Page 130 of Positively, Penelope

“One of the teaching positions,” Jackie called back. “There’s no need to come back here, dear girl. I must be off. But I told him to meet you here in the theater.”

Penelope stopped. “One of the teaching positions?”

Him? She didn’t recall seeing any male applicants for teaching positions, but evidently she’d missed one.

“It all happened quite suddenly, but I think he’ll be a good fit for what we want. And I have no doubt you’ll convince him that the Ashby is the right place for him.” There was a lilt to her voice. New donors were always a delightful surprise. “All right, I must run. Thank you for doing this, dear girl.”

And off she went without another word.

Penelope shook her head and returned to her boxes, the front lights illuminating the space. She placed the boxes for discard nearerthe stairs and the ones to keep back toward the curtain so she could have them moved to the appropriate storage room for later. Since the museum idea had worked so well for The Darling House, she’d planned to incorporate it at the Ashby once she made it through a few more storage rooms. The theaters were about the same age, after all, and both had such rich histories.

She’d just stacked the last one atop the other two when a soft sound filtered in through the house speakers.

Music? She looked toward the sound. Strings?

She stepped forward on the empty stage, searching the darkened theater, the music drifting into recognition. She knew this song.

Gene Kelly.

Her pulse took an upswing as the song continued. “You Were Meant for Me” fromSingin’ in the Rain.

Had someone gone into the sound room? Was there a glitch in the system?

She frowned. And why would Gene Kelly be the glitch? He should never be a glitch.

And then one of the house doors opened, allowing a sliver of additional light into the back of the hall. A little shadow burst forward down the aisle at a full run, a giggle paired with her approach.

That giggle sounded incredibly familiar.

Penelope blinked as the shadow took form on the stage steps. Iris?

A gasp shot from her as the little girl barreled into her stomach. Penelope sputtered through a few incoherent responses and then succeeded in muttering, “What... what are you doing here?”

The little girl looked up, her face wreathed in smiles. “Seeing you, of course.”

“Of course.” Penelope shook her head and laughed, leaning down to pull the little girl into her arms. “And I’m so very glad to see you. Hug you.”

Penelope buried her face into Iris’s neck and breathed in her soapyscent, her eyes burning as she continued to do something that sounded like a half sob, half laugh. Lob?

Over Iris’s shoulder, Matthias came into view, emerging into the light of the stage.

“I don’t... This is—” She lost control of her laugh again. “Am I dreaming? Because this would be a really great dream and a horrible thing to wake up and find isn’t real.”

“We couldn’t wait another day to see you.”

His voice sounded real. And the look he gave her appeared much more real than her dream last night.

“I can’t believe this.” Her smile grew as he closed in. “Are you sure I’m not dreaming?”

His warm scent surrounded her just before his arms. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips as Iris released another giggle. “No dream, luv.”

She tipped forward into his arms, another... lob sniffling out as she pressed her face into his shoulder. “You’re really here?” She pulled back. “How long do you get to stay?”

“What if we discuss that over dinner?”

“That would be amazing. Dinner. Here. With me.” She paused and looked down at her watch. “But I have to give a possible new hire a tour of the theater first and they should be here any minute. Would you mind waiting around for me?”

Iris started to talk, but Matthias shook his head at her and then winked.

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