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As I walked off the stage, my immediate attention was drawn to the fact that Timothy was still holding my hand. I didn’t want to jerk it away and risk someone thinking there was bad blood between us. While critics didn’t come to previews, the media could still quickly get wind of any hint of scandal. Sure, bad press could bring more attention, but I didn’t think that was the way Spencer wanted the word to get out about the show.
“Great work!” Darrel came up to Timothy and me, his expression the happiest I’d seen. “You were magnificent!”
“Thanks.” I used the opportunity to take my hand from Timothy’s, and then I shook our director’s hand.
“Yeah, thank you,” Timothy chimed in, a wide grin spreading across his face. “But I couldn’t have done it without London here.”
Inwardly, I smirked at Timothy’s confidence. Even though Darrel was addressing both of us, Timothy assumed the compliment was solely for him. Although I’d come to appreciate him over the weeks, his ego was still larger than anyone I had ever met.
Darrel’s eyes sparkled with amusement, as if he was having the same thoughts.
Timothy placed his arm around my waist and pulled me close. “With this much chemistry, it’s impossible not to create magic.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. This was just Timothy’s personality. I doubted he even realized how he came off.
“You two look great together,” Darrel said. “The press is going to love you guys.”
I tensed as Timothy’s hand slid up my back, the proprietary touch pushing the boundaries of appropriate behavior. In character, it may have been acceptable on stage, but now it was overstepping. I wanted to give myself space and reinforce my boundaries, but confronting Timothy in public wasn’t the smartest approach. He was simply making an assumption, not actively pressuring me. I could handle this privately, without jeopardizing the success of our performance or my working relationship with my co-star.
I awkwardly patted Darrel on the shoulder and offered a polite, “You did a great job tonight too,” as I made my excuses to leave. But before I could turn around, Timothy held me tighter and whispered something into my ear. Not hearing much of what he said, I noticed Spencer watching us.
His expression tightened, and a flash of jealousy crossed his face. Our eyes met, and we locked gazes for a moment before he turned and walked away.
Damnit.
I was the one who put the brakes on our relationship with Spencer, but I never intended for it to come to a full stop. I just needed time to catch my breath and determine what I truly wanted.
I realized maybe that had been a mistake. It would have been smarter to act like an adult and communicate with him.
It was time to make things right before I lost my courage or talked myself out of it.
“I’m sorry, Tim. I didn’t hear what you said, but if you’ll excuse--“
“I said, how about I buy you a nightcap, and we can chat about tonight’s success?” Timothy interrupted me before I could finish.
“What?” I looked at him, confused.
“A nightcap,” he repeated, flashing a charming smile. “A drink. Maybe back at my place?”
I understood that his offer to help me relax likely had more to do with intimacy than with the alcohol, but that didn’t make me any more likely to accept. Hooking up with a co-star could only lead to trouble, especially if things didn’t go well. At best, it would be awkward. At worst, it could damage my performance and reputation.
As much as I appreciated Timothy’s attention, he just didn’t tempt me. Despite him standing right in front of me, all I could think about was finding Spencer.
“No, thank you,” I said, forcing a smile to soften the rejection. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with someone.”
I left before Timothy or Darrel could ask questions. Making my way to where I’d last seen Spencer, a quick look around told me he’d left. I doubted he’d left the building, though. Not considering how important tonight was.
I spotted Stan and approached him, hoping he might have a clue about where Spencer went.
Stan was deep in conversation with a beautiful brunette, dressed in a form-fitting red dress that accentuated her curves, and she had a sparkling smile that lit up her face.
As I caught up to them, the woman looked up and smiled at me. “There she is! The star of the show!” Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
“London, what a performance. Congratulations,” Stan said, with a big smile on his face as he gave me a hug. “Have you met Alice?” he continued. “She’s a dear friend of mine and one of our biggest sponsors.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Alice,” I replied, extending a hand.
Alice took my hand and squeezed it, still beaming with excitement. “I just wanted to say your performance was amazing! You were absolutely breathtaking.”
