Dismount (Off Balance 5)

My heart froze. The smile vanished from my face. I was stuck, staring at the screen, wondering if I was imagining things.

Mom’s cell

Joy?

Why was she calling me? Creases formed between my eyes and my pulse accelerated as I stared at the name on the screen. I hadn't spoken to Joy since that awful Easter day, and before then, it had been so far and few in between that I couldn’t recall when she'd reached out. My first thought was that something had happened to Xavier.

Hesitantly, I accepted the call and brought the phone to my ear.

"H… Hello?"

"Ana."

I cringed. My eyes closed. I hadn't heard that nickname in ages. I'd always hated the way it felt on my skin when she said it, and hearing it again brought a flood of emotion back to me.

"Hi," I said softly. "How are you? Is everything okay?"

"I'm well, thank you for asking. Are you available right now?"

I frowned. "Well, I'm actually at a gymnastics competition right now so—"

"I'm aware." She was curt, then she cleared her throat. "I'm here too and thought I would see if you have a free moment before I have to leave for the airport."

My stomach sank and my frown deepened. "What? You're here?"

Paranoia instantly enveloped me. I was literally across the country and Joy flew to the Trials when I hadn't seen her or spoken to her in months?

That was uncharacteristic of her.

My first thought was that she had a motive. While Joy had been the doting mother attending practices and meets, it'd been a façade and a deal she'd secretly made with my dad. She’d considered me a chore, and once I’d discovered the truth, she stopped caring altogether, which was why I found it so nerve-wracking she was here at all.

"I can stop by your room," she suggested.

I nodded as if she could see me, I was still stunned. "Ah, okay. Do you know which hotel I'm at?" Joy said she did, and that she was actually in the same hotel.

"I'll be there shortly," she said after I gave her my room number, then she hung up.

I stood motionless, staring at my cell phone wondering what twilight zone I was living in that warranted a call and an appearance from Joy thousands of miles away like this. She had never come to see me when I lived in Cape Coral, so this visit was an extremely peculiar one.

Quickly, I shot a text to Avery telling her Joy was stopping by and I'd fill her in when I got back home. At least she'd know about me if anything happened. Not that I expected anything would go awry, but seeing Joy put me on edge and caused a severe bout of anxiety to rush through my veins.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on my door. I gave myself a little power talk and then expelled a breath before walking across the room. I reached for the knob, and my spine stiffened as I opened the heavy hotel room door. Joy stood on the other side dressed in a white sleeveless body-fitting dress with matching high heels. She wore a rich navy-blue knee-length coat.

Hard eyes stared back at me. "Hello, Ana."

"Hi," was all I said. "Come in."

Joy stepped inside with her clutch gripped between her fingers. She slowly glanced around the room, her eyes taking in every square inch. I licked my drip lips and shut the door. When I turned around, Joy was sitting in a chair at the little table near the window. I walked over and took the seat opposite, regarding her with confusion as I faced her. Her blond hair was flawlessly styled, but her face seemed different…tighter. Like she'd gotten more Botox in her forehead and cheeks.

"I'm surprised to see you," I said.

She placed her purse on the round table and expressed an exaggerated sigh. "Contrary to what you or your father might think, I do care about you."

My brows shot up. I could easily refute that statement with plenty of examples, but I chose not to. There was a reason she made an appearance, and I needed to know why.

"How long have you been here?"

"I flew in two days ago."