Chapter Eight
As Dan pulled into the school car park his eyes flew automatically to the blue Mini with the Union Jack roof. Anna’s car.
Anna who liked to dance on his feet, who was a surprising giggler once she got going, and who’d felt so right in his arms last night, it had terrified him.
Not because he was scared to follow through, but because he was scared he wanted it too much.
Pete, for all his fussy, irritating advice was, on this occasion, annoyingly right.
He didn’t want to break anyone’s heart, not Anna’s, not his own.
Starting anything with a widow, who had a child and who lived a four-hour drive away from him simply wasn’t sensible at any time.
It especially wasn’t sensible now, when his life felt like a steaming pile of cow dung, his career was going down the plughole and the one relationship he wanted more than anything else, that with his son, seemed totally out of reach.
So yes, his life was messy enough without adding any more complications. His priorities were to find a way to reach his son, and get himself a job.
He was, as he’d reluctantly told Anna last night, going to be good.
Yet when he walked towards the staffroom, he couldn’t help but glance into Anna’s office.
Though she was on the phone, she caught his eye and smiled.
When he found himself unable to do anything but smile back he realised his life up here, away from London, away from the stinking cowpat, was like a bubble of hope.
A glimpse of possibilities that were out of reach, but a welcome distraction from real life.
A short while later he sat in the hall with Anna and Sid, the sound of the tables and chairs being tidied up after lunch echoing around them. They’d asked the kids who wanted to be in the play to stay behind to run through a few scenes.
As Sid handed out the sheet of lines to the ragtag group and talked them through what he wanted them to do, Anna leant towards Dan and whispered, ‘Bet you’ve not been to a casting session quite like this before.’
Christ, the delicious floral smell of her — roses, he thought, on a fresh summer day.
Tingles shot through him from the slightest press of her body against his side.
He had to forcibly remind himself they were in a school hall, surrounded by kids.
‘I’ve not been to a casting session where actors pick their noses quite so vigorously, no. ’
Her eyes widened, then she burst out laughing. ‘That suggests actors do pick their noses.’
He grinned. ‘When you’re left hanging round for long enough, you’ll do anything for entertainment.’ His eyes spotted a few familiar faces. ‘I see Maisie and her sidekick are here.’
‘Priti. Maisie’s best friend is Priti.’ Anna gave him an awkward smile. ‘Maisie so wants to be in the play but I’ll leave it up to you and Sid to decide which part she gets. She thinks it’s going to be funny as you’re writing it.’
‘Of course it’s going to be funny.’ But because he found it hard not be honest with this lady who seemed to see through him, he added, ‘It’ll be funnier than A Christmas Carol, anyway.
’ He frowned as he noticed the boy leaning against the wall, arms and legs crossed in a sort of gunslinger casual pose.
Credit where credit was due, it was a hard look for a nine-year-old to carry off, but he was nailing it.
‘What’s Riley doing here? He told me acting was for pansies. ’
She hiccupped out a laugh. ‘Did he? I told him to turn up. Said I’d let him off detention if he took part.’
‘Jeeze, lady, are you trying to sabotage my play?’
She arched a brow. ‘Whose play?’
Ah. Funny how he’d started feeling an ownership for it, now he’d nearly written it. ‘Fine, your play.’
‘Our play,’ she corrected and, he wasn’t going to lie, the phrase caught him somewhere in the chest. ‘As for Riley, sometimes the kids who act up just need someone to show them a bit of faith. Riley finds the traditional subjects tough, so he loses interest and mucks around. Find the thing he can shine in, and it could be the making of him.’
He thought of his days at this very school. Maybe he and Riley had something in common. ‘You think his thing is acting?’
She smiled. ‘We won’t know if we don’t get him to try. Did you always know you wanted to act?’
‘Only when I realised rehearsals got me out of maths lessons.’ It was true enough. He’d been useless academically, but because his parents had been actors he’d sort of fallen into it.
His reply gifted him another smile and, sad sod that he was, that’s exactly how they felt to him. Gifts to lift his soggy spirits. ‘Riley won’t be that lucky. Then again, he’s going to be helped by a real actor, so maybe his luck will come in a different way.’
‘Real actor?’ He searched her face for traces of amusement, irony, sarcasm, but he couldn’t find any.
