Chapter 32
“Fuck,” Derek cursed under his breath.
Of all the people to walk in on them, it had to be Greg. The silver lining was that neither of them had ripped each other’s
clothes off, which would’ve been even more embarrassing. Though he might have if they had stayed in the hallway.
His heart pounded as he gently extricated himself from Zoe. She quickly straightened her clothes and Derek was glad he’d worn
his shirt untucked today. He’d already looked disheveled before this. Hopefully his shirt and the flickering fluorescent lights
hid the bulge in his jeans.
“Good afternoon, Greg,” he acknowledged the man with as much calm as he could to down play their in flagrante situation. “Did
you need something from me?”
“So this is why you’ve been so hard to find in the afternoon.” Greg ignored his question.
“You’re keeping tabs on me now?” Derek clenched his jaw. He wished for just one day without seeing or talking to the man.
“Maybe I should’ve been.” Greg’s eyes darted to Zoe, who was standing against the wall.
“I can explain,” Derek added hastily, though he wasn’t sure how he could.
“No need,” Greg replied, still staring at Zoe. “Now I understand why Derek was so adamant about hiring you.”
“What are you implying?” Zoe snapped back. Her fists were in tight balls by her side, as if she were ready to knock him out.
“We’re all adults here. You know exactly what I mean.” Greg took a step forward.
Derek sidestepped and put himself between his mentor and Zoe. He was unsure who he was protecting. If fists were thrown, he
was 100 percent sure that Greg would be flat on his back.
Greg stopped and studied both of them, his eyes narrowing. Derek’s shallow breaths were loud in his ears as they all stared
at one another, waiting for something to happen. This was it. Greg would fire him and take over the show himself.
Finally the blond man’s thin lips turned into a creepy smile.
“We all have our weaknesses,” he said, looking directly at Derek. “But you need to exercise discretion. I used to be young
once. Being the artistic director has its perks, you know.” Greg winked as if welcoming Derek into some sleazy boy’s club.
Derek’s jaw dropped but he quickly clamped it shut. Behind him, Zoe snorted.
“You approve?” Derek asked cautiously as he processed Greg’s words. Whatever the fuck this club was, he didn’t want any part
in it.
“We’re not in theater to get rich. You might as well enjoy pursuing your passions wherever you can.” Greg looked pointedly
at Zoe.
Derek’s fingers curled up into a fist. How dare he speak as if Zoe were his plaything?
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.” Zoe’s voice shook with anger as she stepped out from behind Derek. “I’m here because
of my costume designs, not because you think I slept my way—”
“Zoe, it’s no use,” Derek said with false calm when what he really wanted to do was punch the man in the face.
Instead he grabbed her hand, but she ripped out of his grasp and backed away from him. Her face was flushed and bore an expression of betrayal. Derek tried to plead with her through his eyes and explain to her that Greg wouldn’t listen to reason, but she refused to look at him.
“Oh dear, is this your first lovers’ quarrel?” Greg frowned and there was genuine sympathy in his tone.
Derek pressed his lips together, refusing to dignify his question with a response.
“Our discussion can wait until later. Come see me once you’re done here.” Greg clapped Derek’s shoulder approvingly, like
a father to a son.
Greg didn’t even look at Zoe before turning around and taking the back stairwell, which was rarely used by anyone. Except
for his mentor apparently.
“What the fuck was that?” The anger spewed out of Zoe’s mouth. “How dare he insinuate that I only got this job because I slept
with you!”
“Just when you think you know someone,” Derek muttered, still in shock over Greg’s approval of what he considered a notch
in Derek’s bedpost.
“Why didn’t you say something? To defend me?”
“There wasn’t a point to it.” Derek shook his head.
“This is exactly what I was worried about. Warned you about.” Zoe paced the hallway. “He thinks you hired me so we can fuck
every afternoon. Like I’m only here to service you.”
“You are pretty hot. Though I’m sure it was me servicing you yesterday.”
She stopped mid-step and spun around to face him.
“Derek,” she warned. “This is serious.”
“You got this gig because of your talent. Anyone who’s seen your designs and your costumes knows that,” he reminded her.
“Except Greg.”
“We can explain it to him until we’re blue in the face, but he’ll continue to believe what he wants.”
Zoe pursed her lips together. Her eyes shone. Were those tears?
“Z.” He rushed over to her. “I’m sorry I didn’t push back harder. I was still in shock.”
She crossed her arms and blinked quickly.
“Let me make it up to you? I’ll come over and bring dinner. Plus some tuna in water for Mr. Bobbins.” He reached for her hand
again. This time she didn’t pull away.
“I thought you were scared of him,” she said quietly without looking at him.
“How can a little kitty scare me?” Derek lied as he puffed up his chest and placed his free hand on his hip in a superhero
pose.
Derek was still scared of the damned cat. That thing hated him, which was why he’d convinced Zoe to spend the night at his
apartment every night for the past ten days. It’d been under the guise of how his apartment was only a few blocks away so
why fight traffic to Falls Church when they were both so tired?
Zoe gave a weak laugh. He sighed with relief. Maybe this meant she was no longer mad. He hated seeing her unhappy, especially
if he was the reason for it.
“Maybe I’ll wear flip-flops tonight,” he half-joked.
“But you hate flip-flops.”
“I don’t wear them in New York, but I’ll do it for you.” He’d made that mistake only once in his first month in the city and
ended up stepping in a questionable liquid when someone’s book bag whacked him in the back.
Her eyes narrowed in skepticism.
“Fine. Flip-flops are self-defense so I can keep my Chucks safe from any further vandalism,” he admitted.
“He’s only a cat, Derek. He didn’t do it on purpose.” Zoe rubbed her thumb on the inside of his palm as if to comfort him.
“You say that but I know how he looked at me.” He shuddered dramatically.
Her laughter was music to his ears. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him until their foreheads touched. When she finally looked him in the eyes, he smiled.
“Everything will be okay. Do you believe me?” he asked.
His head bobbed with hers as she nodded. For as long as he’d known her, Zoe had exuded strength and confidence, but now there
was worry in her eyes.
He kissed her gently, as if she might break. Her breath faltered at first but she returned his kiss. She’d put her faith in
him and his vision when she agreed to work on the musical. If she broke down like she had in college, it’d be his fault and
not their professor’s. He would never let things get that bad. This was their dream production.
“I won’t let anything bad happen to you while I’m at Prestige. I promise.”
It was a promise to himself as much as it was to her.