Page 6 of Spotlight on Poppy

"Used to like me? As in not anymore?" he said. He watched her. He watched a slow smile spread across her face. She looked down at their hands joined on his lap. The thumb with the daisy painted on it grazed lightly against his own thumb. Something clicked into place.

She looked up at him and took a shaky breath. He hoped she felt it too, whatever this was. The air was electric with the spark dancing between them.

Just then the door thundered open and in walked the director, one of the cast members and someone Josh had never seen before.

The magical moment that existed between him and Poppy evaporated as she pulled back her hand and quickly moved to stand.

"Oh good, you’re here. I just saw the girls pull up in the parking lot. I called the rest of the cast early tonight. I have a surprise,” said Steve as he strode confidently to the stage.

Poppy stood up. Josh ached at the absence of her and the magic of the moment that had happened between them.

The director and this stranger took the stage as the other cast members started to filter in and took a seat in the first few rows.

"I would like to introduce you all to Damien St. Cloud."

This guy took off his sunglasses and smiled. He stood there in a leather jacket and ripped jeans, looking like a perfectly manicured James Dean. He smiled and waved. Josh fought the urge, but couldn't help himself, he turned to look at Poppy. Her kilowatt smile shining her light up there on the stage, on this obnoxiously handsome stranger.

"Sadly, Ms. Maple had to leave town to take care of her sister who had a fall. We needed a music director, so I reached out to Damien. He’s an old student of mine and is currently between shows... on Broadway."

There was a collective gasp and Poppy gave a little squeal and clapped. Josh felt a rain cloud settle over him. He watched as Damien ran his hand through his hair and winked at Poppy.

"I look forward to working with all of you. I'm here for two weeks. Let's get this show up and running."

"Places for Suddenly Seymore," called the director and rehearsal had begun.

CHAPTER4

Poppy

Poppy had been watching for signs since she did the spell Saturday night. She had been disappointed when she didn't wake up to find her own highlander that first morning, but she kept a watchful eye for anyone new or any possible meet cute on the horizon. The spell had brought Hannah her love and she trusted in the magic to do the same for her. Although that day nothing happened. After her shift at the orchard, she went to the bookstore in town and stopped by the Elbow Room for a drink that night. Nothing out of the ordinary though, just the normal Mystic Falls stuff.

She woke up Monday still on the lookout. Looking for a stranger in town or someone when she was working the register at the orchard, but nothing. Some tourists picking their own apples, a field trip, and a few locals picking up produce, but no sign of her soulmate yet. So, she worked the register and snuck back to the kitchen to bake some pies. Baking was the only thing that made her job at the orchard tolerable.

It wasn’t until rehearsal that night she actually got the magic she had been hoping for. She had been running lines with Josh, and for a moment she had thought maybe something was happening with Josh, but Poppy knew her spell had worked when she saw Damien St. Cloud walk in the door. This was it. He was her soulmate. She smiled up at the ceiling thanking that wonderful little woman for her magic.

She watched as he walked onto the stage, and when she found out he was an actual Broadway star, she squealed with excitement. This was even better than a guy from the past. This was a sexy Broadway star that could help to finally get Poppy's life going somewhere. She could already see herself back in the city, living in the hustle and bustle, and maybe even seeing her name in lights. This was it. It was time to find the piece she’d always felt was missing.

He was going to be there for two weeks. Poppy knew what she had to do. She had just watched her best friend fall in love. Now she would make Damien St. Cloud fall in love with her.

"Alright places everyone for Suddenly Seymore," called the director.

Poppy and Josh took their places. They played through the scene where Seymore finally tells Audrey how he feels about her. Audrey has trouble accepting it because of how bad her life has been, but she finally does. And does so with a truly epic duet. Although Poppy and Josh were not your typical Seymore and Audrey, something about the way they sang together made it magical. Their voices blended well.

When the scene was over Poppy looked out into the theater to see the director and Damien whispering in the back.

"Great job, Damien has some notes," Steve called out from the back of the theater.

Damien stood up and strode to the stage. Poppy watched with desire as he jumped up onto the stage, his muscles rippled underneath the plain white t-shirt he was wearing after losing the leather jacket.

"That was good, but Poppy, I think you could be supporting those notes a little more. I think that will help you hit those high belter notes. Try this."

He placed one hand on Poppy's upper back and one hand on her stomach. "Take it from the key change, and keep this tight and supporting," he said as his hand patted her stomach.

Poppy was trying to figure out how all of this was making her feel. He was touching her, but in a professional capacity.Don't make this weird. Also, he had his hand on her stomach, and while Poppy owned her body and all that it was, her belly was still that part of her body she hadn't quite learned to love as much as the rest. But this was professional. He was a professional. He would not judge her squishy belly, even though his was rock hard.

She sang the song again, Josh standing next to her singing his part. Damien's hands heated her skin. As she sang the higher notes, he gently pushed against her belly to make sure she was supporting the note.

"Lift," he said as she hit the high belt at the end and the sound just soared out of her with ease. The sound of it surprised even her. That last high note was tough, and she just sang it like it was nothing.

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