Chapter 49
Zoe’s heart pounded in her chest. She’d never heard Derek sound so definitive, so sure of himself.
“For a man who loves to hear himself talk, you’re not very smart,” Derek continued. “You publicly admitted to sexually harassing
my friends and my girlfriend.”
Derek was standing up for her—in front of what must be at least a hundred people now. She grabbed his hand and pulled him
closer to her. He smiled wryly at her.
“I hope you’ll be my girlfriend again,” he whispered. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to stand up to Greg.”
“You’re doing it now and that’s what matters.” Zoe handed him the microphone. “Keep going.”
Derek nodded and squared his shoulders as if ready for battle.
“It’s time that the community knows you for the bully you are,” Derek said as he turned to the crowd.
Greg’s red face had lost all color. He shook his head at Derek, as if daring him to continue. Derek glared back at him until
Greg looked away. Zoe smirked at the artistic director’s discomfort. Finally he was getting a taste of what he’d given to
her and probably everyone he’d ever worked with.
“This man was supposed to be my mentor. Instead he sabotaged rehearsals of The Brocaded Slipper . I changed all the Vietnamese to English only because Greg threatened to fire me and take over if I didn’t.” Derek swallowed hard. “I couldn’t let him ruin what we’ve worked so hard for.”
Zoe gasped along with everyone else. Greg had been overbearing, but to take away Derek’s dream show from him was even more
villainous than she could have imagined.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked. Everything about the night she broke up with him made sense now. He had been trying to
protect her and save the show.
“I was scared to lose everything I’ve worked for.” Derek met her eyes and caressed her cheek. She leaned into his touch. “I
thought I could fix things without taking you down with me.”
“You idiot,” she said affectionately. “We’re in this together. All of us.”
Everyone working on the production murmured in agreement.
“You were under so much stress that I didn’t want to make it worse. You hired your boutique staff to help with the costumes.
I didn’t want to let you down.”
“No, I let you down by assuming you didn’t care about the show the same way I did,” said Zoe. “I’m sorry, Derek.”
Her stomach swirled with anxiety and regret. She shouldn’t have given him an ultimatum when all he’d tried to do was to keep
The Brocaded Slipper from Greg’s grubby hands.
“I should’ve said something sooner. I tried to save the musical by myself but instead I lost the people I love most, especially
you.” Derek’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
“You love me?” Zoe whispered. “Like more than best friends?”
“Now who’s being an idiot?” Derek chuckled. “I’ve been in agony since you walked out that night. How shall I regain my heart
that you’ve won from me?”
“Stop misquoting Sondheim,” Th ? o called out. “Just tell her, dummy.”
Zoe laughed. How could she have forgotten they were surrounded by friends and strangers.
“I love you, Zoe,” Derek declared. “I know I have to work on our communication skills, but will you have me back?”
“You’ve changed. You’re daring. You’re different at a protest,” Zoe sang shyly with her own version of “It Takes Two” from
Into the Woods .
“Seriously?” Th ? o said loudly behind them. Everyone laughed.
“I love you, too, Derek.” She put her arm around his waist. “I don’t want to be apart from you anymore.”
“I’m going to kiss you in front of all these people,” Derek whispered.
Zoe wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips reunited. Electricity buzzed through her body as he kissed away all the
harsh words between them.
The crowd cheered and applauded. She laughed into his mouth before she pulled away.
“To be continued at my place,” she whispered in his ear. It was more than an invitation. It was a promise.
Derek grinned and nodded.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” cried out Greg. “Get your disgusting public display of affection away from my theater!”
Before either of them could respond, a Latino man in his fifties stepped onto the platform. He was wearing a navy suit and
carried a very somber expression.
“Your theater?” A Hispanic man stepped onto the platform. “I’m Moises Perez, president of the Prestige’s board and have something
to say about that. May I?”
The man gestured at the microphone. Derek eagerly handed it over and raised his hand up to silence the crowd.
“My fellow board members and I conducted an emergency meeting mere moments ago.” The man cleared his throat. “Effective immediately, Gregory Powers is no longer employed by Prestige Repertory.”
The crowd broke out in applause and cheers.
“How dare you! You’ll be hearing from my lawyer,” Greg yelled.
“I look forward to it,” replied the board president.
Greg opened his mouth but was at a loss for words. A first since Zoe had met him.
“Go home, Greg,” Derek shouted.
The crowd roared as if Derek had made a three-point basket to beat the buzzer. Soon chants of “Go home, Greg!” chased the
man away from the platform. He tried to disappear into the crowd, but the news crews ran after him.
“We did it,” Th ? o said as she hugged Katie Mai. “It worked!”
Zoe grinned. When she’d suggested the walkout, it was a shot in the dark. But seeing Greg run away with his tail between his
legs had been icing on the cake.
“Hey, you,” she whispered to Derek as their friends high-fived and hugged one another, “Kiss me again.”