Page 42 of Don’t Love the Boy Next Door (Hotties Next Door #2)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Katie

Tonight is the night.

I pace around the girls’ dressing room, every part of me so wound up I think I might snap. Taking in a deep breath, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. Seeing how Belle’s blue dress and wig fit me perfectly makes me smile.

The other girls in the room talk animatedly as they finish getting ready.

As excited as I am, I feel like I’m going to puke.

I’ve been waiting for this night forever, but I don’t know if I can do this.

This isn’t my first musical, but I’ve never been so nervous before.

Maybe because I’ve wanted this so badly I don’t want to mess it up?

But I tell myself to relax. Eric will be up there with me on stage. Phoenix and her family and my dad are in the audience. And my mom is by my side. I can feel her.

“Ten minutes to Act One!” Miss Diaz calls.

My pep talk just flies out the window. Oh my gosh, how am I going to do this?

“Katie?” Gabby calls as she turns away from the door, holding a huge bouquet of roses in her arms. “These came for you.”

“What?” I take them from her, fishing out the card.

Break a leg, Katie. You’re the most amazing, most talented person in the world.

Love, Eric

A huge smile captures my lips. My nerves and anxiety vanish into thin air.

“Are those from Eric?” Gabby asks. “That’s so sweet.”

After carefully laying them on the table, I make my way out of the girls’ dressing room and into the guys’. I knock, and Dan, who plays Gaston, answers. “Hey, Katie.”

“Hey. Is Eric in there?”

“Sure. Come in.” He widens the door.

All the guys are dressed and ready to go. Eric sits in front of a mirror, murmuring some of his lines out loud. I sprint over to him and press a kiss to his cheek.

He twists around and smiles at me. “Katie.”

Taking his hands, I pull him out of the chair and wrap my arms around him. “Thanks for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”

“ You’re beautiful.”

“ You are,” I say, tangling my hands in his.

“I was so nervous, but your gift chased it away. Thanks so much for being in my life.” I stand on my tippy-toes and close my mouth over his.

A few of the guys whoop, but I don’t pay attention to them.

All that matters is showing this amazing guy how much he means to me.

He’s changed my life, made me a better person.

A little voice in the back of my head reminds me I’m probably ruining my makeup, but who cares about that right now?

“I love you,” I whisper.

His eyes search mine. Then he presses a sweet kiss on my lips. “I love you, Katie.”

“Places!” Miss Diaz calls. “Places! Katie, what are you doing here?”

I quickly remove myself from Eric and slip out of the room. I hurry back to the girls’ room and touch up my makeup. Then…then I get ready for one of the biggest moments of my life.

***

“Bravo!” Phoenix cheers as she and Ethan pile into the girls’ dressing room, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. “Or is it brava?”

Most of the other kids have already left. I’ve been sitting at the table for who knows how long, reliving the last two hours over and over. Because tonight was one of the best nights of my life.

I met my dad backstage, and he couldn’t stop hugging me. I know this is the start of a new relationship between us.

“You, Eric, and the rest of the cast and crew were fire!” Phoenix says as she throws her arms around me. “Your best performance yet.”

“You killed it out there,” Ethan says with a smile. “Both of you. Where’s my brother, anyway?”

“Someone call for me?” Eric says as he steps into the room.

“Eric!” Phoenix throws her arms around him, too. “You and Katie were magic out there. Spellbinding. You had so much chemistry and such a deep connection, it’s like you weren’t even acting.” She winks.

Eric and I smile at each other.

“As excited and high as I feel right now, I’m kind of glad it’s over. But sad, too.” Eric’s eyebrows wrinkle. “I don’t know, I feel a lot of mixed emotions.”

“That’s normal,” I assure him as I get up from my chair. “You’re happy it’s over because of all the stress, but you’re sad, too. It’s bittersweet.”

“Well, this definitely calls for a celebration,” Phoenix says. “Who’s up for some pizza?”

“Pizza,” I breathe. “That sounds perfect.”

“I’m starving,” Eric says with a chuckle. “I couldn’t get anything down before the performance.”

I slide my hands into his as we follow Phoenix and Ethan out of the dressing room. Some of my castmates and crew are still out there, and we congratulate each other on a good job.

“I had the most amazing time with you,” Eric says as he squeezes my hand. “Too bad we won’t be able to do it again.”

“It’s okay. You focus on the band. Speaking of which, do we have practice tomorrow night?”

“We can take the night off,” he says as he gets into his car, with me in the passenger seat. Ethan and Phoenix are cuddled in each other’s arms in the back. “Although…we may have a gig coming up.”

Every part of me brightens. “Really?”

He nods, a large smiling breaking out on his face. “I’m so glad the fans haven’t abandoned us. They still believe in us.”

“Because you guys are amazing,” Phoenix says.

“And with Katie back with us, nothing can stand in our way,” Ethan says.

We chat about the performance on the way to the pizza place. Ethan and Phoenix can’t stop gushing how amazing it was. Ethan tells us he’s really starting to enjoy theater now.

“We brought someone to the dark side,” I joke.

We all laugh.

Then we park in the pizza shop’s lot and choose a booth in the back.

“This place is cool,” Eric says as he looks around.

Phoenix gapes at him, then at her boyfriend. “Are you telling me you’ve lived in Mayburn for almost two months and have never come here?”

“We’ve had pizza from other places,” Ethan says.

“Oh my gosh, this is the biggest crime in the world.”

“Definitely,” I add with a laugh. “Once you eat from here, you won’t be able to eat any other pizza ever again in your life.”

Ethan gets all giddy. “Okay, now I’m excited.”

“Aww, it’s so cute how much you love food.” Phoenix nuzzles his nose.

“It’s so cute how much you love food,” he says as he sneaks a kiss on her cheek. “I still remember how you scrarfed down all the snack at our first band rehearsal.”

She throws her hands on her hips. “I did not scarf down anything.”

“You did,” he says as he taps her nose. “And you were the cutest thing.”

She glares at him. He presses a kiss to her lips. She continues glaring at him. He gives her another kiss. She rolls her eyes. “You’re lucky you’re a good kisser. But don’t think you can just make up after our fights by kissing me.”

He grins. “We’ll see.”

The pizza arrives, and it looks so mouth-watering. We waste no time digging in and talking about various topics.

As we finish off our food, Phoenix smiles at us. “I can’t believe how far we’ve all come. Katie and Eric are finally together—”

“Hey,” I say.

“Ethan finally admitted he liked me—”

“ You were the one who admitted you had feelings for me —”

“And now we’re all happy,” she says with another smile.

Ethan gazes at her with love shining in his eyes. “You mean so much to me, Phoenix. You’re the most frustrating, mesmerizing, amazing person I’ve ever met. You’re my soulmate, and I love you.”

She smiles. “You’re my soulmate, too, Ethan. And I love you more.” They kiss.

Eric and I look at each other. He strokes my hair. “You’re the best thing that could have happened to me, Katie. I love you so much and can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“You’re the best thing that could have happened to me, too. My soulmate. I love you, Eric, and can’t wait to spend every moment with you.”

We press our lips together.