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The next morning Darien walked into the studio wearing white capri leggings and a long tight royal blue shirt. A blue and white checked scarf was wound around her neck and her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. She searched everywhere until she found Kenny in his office.

"Hey." She greeted and stepped into the room.

"Good morning, beautiful." He looked up and smiled at her before motioning to the chair across the desk. "How was your night?"

"I had a really hard time falling asleep last night." Dare shook her head ruefully. "Someone came over and got me all wound up."

"What an asshole." Kenny laughed and looked back down at the open checkbook in front of him.

"Are you busy?" She asked.

"Just paying some bills. My least favorite thing to do here, but it's a necessity." Kenny sighed and ran his hand through his messy hair.

"I'm gonna go and warm up. Is there any particular studio you want to be in today?" Darien braced her hands on his desk and leaned over.

"It doesn't matter." Kenny kissed her and watched her walk away. It was a view he would never get tired of seeing. Darien settled on Studio 3 and tossed her purse in the corner. She plugged her Ipod into the dock and pushed play. Standing still in the center of the room, she let the music slide over her. She began moving and felt the strong hip hop beat in her soul. By the time Kenny was finished with bills, she had moved on to a sexy latin beat. Kenny pulled his hoodie off and adjusted his gray fedora over his hair. He stepped across the floor and joined in behind her. She saw him and incorporated him into her moves. They moved together like fluid. He picked her up and held her high above him, her back bending practically in two and her left leg raising straight up. He gave her a toss and she flipped around before being caught and jerked against him in a sexy grind. They finished the song and both were surprised to hear clapping.

"That was awesome!" Julianne Hough exclaimed as she shot across the room and gave Kenny a hug. "What do you need us for?"

"Hey, Julianne." Kenny kissed the top of her head and shook hands with her brother. "Derek, it's good to see you again."

"You too, bro." Derek and Kenny had known each other for years, considering they were both part of the dancing community in LA.

"I'm glad you two are here." Kenny grabbed Darien's hand and pulled her against his side. "I want you to meet Darien Carter, my partner."

"It's an honor to meet both of you." Darien smiled and shook both of their hands.

"You were married to a Backstreet Boy, right?" Derek asked. "I think I remember meeting you at a charity ball a few years ago."

"Yes." Darien smiled. "I danced with you and it made my whole night."

"I'm pretty sure I remember you being a very good partner." Derek flirted with her.

"I don't know about that." Darien blushed and Kenny saw red.

"Well, she works here with me now and like I was telling you, Julianne. I want to start a couples class, but we both need a refresher on some things." Kenny explained as he pulled Darien closer to you.

"It looked like you two were doing pretty good." Julianne said as she pulled her hair up. "But we'll be happy to give you some ballroom lessons."

"Thank you." Kenny pulled a pack of gum from his pocket and unwrapped two pieces before sticking them in his mouth. He offered it to the rest of the group before tossing it and his phone next to the stereo. "Where do we start?"

Hours later, they were all exhausted and slumped around the tables in the break room. Kenny now knew that Darien was exactly what he had been wanting in a partner. She was dedicated and never gave up when a step didn't come easily.

"That was too much fun." Julianne laughed as she fingercombed her sweaty hair. "You guys are really good together."

"Thank you." Darien smiled at her new friend. The two girls had hit it right off and found plenty of things to talk about. "Not as good as you and Derek though. You guys are in each other's heads. You know exactly what the others going to do before they do it."

"It's because we've been dancing together since we could walk." Derek divulged. "She's the female version of me."

"The better version." Julianne teased. "He wishes he could move like me."

"Whatever." Derek rolled his eyes at his sister and looked over to where Darien was lost in Kenny's gaze. "So, how many more lessons you want?"

"What do you think we need?" Darien asked, turning those big doe eyes on Derek.

"Why don't we plan on meeting up tomorrow and working on the rumba? We'll see how it goes from there." Julianne suggested.

"That sounds good." Kenny nodded.

"I think you should submit a tape to the producers of DWTS for a stars of dance slot. You and Darien would be perfect to showcase this new fusion club mix you've got going on." Julianne suggested. "It's not like you haven't done it before, Kenny."

"You really think so?" Kenny wrinkled his face. He was skeptical.

"We can do a routine with the four of us." Derek added in. "Ballroom meets the club. It could be cool."

"It could." Kenny nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"You guys can't be serious. I can't dance on national television!" Darien stood up. Her heart was pounding and not in a good way.

"Why not?" Kenny asked, looking up at her. "You're amazing."

"You have to say that. You want to sleep with me." Darien shook her head. "I'm really not that great. I haven't even danced in a decade."

"It didn't look like that in there." Derek spoke up. "It looked like you had a lot of talent."

"And me wanting to sleep with you has nothing to do with this. If you weren't good enough, I would say so. And still want to sleep with you." Kenny smirked.

"You are good enough, Darien. We all are. Besides that, it would be really good business for your studio, Kenny." Julianne said. "Why don't we all think about it tonight and we'll talk it over tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan." Kenny agreed. "I've got a class coming in and you need to get Ainsley."

"Is it that late?" Darien glanced at the clock and groaned. "Damn, I'm gonna be late."

"You'll be fine." Kenny handed her her purse and kissed her firmly before pushing her out the door. "Call me later." Julianne and Derek left soon after and he put his all into teaching the master hip hop class. This was one of his favorite classes, he had some of the most talented dancers LA had to offer. They did not disappoint and Kenny finished the class in a great mood. He grabbed a bottle of water and retreated to his office. Misha was lounging in his chair, his feet on the corner of the desk and headphones over his ears. A black ballcap covered his face.

