The Rumba. Georgia Hill
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Say it with Sequins
The Rumba
Georgia Hill
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First published in Great Britain by HarperImpulse 2013
Copyright © Georgia Hill
Cover images © Shutterstock.com
Georgia Hill asserts the moral right
to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library
This novel is entirely a work of fiction.
The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are
the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is
entirely coincidental.
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Ebook Edition © December 2013
ISBN: 9780007562176
Version 2018-05-03
Digital eFirst: Automatically produced by Atomik ePublisher from Easypress.
Contents
Say it with Sequins. The Rumba: a dance full of passion.
Step One.
Step Two.
Step Three.
Step Four.
Step Five.
Step Six.
Step Seven.
Step Eight.
Step Nine.
Step Ten.
Step Eleven.
Step Twelve.
Step Thirteen.
Step Fourteen.
Step Fifteen.
I used to live in London, where I worked in the theatre. Then I got the bizarre job of teaching road safety to the U.S. navy – in Marble Arch!
A few years ago, I did an ‘Escape to the Country’. I now live in a tiny Herefordshire village, where I scandalise the neighbours by not keeping ‘country hours’ and being unable to make a decent pot of plum jam. Home is a converted oast house, which I share with my two beloved spaniels, husband (also beloved) and a ghost called Zoe.
I’ve been lucky enough to travel widely, though prefer to set my novels closer to home. Perhaps more research is needed? I’ve always wanted to base a book in the Caribbean!
I am addicted to Belgian chocolate, Jane Austen and, most of all, Strictly Come Dancing.
Keep dancing, everyone!
For mum, who loved to jitterbug.
Say it with Sequins. The Rumba: a dance full of passion.
“The rumba is my favourite dance; it’s really sexy. It gives you a great excuse to get up close and personal with your partner!” Bob Dandry, Executive Producer and Director, Who Dares, Dances.
Step One.
“You can do this!” she said in her head.
Julia Cooper, not yet star of stage and screen, bit her lip and tried to follow her own advice – and her partner’s lead. Trouble was, when you were a novice and dancing with a monosyllabic and bad-tempered hulk of a Russian, it wasn’t easy to pick up the steps. Or should that be steppes? Julia giggled and muttered her mantra again, “Concentrate, you can do this!”
“What?” said the Russian hulk from somewhere above her. “What you say? No, Julia. Have told you. Like this!”
For the umpteenth time that day, Julia wondered just what she had got herself into. Who Dares Dances was supposed to be a fun dance competition come reality show, wasn’t it? She was supposed to be having fun!
“We’d better raise a barrel load of money to make this worth it,” she mumbled, as she was swung round so hard her neck ricked. She’d never worked so hard in her life. The charity, Pennies for Pencils, for which the show raised money, had better be grateful.
“Julia! Have told you. Like this. Concentrate!”
“That’s just what I’ve been telling myself, Jan.” Julia looked up at her partner with a bright smile. “But it doesn’t seem to be working. Can we stop now? Don’t we need to get ready for the launch party?” She made a hopeful face, which was completely lost on the Russian.
“Pah! Party!” he spat. “We must work, work, work. Have much to learn. Stand up. Chin to left. More. More! Count in head.”
“One, two, buckle my shoe,” Julia began and it sounded facetious, even to herself. But she really was exhausted. They’d been practising since eight that morning.
“One, two, three, one.