Page 88 of Something Cheeky

He increased his pace, this time making tight military turns at the corners, something he’d learned during private school assemblies. Heather had done a great job with the tape because it didn’t budge with the pressure he put on it.

“Derek, stop.” Th?o grabbed his arm. “We can’t open the show in two weeks.”

“We can make it work,” he said with false cheer. He had to set an example for everyone and keep their spirits up.

“Don’t you fucking Tim Gunn me. This isn’t a game. It’s real life. If we fail, you know this show won’t get another chance. We’re not Andrew Lloyd Webber. People aren’t lining up to throw money at us.”

“I know that!” Derek snapped. He immediately regretted it.

Th?o’s lips quivered. She turned away from him and picked up her coffee. He followed her.

“Sorry,” he whispered. “I need time to process the news.”

“Well, process faster because we only have ten minutes before everyone comes back.” She thrust his coffee at him with a wry smile.

He stabbed the straw into the lid and took a deep breath before sucking down half of it. The ice cold elixir calmed the panic threatening to take over his body.

“Thanks. I needed that.”

“Yeah, you did.” Th?o lightly punched his arm. “Now what?”

“The good thing is that I get to break the news to the team instead of Greg.”

“Silver lining.” Th?o’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Does Heather know?”

“I don’t think so. Greg’s only told the marketing department.”

“She’s gonna shit a brick.”

They both grimaced. Their superbly organized stage manager had scheduled their entire production, including rehearsals, tech week, and preview performances, down to the half hour. Greg’s news would throw her fine-tuned machine—and her—completely out of whack.

“I’ll tell her when she gets back. She’s always back before the actors.” Derek drank the rest of his coffee in one long sip, as if it could inject energy into him for the long afternoon ahead.

“I’m so glad you’re the boss because that is a job I don’t envy.” Now it was Th?o’s turn to walk the tape on the floor.

She’d been a little distracted this morning during vocal warm-ups but he’d chalked it up to her having an off day. Something else was bothering her because she was pacing way too fast. Greg’s news had exacerbated whatever it was.

Derek sighed. He hadn’t been a very attentive friend to Th?o since rehearsals began. He’d been too wrapped up in his own problems and completely missed how miserable she’d been since Katie Mai arrived in DC.

“You cool?” he asked quietly.

“No. I’m not.” She sped up, making dizzying turns at the corners. “Katie Mai wants me to give her an answer by opening night. And now I have two less weeks to avoid making the biggest decision of my life.”

“Come on, you must know deep down,” he prodded gently.

“I’m too chicken shit to drop everything and move to LA,” she blurted. “My life is in New York.”

“Even though you love her?”

Th?o stopped and turned to face him.

“It’sbecauseI love her. I don’t want to hold her back.”

“How would you do that?” Derek asked.

“She’s so smart and talented, but Hollywood is hard for people like us. Asian and queer. That’s two things against her. Us.”

“Katie Mai knows that already. It’s no different than theater.”

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