Page 51

A LITTLE BIT OF COUNTRY

Chris: Bobby, we need to talk ASAP.

Bobby: I hear Dad invited you to dinner.

Chris: How much am I screwing up your life?

Bobby: Screwing up? I’ve gotten two muffin baskets to celebrate.

Bobby: At this rate, I won’t fit in my overalls.

Chris: You could just go without them :)

Bobby: One way or another, we’ll talk tonight.

His last text appeared ominous. I knew we had to talk about damage control, but I couldn’t stop imagining him with his overalls around his ankles. Though the thought of him nuzzling behind me, his arm holding me in place, wasn’t a bad thought either. Bobby, what the heck were you doing to me?

“You made it!”

I stood at the entrance to the theater. It wasn’t big but held a respectable two hundred seats.

There were kids everywhere on the stage, none of them rehearsing.

A kid was on all fours wearing a dark fur pelt, and jumping up at a girl wearing pixie wings.

Sets always looked like chaos until the director wrangled the actors, but this nearly gave me an anxiety attack.

“Kids in school on a Saturday? It seems like this play is a big deal.”

“Yeah, it is.” Laurel’s hair had been pinned in a bun, but with every step, it fell out. I respected teachers, but with the tired expression on her face, I would rather do my own stunts. “Not that I needed the extra pressure. Last thing I need is the whole town giving me grief.”

“What exactly do you need from me?”

Her jaw was slack, and her eyes were barely in focus. “Everything?”

First suggestion, Laurel needed to switch to decaf and get a massage.

I turned her around and guided her down the aisle toward the stage.

As we got closer, I thought the kids would turn around and start with the shock and awe of an actor.

Consider me humbled when I cleared my throat, and they looked at me and then went back to their conversations.

“Direction seats,” Laurel yelled.

The kids froze. When she didn’t back down, all the kids moved to the edge of the stage, plopping down. Except for Nana—the kid playing the Darlings’ dog remained in character, barking his approval. Method acting—I supported his dedication to the role.

“We have a real-life actor from Hollywood here.”

I gave a wave. They were more brutal than the New York Times movie critic. Their eyes were less than impressed. If I came in with an ego, two dozen pairs of eyes put me in my place. All except for Nana, who arfed a few times. I’d take it as approval.

“Your director asked me to come in and see if I could help.” Don’t let them smell fear. If I flinched, I was pretty sure they’d drag me into a dark corner, and I’d never be found again. “Do you think you could run a couple of scenes? I’d love to see how awesome you all are.”

“I am awesome,” said the future diva with pixie wings.

“Let’s start with the first scene in Neverland. And Eric, can we not shoot Wendy with a real arrow again?”

A boy’s face turned red as he hid inside his shirt. “Sorry,” he said.

“What about us?” Three boys at the end of the row were wearing tunics. I didn’t need to ask; we had Hook, Mr. Smee, and one of their pirate crew. The kid with a fake beard had me cracking a smile.

“Can you help with the set painting? We’ll run your scene next.”

The kids hopped to their feet. I spotted a teenager in the background helping usher the kids to their starting locations. Laurel needed all the help she could get. How did teachers control their classrooms? I followed her to a seat, where she handed me a clipboard and notebook.

“You’re officially part of the team.”

“I… uh…”

“Too late. I’m not letting you go. You’re the only other adult here. These kids are going to eat me alive.”

“Aren’t you a teacher?”

“Theater kids.” Her eyes widened. “They’re at a different level.”

I wondered if my directors said that about me. Did they walk to their trailers and breathe a sigh of relief that I wasn’t mangling a script or making suggestions? When I got back to the house, I’d need to send some thank-you emails.

The lone teen chased Nana across the stage.

“No matter how it goes, they are cute.” I grabbed the pen from the clipboard and flipped open the notebook.

If Laurel needed help, I’d do my best to give some feedback.

I bet, more than anything, she needed confidence that she had it under control.

I’d give the kids a pep talk, and then she’d get her own.

“Bobby?”

I leaned forward, holding the clipboard up to block the stage lights. I couldn’t be sure it was him, not while he hid behind a collection of cardboard trees. What were the chances I’d bump into him at a play? Okay… after being here for a while, I understood the foolishness of that question.

“It is.”

Bobby had green paint smeared across his face, streaking his beard. He wore a baseball cap backward, and I couldn’t ignore my pulse quickening. I wanted to see him in his element, being the lovable man everybody spoke about.

