Chapter 16
Drea stood on the red carpet under the Orpheum Theater’s marquee, trying to stay warm as she waited.
This was either going to be okay, maybe even good, or a total bust. Either way, she was excited to spend more time with Cassie and hoped she hadn’t overstepped.
She saw Cassie’s hair before the rest of her, a flash of brilliance against the gray day, though she took a moment to appreciate the rest of her as she approached in a red calf-length wool coat with large black buttons down to her knees.
It was something she had noticed about Cassie over the last few months.
There was a brightness to her beyond the bold lipstick and colorful hair and even the pops of color she had begun to associate as Cassie’s style.
She knew Cassie had been through some tough times in her past, but she led with optimism.
Drea was known for her humor, for better or worse, but optimism had always eluded her.
“Are we doing what I think we’re doing?” Cassie asked, and Drea couldn’t tell from her tone if it was a good or bad reaction.
“That’s up to you. The Nutcracker is playing. I haven’t seen it since my parents dragged me here when I was a kid, but I thought it might be cool to see it again if you—”
“Yes!” Cassie did a little dance of joy on the sidewalk.
Drea laughed. Why was Cassie’s happiness suddenly so contagious? A lightness filled Drea as Cassie bounced with barely contained excitement.
“Come on!” Cassie linked her arm in Drea’s and nearly ran to the main doors.
Drea could only smile. She wasn’t even bothered by the bold move.
They found their seats at the front of the balcony just right of center stage.
Cassie took off her coat, and the sage cap-sleeve lace bodice underneath tipped its hat so well to lingerie that Drea’s mouth went dry.
A funky purple belt accentuated Cassie’s waist before the dress flared at the bottom.
As Cassie settled into her seat and crossed her legs, Drea caught a glimpse of brown leather boots with laces extending as far as she could see.
Damn it. Sexy boots were Drea’s kryptonite.
She glanced around the theater trying to get her mind on anything else.
Massive burgundy curtains concealed the stage below an intricately carved sign that read “Orpheum,” which reminded her of the sculptures on Mardi Gras floats.
The opulence struck her. Though she had hated going to stuffy places with her parents, being here with Cassie allowed her to see it in a new light.
Not as a place to be seen, but as a place to appreciate art and culture.
Her eyes drifted up to the ceiling where a huge dome light that could best be described as a huge boob stared back at her.
She glanced around to find it surrounded by a bunch of smaller boobs. What the . . . ?
“What are you looking at?”
Cassie’s expression was so innocent, she figured there was no way that trying to explain it would come out right. But it wasn’t only her, right? Were other people seeing this? “Oh, just checking out the scenery.”
“It’s pretty impressive, huh? I never got to perform in as nice a theater as this, but I always loved the grandeur, even the musty smell, when I went to see shows in fancy theaters.”
She hadn’t noticed the musty smell because the scent of Cassie’s lavender perfume had enveloped her senses ever since they sat down.
The lights flickered a warning and Cassie’s eyes lit up. “It’s starting.”
A few moments later, the lights went dark and the orchestra started to play as the curtains parted, revealing an intricate set design that caught Drea’s eye.
Ballet dancers glided across the stage and Drea sat back in her seat at an angle so she could see Cassie’s reaction.
Cassie leaned forward, taking in each dancer as they moved across the stage, the intensity and wonder in her eyes pleasing Drea almost as much as the corners of her mouth twisted up in a permanent smile.
Drea recognized several of the musical pieces, a soundtrack to the holidays she had almost forgotten, and while the dancing was entertaining, especially when children joined the adults, she was as taken by the elaborate sets that she had somehow missed when watching it as a child.
But the best part was seeing Cassie’s delight.
She was mesmerized the entire night, unable to rip her attention from the stage, even moving subtly to different pieces, which made Drea smile.
When the final note rang out and the curtain closed, Drea felt a pang of sadness to see it end, more for Cassie than herself.
But when Cassie turned to her, there was no sadness in her eyes, only joy and longing for a time remembered.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I can’t even explain how much that meant to me.”
