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Once everyone had mics on, Peter called us into the Green Room for his first of many pre-show speeches. Though this was merely a dress rehearsal, a few of the board members would be in the audience tonight to give us a good test run.
“If you drop a line, don’t worry about it and just keep going. Most of all, remember the props. We’ve got a lot of prop changes. Brittany, do we have the knichi ready?”
“Yep. Sure do, Peter.”
“What are we using as knichi?” asked Frank.
“Calamata olives,” Brittany replied.
“Ugh.” Betty shivered next to me. “I hate olives.”
“What’s wrong with you?” I asked, pinching her sexy, bare thigh—exposed from the seventies mini-dress she was rocking. “Olives are delicious.”
“Ow! Stop hating on my taste palate, Broussard.”
“I cannot wait to watch you do the knichi scene now.”
“Good thing I’m a fabulous actress. I’m the only character who likes the damn things in the scene when, in reality, I find them disgusting.”
Betty and I were smiling, lost in our own little world when we realized everyone was quiet. We faced them all to find some questioning looks except for Frank, who looked devilish and pleased. With his fedora hat on and the sleek moustache in place, he looked every inch the wily, charming Mr. Velasco.
“Oh, sorry,” said Betty. Though I wasn’t sure what she was sorry about exactly.
I decided it was time.
“We should probably let you all know that Betty and I are girlfriend and boyfriend.”
When she backhanded me in the abdomen, I pretended she hurt me. “Though it may not last long if she keeps abusing me.”
“You pinched me first.” Then she leaned in close. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
Shrugging innocently, I faced our audience yet again. Trish was grinning from ear to ear, but Peter just rolled his eyes.
“That’s all fine and dandy, but I need you both on your game tonight. Focus, people. I want our board members to see the fruits of our labors. Now, let’s put our hands in. Break onknichi.”
As we all shuffled off sofas and chairs to put our hands in the middle of our huddle, I leaned over close to Betty and whispered in her ear, “I’d like to sample your fruits in this dress later.”
She backhanded me again in the stomach and gave me a warning glare while fighting to smile.
I can’t believe you, she mouthed. I knew it was about the girlfriend/boyfriend announcement rather than my sexual innuendo, which only made me laugh louder.
“All hands in,” said Peter. “One, two, three…”
“Knichi!” We yelled simultaneously.
For some reason, I had zero anxiety about tonight. Usually, I’d be pacing and needing alone time to get my head together before the curtain rose. Not tonight. My thoughts were full of Betty, and my heart brimmed with the heady sensation of being with the woman I loved. None of my normal anxieties reared their ugly heads at all.
Maybe it was the surprise Betty had in store. Or the fact she hadn’t run for the hills when I’d told her I loved her. It was hard not to say it now that it was out there, but I knew one thing. Betty might be one hundred percent into the hot sex and fun and girlfriend/boyfriend labels. But she was scared shitless of the L-word.
It was fine. I’d wait as long as I had to for her to love me back. I wasn’t going anywhere.
Chapter Twenty-Six
~BETTY~
“This isn’t happening.”Bennett stood outside the Drunk Pelican, arms crossed, staring up at their digital marquee that read:Improv Night!
“This is absolutely happening,” I told him. “You’re going to love this.”
