laughed and got out to greet him. Her knuckles tapped across the hood and she sent a smile to his passengers as she made her way around to where he was hopping out to hug her. “Perfect timing, Josh. I literally just got here.”

“I see that.” He grinned and wrapped his arms around her before leaning down to kiss her cheek. “We had a little trouble trying to figure out how to get your boxes to fit in one load, so I was sure you’d be looking for us.” His eyes widened as he took in their surroundings. “Are you sure this is the right place?”

“Yep. Lake Claire Apartments.” Uneasiness colored her tone as she stepped away from him and looked back at the building. “I’m hoping it’s nicer on the inside.”

“Well, I’ve seen worse, that’s for sure.” The new voice had her turning toward the passenger side of the Jeep, where a twenty-something guy with dark hair was moving her direction, smiling as his gaze trailed quickly over the residence hall to settle on her. His grin widened as he held out a hand. “Chris. We thought you and Jace might need a little help.”

“Jen. Nice to meet you.” She shook his hand and tilted her head a bit. “I think you’re probably the one I should be thanking for getting Josh down here, aren’t you?”

“Well, I guess so …” His shrug ended abruptly when she went on her toes, her arms going around his neck, hugging him tightly. “Make that yes. A definite yes.” He returned her embrace, raising his eyebrows as he looked to JC and mouthed a silent Wow over her shoulder.

“Hey, now. It’s only fair to point out that Chris wouldn’t have even known about Jace if I hadn’t suggested him.” The younger teen spoke up next to them and Jen looked at him, taking in the way he bounced on his toes before spreading his hands out to his sides. “Does that earn a hug, too?”

“Yeah, that gets a hug, too.” She laughed at his bright grin and stepped into his arms. “It’s good to finally meet you, Justin. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Probably not as much as I’ve heard about you.” He chuckled under his breath at the warning glare JC sent his way. “Seriously, I feel like I’ve known you for years.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” An eyebrow arched as she leaned back to see his face. “Do I need to be worrying myself over infatuated fourteen-year-olds, or have we grown out of it?”

“Wow. Okay, that’s embarrassing.” A hand rubbed the back of his neck and a blush stained his cheeks as the others began to laugh. “Honestly, though … can you blame me?”

“You’re sweet, but there’s not much here to crush on, I’m afraid.” She laughed as she turned back to the building. “How about we figure out which piece of paradise is mine? I’ve already got the key.” Her eyes landed on the boxes in the back of the Jeep. “Maybe we should just start with my car. That stuff’s easier to carry.”

Minutes later, she had a pack on her back and a guitar case in hand as they stared at the Out of Order sign hanging on the elevator.

“Stairs it is.” Chris kicked open the door to the stairwell and held it open just long enough for her to pass through, laughing evilly as he let it swing back on Justin, who let out a yelp of protest.

With no signs for direction and limited unit numbers posted, it took a while for her to land in front of a scarred wooden door, loud music blaring on the other side. “Guess my roommate is already here.” She knocked quickly before opening the door and walking in. “Hello?” The music was so loud, her voice was swallowed up completely. “Hello!”

Sudden silence took over and a head of curly red hair appeared in one of the bedroom doorways. “Hey! Sorry, I couldn’t hear you.” She came out and carefully crossed the space that served as a living room. “You must be Jen. I’m Maggie.” A hand waved around the room. “Welcome to the seventh circle of hell.”

“Surely it’s not all that bad.” Maggie’s eyes widened at Chris’ attempt at positivity as the guys came in from the hallway. “At least you have walls.”

“Barely. Don’t ask what our neighbors do at night. I’m still trying to forget about it.” Her bright green gaze sparked with humor as she took in the group. “You’re not all planning to stay, are you? No complaints from me, but I’m fairly sure they’d kick us out over it.” A laugh escaped as she studied Justin. “Especially if we’re harboring jailbait.”

“Nope, we’re just here to help Jenny get settled. We’ll take the boy wonder with us as we go.” JC set a duffel down on the couch and looked around the room, his brow furrowing at the random pieces of duct tape covering various portions of the floor as he made quick introductions. “I’m JC and this is Chris and Justin. What’s up with all the tape?”

“I took the liberty of marking the mine field.” She pressed the toe of her sneaker down on a silver square and a hole immediately appeared. “If there’s tape, there’s already a hole. If there’s a rug, there’s a hole in the near future. If the switch is taped down, don’t turn it on, ’cuz something might catch fire.” A weary sigh moved her shoulders. “The university is remodeling all of their dorms, but they’re only working on half the buildings in the Lake Claire section right now. Once they finish the first phase, they’ll swap out these units, but demo isn’t scheduled to be completed until sometime next year.” Looking around in frustration, her hand gestured around the apartment again. “Some folks were lucky and got moved into Tower Apartments, but those units filled up pretty quick. Which means this is the only housing available for the summer term. Oh, and we’re about twenty units down on the maintenance list to see why the fridge spits at me every time I open the door.”

“Fantastic.” Jen’s eyes widened, taking in the kitchen area as she set her guitar down beside the couch. “Does anything work?”