"What the hell, man?" Kenny swiped his feet off the desk and rolled his eyes when Misha woke up.

"Damn, Kenny. What was that for?" Misha asked, rubbing his eyes.

"You're in my seat." Kenny pointed to the folding chair across from his desk and waiting impatiently as Misha gathered his things up and moved.

"How was your class?" Misha asked.

"It was good. I love working with those guys." Kenny opened his laptop and pulled up his business file.

"I meant your other class. The one with Julianne." Misha grinned cockily at his friend. "When's she gonna go out with me anyway?"

"I wish you would stop stalking her. It's unhealthy." Kenny shook his head.

"She'll see the light, eventually." Misha smirked. "I don't know why she wants to be with Seacrest anyway. He can't even dance."

"No, but he has a shit ton of money." Kenny laughed. "Let her go, man."

"Anyway, how'd it go with Darien?"

"She's great. A real talent. Ainsley gets it natural." Kenny filled out a check and ripped it from his register.

"Why don't you just pay the bills online? It's so much easier, Kenny." Misha had been badgering him about this for years.

"I like to have a record, Misha. It's impersonal to pay them over the internet. And unsafe." Kenny looked up at his friend. "Don't you have that Mommy and Me class to do?"

"Yeah, but it's no fun anymore since Rochelle and Ava are gone. That bitch is hot." Misha smiled.

"She's also one of Darien's friends and married. Let it go, dude. You need to find an available girl to date." Kenny rolled his eyes.

"I know. I need some ass." Misha stood up and settled his hat back over his curly black hair. "Maybe Taryn's up for some after work nookie."

"Don't fuck the help!" Kenny called after Misha's retreating figure.

"Hello pot. Meet kettle." Misha threw back before walking out of sight. Kenny rolled his eyes and got back to down to the boring parts of running a business.


Darien sat in the pickup line at school and played on her phone while she waited. She logged into Twitter and posted a picture that Kenny had taken of her and Julianne earlier. Meeting Julianne had been great. They had already made plans to meet up and go shopping over the weekend. It would be nice to have a new friend. She had lost the other wives in the divorce. All besides Rochelle that is. Her phone buzzed with a new text message. She opened it and saw it was from Kenny. r u bringing ainsley to class 2nite? i want 2 c u. Darien smiled and hit reply. how else would she get there? of course ill be there. u want 2 do dinner with us when ur done? She knew she was getting in way too deep way too fast, but she couldn't resist herself. Her phone rang and with a deep sigh she answered it.

“Hi, Nick.”

“That's a nice picture you put on Twitter.” Nick was closeted in his bus alone for the day. He was still in his pajamas and a bottle of beer was next to him. He knew soundcheck had started but he couldn't manage to get himself together.

“I took a class from her today.” Darien explained.

“I read that in your caption. So, you're really doing it? You're dancing again?” Nick tracked his hand through his messy hair and stared at the ceiling.

“I am, Nick. I need to. I've missed it.” Darien closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the seat.

“I've missed you. Is there a quick fix for that?” Nick laughed snidely. She didn't know what to say so she kept quiet. After a minute, he spoke again. “What did I do that was so wrong, Dare? I was a good husband.”

“You were an amazing husband, Nick. It wasn't about you.”

“Please tell me you're not giving me the old it's not me it's you shtick again. I can't take that.”

“I can't help it if it's the truth.” Darien stretched her stiff legs out. “Being a wife and mother wasn't enough for me. I thought it was, but I was wrong.”

“You couldn't have been more with me?”

“Nick, you wouldn't let me. I tried how many times to dance again? You always said it wasn't my time.”

“Because Ainsley needed one parent to be steady in her life. What were we going to do if we were both out on a tour somewhere?” Nick asked.

“So I had to give up my career?”

“It made more sense that way. I made more money than you.” Nick shrugged and was quiet for a long time.

“Nick?” Darien finalled asked.

“Maybe we screwed up. Maybe I shouldn't have asked you to give it all up. But I really thought that I would be enough for you. You didn't even want to dance anymore after you found out you were pregnant.” Nick sighed.

“I wanted to dance, Nick. I always wanted to dance.”

“I know.” He said quietly. “I really do miss you, Dare. Please don't start dating anyone yet.”

“It's too late for that.” Darien said quietly.

“Is it Wormald?” Nick ground out.

“Yeah, Nick.” Darien had tears in her voice. “It is.”

“So there's no chance for us?” Nick asked, his voice gravelly. “We're really over?”

“We have to be, Nick. I don't know who I am when I'm with you.” Darien blinked her tears back. She hated to hear him like this. “I'm so sorry.”

“No, Darien. Don't be sorry. That's not yours to own. I'm sorry.” He strangled out. “I'm so sorry I ever fell in love with you.” With a loud crash the call was over. Darien stared at her phone and let the tears fall. Nick was obviously in a bad place and she hated how responsible she felt. She pressed Rochelle's name and waited for her friend to answer.

“Hey, Dare. What's up?” Rochelle answered.

“Hey, I need you to find Nick and check on him. I think he's messed up.” Darien pleaded. “We just had a huge fight and he threw his phone.”

“Ok. He's been in his bus all day. He missed soundcheck and the guys are getting worried.”

“I'm worried too. I never wanted this.”

“I hate to be the one to say it, Dare, but what did you expect? He never even saw this coming.” Rochelle tried to stay neutral but it was hard.

“I know.” Darien cried. “Please just check on him and text me so I know he's okay.”

“I will.” Rochelle agreed. “If you're driving, be careful.”

“I am. Thank you.” Darien ended the call and dug some Kleenex from the console. The guilt she felt for ruining Nick's life was starting to creep up again and she so wasn't ready for it this time around.