Page 47 of Something Cheeky

“I bring you an iced passion tea, too.”

“Especially”—Th?o glared at him for interrupting her—“when you know we have songs to finish writing. Número dos: you’re putting too much weight on Greg’s feedback, even though he knows jack shit about Vietnamese fairy tales.”

“He wants us to succeed.”

“Dude can’t pronounce the title of our show correctly, even though I keep saying it in front of him,” she said in exasperation.

“Fine. Maybe I give Greg too much leeway, but he’s the artistic director. He’s producing the show when other theaters wouldn’t or couldn’t. Don’t forget he has decades of experience over us.”

“Number three,” she continued, ignoring his objections, “you’re so scared of what Zoe will think of you that you’ve kept your feelings for her a secret for almost ten years. Ten. Years.”

“That’s not fair. We made a pact freshman year.”

“You mean she made it and you agreed because you’d rather be friends with her than nothing at all,” Th?o pointed out.

Unwilling to admit that she was right, Derek pressed his lips together. He wasn’t the only freshman who had been drawn to her energy, but he was the person she’d chosen to spend time with.

“I know you derive joy from making others happy.” Th?o’s tone was now calm and gentle instead of tossing tiny daggers into him. “But when was the last time you did something to make yourself happy?”

“Zoe makes me happy, T.”

“So tell her.”

“Do you know how many times I’ve tried to tell Zoe that I want us to be more than friends and I couldn’t? What if I lose her for good?”

“After tonight, you might lose for good if you aren’t proactive.” Th?o reached over and patted his knee. “She made the first move and you have to convince her that it was the right one.”

“How am I supposed to do that tomorrow during the most important day of our career?” He closed his eyes and groaned.

“You’re being dramatic again. Tomorrow will be easy, because everyone who shows up wants to be part of this. The actors, the designers, even good old Greg and Prestige’s board.”

That buoyed his confidence. Why would anyone working on the show want to sabotage it? He’d gathered people who understood that the musical would open doors for so many Asian Americans.

“You’re right.”

“Always am,” she said smugly. Th?o leaned back and crossed her legs.

“I’ll keep things professional tomorrow while we’re working. But I’ll ask her to meet with me after our first rehearsal. We’ll go somewhere and talk it out.”

“Promise me you’ll tell her? Tomorrow?”

He sighed. The longer he kept his feelings hidden from Zoe, the longer she’d stay in his life. He’d been living in limbo ever since he’d found her again two weeks ago.

“Derek, if you can’t tell her, then it’s time to let her go. Move on.”

He’d kept a spotlight on her for so long but she’d stepped off her mark. He had to adjust his light or turn it off.

Tomorrow he’d pull her aside and tell her everything.

“I promise.”

Chapter 21

Zoe kept her sunglasses on as she walked through Prestige Rep and down to the costume shop the next morning. The workspace wasn’t as well-lit as her boutique’s workroom, but it was the room’s rainbow of fabrics and boxes that made her smile every time she walked in.

Except today. In between practicing her presentation and taking care of Mr. Bobbins, she’d gotten only a couple of hours of sleep. Then there was the kiss, which she’d tried her best not to think about. Zoe had woken up with bloodshot eyes paired with dark circles under them.

“Zoe, I got the photocopies you asked for,” said TJ, without looking up from the table. “I’ll make sure everything is ready when the meet and greet starts in an hour.”

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