“One of the burners on the stove gives off heat. The microwave works as long as the lights are off, which really doesn’t matter, since half the lights don’t have power.” Maggie’s foot tapped as she concentrated. “Oh, and the A/C works, as long as you don’t mind having a lake in the middle of the bathroom.”

“Okay.” Her mind racing, Jen walked cautiously over to look through the doorway of what would be her bedroom and grimaced at the way the ceiling sagged over the foot of the bed. “Okay. Guys, I hate to be a pain, but I think what’s made it up here is all that we’re moving today. Josh, do you mind hanging on to those boxes for a little while longer?”

“Sure thing.” He stepped to the side and looked up when something wet hit his cheek. “Are you sure you don’t want to come back with us? Lance won’t be in until next week and even then, there’s an extra bedroom. We’ve got space for both of you until you can work something out.”

“I think I can handle it for one night.” She looked over to the redhead, who was casting a worried glance toward the ceiling, which suddenly had a suspiciously wet look. “What do you think, Maggie? Can you suck it up for another twenty-four hours? Or at least until I can get over to Administration tomorrow?”

“If I survived last night, I think I can make it for another …” As she was speaking, the ceiling began a slow tear and descent, wet plaster coming down in large sheets to expose the beams above. A piece came loose, and Jen hopped to a designated safe place to avoid the mess, only to have her foot go straight through the floorboards, the wood digging into her ankle and sending her sprawling into Justin’s arms.

“Well, what do you know? Looks like I caught you anyway.” Justin laughed and held her upright, keeping her from going further into the floor.

“We’ve talked about this … you couldn’t handle her, kid.” JC knelt and grasped her calf, trying to work her foot from the damaged boards without sacrificing her shoe. She cringed as he wrenched her free, leaning against the couch cautiously as he tested her ankle with gentle fingers. “You okay, Boof?” At her nod, he looked over to the others. “All right. Chris, how about you and J help Maggie get her stuff packed up and I’ll start getting Jenny moved back down?”

“Yep.” Chris was already moving, grabbing an empty box on his way to the bedroom Maggie had exited earlier. “Sorry, ladies. Nobody’s staying here tonight.” He looked back as more of the plaster fell free from the ceiling, landing in a wet pile. “Or anytime soon, I’d say. It looks like that leak’s been going for a while.”

“Hey, Jen?”

She looked up from where JC was pulling splinters from her skin, smiling at her roommate’s relieved expression. “Yeah?”

“Do hunky heroes follow you around everywhere you go, or is it just my lucky day?” Maggie fanned herself dramatically and laughed as Justin passed by her, then winked before grabbing a box and following them into the bedroom.

“Hear that? You’re a hunky hero.” JC laughed and released her as she grinned down at him, her fingers ruffling his hair. “I guess it’s my lucky day, too.”

*********************

Two days later, Jen was already awake and pulling ingredients out of the refrigerator when Chris came down the stairs and into the kitchen. She was humming and swaying to the music coming from the radio on the counter as she put eggs, shredded cheese, peppers and an onion next to the stove, the blue and green shirt tied around her waist swinging as she turned around.

He watched her for a minute, smiling at the picture she made, before clearing his throat. “Singing and dancing before eight in the morning? You’re really not human, are you?”

“Morning, Chris.” She laughed as he leaned against the fridge. “You’re just in time to help with breakfast. Grab a knife and get to dicing.”

“Peppers?” His brow arched as he opened a drawer and pulled out a butcher knife. “What exactly are we making?”

“Breakfast casserole.” Reaching into a lower cabinet, she took out a baking dish and two large bowls. “Dice the peppers like I showed you yesterday, but we only need about a quarter of the onion.”

“You just fixed us dinner last night and you already want to feed us breakfast?” A soft chuckle escaped as he worked over the peppers. “Exactly where did Jace find you? And are there more of you? Maybe a few years older?”

“Correction: I showed you guys how to fix an easy taco salad. Now, I’m teaching you how to make a ridiculously simple breakfast casserole. Seriously, you boys can’t survive on pizza and take out three meals a day.” She patted his shoulder on her way to open the freezer and pulled out a bag of hash browns. “Josh found me on a playground in the first grade … you know, way back when he was too young to realize how hard it would be to get rid of me. And Lord help us all if there’s more than one of me. The universe wouldn’t survive.”

“Yeah, that’s a shame. And as excited as he was about you coming here, I don’t think getting rid of you has ever crossed his mind. The guy hasn’t talked about much else for the last week.” He finished the peppers and left them in a pile, reaching for the onion. “What time is your mom coming over?”

“She and Lynn were planning to be here around nine.” Her glance flicked over to the clock above the microwave as she opened the refrigerator again. “Just in time to eat with us.” Leaning down, she dug through the meat drawer. “We didn’t think to pick up any ham. Sausage okay?”

“The majority of this house is male, kid. If it’s edible, it’s okay.” Within minutes, she had the sausage browning and had instructed him on the preparation of the other ingredients. “I hate that your dorm fell through – like, literally – but I’m really glad that everything seems to be working out. Your mom was already planning to come down and between the house and the apartment Lynn is renting, we had enough room that nobody wound up in a hotel. Did Maggie get her housing fees back?”

