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The memory of rehearsal hardened my body all over again. When she’d pressed her soft face to mine, sweet scent surrounding me, I’d nearly come undone. She drove me fucking insane with desire. Having to hide my feelings was the hardest acting I’d ever done.
But I was following my instincts with Betty, which told me she was easily spooked when it came to dating and relationships. Or maybe, it was just me who spooked her. Either way, I was going to play it cool till I knew she was ready for me.
Still, I didn’t think I could wait till next week to see her again. I had inventory to handle all day Saturday and part of Sunday, but I could go home a little early tomorrow.
Pulling my earbuds from my pocket, I popped them back in and pressed play on my phone, smiling as I returned to work.
Chapter Seven
~BETTY~
“How in thehell did you get up there?”
Gilbert bleated at me, then did a little circle dance on top of my roof, utterly proud of himself.
Yes, my roof!
I suppose the shed was within leaping distance of the covered patio, but how did he get up on top of the shed? This goat was some kind of Houdini or something.
“Hang on!”
He bleated back as if answering me. It sounded like a sassy bleat, to be truthful.
Hauling my ladder around to the side of the house where the slant of the roof wasn’t quite as steep. I could get up there and get him pretty easily from this side.
So I thought.
Once I’d reached the ladder's top step, I rested my arms on the roof's edge. I’d have to hoist myself up. Peering down, my tummy did a flip. I wasn’t afraid of heights. But I sure as hell was afraid of breaking my damn neck.
Maybe Gretchen had a taller ladder.
“Baaaa!”
“Alright! You little devil. I’m coming.”
Gilbert danced again, his back leg skidding on a shingle. I screamed. But he caught himself. It looked like he could totter right off if he wasn’t careful. My stomach squeezed into a knot. What if he had one of those fainting fits and rolled right off?
“Be still, boy,” I told him as gently as possible. “I’m coming to get you. Just don’t move, Gilbert.”
Planting my palms firmly, I hoisted myself up, pushing with my legs. One foot caught the top lip of the ladder, and then I felt nothing but air beneath my feet but heard a clatter in the grass below.
“Fuck!” I yelled.
One cheek pressed to the roof, I had my entire upper body laid out on the roof, my arms spread wide to balance myself because my legs were dangling freely in space.
Don’t panic.
“Shit!”
I was panicking.
Gilbert agilely stepped right up to me and licked my cheek.
I would’ve laughed if I wasn’t afraid it might make me lose my balance and fall right off the roof.
A car door slammed in my driveway.
Oh, please be Finn dropping a Friday night daiquiri off.He’d asked me to go out for dinner and drinks in Lafayette, but I’d really wanted to work on my lines. The sooner I got them memorized, the sooner I could really internalize Corie Bratter and better become her on stage.