They shuffled through the crowd, finally emptying out onto the sidewalk, the early evening darker than it should be underneath a dreary sky. She didn’t want to say goodbye just yet, and Cassie seemed to feel the same as they stood awkwardly together in the cold as people bustled past.
“Would you like to walk?” Drea asked.
“Okay.” Cassie smiled.
They meandered a few blocks and waited as a streetcar screeched to a stop on the tracks, the distorted voice through the speaker announcing “St. Charles Avenue.”
Drea turned to Cassie. “What was up with all those kids? Is it always like that?”
Cassie laughed. “No, the playbill said over one hundred local kids were involved. I thought it was cute though.”
“Is that what little Cassie was like?” She tried to imagine what Cassie might have been like as a child, but only came up with a blend of a sweet and innocent kid with bright purple hair.
Cassie seemed to ponder the question. “No, little Cassie was very serious about ballet. I think these kids were just enjoying themselves.”
Drea considered that for a moment, still struggling to meld the two Cassies in her mind.
“Do you need to be anywhere?” Cassie asked.
“Not that I’m aware of. Why?” Drea plunged her hands deeper into her wool pockets, the military-inspired cut of her short coat more stylish than warm.
“I was rushing earlier today and missed lunch. Would you want to grab something to eat?”
“Sure.” The thought of spending more time together warmed her.
She enjoyed getting to know Cassie better, especially without work or wedding planning looming over them.
As her brain tried to push her on why for the millionth time, she pushed back.
She just wanted to enjoy this for what it was, a nice day with a cool woman. Couldn’t that be enough?
Cassie looked around them. “I don’t actually know what’s good in this part of town.”
“I don’t live too far from here. I know a good place if you don’t mind walking a few more blocks.” She nodded down the road. “We can cut through the square.” A gust of wind blew her hair in front of her eyes and she ran her hand through it, pushing back the unruly curls.
“Lead the way.”
They cut through Lafayette Square, a few daring souls braving the cold as well, as they followed the brick path past the statues before the buildings closed in on them again.
Drea stopped in front of a bustling hole-in-the-wall.
The modern industrial vibe of wood and metal appealed to her.
She had always resonated with the mix of natural, warm tones and steel.
Inside, a wall of wine bottles hinted toward the hip, upscale scene downtown, but Drea liked the food, and despite the appearances it was one of the more casual places in the area.
The hostess showed them to a small booth and Drea shrugged out of her wool coat, glad to be out of the cold.
“Have you lived downtown long?” Cassie asked as the waiter handed them menus.
“A few years. I grew up in Uptown near Sam, and she was not happy when I decided to relocate.”
“Aw, I’m sure she misses you. Y’all are pretty close, huh?”
Despite the warmth in Cassie’s tone and demeanor, the question struck a nerve as Drea remembered how things used to be when they were kids, then teenagers, then adults even when she moved down here.
But the past year had felt like things were turning and no matter what she tried, the momentum wasn’t on her side. She nodded, not knowing what to say.
“Were you born here?” Cassie asked.
“No. Baton Rouge. We moved here when I was in middle school. That’s when I stormed into Sam’s life.” She smiled remembering how awkward and quiet Sam had been when they first met.
Cassie smiled. “I bet you were a pair.”
“When did you arrive from the North?” She rotated her hand in a grand gesture.
“At the beginning of high school. Molly and Eva thought a change of scenery might be good for us.”
Drea dropped her gaze to the table, the slight change in Cassie’s tone making her wish she didn’t always bring up troubling memories from the past.
“It’s weird,” Cassie continued. “I’ve lived here fifteen years now, but I just have my small group of people. You seem to know a lot of people, from art school and everything.” Her voice trailed off.
“I think a lot of people know of me without really knowing me, ya know?” Drea smiled, though the words were truer than she wanted to admit. Maybe that’s why Cassie intrigued her so much. She seemed to see into the real Drea sometimes, no matter how hard Drea tried to keep her walls up.
“Do you wish it were different?” Cassie’s tone was low and the intensity in her eyes jump-started Drea’s heart rate.