“Yeah, the folks over at Administration really had no idea of the shape those units are in. We both got a full refund, since my scholarship doesn’t cover summer terms. The rest we’ll have to work out after we find a place. Mom didn’t seem too worried while we were looking through the ads last night, so I’m not freaking out just yet. She keeps reminding me about my college fund, and I’m hoping it’ll give me some time to find a job.” Deciding the sausage was done, she lifted it from the stove. “Okay, drain the grease and mix the sausage in with your potatoes, veggies and cheese, then dump it in the pan and pour the eggs over the top. Add a little more cheese, then bake at 350 for about half an hour and you’ve got breakfast.”

“You weren’t kidding. That was really easy.” He slid the pan into the oven, set the timer, then headed for the sink.

“Just you wait. Tonight, we’re doing chili.” When he began to turn on the water to do the dishes, she stopped him. “Best part is, we cooked, so they get to clean.” With a laugh at his gleeful expression, she turned to the coffee maker. “I don’t drink it, but I know Josh does. Do you do coffee?”

“Not usually. Jace and Joey are the ones who need the boost in the morning.” He shook his head. “The kid has tried it a few times, but he hasn’t acquired the taste for it yet. Lynn usually grabs a cup, though.” As she added water and turned on the machine, he hopped up on one of the bar stools and picked up the leather book laying on the counter. “What’s this?”

She glanced over at him. “Oh, that’s my journal. I’d just finished a little writing when you came in.”

“Journal, huh?” His brows arched as his fingers flipped along the pages. “As in, you’ll get upset if I take a look?”

“Is there a purple dot on it?”

He turned it over, checking the binding. “Nope.”

“Then go right ahead.” Moving to a stool across from him, she smiled. “It’s really just a bunch of randomness. Thoughts, poems, lyrics … I don’t think there are any full songs in that one, but I’ve got a whole box of them with me. I started writing stuff down when my Dad died. You know, for therapy.” Her fingers played with the napkin holder as she watched him read. “I was never able to really open up and talk to anybody but Josh, and I was going through some pretty heavy stuff for a thirteen-year-old. He started getting me these leather books when he first moved down here for the show. By now, I’m pretty sure he’s figured out how to get them in bulk.”

“That’s rough. I’m sorry, Jen.” He paused on what she’d been working on that morning, lyrics scribbled down the center of one of the pages:

Here and now
Is the way I live
Unafraid of what life gives

And there’ve been times in my life
I couldn’t see a difference
In pain or in joy, or in sun or in rain
They just seemed the same

But I’m only human
Branded by ambition
But I’m going to make it count

“Hey, this is really good.” Closing the book, he handed it back to her. “When you’re done with it, can I see the whole thing?”

“Sure. An objective eye before I actually have to start handing stuff over to an instructor would be great.” She smiled and traced a finger over the initial burned in the cover. “My summer courses are really just getting a few of the credits that didn’t transfer out of the way. I’m nervous about going into fall term and having somebody else rip my work to shreds. Mom and Josh aren’t exactly the most critical of me, if you know what I mean.”

“I’ll look over anything you want to show me, Jen. I’ll even listen if you need me to.” An upbeat song came on the radio and he slid off the stool and came around to her, taking her hand and pulling her to stand with him. “But for now, we dance.”

Laughing, she let him spin her and began singing with him as he twirled her around the kitchen. “’Cuz when you worry, your face will frown, and that will bring everybody down. So don’t worry, be happy.”

By the next verse, Joey and Maggie had joined them, dancing and singing as the smell of freshly brewed coffee began to bring the house to life.

The song changed and Jen found her sock-covered feet sliding across the floor to where JC and Justin were coming down the stairs, watching in amusement. JC caught her before she could fall, and she grinned up at him. “Morning. Care to join us? Breakfast will be ready in a little bit.”

“Kitchen dancing seems to be your thing, huh?” He straightened her up, then spun her again, laughing when she stumbled back against his chest. “Let’s see if we can keep you off the floor this time.” Justin moved past them and took Maggie from Joey, who poured a cup of coffee and claimed a stool next to Chris.

She shook her head as he began dancing her across the room. “I seem to remember that it was your fault I wound up on the floor the last time. And you weren’t exactly my dance partner then, either.”

“Doesn’t matter. Only difference is location and we have friends with us this time.” He pulled her close to avoid a spinning Maggie and began to sing. “Slipping and sliding all along the waterfall with you, my brown-eyed girl. You, my brown-eyed girl.”

The song was still going when Lynn and Lisa arrived, and Jen heard the stove timer go off as JC twirled her again. “Chris, that’s your signal. Perfect timing, ladies. Coffee’s in the pot and breakfast is served.”

*********************

“Shouldn’t we be starting with the rentals we talked about?” Confusion lifted her tone as Jen watched Lisa steer the car off University Drive and into a subdivision. “I mean, this is a really convenient area, but isn’t this where the house that was for sale is?”

“Yep. The agent is meeting us in about twenty minutes for a showing.” Lisa glanced over at her daughter, amusement flashing across her features. “Is that okay with you?”

“I guess, but how am I going to afford payments on a house? Between Maggie and myself, we could handle at least the smaller of the rentals, even if it is on the other side of town.”