The trio of pirates helped him carry the fake foliage across the stage. When he got in line behind Captain Hook, trees high above his head, I stifled a laugh. He might outweigh them, but Bobby was a big kid.

“Really? Gawking?”

I turned to see Laurel’s face contorted in disgust. It surprised me I’d get a reaction like that from a younger woman. Meanwhile, the three senior citizens in the park celebrated my relationship. It was bound to happen.

“I can gawk at whoever I want.”

“You—”

“Besides, that’s a mighty fine-looking man up there.”

She retched as if she might hurl. Okay, I expected some pushback in a small town. It wouldn’t taint my experience, but I wouldn’t let this stand.

“What’s your??—”

“Ew. That’s my brother.”

No. I had a better chance of winning the Maine State Lottery… without a ticket. There was no way I fell into a trap with Abraham and now wedged my foot in my mouth with Laurel. I was about to stand and ask if any of the kids were his third cousin twice removed… I think that’s how that worked.

She shivered. “Somebody finds my brother… my big brother, attractive?” She shook her head, refusing to accept it. “Is this going to be how it goes when you come over for dinner?”

“You…” I wanted to ask how she knew about dinner, but I had learned to bite my tongue. Abraham could have texted her the moment I turned my back. Though, after meeting the trio of men, I bet Walter or Harvey had whipped out their phones to partake in the town gossip.

“It might be.” I couldn’t help but admire him as he danced about, holding paintbrushes high above his assistants. “You have to admit, he’s quite the handsome man.”

She didn’t gag at the comment. “I’m going to avoid thinking of the two of you in a sweaty heap swapping spit.” Well, that got graphic. “But since you showed up… he’s been different.”

I hardly knew the man, and we hadn’t spent a lot of time together. Was he playing up the relationship like me? After talking to Abraham, I got the impression that this ruse benefited both of us. He had done me a solid favor, and if I could return the gesture, I would.

“How so?”

“Nicky, stop licking Jonas.” Teachers deserved all the money in the world. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve seen him smile? I didn’t know he had those muscles. Having you around is good for him.”

I made him smile? I put a hand to my chest, leaning back in my chair.

When was the last time I made somebody smile?

Sure, I entertained people in movies, but this had nothing to do with my notoriety.

To be fair, he had the same effect on me.

Bobby had opened a can of paint and had the tiny pirates working on the tree trunks.

“He makes me smile, too.” It wasn’t a lie.

“Of course, now I need to give you the obligatory little sister speech.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

“If you hurt my brother, I will track you down and string you up by your ankles.”

“Heard.”

She shook her head. “You don’t seem to understand. I’ve been hunting with my dad since I could lift a rifle. I can track deer in a snowstorm. Anybody who hurts my brother should be scared.”

Well, when she put it like that, yes, I was scared. “Also… heard… ma’am.”

She gave me a quick pat on the thigh. “Good. Now stop undressing my brother with your eyes, and let’s make sure Pan doesn’t fall off the stage… again.”

I wanted to focus on the kids, but I couldn’t help but glance at Bobby.

His laughter cut through the auditorium.

Yes, the thought of him naked always wandered back into my head.

Hearing his father and sister talk about him, he continued turning into more than a distracting romp.

Who was this man that the town loved? Maybe it was time I found out more about my boyfriend.

“We’re taking it from the top,” Laurel shouted.

I scribbled ‘Notes’ across the top of my notebook. Let’s make some magic.

I gave another wave as a kid climbed into his mom’s car.

They had proven themselves to be a complete disaster.

They forgot lines and entrance cues, and I’m pretty sure Tinkerbell bit one of the Lost Boys.

Despite the chaos, I hadn’t realized how much I enjoyed sitting on that side of the stage.

I gave them pep talks, suggested some homework, and, most of all, got them excited to be on stage.

I never thought of myself as a director, but I tucked away that spark of excitement.

“Bye, Mr. Wilde,” shouted Ben, our charismatic Mr. Smee. In the backseat, our Tinkerbell shot me a death glare. I really owed all my former directors a fruit basket.

“They love you.” Bobby stood behind me, letting me hide the smile. “Except for Lacy, but I don’t think she likes anybody. At least she didn’t bite you.”

“I hope that girl has her shots.” When he put a hand on the small of my back, it’d be impossible to hide the smile. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.”