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That jerked her back into action. “Shit. Oh, Ivan.”
“Don’t think. Just sing.” He grabbed a tissue and blotched her face. “You’re insanely beautiful. Do you know that?”
She uttered a hysterical laugh.
Cupping her cheeks, he studied her face as he moved it from side to side. “You need lipstick.”
“I’ll fix it. Go change.”
“That’s my girl.” He kissed her passionately and gave her a conspiratorial wink before leaving the room.
She barely had time to pull on new underwear before a stage assistant knocked on the door and called, “One minute.”
Shit. She was better off behind the curtains, but now it was too late.
She took a deep breath, said a prayer for what it was worth, and made her way back to the stage. Ivan stumbled onto the platform a second before the curtain lifted. He took her hand, his smile encouraging, and when they walked out together, he looked as calm and fresh as if he’d just woken from a nap.
Verlene shot her a sour look from the orchestra box before giving the signal. The orchestra started playing. This was it. She faced Ivan and plastered a smile on her face, determined to act her part. He kicked off with the first aria, every note clear and in tune. Perfect.
She came into the second aria. Her mental images started scrambling. She thought about what they’d done on the bridge and how the red dress looked so much like the one her mother had worn for Nabucco, and she couldn’t help missing the high C.
Ivan’s smile faltered, just for a split-second, but it made her lose confidence. She missed the next note, and the next. She froze. Her voice dried up, and her chest ran empty, all the air squashed from her lungs. She stared at Ivan in horrified shock. He picked up her score, singing it faultlessly while she could only stand there like a salt pillar, humiliated and disgusted with herself. Verlene’s condemning glare made her want to crawl into a hole. She caught Johnny’s pitiful gaze in the front row and the photographer’s sympathetic eyes, which he quickly averted.
She couldn’t stand it.
She bolted off the stage and rushed down the stairs. Ivan’s concerned voice calling her name followed her down the corridor, but she made it into the elevator before he could catch up with her. Getting out on the lower level, she weaved her way deeper into the dark tunnels and secret passageways where she could disappear and hide from the world. She didn’t stop until she was sure no one would find her. Only then did she lean on the wall and drew in air.
“What were you thinking?” Zach asked.
She gave a start. “How did you find me?”
“I know the blueprint of this theater like the back of my hand. Now, tell me, what were you thinking, screwing him before going on stage?”
Her breath caught. “You saw that?”
“You knew I would.”
She didn’t. Zach never even entered her mind while she’d been with Ivan. Why would he, when she was surrounded, overwhelmed, intoxicated with Ivan?
“Never mind,” he said. “The damage is done. You’ve ruined your chance.”
She hung her head. “I have, haven’t I?”
He turned. “Come on.”
“Where are you going?”
“You need time to lick your wounds, and I know just the place.”
She straightened, thankful tears brimming in her eyes. “Why are you so kind to me?”
He glanced back at her. “I have my reasons.”
They followed the hallway to the décor storage rooms at the back. Zach opened a door and stepped aside. “Your private hideaway, Miss Jones.”
She peered inside, and then her mouth fell open. The small space was set up like a Baroque stage bedroom with pieces of décor she recognized from various operas and musicals. A huge four-poster bed with a pink bedspread stood in the center, surrounded by the candlesticks from Nabucco. White candles threw a soft glow around the room. The chandelier from Phantom hung in the center of the ceiling. The walls were covered with mismatching prop mirrors to create the illusion of spaciousness. The floor was dusty and the walls dirty, but the soft faux fur on the bed and the scatter cushions looked cozy.
“When did you do all this?” she said, looking at Zach in wonder.
“The board wanted to get rid of these things, but I thought I’d put them to better use.”
She walked into the room and trailed her fingers over the golden dressing table from Cats. “I’m glad you didn’t allow them to dump this. It brings back beautiful memories.”
He followed behind her. “I thought it would.”
“I’m not ready to face people, yet. Do you mind if I stay for a while?”
“That’s exactly my intention. In fact, you’ll stay for a very long while.” He regarded her thoughtfully. “I doubt you’ll ever face another human being, again.”
Chapter 16
Empty perfume bottles rattled as Alice backed into the dressing table. “What do you mean?”
