I let my head fall back and stared up at the black ceiling. I wasn’t going to make it. There was no way.
“This won’t make you unhear what she just said but maybe it’ll help.”
I looked up and saw Ben holding out a to-go cup of what I could smell was a delicious coffee. I took it greedily and inhaled almost desperately. “You’re an angel.”
“Hardly, sweetheart. That would imply my intentions were pure.” He winked, letting me know what he was insinuating, and then angled his strong body towards the stage. “I’m going to start painting some of the scenery. Good luck.”
I watched him go and took a large swallow of the too-hot coffee and let the burn keep my attention off the broad back and firm ass Ben was sporting. My heart beat faster, just enough to let me know that I was in trouble. How the stupid thing in my chest could go from beating faster for no one to beating faster for three different men was diabolical.
“Are you even paying attention to Tommy?” His mom was twisted around again, face hard. “He deserves the same attention you gave everyone else. He doesn’t deserve less because he has eczema, Miss Morgan.”
Back to reality. I blew out a deep breath and sat forward. “I can assure you that Tommy won’t be treated differently by me because of a skin condition.”
“I heard Mrs. White at the high school already has the kids assigned to characters and they’re already running through their play.” Samantha Green, once again running to pour salt into my wounds. “I’m just saying…”
I stood up, drained the coffee, and forced myself to become the play director that I hadn’t wanted to be. “Alright! We’re going to finish the auditions in a way that lets everyone show their best while also taking into consideration time and other priorities you guys might have. Whoever hasn’t auditioned yet, line up by the stage.”
Two hours later I collapsed in a chair still warm from one of the parents who’d been there for hours. I glanced over my shoulder as the door shut with a finality that came too late. The last parent had finally taken mercy on me and left. My brain was tired. The rest of me was wired from the coffee and adrenaline of wrangling too many parents for too many hours.
The auditorium was a world of its own, windowless and timeless because of it. I wasn’t sure if it was an hour after final dismissal or six. I was too afraid to look at my phone to check. The day had wiped me. I wasn’t sure if I could even get the energy to stand up, much less gather Oliver and drive us home.
The sound of a book hitting the stage floor drew my attention and I saw that Oliver and Beth were still silently sitting off to one side of the stage, their books finally losing appeal over staring at me. Both of their gazes stayed on me, each watching me like I was a failed science experiment.
I heaved myself up with a grunt and forced a tired smile. “What are you two looking at? Do I have something on my face? Is it dinner? Because I could eat.”
Beth giggled and shook her head. “You were making the sounds my grandpa makes when he sits down in his chair.”
I heard a strangled laugh come from behind the stage and my energy suddenly peaked again. In all the soul-sucking dealingswith the parents, I’d forgotten that Ben was working on the set somewhere. Close enough to hear his daughter roast me, apparently. I knew it was wrong but I still found myself climbing the steps to join him.
“Can we look around the chairs for hidden treasures?” Beth looked at Oliver with her eyebrows raised. “Want to?”
I saw him nod and smiled. “Go on. Just don’t leave the auditorium. I’m going to see if your dad needs any help. We’ll be able to hear you so just call for us if you need anything.”
Oliver stood up and brought me his book. “Will you hold it? I don’t want Miss Karla to find it and take it.”
A flare of anger went up behind my eyes but I just smiled at him. “Of course.”
Ben was waiting on me in the workspace behind the stage where current and old props shared the cramped space. His smile dimmed slightly when he saw me. “You okay?”
I grunted. “As someone whoisa parent, I feel like I can say this. Parents suck.”
“What can I do?”
That question nearly brought tears to my eyes. Having someone so willing to help me felt like a cool breeze on a scorching summer day. “Just show me around the set you’ve tackled so far. And let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. If you need more hands, I can help or find someone who would actually be helpful and-”
“Callie.” Ben stepped into my space and cupped my cheek. “You’re doing more than enough already. Cole and Luke already offered to help. They just couldn’t get away today. And I can’t exactly say I’m sorry about it.”
I wanted to lean into his hand and purr. After a hellacious day, his touch felt good. Too good. I knew I should’ve pulled away but I just needed his comfort for a few more seconds. “Thank you.”
“Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m not sorry they didn’t come today?”
29
Callie
I looked at the shrinking space between our feet and shrugged. I didn’t want to hear what Ben was going to say but I also desperately wanted to know what he was going to say. Shrugging, I tried to appear unbothered and unaffected.
He slid his hand from my cheek into my hair. “I’m not sorry because it means I get to do this.”
