Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
You may face tough decisions today. Confusion is likely to reign. Wait a couple of days, and then consider your options.
“We’ll stop there for tonight,” Director Hoffman calls rehearsal Tuesday night with a sigh.
Despite his continual look of irritation, the play is starting to come together. Ginny came yesterday to make sure we’re all set for makeup, we’ve been fit for costumes, and the backdrops and props are mostly finalized and in place. It’s starting to feel like we’re going to pull this off.
I know we will, we do every time, but those first few run-throughs off-book always feel like we’re working toward the impossible.
Mila catches my gaze and smiles as he barks out the schedule for the rest of the week.
I playfully roll my eyes at him, and she holds back a laugh.
It’s been fun getting to know her, and she’s fitting right in with everyone.
We get to spend quite a bit of time together since she’s my understudy.
And, just as I assumed, she’s memorized all of her lines with no problem.
Occasionally, Director Hoffman pulls her in so I can work on technique with Dr. Rossen. My timing is still shit, and I’m struggling with my facial expressions in a couple of scenes. Sometimes I feel like I’m the newbie instead of her.
What was I thinking going for such a different role? I will get it, though. I am nothing if not determined.
“A few of us are going out for drinks. Do you want to come?” Mila asks as we’re helping clean up the stage. There’s an orchestra performance tonight, and it’s all hands on deck to transition the space quickly so they can set up.
“No, I can’t. I have plans.”
“Do they involve that cute guy that just walked in?” She nods over my head, and I turn to see Adam waiting for me.
My heart rate kicks up a notch. “They do.”
Her smile is big and genuine. “Is that your boyfriend?”
“Yep, sure is.” I get butterflies in my stomach just talking about him. I’m so ridiculously crazy about him. This weekend solidified that more than ever.
Now that I’m making eye contact with him, he walks toward me. “You ready?”
“Almost.”
“Go,” Mila says. “I’ll cover for you.”
“Really?”
She nods and waves me off.
“Thanks.” I jump down from the stage.
Adam takes my backpack and slips it over one shoulder. “How was rehearsal?”
I kiss him hello. “Not as bad as yesterday, but not good. Your girlfriend might be the laughingstock of Valley University after this show.”
“No chance.” His reassurance is endearing, if not totally unfounded. “Do you want to stay and practice or rehearse, whatever you call it? I can read lines or something.”
“That’s sweet of you to offer, but the theater is booked tonight for an orchestra performance.” I loop my arm through his. “Feed me?”
“That I can do.”
After dinner, we shut ourselves in Adam’s room to work. He’s got his laptop in front of him; eyes scrunched together in hard concentration.
“How’s the speech coming?” I ask.
He looks up and blows out a breath. “It’s crap. I know it’s crap, and I can’t seem to fix it.”
“Do you want me to read it and see if I can help?”
“Uh-uh.” He shakes his head adamantly. “Not until it’s done. It’s too rough.”
Adam’s funny that way. Never wanting people to see his rough draft of anything. Yet, somehow he accepts me in all my unpolished glory.
He took the whole catching me in a wedding dress thing way better than I thought he would. He even made Dakota send him the picture she snapped with me in it.
Things are good with us, and that’s scary. It takes a lot to trust that someone is going to be there for you no matter what. I don’t have a lot of those people in my life, but I’m starting to think Adam might be one of them.
“I’m sure that you’re being too hard on yourself. What would you say to the guys if you were in the locker room, down by one, going into the third period?” I ask.
“I don’t even know. Words just sort of come out of my mouth without thought.”
“Like…”
He thinks for a moment. When he speaks, his voice is deep and authoritative. “What d’ya say, boys? What d’ya say? Let’s get that W.”
“That’s it?” I laugh.
He grins sheepishly and shrugs a shoulder. “I told you I wasn’t really that inspiring.”
I raise my arm to show him the goosebumps. “It’s all in the tone, apparently.”
“When I put on the uniform and step onto the ice, it’s different. It’s the one place I feel completely confident in my abilities.”
“I get that. It’s your stage.”
“Yeah, I guess so. Too bad I can’t give my speech there. I hate that so much is riding on this. What if I get up there and freeze or forget what I want to say?”
I climb on top of him and kiss him, hoping some of my confidence in him transfers. I have no doubt he’s capable of doing anything he wants. And I highly doubt his speech is crap, even now when he claims it’s rough.
“Okay.” I pull back before we get carried away. “Back to work. We’ll continue this later.”