“You really do have selective hearing, don’t you?” Lisa sighed in exasperation, shaking her head. “How many times have I asked you to please use at least some of your college fund?”

“But, Mom … I just didn’t want to waste it …”

“Really, Jennifer. Your father and I started that fund before you were even born.” Pulling into the driveway of a large two-story home, she put the car in park, then turned to face Jen. “Steve always wanted to make sure that his children would have the opportunity for any education they wanted. We’d planned on providing for at least two, but when it took so long for us to have you, we knew that there would be enough for you to do anything you set out to do. There was plenty enough in it before he passed, but I added to it even more with a portion of his life insurance. Then we won the lawsuit against the construction company and it grew again.” Her fingers tapped against the steering wheel as she continued. “But you turned out to be an overachiever just like him. You just had to work until you could buy your own car instead of letting me give you one – that money went into your fund, too, by the way. You got a scholarship to the community college last year, earned a full ride down here. Then you refused to take any money for your summer classes and housing.”

“Okay, well …”

“When they awarded you that scholarship, I switched gears and started thinking you would use it for your first house, or a vacation after you graduated … maybe even your wedding. Truth is, you could use it for all the above and still not need a job while you’re working on your degree.”

“Wait. What?” Brown eyes widened in surprise. “Seriously?”

“I might crunch numbers for a hospital every day, but I happen to be fairly good with investments, you know. And your tastes have never been exactly high class.” A hand gestured toward the baggy plaid shirt she wore over her T-shirt and jeans. “You’d rather wear hand-me-down flannel than any designer label I’d buy for you.”

“There’s nothing wrong with appreciating a good deal. And this was a gift.” She defended her wardrobe choice, her fingers tangling in her beloved shirt. “But … what about you? Will you be okay if all that is mine?”

“Honey, I work because I want to, not because I have to.” Lisa smiled softly as she looked blankly out the window. “Your father took very good care of us, I just wasn’t a very good stay-at-home mom. By the time you were old enough to go to school, I was beyond ready to get out of the house. Even after he passed, I only worked because I couldn’t stand being alone all day.” Her gaze flicked back over to her daughter, an eyebrow arching. “They’ve offered me early retirement at the end of this year and I’ve decided to take it. Mostly because I’d like to be free to come down whenever I want to see you, which will be often. It’d be nice if I didn’t have to stay in a hotel every time I’m here.”

Jen sat in silence, mulling over what she’d just been told as she looked over the brick house in front of her, appreciating the column details at the front door. “I can buy this house if I want it?”

“If you want it, yes.” The driver’s door opened and Lisa moved to get out. “Come on. I wanted us to get here early so that we could take a look at the property and exterior.” Jen stepped out and followed, looking down at the paved path that cut through the grass and led around to the back of the house. “I checked other listings in neighborhoods further from campus and if you like a bargain, you’re not going to find one much better than this. The agent told me that the owners are motivated to sell. They’ve been renting out the property for a few years and are leaving the area to move north. This is a university area and most of the neighbors are college students renting during term, so families aren’t likely to be their target.”

“I like the columns and the shutters.” As they moved around toward the back of the house, she took in as many details as she could, noticing the basketball goal further around back. “The garage is nice … and Josh would love the basketball court.”

“Don’t think about what Josh likes. Focus on what you like.”

“Okay … oh, I love the bay window! Do you think there’s a window seat?” She could feel herself getting excited as they came to the back yard, taking in the screened-in porch and full basketball court with surround lighting. “The privacy fencing is awesome. And the landscaping is beautiful.”

“The agent has the names of the companies the owners use for upkeep. All you have to do is set up a contract with them and they’ll take care of you.” Lisa looked through the screening of the porch, then turned and winked. “There’s a good space for entertaining out here. The furniture is in really good shape. And there’s a built-in grill, too. You’ll have to make some friends and put it to use.”

“I’m sure between myself and Maggie, we’ll have plenty of folks over.”

“Maggie?”

“Yeah. She’s great and I could see us being good friends. We’d talked about splitting rent, since we were already roommates, but if I’m buying a place, she may want to share space. With our experience so far in campus housing, I think I could offer her a better deal. Maybe just enough in rent to help with utilities and keeping the kitchen stocked.” Jen shrugged. “If she doesn’t want to, that’s fine, but it’d probably be nice not to have the place all to myself.”

“Smart girl.” Lisa smiled approvingly. “Although, realistically, if this is your choice, it’s not even fifteen minutes from where Josh is staying. Seeing the reactions of those boys to your food last night and this morning, you’re likely to have company more often than you imagine.”

“Uh huh. I was trying to teach them to cook, but I think it backfired.” They were both laughing as they came back around to the front yard, just in time to see the real estate agent’s car pulling into the driveway.

The woman gave them a friendly smile as she approached, folder and keys in hand. “Good morning, ladies.” She nodded in Lisa’s direction. “Shana Stevens. I believe I spoke to Lisa last night, but I’m showing to Jen, is that right?”

“I suppose so.” Jen gave a smile in return. “To be honest, I’m already impressed just by seeing the yard.”