‘Real actors tread the boards on Broadway and appear on Hollywood posters. I’m a TV actor.
Was a TV actor.’ Shit, what was he, now he’d been axed?
An out-of-work actor wasn’t an actor at all, was he?
He might as well say he was an out-of-work astronaut, because he was probably as likely to head to Mars as he was to act on TV again.
‘Dan, are you okay?’
At her concerned glance he shook himself out of his funk. ‘Just preparing myself for the next twenty minutes.’ Once again he searched the group of kids. ‘I don’t see Taran.’
‘No. He’s probably too shy to want a spot in the limelight.’
‘Are you saying all actors are overly confident exhibitionists?’
She bit into her lip. ‘Maybe?’
He tutted. ‘Most of us are crazily insecure. We hide behind the part and always believe what we’re doing isn’t nearly good enough.’ Belatedly he realised he’d started talking about himself. And from the surprised look she gave him, she’d probably sussed that, too.
Thankfully Sid plonked himself down on the chair next to him.
‘Right, you horrible lot.’ It was clearly his stock-in-trade term for addressing them.
Considering how much hassle he’d got over the word guys, Dan had to take his hat off to Sid.
‘I want you to stand in front of us, one group at a time, and read the lines I’ve highlighted for you. ’
Priti stared back at them, wide-eyed. ‘Is this like a proper audition?’
‘Why don’t we ask the actor? He must have done a few.’ Sid started to chuckle. ‘And by all accounts he’ll have to do a few more now.’
‘Thanks, Sid.’ The words, harmless in their intention, touched nerves already so raw they were weeping.
‘In auditions, you’re given lines to say, just like here.
The big difference is we’re only trying to work out which role would suit you best. You’ll all get a part.
’ Whereas he was back to the merry-go-round of auditions and disappointments.
Getting his hopes up, only to have them kicked from under him.
He caught Anna looking at him and pasted a smile on his face. ‘Right then. Who’s first up to impress the hel . . . heck out of us?’
* * *
He was good with children, Anna realised as she watched Dan talk through the play with them.
The knowledge came as a surprise, given the press reports she’d seen about him not wanting to see his own child.
He didn’t have Sid’s years of experience in how to control them, but he did have a real knack of holding their attention, making them laugh.
Inspiring them, if she read the look on her daughter’s face correctly.
Even Riley, who’d turned up not wanting to be in it, was now asking questions about the role of Sedgwick, the head teacher in Dan’s nearly finished play.
Nearly, but not quite, though they only had six weeks to go until they were due to perform it.
She refused to panic. He’d promised it would be finished by the end of this week. Just as he was now promising the wide-eyed group in front of him that he’d be here next Tuesday and Wednesday if any of them wanted extra help with their lines during lunch or after school, outside the rehearsals.
It was all going to be fine.
Except he was only doing this because a month ago he’d been caught by the press going on benders. Not exactly the actions of a man she should trust.
‘When do we know which part we’ve got?’ Riley sat on the stage, kicking his legs back and forward, as if he didn’t care what the answer was.
But she’d seen the gleam in his eye.
‘Mr Humphrey will let you know tomorrow,’ Dan replied, looking obscenely good today in his check shirt and dark navy trousers which neatly showed off his . . . she halted the thought, ashamed to be ogling his bum.
‘And Sedgwick is the useless head, right?’ Riley prompted.
‘Correct. The main speaking parts are the head who can’t control staff or pupils.
’ Dan shot her a wicked smile that managed to shoot sparks through her despite the for God’s sake, act your age lecture she’d just given herself.
‘Obviously the part isn’t based on anyone we know,’ he added, his sexy voice edged with amusement.
‘There’s also a teacher who thinks he’s putting a play on Broadway rather than the local school, and a second teacher who tries to help but is really forgetful.
Then there are the parts of the kids who play Mary and Joseph.
They’re the ones trying to pull the play together, no thanks to the terrible teachers.
Are there any more questions?’ When they shook their heads, he jumped to his feet.
‘Okay then. I’ll see you next week for our first go through of the play, and remember those extra sessions for anyone who wants to drop by.
Now, about your homework.’ At the horrified gasp, Dan burst out laughing.
