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Chapter 24
“You need to be out of here by five.” Hank Spruce stood in the aisle of the auditorium, arms folded. “The school is not paying for utilities and custodial work just for your rehearsals.”
“As stated on the school calendar,” Grace replied crisply, “rehearsal ends at five, so you needn’t worry.”
Onstage, student actors meandered around, running lines and adjusting props. Spruce pointed his chin toward the stage sets—a painted forest backdrop, trees lit with fairy lights, and multiple silk flower arrangements. “Where do you intend to store all that over the summer?”
“In the prop room. We’ll be able to repurpose most of it for next year’s play.”
He swung his gaze back to her. “You’d be better off getting rid of it. We could use the extra storage space, and there’s no guarantee of a play next year.”
Grace frowned. “I’m announcing next year’s play on closing night. That’s how it’s traditionally been done.”
“Traditions change.” Spruce shrugged. “The district’s budget is pretty tight, and we’re being forced to make some tough decisions. It’s a question of what’s most valuable to the school and our academic program.”
Clenching her fingers around the script, Grace stepped closer to him. “The drama club is valuable to a large number of students and their families. You can’t cut my budget any more than you already have. And Joe at Metalworks has put a restriction on the drama club account so I’m the only one authorized to take money out of it and make purchases. I won’t let you reallocate funds intended for my students.”
“It’s not your job tolet medo anything.” Spruce’s expression hardened slightly. “I set school policies and make decisions, Miss Berry. Remember that.”
Grace swallowed a retort as she watched him stalk out the side exit. She wasn’t done with him yet—not by a long shot—but she wasn’t going to fight with him on her students’ time.
She turned back to her seat to grab a pen. Alissa, a sophomore who played the fairy Mustardseed, was seated a few rows back, watching her with wide eyes. Grace’s heart sank.
“Was he serious?” Alissa asked. “There might not be a play next year?”
Grace gave the girl a reassuring smile. “There are always discussions and negotiations at the end of a school year, especially about the budget. But Bliss Cove High has nevernothad a play, so please don’t worry about it.”
That’s my job.
Pushing aside her unease, she turned her attention to her students and started the rehearsal. As always, the kids put the full force of their energy into the enchanted, comic story of star-crossed lovers and fairy mischief. They ran through the entire play once, then focused on individual scenes as the clock inched toward five.
“Nice projection, Titania!” Grace called from her seat in the third row. “Don’t forget to scratch Bottom’s head.”
A couple of kids in the row behind her chuckled as the fairy queen scratched the donkey-headed boy between the ears.
“Great job, everyone.” Grace waved as a signal that their time was up. “Tomorrow, we’ll have a full day of rehearsal, so be sure to check the calendar so you know the times when we’ll be working on specific scenes. Stage crew, you’re scheduled to come in later in the afternoon to finish up. Any questions, please text or email me.”
Chatter filled the air as the kids rushed around putting their props away and getting their backpacks. Grace wrote a few notes on her script and added some items to her costume shopping list. The fairies were having issues with their ears falling off.
“‘She was a vixen when she went to school,’” Lincoln’s deep voice stroked her skin, “‘and though she be but little, she is fierce.’”
Grace turned, her heart thumping at the sight of him walking down the aisle toward her, even though she’d seen him less than two hours ago. “Since when do you quote Shakespeare?”
“Since I started wanting to impress a Shakespeare scholar.” He sat down beside her, running a hand discreetly over her thigh.
“Hmm. ‘Methought I was enamored of an ass.’”
“You are.” He winked. “So am I, actually. Your perfect, round ass that I want to squeeze every chance I get.”
Grace laughed. “You’re welcome to it.”
“Good to know.”
“What are you doing here?” She glanced at the clock on her phone. “I thought you’d gone home already.”
“I intended to, but I wanted to talk to you.” The warmth in his eyes dissipated, and frown lines bracketed his mouth. “As I was leaving, I ran into Todd Oliver and discovered some troubling behavior.”
Grace sighed. “Beyond what he’s already exhibited?”