“Isn’t it beautiful? A very well-maintained property. If you’ve already seen the exterior, we’ll head right in, then.” Shana led the way toward the front door and began sorting through her keys. “Of course, you know that this is a university neighborhood. All of your neighbors will be students. In fact, all of the previous tenants of this house were students as well.” Finding the key she was looking for, she unlocked the door and pushed it open. “I need to tell you that some of those tenants made additions and had remodeling done with the owner’s approval. The basketball court was installed about four years ago and a portion of the basement was renovated into a rehearsal studio the year before last.”

“Okay.” They went inside and Jen had to pause when she stepped out of the entrance hallway and first saw the details of the interior. “Oh, Mom … it’s fabulous.”

“The sellers own a construction business, so they were able to make several improvements before listing. All of the appliances were updated after the last renters vacated. New refrigerator, stove and oven. The floors and cabinets have been resurfaced, the walls retouched with fresh paint and the carpets in the bedrooms are new.” Shana reached to the side, flipping on the overhead lights to better reveal the large oak dining set that divided the space from kitchen to living room. “As you can see, some furniture is included, mostly items they found too large to move.” She cleared her throat and gestured around the open space. “The living room area is oversized and accessible from the back patio by sliding doors. There are two half baths in the living areas of the main level, along with two bonus rooms – I believe they’ve been used as office space and game rooms on separate occasions – and there are extra closet spaces on all three levels.”

“This would be a perfect spot for a piano.” Jen paced out a large carpeted corner space tucked beside the staircase, lit by a window overlooking the back yard. “I’ve always had a keyboard, but a piano … I’d love to have a piano. Maybe someday. A baby grand.” She bit her lip as she envisioned it. “I could have an area here for my guitars, too. And a bookcase for my journals and stuff to the side of the window.”

“Let’s head upstairs to the bedrooms.” The trio made their way up the stairs as the agent relayed information about the laundry room, garage and security system. “The system is ready, it just needs to be activated with the company and they’ll set up the new codes for you.” She pushed open the door to the first bedroom. “The house was originally designed as a rental property for as many as ten inhabitants. Two of the bedrooms on this level could potentially hold two full-sized beds, with an attached full bath and a sizable walk-in closet. The other two are smaller, made for a single queen-sized occupant, with a standard closet and a full bath. The main floor has one bedroom of the same design as the larger rooms up here, down the hallway off the garage entrance. The basement also has a small finished apartment – a large bedroom with a separate full bath and a living area with a kitchenette. You’ll find it divided from the studio area by a wall addition that has a set of double doors. About half of the basement is still unfinished. That area is closed off, accessible by the doors on the left side of the hallway leading away from the studio. The doors on the right side give access to large storage areas.”

Moving to the next door, Jen gasped when it opened to reveal a space filled with walnut furniture, already placed perfectly to accent the bay window. “Oh, wow.” She walked around the foot of the bed and laughed when she saw the cushioned seating at the base of the window. “I knew it would have a window seat.” Her fingers slid across the smooth wood of the dresser as she tested the softness of the cushions. “What size is the bed? It just needs a mattress and it’ll be perfect.”

“Should be a queen. This set was brought in about a year ago, but the last renters were male and didn’t find it appealing. This is one of the larger rooms, but I don’t think it’s been used in a while.”

“I’ve never had a bed that large …” Shaking her head, she sent Lisa a happy smile. “Mom, it’s perfect. I love it.” She looked around the room again, her gaze traveling to look out the window and over the back yard. “This is … it’s home. I know it.”

--------------------------------------------------

July 1995

Step, slide, step, jump, turn ...

He ticked off each move silently, his feet racing to keep up with the pounding beats that echoed around the large warehouse. Gasping for air, he threw his body into the next jump, focusing for only a second on the labored breathing that served as an undercurrent to the sliding and scraping of rubber soles against hard cement.

At the familiar key change, he dropped to his knees – jolting painfully against scorching stone – and switched his concentration to the arm movements Matt had choreographed especially for the bridge. Sixteen beats on the floor, then back to his feet for another minute of full body work before the end.

Sixty more seconds and they would have completed their first uninterrupted run through.

After weeks of repeating the same numbers over and over, he allowed himself the tiniest spark of hope that they were finally getting it.

Step, turn, kick, slide ...

“Lance! What are you doing?”

The music came to an abrupt stop and he let himself collapse heavily onto his back, doing his best to ignore the sweltering heat curling up around his skin and focus on drawing in deep breaths, making a futile attempt to get his racing pulse under control.

“We’ve been over this a thousand times! It’s turn, kick, slide and then down. I can’t dumb it down any more than that, kid.”

JC wiped the sweat from his brow, glancing over to see the younger blonde lying a few feet away, cringing against the hateful tirade being flung at him. The familiar bass voice growled in a soft groan and he grimaced in misery before his hands covered his face and muffled what could have been an apology.

“Get up. We’ve got work to do.”

Muted groans rose in almost comical harmony and blue eyes swept the area around the makeshift dance floor, confirming that all of them were on the ground, chests heaving as they gasped for breath, too weary to even sit up, let alone start the high energy routine over again. His eyelids sank closed, his body throbbing in time with his heartbeat.

“Come on. Get your lazy asses up.”