‘Hey, I’m kidding. I never did homework so I’m not going to set you any. ’
‘You didn’t hear that,’ Anna interrupted, grateful to be able to give him a stern look.
‘I should add,’ he continued, following a rueful smile in her direction, ‘that not doing homework was really stupid.’
‘But you did all right.’ Riley nodded towards the car park. ‘Saw your Porsche out there.’
Anna held her breath, wondering how Dan was going to get out of this one. He gave Riley an easy smile. ‘Sure, but if I’d worked harder at school who knows, it could have been a Lamborghini.’
Anna rolled her eyes at him as the children all rushed out to the playground to grab the last ten minutes of lunchtime. ‘I guess I should say good catch.’
He laughed softly. ‘Thanks, but you really want to shove me in detention for not doing my homework.’
‘Something like that.’
‘I blame this place.’ His eyes scanned the hall with its wooden floor, climbing frame tucked against the wall, chairs and tables now stacked neatly by the serving hatch. ‘It brings out the kid in me.’
‘You’re telling me that when you’re away from here, you’re the model of decorum and responsibility?’
Oh God, that smile, the wicked gleam in his eyes. It was no wonder he’d woken all her hormones. ‘You’ve got me there.’ His eyes flickered towards Sid, who was making notes on a pad. ‘Any suggestions for who should get which role, before Sid and I sit down to go through it?’
‘Only that I’d like to trust Riley with the part of head teacher.’
Dan nodded. ‘Yeah, me too. For a kid who said he wasn’t interested, he sure put his all into those lines.’ He hesitated, waiting for Sid to join them. ‘There’s one boy who didn’t turn up today who I think would be brilliant.’
‘Taran?’ she guessed.
Sid snorted. ‘Put him on stage and he’d freeze like a baby deer staring at a set of car headlights.’
‘Or maybe he’d act.’ Dan lifted his shoulders in a casual shrug, but Anna wasn’t deceived. The intensity of his expression told her this was important to him.
‘We can only put him in the play if he wants to be in it,’ Anna reminded him.
‘Sure, but can I have a quiet chat with him? See how the land lies?’
She glanced at Sid, who gave her a the guy hasn’t a clue about school plays look. ‘Suit yourself. I’m off to the gents. Be back in a jiffy.’
Anna was about to tell Dan she’d talk to Taran herself, when the boy himself appeared in the hall, his big brown eyes searching them out.
‘Hey, I was looking for you.’ Dan wandered over, perching on a nearby chair so he wasn’t towering over him. ‘Have you come about being in the play?’
Taran nodded, once.
‘Do you want to be in it?’
Again Taran nodded.
‘Will you read a couple of lines to us?’
Anna didn’t hold out much hope when she watched the sheet of lines shake violently in Taran’s hands. But when he spoke, she did a double take.
‘Wow,’ she whispered.
Dan smirked cockily back at her. ‘Maths homework I’m lousy at, but I can spot an actor.’
‘You’ve convinced me,’ she told Dan as Taran left to go to his classroom. ‘But you have to convince Sid, too.’
Dan’s smile slipped. ‘No sweat.’ Then he started to laugh, well, actually, giggle was a better word for the almost childish mirth that had him holding his sides.
‘Sorry, it’s just with Sid, I’m not sure no sweat is an option.
’ Before she could chastise him for taking the mickey out one of her staff, he held up his hand.
‘I know, I know. It’s not something I should make fun of but the man seems happy enough to take potshots at me. ’
‘You can take it.’
He sobered and slid his hands into the pockets of his navy chinos. ‘Sometimes I can.’ The practised smile slipped back into place. ‘Sid and I are catching up after school. I’ll come and say goodbye before I head off if you’re still around.’
‘I will be.’ It was one of the days Val and Bob collected Maisie after school so she could work late.
As she headed back to her office she tried to think about what she needed to do this afternoon.
And not about the conversation she’d had with Dan while they’d waited for the pupils to say their lines.
From telling her actors were insecure, to calling himself a TV actor rather than a real one, to his bleak expression following Sid’s clumsy joke about him having to do more auditions.
All hints that Daniel Ramsey wasn’t nearly as self-assured as he appeared.
Being dropped from the TV show had clearly shaken him.
Sighing, she opened the door to her office. This silly crush would be much easier to deal with if she wasn’t starting to like the man.