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A full smile spread across her face. “Yes, Jay has agreed to help.”
“I’m glad to hear,” he said, and offered an equally big grin. “If you don’t need to rush off, how would you like to take a stroll along the river?”
A momentary thought of her grandfather crossed her mind, causing her to falter. Then for an unknown reason she glanced in the direction of the barn where Jay had headed. With disappointment, she noticed he had already disappeared. Giving herself a silly shake, she turned back to him and smiled. “I would love to.”
Chapter 12
Keeping her involvement in the project from her grandfather as long as she possibly could, would be her biggest challenge, Erika realized in the days that followed. There was far more involved in presenting a theatrical performance than she ever imagined. Generally, when she put on a play in her grandfather’s opera house, the theatre faculty would take over the production aspects of putting on a live play and all Erika had to do was memorize her lines.
One of the first of many responsibilities she had to undertake was the hiring of staff. It was clear from the onset that it was far too big a project for her alone. The first person she approached was Carnie Banks. Already a director of the opera house for the past four years, she was just the person Erika needed to organize her play.
“An outdoor play?” The older woman frowned at her, openly confused. “I don’t understand. Why not in the theatre?”
“It’s a charity performance,” she told the proudest woman she had ever known. She had always possessed such a formidable and self-assured air about her that one often forgot she was female. Not that her physical features laid any doubt in that area. Carnie Banks stood at a towering height of nearly six feet of voluptuous female curves and another foot of elaborately upswept hair that no other woman in the vicinity dared to imitate. Her equally elaborate silk Japanese kimonos that hung more like robes than gowns were often dismissed by the folks of Placid because of the woman’s theatrical eccentricity.
“Charity?” Her eyes bulged, raising the painted brows above them to hide beneath the heavy sweep of her bangs. “Erika you know your grandfather wouldn’t have anything to do with that.”
Feeling slightly ashamed, she said, “I understand, that’s why he must be kept fully uninformed.”
One thickly colored brow arched. “How very cryptic!”
Thus began their secret meetings in the planning and organizing. With Carnie’s connections, Erika was able to snare a seamstress as well as a local artist for set design. Soon after, Garrett showed up with a wagon full of lumber and began the building of the outdoor stage. Since it was required they receive permission from town council to use the square park, they opted instead to relocate it to the plot of land at the tip of harbor hill. Which, in the end, Erika was pleased about. This made the lake a magnificent backdrop for the play.
During that time, Ryan had once again boarded the Francesca and Erika watched with a saddened heart as the ship sailed out of port. This time, however, she felt less despondent thanks to her latest project. It was large enough to keep her occupied fully until his return. And when he did, they would share their first kiss. For she had written the closing scene of her play to include one. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, her lovelorn couple would conquer their families bickering and live to enjoy a happy-ever-after.
Jay had decided to target the surrounding farmers first in his campaign and so it was that she exchanged little words with him in those first few weeks. Now and then he would send a message via Garrett updating her on his progress, but by the end of the third week Erika had seen less of Jay than she imagined.
However, the gossip spreading like wildfire around town indicated he was very much accomplishing his task. Reactions admittedly seemed to vary. Some thought along the same lines as her grandfather and believed Jay was pursuing a cause not worth the while. Others wholeheartedly supported him. And then there were those initially moved by his efforts, but lacked any real interest. It was this latter group that Erika knew in order to win over, they would have to put the extra effort into.
Gerald Snowden had caught wind of the latest actions of Jay Colby and spent far too much effort expressing his disapproval of the man. As a result, all dinner meals began to include him in their conversation. Mainly, in the not so pleasant fashion. Erika listened non-objectively without uttering a word, allowing her grandfather to vent his outrage at Jay’s apparent audacity. However, there were many times when she admittedly had to bite her tongue to refrain from disagreeing.
She was grateful that he never suspected her involvement, but not foolish to believe it could remain a secret for long. Still in the initial stages of deciding how she would handle it, Erika was not ready to confront him. So she continued to slip out of the house and into town where she would meet up with Carnie Banks and together they would go over details of the play.
The hill began to echo with Garrett’s hammering and drew plenty of attention, but everyone involved kept a sealed lip. However, for a man who detested any sort of attention, Erika couldn’t help but feel sorry for Garrett. It was not unusual on any day of the week to discover he had gathered quite the audience.
Therefore, it was not highly uncommon that warm spring afternoon as she approached harbor hill to check on his progress, to find a large crowd gathered around his work area. What was unusual was the number of young females. Making her way through the thick gathering, she spotted Garrett hard at work as usual on the stage. Next to him was Jay.
Minus his shirt.
The unusually high temperatures were proving to be a nuisance for the big man whose body glistened from sweat on his upper torso. An unexpected warmth swept over her and automatically had the corners of her lips dipping low. One glance at the moonstruck women at her side had Erika sighing with irritation.
Stiffening her spine, she addressed the brothers. “Good morning.”
Garrett was first to notice her. Nodding, he tipped his hat and said, “Miss Snowden,” before returning to his work.
She smiled and couldn’t recall a time when he ever referred to her by name. Soft-spoken and well mannered, she didn’t doubt that someday soon he would fetch himself an equally nice young wife. That was if he ever gathered up enough courage to say hello.
Shifting her attention, she looked over at his brother. Where size in men were concerned, they were equally on the large side. However, Jay was far bigger in height and strength and never before had she noticed by how much as she did that morning.
Without his shirt, she could easily see a very broad and muscular chest, and arms that were as thick as tree trunks. For a split second, her mind wandered back to the night she spent safe and warm in his arms. A funny sensation tingled in her most private place and had Erika shifting uncomfortably in her satin boots.
“Morning, princess.”
With a jerk she shot, her eyes back to his face and was disconcerted to find her cheeks flushed. Anger swept over her and she didn’t bother to keep it out of the tone of her voice. “Good morning, Mr. Colby.”
One of his brows arched in surprise at her use of his formal name, but he made no comment and went back to what he was doing. Immediately, Erika felt foolish. There really was no reason for her to be angry with him. After all, she was sure he had no control over his body temperature. But was it really necessary for him to strip? It was obvious the majority of the females watching his glistening form in the afternoon sun, were panting from lust. She couldn’t very well blame them either. He did possess the most magnificent male body.
A waft of a breeze swept up across the banks of the winding river and through the meadow to lift the woman’s mane of golden locks. She watched with awe the taunt muscles rippling beneath his sinewy skin. With a gasp, she realized his fluid movements were headed her way. So powerful and determined was his gate. In one swift motion, he seized her quivering body and clutched her hard to his broad chest. Against her feverish bosom she could feel the hardness of his muscular torso, and the pulsating need vibrating from the lower half of his—