“Give it a rest, Matt.” The angry voice came from just inside the door, growing louder as it moved closer to the group. “What are you doing to them? And why are they doing it here? This isn’t a practice space, it’s an oversized oven.”

“We lost the space we were using, so this is what we’ve got.” Even being in his late twenties, the choreographer was wary of the young brunette with the fiery temper. Matt eyed her cautiously as she approached quickly, a lioness ready to protect her cubs, none of which had moved an inch since she’d walked in. “It’s not all that hot in here …”

“Says the one who’s only standing around yelling at them. If you’ve been working them this hard all morning, they’re lucky to still be breathing, and you know it.” There was a heavy thud as something was set down next to him and JC breathed deeply, catching the faint scent of berries and cream. He blinked quickly, taking sporadic peeks at a worried brown gaze, her brow wrinkled with concern as she pulled a wet cloth from the large cooler she’d brought and pressed it lightly to his face. “Josh? You okay?”

At first touch, the cold against his cheek stung, then his pulse began to slow as the chill became heaven, the cool soaking up the heat as it moved over his forehead. He reached up, covering her hand with his until she let go, leaving him to hold the cloth himself, eyes still closed as he managed what he hoped was a small smile. “Yeah, I’m good. Thanks.”

“Drink something as soon as you feel up to it.” He could feel her stare on him as she set an ice-cold bottle on the cement next to his arm, then she turned to growl at the choreographer. “They’re nearly dehydrated and exhausted. Were you going to work them until they all dropped from heat stroke?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

“Figures. Idiot.” The words were mumbled under her breath, and if he’d had the energy, he’d have laughed. As it was, it took all his concentration just to follow their conversation. Ice rattled together and he forced his eyelids up when he felt her move away, shifting over until she could reach first Justin, then Joey. “They need a break, Matt. Give them an hour to ...”

“Not happening. Mr. Pearlman wants this set presentable by Friday and they’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

“Like I give a damn what Lou wants.” Her voice rose dangerously as she moved on to Lance, squeezing his shoulder gently as she pressed fabric against his cheek, earning a small smile as his eyes opened. “He’s a snake, and right now, I don’t think much better of you.” Matt opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off quickly. “It’s 110 degrees outside and you’ve had them dancing nonstop for five hours in a metal warehouse with no air conditioning and apparently no running water ...”

“It’s all we’ve got to work with. If they’d get it together, it wouldn’t be this bad.” Slumped shoulders rose in a weary sigh as his gaze shifted to glare at Lance. “I don’t like it any more than you do, but there’s nowhere else for us to go and I can’t just kick out the slackers.”

“Oh, I know exactly where you can go.” She growled, eyes narrowing as she sent him a quick glare. “They need time to rest. Isn’t it time for you to have lunch or something?” Kneeling beside Chris, she immediately ran her fingertips over his nearly dry forehead. “Chris? You’ve gotta drink something for me, okay?”

When he didn’t respond, she took the last cloth from the cooler and began wiping his forehead. “Chris? Are you all right?” Worried, she grabbed his shoulders, pulling him up and shaking him until he began to come around. “Come on, Spazz. Help me out here.” She propped him against her upper body and dipped the cloth back into the melting ice, streams of cold water running down his forehead as she doused his hair.

He groaned when the water began soaking into his shirt. “Jeez, Jen. You didn’t have to give me a bath in it.”

“Shut up. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m cool.” His hand trembled as he pulled a Gatorade from the bottom of the cooler. “This looks like heaven right now, though. Thanks.”

When he sat up away from her, she looked around the weary group, then back to Matt. “If you think you’re going to get anything else from them right now, you’re crazy.”

“All right, take an hour. Be ready to get back to this after lunch.” Matt glared at the five who still hadn’t moved from the ground, grabbing up his bag when his stare landed on the only one having trouble. Shaking his head, he spun on his heel, rolling his eyes sharply as he stalked to the door. “If you’re not ready to get it right, then I don’t want to see you.” He pushed his way outside, the force of the door slamming behind him increasing her temper.

She stared at the metal door, her breath speeding up in lividity as she looked back to JC. “How long have you guys been working out here?”

“About three weeks. Today’s not as bad as it was last Tuesday.” Joey’s voice was muffled by the cloth still covering his face. “It literally hurt to breathe once it hit 115.”

“That’s not rehearsing. It’s cruel and unusual punishment.” Shaking her head, she jumped up and jogged for the door, determined to catch the choreographer before he left the parking lot. Pushing out into the hot summer sun, she found him putting his bag into the backseat of his car. “Matt, listen …”

“I’ve got no choice here, Jen. Do you think I like putting them through that?” He sighed and leaned against the driver’s side door, his haggard expression making him appear far older. “If I had a kid and knew somebody was running him through the wringer like this, I’d be out for blood. But we really have nowhere else to go.”

“Not true.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a receipt. “Do you have a pen?”

“Yeah, sure.” Confused, he fished through his bag until he could pass her a pencil. “What are you doing?”

“If I’d known about all this …” Her hand waved to indicate the building behind her before writing her address on the white square. “I’d never have let you all work here. My basement is a studio space. There’s a floor and mirrors down there, it’s air conditioned and has all the facilities you need. There’s even some padded mats if you need them. Give them two hours to rest, and it’s all yours. The fridge will be stocked before you get there.”

