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“The last production wasn’t so hot. Didn’t last more than two weeks. I just tried out for another part in a different play and I didn’t get it. I’m in limbo right now, which plays right into my mother’s hand and her profound belief that I’m wasting my time acting.”
He wanted to break something, throw a few bottles hard against the wall, snap a chair in two. Simply release the anger welling inside when he saw the tears glisten in her eyes. Her mother was causing her so much unnecessary pain. Why did parents have to be so damn controlling in their children’s life, especially when they were old enough to do what they damn well pleased?
“You’re a wonderful actress. You have the voice of an angel.”
Her eyes widened. “You’ve seen me? I don’t recall you coming to any of my plays.”
He shrugged, glancing away. “I saw one. First time I’ve been to a play. I didn’t want to embarrass you or anything.”
“Embarrass me?”
Yeah, he didn’t want to talk about how some of the people at the theater had eyed him funnily. Probably because of his tattoos. He wasn’t exactly the picture-perfect look of a nice guy. Most people glanced at him and saw bad boy stamped all over him. Even without speaking to him or getting to know him. He couldn’t stand judgmental people. There was no point in trying to fix their assumptions, so he let them assume as much as they wanted.
“It’s no big deal. Anyway,” he said, inching up his smile, hoping she’d drop that part of the conversation, “you don’t need your mother telling you what to do. Another production will come along and you’ll be the star you are.”
“I wish I had your confidence in everything.” More pain filtered into her gaze. “It’s embarrassing to admit, but I’m not sure I can cover next month’s rent. I don’t have a choice but to go home with my mom. It’s been kind of hard the last few months in general. She knows it. She’s here to do what she thinks is best for me. I have to uphold my part of the bargain.”
Bargain? Oh, that sounded like a huge story behind such a simple word. He didn’t want to overstep or anything, but the thought of losing her, her moving away, ripped him to shreds.
“I can help you pay the rent.”
“Oh, Brick,” Jezebelle said, her eyes still filled with pain as she reached out to him, touching his arm. The light touch sent sizzles of energy straight to his soul. “I could never ask that of you.”
“You didn’t. I offered.”
“It’s not that simple. It wouldn’t work anyway. My mother is a force of nature. She will get her way.”
Her hand trembled as if she were about to pull away. He didn’t want her to. He placed one hand over hers.
“There’s got to be something that would stop her.”
Maniacal laughter fell out. “Short of winning the lottery and waving a ton of money in her face that I don’t need her, there’s nothing.”
There had to be something.
She hadn’t pulled her hand away this time. If anything, her grip felt like it was getting tighter on his arm, as if she didn’t want him to move away or let go of her.
“How about if you were engaged?”
“What?”
Yeah, what? He had no idea where that thought came from.
“You could be getting married. You don’t want to leave your soon-to-be husband.” Because if he were her soon-to-be husband, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight.
“I’m not even dating anyone.”
He leaned closer, removing his hand from hers, and cupped her cheek as he imagined doing earlier.
“A stand-in fake fiancé for a short amount of time.”
His idea was getting odder and odder.
“And who would I get to do something crazy like that?” she asked in a whisper as she leaned into his hand.
“Me. I’d do it.”
* * *
