AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Somebody got a hot date?”
Miss Lucille quirked a gray eyebrow over her cat-eye glasses with pink trim. She might be pushing seventy, but she was feisty. And nosy. But I loved her.
She’d been working for my dad and his small chain of appliance stores for forty years. Since I’d wanted some experienced employees to open the new store—the first one that was genuinely mine, not just a Broussard store I slaved at to “pay my dues,” as Dad liked to say—she came over to help me out for the first month or two.
Of course, I’d had to sit through an hour of one of Dad’s lectures, but it was worth it. Not even the thought of my father’s overbearing control issues could dampen my mood today.
“Nope. Play rehearsal.” I bagged the French Malbec that I’d snatched from our newest imports.
“That’s an awful fancy bottle of wine for rehearsal.”
“It’s an apology.” And perhaps bribery.
That tiniest of smiles that Betty had shot my way after our final audition scene three days ago had me in knots. I wanted more of her smiles. I wanted more of Betty. The problem was, she hated me.
I swiped my credit card and put it back in my wallet.
“Mmhmm. For a man or a woman.”
“Goodnight, Miss Lucille. Thank you.”
I double-timed out of there before someone tried to stop me with another problem to handle. I’d been putting in ten-to-twelve-hour days for months, and I wasn’t going to feel an ounce of guilt for cutting out a little early.
I couldn’t remember the last time I was this excited about a new play. I’d like to tell myself that it was because this play had a challenging role with more lines than I’d ever had, that it was playwright Neil Simon’s genius or that I simply needed a damn break from the endless problems of opening Broussard’s Fresh Market. But I wasn’t a liar, especially to myself.
It was that spit-fire redhead, Betty Mouton, that had me practically jogging to my truck. I hadn’t bothered changing clothes today because I knew I’d be back at the store after rehearsal tonight.
The bookkeeper I’d hired was able to manage things only when they were running smoothly. Well, hell. Those days were few and far between for a small business. Especially a new one. I had to step in every night to manage some inventory issues.
If I didn’t check in after rehearsal to ensure everything went well at the end of the day, I wouldn’t be able to sleep. So far, I have been managing the stress well. This new play was the pleasant distraction I needed to take my mind off the store.
I couldn’t help smiling as I started my truck with my favorite escape in front of me. And a gorgeous scene partner to work with. I pulled out of the parking lot onto Evangeline and headed downtown.
I had barely been able to contain myself when Peter called about the casting. He’d asked if I minded.
“Why are you asking me?” I’d been surprised since he’d never asked my advice before.
“Only that you and Mandy have been leading together for a long time. But I think you and Betty are going to set that stage on fire. You had terrific stage chemistry at the call-back.”
“I agree,” I’d told him, swallowing hard against straying thoughts of what we could set on fire offstage.
I’d seen her perform in last summer’sMoon Over Buffalo. No matter that she had a small role, she lit up the stage. Why wouldn’t she? She was fucking beautiful. And talented.
I was excited to see she had come back to work in BPAL productions last summer. When I’d asked Peter about her, he’d told me she was returning to Baton Rouge. Disappointed, I’d tried to put her out of my mind.
When I’d walked into auditions forBarefoot in the Parkand caught sight of her flaming hair, I’d tripped on my own damn feet coming down the incline toward the front of the theater. While stunned, confused, and aroused, I’d discovered from Peter that she’d recently moved back to Beauville and wanted to become more involved with BPAL.
I swear, I thought she could hear my own heart thudding in my chest as we read some lines together during the audition. She’d been just as aloof and annoyed with me as always, to my displeasure.
If I were honest, it usually wasn’t difficult for me to meet and talk to women, to get their attention. Except for Betty who I really wanted to notice me. And didn’t.
She didn’t simply look at me with indifference but with annoyance and aggravation. Good thing I was a tenacious bastard.
I glanced down at the bottle of expensive Malbec as I slowed to a red light on Main Street.
Tonight was the first read-through when the whole cast would sit together and read the entire play from beginning to end. We had a minimal cast, only five of us. Six if you count the non-speaking role of Delivery Guy.
Frank and Meredith had gotten the supporting roles of Ethel Banks and Mr. Velasco. I loved those two, both veterans who’d been in multiple BPAL performances. And David would be the smallest speaking role of Phone Repairman who appeared twice.