“Seriously?” Matt blinked in surprise as she handed him the address and pencil. “But, Lou …”

“I really despise that man.” She shook her head in disgust. “Tell him you’ve found a space that’s half the price he’s paying to rent this disaster, cash payment only. He’s all about the bottom line, so I doubt he’ll argue with you. I don’t care about the money, but I’m not going to let them kill themselves rehearsing in a furnace.”

“But aren’t you in class most of the time? Or working? How are we supposed to …”

“You’re kidding, right?” Her brows arched. “Josh and I are basically joined at the hip. He’s got his own key and comes and goes as he pleases. Each and every one of those guys knows they’re welcome anytime. And they usually show up when it’s my turn to cook.” The choreographer gave a startled laugh at her frustrated tone. “I can’t promise to feed you every day, but the basement’s yours as of right now.” An idea began to form, and her tone lifted with possibility. “And I might even be able to get some help for Lance.”

He snorted in disbelief. “Kid, you might can hand me the keys to the Taj Mahal, but even you can’t work miracles.”

“I’m not a miracle worker.” She shrugged with a smile. “I just have an awesome basement and a few friends in the dance department at school. Be at my place in two hours, take it easier on them this afternoon and I’ll see what I can do about getting him a little extra help.” Her gaze met his steadily as she held out her hand. “All without Lou’s shorts getting twisted. Deal?”

“This I gotta see.” Taking her hand with a chuckle, he gave it a firm shake. “You’ve got a deal.”

*********************

A few weeks later, Matt was thanking the heavens above that this particular group had come equipped with Jen Lawson.

“All right, guys! Looks great!” He clapped his hands as the music ended. “Lance, I’m impressed, kid. Good job.” The two dancers standing to the side of the floor smiled his direction, nodding with approval as the group left the floor and started gathering their things. “Sam and Jake, you two are a godsend. How much longer can you stick with us?”

“As long as you need us.” Sam leaned down and grabbed the bag at her feet. “This has been a blast. And if the track that Jen is working on for us sounds anything like the sample we heard, we’re definitely getting the better end of the deal.”

“Great. That’s awesome.” The choreographer went to remove the discs from the sound system and stacked them on the counter. “I’ve got other work booked for this weekend, so unless you’ve got something else scheduled, I’m guessing you might have a break for a few days. Get some rest, guys … just don’t forget what we’ve worked on. Next week, you add in the vocals.”

As he was finishing, the upper door opened, sending the aroma of something baked and cheesy floating down to them.

“Oh, God. How does she do that?” Joey groaned, his stomach growling in anticipation as they began tromping up the stairs. “I didn’t even know I was hungry.”

“Don’t you know, man? She’s got a sixth sense when it comes to you and your stomach.” With a laugh, Chris gave him a shove and sent him slamming through the doorway and sprawling on the floor.

“If you scratch my floor, you’ll be doing more than just dishes, Joe Bear.” The cool voice came from around the corner, followed immediately by the keys of the piano tinkling out a melody. “Calzones tonight, guys. Plenty for everybody, so eat up.” She paused to make a notation on the sheet music laid out in front of her. “Sam, Jake, Matt … you, too. If you’ve got no other plans, grab a plate and join us.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Jake dropped his bag in the hallway and headed for the kitchen. “Thanks, Jen. You rock.”

“She’s not kidding, guys. There’s enough here for a small army.” Maggie smiled at Lance, who was pulling pitchers of drink from the fridge, and came around the counter to carry a full platter toward the table. “J, grab the other one, will you? Chris, Joey … you know where the plates and stuff are. Get to it.”

“Hey, Mags, the extra sauce is still simmering on the stove. Bowl’s on the counter. And don’t forget the pies. Bottom shelf.” Her fingers began moving over the keys again. “Just the chocolate ones, though. The strawberry ones are for the open house at the Center tomorrow.”

“How’s that going, by the way?” JC slid onto the bench next to her, picking out a higher harmony in the upper keys. “Are you liking the job?”

“I get to entertain kids three afternoons a week.” She smiled over at him. “And my boss is awesome. I’ve even gotten some responses to my ads for piano and guitar lessons. So, yeah … it’s kind of fantastic.”

“Girl, if I keep coming over here, I’m going to be in no shape for fall performances.” Sam groaned as she carried one of the pies to the table, smiling at the music filling the room. “And whatever you’re working on over there sounds awesome. Any chance we could we use that one, too? Sounds like it would be perfect for our contemporary assignment this semester.”

“You can use anything you’d like. It all goes in my portfolio, anyway.” Jen grinned over her shoulder. “But be warned … I just finished reading Wuthering Heights for my Lit class. The lyrics for this one aren’t exactly in a loving mood.”

“Doesn’t matter to me. We can choreograph to anything, as long as it sounds like that. What’ve you got?”

“Yeah, Boof.” Jen glanced over when JC lifted his fingers from the keyboard and nudged her with his shoulder. “Let’s hear it.”

A dark brow arched as she kept looking at him, her fingers automatically launching into the melody. Her eyes closed as she listened, trying to find the perfect place for the lyrics, then began to sing.

