tickets?”
Veronica nodded.
OMG. Megan checked again to make sure no one was looking. “Don’t tell the guys.”
Veronica nodded harder in agreement.
A thin man dressed in black from head to toe scurried around them, adjusting equipment at the orders of a commanding woman. The woman rose from a folding chair that read director and shoved scripts at Veronica and Riley.
“Despair. Why must you cause me despair? Learn your lines! If you go out there and forget in front of thousands, I will be so embarrassed.”
Veronica’s eyes got big. Riley quirked one eyebrow.
The Director turned to Megan and thrust a gown at her. “And you, tighten down those threads. If she--” The Director jabbed a finger at Veronica, “has a wardrobe malfunction, I will be so embarrassed.” Veronica covered her chest with her hands.
The Director said, “My soul, my soul for a cappuccino, no cappuccino, no Director. Do you people understand? No cappuccino, no Director. I cannot quench my thirst with despair alone.”
Chase tapped on the shoulder of the skinny stagehand. “Excuse me.”
The stagehand straightened and arched an eyebrow. “Well hello handsome, whatever you desire, you have only to ask.”
“Yeah, can you show us to the dressing rooms?” Chase asked.
“All of you or just you and me?”
Chase took Megan’s hand. “All of us.”
His fingers felt big, warm, and safe. She wanted to leave her hand there forever.
The stagehand shrugged and pouted, but he led them to a small dressing room. Chase threw himself along the sofa and patted a spot beside him. She joined him, breathing in the fragrance of the floral arrangements on the counter and the cosmetics under Hollywood lights. An electric feeling ran through her veins, to be so close to Chase. What would he do if she leaned on him, or if she followed that magazine’s advice and started talking about kissing? Did she still smell like apple pie? Megan scooted an inch closer and peered up at Chase, trying to capture his teal gaze.
Chase said, “I think this one’s on Riley and Veronica. Let’s hear it Riley, let me guess, you won’t play?”
Riley slumped against the wall and rubbed his hand across his face. “I’ll do it. The universe is not happy unless I am humiliating myself. So tonight, I tread the boards.”
“And end that Director’s despair,” Chase said.
Veronica rolled her eyes. “Read lines with me. There’s only two pages.” She crossed her fingers. “Maybe this time we’ll get to go home.”
Riley looked over her shoulder at the script. “Oh.”
Chapter 23
CLEANING
T he usher swept at the mass of popcorn, forming the pile into a neat square. Kneeling, he swept just enough onto the dustpan to have a full scoop but not so much that the kernels fell over the edge. He dumped the filth into the trashcan. Kneeling hurt his aching joints, but each emptied pan eased the tension in his shoulders.
Sweep. Scoop. Dump. Sweep. Scoop. Dump. He breathed in the salty familiar smell, and something heavier entered his nostrils, a greasy heavy scent: a cooked smell.
He ascended the stairs using his hands and feet like a spider, so he could keep his eyes low. When he spotted the mess, his heart raced. Stray pieces of chicken bone scattered under a seat, like a sacrifice without a holy purpose.
Fingers tensing, he ran for the bleach.
Those kids will suffer.
Chapter 24
BACKSTAGE
T he floor was hard under her knees as Megan kneeled before Veronica, threading a ribbon through the edge of her costume. The gown was fabulous.
She rose and tied up the laces along Veronica’s back.
Riley’s costume was great too: a black tuxedo. He looked quite handsome and hadn’t hit anyone in ages. This was her favorite stop so far, and since things were going so well, maybe this was it.
Nearby, the stagehand escorted a group of elegantly dressed patrons through the back-stage area. One of the females paused by Chase, licked her lips, and said, “Join
Veronica nodded.
OMG. Megan checked again to make sure no one was looking. “Don’t tell the guys.”
Veronica nodded harder in agreement.
A thin man dressed in black from head to toe scurried around them, adjusting equipment at the orders of a commanding woman. The woman rose from a folding chair that read director and shoved scripts at Veronica and Riley.
“Despair. Why must you cause me despair? Learn your lines! If you go out there and forget in front of thousands, I will be so embarrassed.”
Veronica’s eyes got big. Riley quirked one eyebrow.
The Director turned to Megan and thrust a gown at her. “And you, tighten down those threads. If she--” The Director jabbed a finger at Veronica, “has a wardrobe malfunction, I will be so embarrassed.” Veronica covered her chest with her hands.
The Director said, “My soul, my soul for a cappuccino, no cappuccino, no Director. Do you people understand? No cappuccino, no Director. I cannot quench my thirst with despair alone.”
Chase tapped on the shoulder of the skinny stagehand. “Excuse me.”
The stagehand straightened and arched an eyebrow. “Well hello handsome, whatever you desire, you have only to ask.”
“Yeah, can you show us to the dressing rooms?” Chase asked.
“All of you or just you and me?”
Chase took Megan’s hand. “All of us.”
His fingers felt big, warm, and safe. She wanted to leave her hand there forever.
The stagehand shrugged and pouted, but he led them to a small dressing room. Chase threw himself along the sofa and patted a spot beside him. She joined him, breathing in the fragrance of the floral arrangements on the counter and the cosmetics under Hollywood lights. An electric feeling ran through her veins, to be so close to Chase. What would he do if she leaned on him, or if she followed that magazine’s advice and started talking about kissing? Did she still smell like apple pie? Megan scooted an inch closer and peered up at Chase, trying to capture his teal gaze.
Chase said, “I think this one’s on Riley and Veronica. Let’s hear it Riley, let me guess, you won’t play?”
Riley slumped against the wall and rubbed his hand across his face. “I’ll do it. The universe is not happy unless I am humiliating myself. So tonight, I tread the boards.”
“And end that Director’s despair,” Chase said.
Veronica rolled her eyes. “Read lines with me. There’s only two pages.” She crossed her fingers. “Maybe this time we’ll get to go home.”
Riley looked over her shoulder at the script. “Oh.”
Chapter 23
CLEANING
T he usher swept at the mass of popcorn, forming the pile into a neat square. Kneeling, he swept just enough onto the dustpan to have a full scoop but not so much that the kernels fell over the edge. He dumped the filth into the trashcan. Kneeling hurt his aching joints, but each emptied pan eased the tension in his shoulders.
Sweep. Scoop. Dump. Sweep. Scoop. Dump. He breathed in the salty familiar smell, and something heavier entered his nostrils, a greasy heavy scent: a cooked smell.
He ascended the stairs using his hands and feet like a spider, so he could keep his eyes low. When he spotted the mess, his heart raced. Stray pieces of chicken bone scattered under a seat, like a sacrifice without a holy purpose.
Fingers tensing, he ran for the bleach.
Those kids will suffer.
Chapter 24
BACKSTAGE
T he floor was hard under her knees as Megan kneeled before Veronica, threading a ribbon through the edge of her costume. The gown was fabulous.
She rose and tied up the laces along Veronica’s back.
Riley’s costume was great too: a black tuxedo. He looked quite handsome and hadn’t hit anyone in ages. This was her favorite stop so far, and since things were going so well, maybe this was it.
Nearby, the stagehand escorted a group of elegantly dressed patrons through the back-stage area. One of the females paused by Chase, licked her lips, and said, “Join
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