Page 96 of Something Cheeky

“I’m so glad you agree.” He hugged her. “Now let’s finish this Vietnamese duet between the sisters before Greg gets here so I can inform him of the change. Maybe he lied about things going to the printers already.”

“You meanIwrite the Vietnamese lyrics and you give feedback,” Th?o half-joked. “The marketing department is gonna hate you, but it’ll be easier for them to advertise it.”

Derek took a deep breath. His gut told him that this was the right decision, but standing up to Greg took fortitude. He knew Th?o, the cast, and the creative team would support him. They trusted him enough to work on this show. It was up to him to ensure it was a success.

Derek took the stairs two at a time from the upper floor where Greg’s office was down to the costume shop. The elevator was quicker, but his nervous energy needed an outlet after his meeting with his mentor.

Greg’s gleeful acceptance of the name change stung, even though it was his and Th?o’s decision. At least there was enough time to redo the program cover and artwork for the API Heritage Month festival.

The hardest part was done. Now he had to tell Zoe. She had been oddly quiet since leaving him alone at his apartment last night. Maybe she’d been waiting on him, but he’d thrown himself into working on the songs with Th?o until the cast showed up for rehearsal.

There was chatter combined with the whir of sewing machines emanating from the costume shop’s open double doors. It was louder than it had been the past week, which made sense due to their shortened timeline.

“Hey, Z,” he called out at the door so he wouldn’t surprise anyone.

Zoe smiled and waved him in quickly before returning to her work. She was hand-sewing trim or some other embellishment on a costume. The bright red fabric contrasted against her pale green top.

“You look beautiful today—and every day,” he added.

“Thank you.” She smiled as she attached a tiny bead to the costume. “Feeling better today?”

“Can we talk? In private?” He glanced around the room. Was he imagining things or were there more people in here than usual?

“I thought we weren’t doing that anymore.” Zoe’s spine stiffened, but she didn’t look at him.

What an idiot.It was almost three o’clock. The time when they usually—he should’ve known better than to be so cryptic. After Greg walked in on them, they’d decided to avoid personal displays of affection while inside the theater. So why was she acting so strangely?

“Sorry, I—it’s notthat.” He shifted his weight and tried to ignore the heat on his face. “It’s an important update about the show.”

“In that case, sure.” Zoe set down her work and turned around to the worktable behind her. “Shawn, can we use your office for a quick meeting?”

“All yours,” the shop manager replied with a smile. He was also hand-sewing embellishments.

“Are you okay?” Derek asked as soon as Zoe shut the door. He stopped himself from grabbing her hand. The blinds to the office windows looking into the shop were open.

“I’m fine.” She sat behind Shawn’s desk and crossed her legs, which were covered in a pair of deliciously snug dark green jeans. “I should be askingyouthat. You weren’t so hot when I left last night.”

“You didn’t need to see me like that.” He was supposed to be the one who kept her motivated. Not the other way around. “Sorry I was such a mess yesterday.”

“Who helped cheer you up after you got drunk because some white kid got cast as the lead instead of you?” she reminded him. “You’re allowed to have unhappy feelings.”

“I’m no longer unhappy. I got a ton of sleep, the sun came out, and I’m a new man,” he declared. If he said it enough, maybe all the tension in his shoulders would dissipate.

“Oh God, please don’t start singing. You’re too old to play Orphan Annie,” she teased.

“I’m more of a Daddy Warbucks.” Derek sat in the chair opposite her and crossed his arms like an overconfident billionaire.

“Stop it!” She laughed but then turned serious. “What’s going on, Derek? You’ve been on a roller coaster of emotions and I don’t want you to hit bottom like last night.”

“Th?o and I worked everything out this morning. We even finished the sisters’ duet.”

“That’s wonderful!”

“We also made a big decision about the show.” Derek’s stomach twisted. He didn’t want her to think that he was giving in to Greg.

Worry shadowed her face.

“No, it’s nothing bad,” he said quickly. “Th?o and I have changed the title of the musical toThe Brocaded Slipper.”

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