Spin City

Chapter 5

Spin City 5

Kyla's POV

My usual spot is open when I get to the bar. I know that Sal must have saved it because her embroidered bag with cookie cutouts inside is on top of the stool I usually sit in. I move it to the bar and sit down, avoiding Ford's eyes. That's impossible, though, when he approaches me, sending me one of those breathtaking smiles.

"Hey, Kyla, I was wondering when you'd come back," Ford says.

"You were?" I ask.

"Well, um, not in a creepy way. Sal just said something earlier about you coming in mostly every night but she wasn't sure if you'd be in because you've been really busy."

"She did, huh?" I say and look around for her.

I spot her by the fireplace, talking with her daughter, Moody's mom.

"So," Ford says and leans across the bar in front of me.

He's suddenly too close as he says, "Could I get you a drink or something?"

My eyes scan the bottles of alcohol behind him. They're all lit up from the LED lights attached to the shelving they're on. There's a huge mural of a bass painted on the wall behind the bar. It's such a cozy place. I can feel a little of the heat from the fire against my back. The pain in my hip slowly starts to decrease.

"I don't drink," I say. "Maybe just a water. Oh, and Sal knows my order."

He looks at me, cocking a dark brow. He's literally too beautiful for his own good.

"The first thing Sal did when she hired me was to make me memorize all of the local's orders, which was easy. I'm a doctor, so I have to have a good memory. The only thing I need to know is if you're cheating tonight or not."

I sigh and prop my head in my hands on the bar. Ford searches my face. I swear I see his eyes flick down to my lips but it's probably just my imagination.

"I was supposed to eat chaffles tonight," I say, still annoyed that Jeremy ditched me and ordered me not to cheat.

"What the hell are chaffles?" Ford asks and tosses a dishtowel over his shoulder.

"It's like a low carb waffle."

He smiles in amusement, shaking his head.

"Well, I make a mean waffle. How about I whip you up a couple with some sausage and maple syrup and that goat milk butter Sal gets from old man Jerry?"

I smile at him. He talks like he's been in this town all his life. He's sounding more and more like a local to Spin City.

"My trainer would literally come in here and skin me alive," I admit.

Ford rolls his eyes, his jaw clenching. I swear he has something against the measures it takes to be a professional dancer. I'm sure he knows the health risks of not getting enough nutrients, but I'm taking vitamins and supplements to make sure that my body has what it needs.

"You said you dance at that place here in Spin City?" he asks.

"Yeah."

"What's it like there?" He asks and I notice the way his mouth is still set into a straight line, his eyes dark and intense.

"It's good. I've taken classes with the owner, Jenny since I was five. She's kind of like...um...a mom to me, I guess. She was nice enough to give me a full-time teaching job there after I fell. I'm really lucky too. Kids come from all over the country to be coached by her. Most of the students there are homeschooled too. We have classes all throughout the day."