You took your coat off and stood in the rain
You were always crazy like that
And I watched from my window
Always felt I was outside looking in on you

You were always the mysterious one with
Dark eyes and careless hair
You were fashionably sensitive but too cool to care
You stood in my doorway, with nothing to say
Besides some comment on the weather

Well, in case you failed to notice
In case you failed to see
This is my heart bleeding before you 
This is me down on my knees

These foolish games are tearing me apart 
And your thoughtless words
Are breaking my heart
You’re breaking my heart

The music continued as she stopped singing. “There’s another verse, but it’s not quite done. I’m thinking some violin and a little percussion could finish out the arrangement, but I’ll have to play with it a little more once I get it to my computer.” Absolute silence met her comment and she stopped playing to look toward the table. “What?”

Every seat around her dining room table was occupied, food on every plate … and everyone was staring at her, dumbfounded.

“Okay, was it that bad? Or did I just put too much seasoning in my crust this time?”

“Jen, I’ve been in the business for a while and I’ve never heard anything like that.” Matt put his fork down beside his plate. “Have you been submitting your work at all?”

“Well, no.” She shrugged. “I don’t actually start my Music Comp class for a few more weeks. I’m just gathering everything together so I can turn it in as I build my portfolio. We’re supposed to add to it until we graduate, but I’ve already got so many …” Her hand gestured toward the shelves of journals against the wall. “All I need is to print the arrangements to sheet music and I could turn in something every week and never have to write anything new.” Her gaze landed on Sam and Jake. “Then there’s the instrumental compositions. It’s ridiculous, really.”

“Yeah, definitely don’t stop writing. I don’t know how your advisor will operate, but if they set you up with somebody to handle the legal side for you, make sure I get their information. I don’t just work for Lou, you know. I run into people looking for new material every day.” He nodded at her. “If everything you have is like that … you’re going to be big.”

“And girl, you can sing.” Maggie shook her head and pointed at her with her fork. “Sneaky, sneaky, Jen … hiding a voice like that. You knew I’d want you to audition with me, didn’t you?”

“Oh, no. I do not perform. I’ll record my demos, but that’s it.” The denial was immediate, fear flashing across her face at the thought. “I could never get up in front of people like you guys do.”

“Just what do you think your final project is supposed to be?” Jake laughed, forking a bite into his mouth. “We all have to present our work in an open showcase before a panel of professors in our field – choreographed numbers for us, performance of portfolio for you. Every senior gets assigned a date in their last semester and you’re awarded your degree based on their impressions of your program.” He took another bite. “Of course, there usually isn’t a very big turnout for those, so it’s really just the panel and whatever friends or family can make it.”

“Man, stop.” Lance nudged him with an elbow. “She just turned green.”

Everyone at the table went back to their plates, conversations picking up from where they’d been a few minutes ago, and she turned to JC, her eyes wide with panic. “Josh … I can’t. I … what am I gonna do?”

“You keep working.” He stood, pulling her up with him. “Keep playing for us. Pretend your audience is filled with friends. Maggie seems more than willing to help you. Let her.” A smile lifted his features as he brushed her hair out of her face. “Even if it means going to an audition or two.” His hands cupped her cheeks. “You’re going to be fine, Jenny. Better than fine. I promise.” He kissed her forehead and released her. “Now let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving.” Laughing, she followed him to the kitchen, pouring their drinks as he filled their plates from the table and pulled a stool away from the counter for her. “Thanks.”

“Okay, what’s their deal?” Sam spoke with a lowered voice as she watched the pair at the counter. “Jen says they’re friends – that you’re all friends – but … really?” Her brows arched. “Truth?”

“They’ve been best friends since the first grade and there’s a lot of water under their bridge.” Chris leaned forward to refill his glass. “There’s a lot of flirting back and forth, and it’s rare for them to go much longer than a day without seeing or talking to each other. Honestly, I think there’s something more, but if it’s there, they don’t know it yet.”

“Oh, he knows it, he’s just chicken.” Justin lifted a piece of pie to his plate. “I’ve known Jace a few years now. He’s probably the most laid-back, chill guy I’ve ever met. Before she came down for her summer semester, the only times I’d ever seen him really come alive were either on stage or when he had her on the phone. He’d talk about her all the time and I really thought she was too good to be true.” He looked over when Jen began laughing at something JC had said. “But when I met her, it totally made sense. It’s like he just sparks to life when she’s around.”

“She’s in my math class this summer and I’ve never seen her without a smile.” Jake reached for the pie. “My first impression was that she was one of the happiest, sweetest people I’d ever met. When she came and asked us for help, I actually considered asking her out. Then I saw her around him and she just … well, I don’t really stand a chance, do I?”

“Sorry, man. I had the same idea.” Joey sat back in his chair, sighing at his empty plate. “And if it looks like things cool down on that front, I call dibs.” His gaze landed on Maggie and he smiled. “Unless her housemate is interested. I’d be down with that.”

“Yeah, right.” Maggie snorted and stood from the table, gathering up empty plates. “Sorry, Joe. Nothing personal, you’re just not my type.” She glanced over toward the kitchen and smiled. “It’s going to be fun to see how they turn out, though. Glad I’ve got a front row seat.”