AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Damn.
Maybe I had been moving too fast? Perhaps my invitation to England was a significant step in our relationship, rather than just me wanting to spend some time with her and show off my home.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized what a fool I’d been. I should have clarified what I was asking and set the proper expectations. She and I had agreed on quiet and casual. I should have let her know my invite changed nothing.
There was only one way to fix this. I had to apologize for the misunderstanding and talk to her. Clearly, she didn’t want to talk to me over the phone, so I’d catch her tomorrow at previews, explain everything, and then things would return to the way they were.
* * *
“London, my dear,”I said, sounding like a perfect gentleman. “I want to apologize for any confusion I may have caused. I understand we agreed on taking things slow, and I should have made sure we were on the same page before extending the invitation to England. Can we find a way to move forward at a pace that is comfortable for both of us?”
I sighed, feeling ridiculous for talking to myself, rehearsing this conversation out loud. But I knew I had to make things right with her, and I didn’t want to mess up my words.
Leaving my quiet hotel suite, I made my way to the theater for the first night of previews. I had decided it would be best to give her space before the show, and approach her after. We both needed to focus on the performance, as previews were crucial for fine-tuning the production before opening night. While this was a reproduction of my West End show, we still needed to be attentive to the audience’s reactions and make any necessary adjustments.
As I went about my day, I attempted to keep my distance from London. I had to focus on my responsibilities at the theater, which included meetings with donors and investors. Having grown up in the family business, I knew how to put on a charming facade and pretend to enjoy these meetings, even when I wasn’t feeling it.
But as the lights went down for the first night of previews, I was relieved to finally find my seat in the box. It was a prime location to observe the entire audience and take in the full stage.
As the music started and the curtain rose, I felt myself being drawn into the world of the musical. It was as if the outside world faded away, and all that mattered was what was happening on the stage. And then London stepped out, and her performance completely captivated me. Her presence was commanding, her voice divine, and she brought a depth to her character that I had not expected.
The first act came to a close with a sense of satisfaction and pride. The hard work we had put into the show had paid off, and I was confident that it would succeed on Broadway.
During intermission, I chatted with some investors and donors, all of whom were thrilled with what they had seen so far. Despite that, I kept thinking about London, how I would confront her after the show, give her my apology for everything that happened back home and try to figure out what’s bothering her.
As the lights dimmed and the second act began, I settled back into my seat, and once again, London’s performance left me breathless. Every moment on stage was captivating, and I knew that she was destined for greatness. But it wasn’t just London. Every member brought a unique energy to the stage that lifted the show into something truly phenomenal. While we might need to make a few minor tweaks in the coming weeks, I was confident that this show was going to be a hit.
After the final curtain call, I sat still for a moment, taking in the audience's energy and noting who left in a hurry versus who lingered. Once I was ready, I hurried to the stage, using a secret passage to avoid the throngs of admirers that had gathered.
My only focus was finding London. I had to catch her before she slipped away again.
As I made my way through the backstage area, Tomma Ackman, an ensemble member and also London’s understudy, stopped me. “Mr. York, what did you think?” she asked with a smile.
“Everyone was brilliant,” I replied politely. “Excuse me, I need to find someone.”
I didn’t wait for her to answer, though I spared a thought to hope I wasn’t being terribly rude. Instead, I hurried on, my mind racing with what I would say when I finally found London.
I walked through the throng of performers and crew, avoiding eye contact but acknowledging their hard work with a small smile. My gaze darted around the room, searching for the one person who mattered most to me. And there she was, standing next to Timothy. The man I had always suspected had feelings for her.
My pace quickened as I made my way over to them, hoping for a moment alone with London. But before I could reach her, Timothy’s arm snaked around her waist, pulling her in close. My heart sank as I watched her smile up at him, seemingly oblivious to my presence.
I stood there, frozen in place, unable to look away as Timothy’s hand moved up her back. My mind raced with questions and doubts, wondering what had happened to the connection London and I had shared. Had I been imagining things, or was this the end of our relationship? My thoughts were a jumbled mess as I tried to process what I was seeing, unsure of what to do next.
Fuck.
My jaw clenched, and I struggled to keep my emotions in check. Was this really happening? Had I misjudged everything so badly?
As Timothy leaned in to whisper something in her ear, I saw London’s eyes flicker in my direction, and my heart lurched, hoping she would see me and come over. But she was acting as if I wasn’t even there.
With a deep breath, I turned and made my way out of the theater. I needed space to clear my head and figure out what I was going to do next.
TWENTY-ONE
LONDON
When Mercedesand I had arrived at the Shubert Theatre for the preview of the show, I hadn’t fully considered the consequences of avoiding Spencer. Ignoring texts and phone calls was one thing, but avoiding him at work would prove more challenging. With his hands-on approach to production, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would have to face him.
All day, I was able to push thoughts of Spencer and his perfect family to the back of my mind and focus on the performance. However, as the final bow was taken, my first thought was what Spencer thought of my performance.
