Page 39 of Dirty Rotten Cheating Husband

I’d be sure to insist Grayson spent most of his time over where they were supposed to be waving long rainbow ribbons as part of the chorus representing the changes in the seasons.

That would cure him of wanting a baby, I thought savagely.

There was no way rigid, stick-up-his-ass workaholic Grayson actually wanted a family.

One of the boys, a red-headed kid with a frown on his face named Dennis, had attempted to set the stage on fire.

“We’ll see how it goes,” I said sinisterly.

“I’m here to command,” Grayson said promptly.

Just then, two men in their 70s came up to us. One was as tall as the other was short, and they were both still arguing over who had been cast as the Goblin King.

“Clementine, I would beg you to reconsider the casting,” Mr. Perkins the postman said to me. “This gentleman doesn’t have the necessary qualifications to be the Goblin King.”

“I’ve had just about enough of you,” Mr. McDougal the grocery store owner retorted hotly, grabbing the much taller Mr. Perkins by the shirt and shaking him vigorously. “You couldn’t act your way out of a goddamn paper bag!”

They began to grab each other’s throats, shouting and shaking each other.

I gritted my teeth, feeling a headache coming on.

This fight had been going on for many weeks, ever since the regular director had cast the roles, and by this time I was heartily sick of both of them.

But before I could say anything, Grayson pulled the two men apart and suspended them both in the air by the collars.

“Stop!” he ordered sharply. “The parts have already been cast and there will be no switching now.”

They both gaped at him. “Clementine, you didn’t have to bring in security,” Mr. Perkins complained.

“I can’t make him go away, so don’t even bother trying,” I said.

“Now go memorize your lines and don’t bother Clementine,” Grayson warned.

He let both actors go, and Mr. Perkins and Mr. McDougal both scuttled away, looking nervously over their shoulders at him.

I stifled an urge to laugh.

Apparently there was one perk to Grayson Bentley.

Then he whistled sharply. “Quiet! Everyone come over here and listen to Ms. . . Adler.”

I noticed the sudden hesitation in his voice.

“Something wrong with my name?” I hissed at him as all the actors began to file obediently over.

“I preferred your old one,” Grayson said.

I eyed him angrily as he took his place beside a chorus of raindrops and began to go over the boys’ lines with them.

If he was going to play this game, oh I’d play it too. He couldn’t chicken me out of this.

If he wanted to be the Fairy Frogmother, he was going to be the most conspicuous 6 foot 6 Fairy Frogmother ever.

CHAPTER 16

Grayson

It was the second day of play practice and I was memorizing my lines as the Fairy Frogmother when one of the kids in the chorus came over to me.

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