Page 89 of Something Cheeky

“But if she’s worried about me finding work in LA, it’ll be even more difficult for her.” Th?o rubbed the shaved side of her head the way she did when she was worried.

“That’s not the only reason you don’t want to go,” Derek said.

She bit her lip and blinked rapidly.

“I’m in a good place here—I mean New York,” she admitted. “Our musical is my best work yet. Even if we don’t take it to Broadway, I’ve already received queries about commissioned work.”

“That’s great news!” Derek’s spirits lifted. This musical was already opening doors for Th?o. Soon the designers and actors would get more opportunities.

“If I move across the country, I won’t be able to network with New York theater folks. I don’t want to compose for movies. I want to write musicals!” She opened her arms out and danced as if she were inA Chorus Line.

“You would definitely get cut dancing like that,” Derek teased. “It’s okay if you don’t want your career to take a back seat. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are.”

Part of him wondered if he was pushing Zoe too far out of her comfort zone the way Katie Mai was with Th?o. Zoe had established herself in DC as the premiere plus-size lingerie designer and she ran a successful boutique. If they took the show to New York, would he be asking her to sacrifice doing what she loved?

No, he couldn’t be. Zoe practically glowed whenever he saw her working in the costume shop. She’d told him how much she loved being back. Yet he’d had to beg her to join the production. Now Zoe would be under more pressure to complete her ambitious costumes with their shortened timeline.

How much strain would the new timeline put on their relationship? He couldn’t lose her now, yet he’d put too much work into the musical. Derek would have to work even harder to make sure the production was everyone’s best work while making sure Zoe had everything she needed to finish the costumes on time. Even if it meant twenty-hour days.

“Hey, folks, are you ready...” Heather’s voice trailed off as she walked into the room to their somber faces. “Did someone die?”

She laughed nervously. Derek took a deep breath and pointed to her work station.

“No, but you better sit down first.”

Chapter 38

“Ms. Tran.”

Zoe jumped in surprise. She’d been so focused on beading the headdress that she hadn’t heard Greg enter the costume shop. TJ and the rest of the staff had gone for a coffee run. She didn’t want to lose her flow so she’d asked them to bring her a double shot extra-sugar latte.

“Hi, Greg,” Zoe said with too much fake cheer. “If you’re looking for Derek, he’s not here.”

They’d agreed to stop their afternoon trysts and his coffee runs for now. Zoe hated not seeing Derek every afternoon. But keeping things more professional at Prestige meant less fodder for Greg to do whatever the hell Greg did to make their lives harder.

“That’s not who I’m looking for. As artistic director, it’s my duty to make sure everything is running smoothly.”

“Of course.” She set down her beading needles and slipped her snips into their leather cover less she be tempted to stab the man with them. Lucky for him that blood stains were a bitch to clean off fabric.

“Since you were preoccupied on Friday”—he cleared his throat loudly—“I’m here for my tour today.”

Zoe’s heart raced and her mouth felt like she’d swallowed cotton balls.This isn’t college. I already have this job. I don’t have anything to prove to him,she reminded herself silently.

“Please, over here.” She walked briskly to the other side of the room, where the mostly finished pieces hung.

He followed so closely behind her that a breeze accompanied his strides. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Huge mistake. His heavy cologne assaulted her nostrils.

“Why don’t we start with our leads?”

Zoe reached for Katie Mai’s costumes, which were a little farther down. She was grateful for a little distance between them.

“Katie Mai has the most costume changes, since she’s reincarnated into various things but those are mostly accessories,” Zoe explained. “She wears a simple midi-length áo dài that’s sheer from the waist down and pencil pants.”

“Hmmm” was all Greg said, but he waved for her to continue.

“My favorite is what she wears to the festival, since it’s her transformation moment. The first one at least.”

Zoe pulled the costume off the rack and laid it on the worktable closest to them. She’d designed a gown that T?m could slip over her plainer outfit. The formal dress was bright red, the color of luck to foreshadow her marriage to the Emperor. Katie Mai loved the long, billowy sleeves, which worked well with the choreography for the festival dance number.

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