“So the ride here and the tickets to the show are you offering a truce?”
“You could put it like that.”
“Then a truce it is.”
We have front row seats since we’re basically half of the total audience, but the production is surprisingly well done. It’s so good that I’m dying to learn more about the theater, but before I can ask anything, a middle-aged man with pale green eyes and a blonde mohawk approaches us and shakes Knox’s hand.
“Nice to finally put a name with the face,” he says to Knox.
“Same.”
The man smiles at me. “Hi, I’m Ralph Jensen, the managing director of The Hollybrook Regional Theatre.”
“Hi, I’m Gigi King.”
“So I’ve heard.”
I glance over at Knox. “Yeah?”
“You’re an actress, right?” Mr. Jensen asks.
“Yes, I mean I want to be one.”
He looks at Knox, then back at me, and smiles. “Well, you either are one or you aren’t, eh? The way I heard it you're a born actress.”
“Is that so?” I nudge Knox on the shoulder. “Believe nothing this one has said about me though, and by the way, the show was amazing tonight. That performance of Defying Gravity was pure perfection. I’m sure you’re going to sell out the entire run.”
“How did you know?” He smiles triumphantly. “We’re already sold out.”
“Really? That’s fantastic!”
“It’s not so hard when you’re doing a popular show like Wicked. Listen, I’d love it if you’d two come back opening night. I’ll give you and Mr. Masterson some tickets, and you can come to the cast party backstage afterwards. You can meet the cast and talk shop.”
I am beyond excited.
“That is so generous of you! Thank you so much.”
“Knox told me you were a theatre major at Temple U and Wicked was one of your favorite shows.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Are you a musical theatre or dramatic theatre major?”
“I love musicals but I’m a dramatic major.”
“We’re opening auditions for Alice In Wonderland. My production of it will have major adult themes, so it’s not for kids, and I’d love for you to come to the open call.”
I inadvertently squeeze Knox’s hand in my excitement and only stop once I feel him flinch from the pain.
“Thank you, Mr. Jensen. I would love to.”
He hands me a business card.
“Check the website in a few days. We will post dates and times for open auditions soon.”
“Great, thank you again.”
After Mr. Jensen walks away, I turn to Knox with a totally confused look on my face.
“What?”
“I don’t understand how you did this. You haven’t lived here in years. How do you know a director of a regional theatre in the middle of New Jersey and nab us tickets to a private dress rehearsal?”
“He owed me a favor.”
“That doesn’t really answer my question.”
“Then why don’t you ask the real question you want the answer to, Gigi?”
“Which is?”
“Why I did this.”
“That’s a simple answer. You feel guilty as hell about crashing my place and blowing up my life. You pretty much just told me as much before the show.”
“Actually, I don’t feel guilty about anything. I apologized because it sounded like the right thing to do, but the reality is if it wasn’t for me, fake Ben might have locked you up in his basement by now.”
Knox meant that as some sort of bad joke but I’m not laughing. Ben terrified the heck out of me today and for a split second, I thought he was going to beat the shit out of or worse.
“That’s not funny.”
I try sliding my hand out of his, but he only grips it harder.
“Too soon?” He cracks a smile for the first time tonight.
“You’re ruining the one decent moment we’ve probably had between us in the last ten years.”
“The second decent moment.”
I know he’s talking about the kiss.
“And I’m not worried about it,” he continues, lifting my hand to his mouth and kissing it. “I’m good at making up for lost time.”
And just like that.
My panties are soaked.
Sixteen
Knox
Six Days Ago
Gigi’s Apartment
* * *
An Offer He Couldn’t Refuse
* * *
I’m in the middle of a killer abdominal workout when there’s a knock at Gigi’s front door so I answer it.
“You’re the family friend, right?”
There's no hello or other pleasantries when I open the door, he just gets right to it.
“And you’re Matty?” I ask facetiously.
“Yeah, I’m Matthew.”
I know what his name is but I don’t give a shit. Every time I lay eyes on this guy, something primal pounds inside of my chest. I want him far away from Gigi, and I have no real reason for it. It’s just how it’s got to be.
“How can I help you, Matt-Matt?”
He looks inside the apartment and sees all my belongings scattered around the living room floor and sofa.
“Are you staying here?” he asks incredulously. "With Gigi?"
“I am.”
“Can I come in?”
“Gigi’s not here.”
“Is she at work?”
He’s quite the nosey little suit and tie fucker, isn’t he?
“I believe so.”
“And who are you again?”
“I’m Gigi’s Uno partner, her nemesis, and her protector.”
He looks at me like I’ve got a screw loose.
Maybe I do.
“Those are three very distinct descriptors to give yourself, especially the protector one. Why would she need you for that?”
“I guess Gigi didn’t tell you much about me then.”
“Not as much as I would have liked.”
“Then let me enlighten you. I’ve been keeping Gigi out of trouble her whole life, which is why I will not let you in this apartment today. In fact, it’s why I will not allow you to stay in her life, either. And it’s not just because I think Gigi deserves the man of her dreams and all that type of Hollywood bullshit, but it’s really because I know that the two of you will never work out, plain and simple.”
“You’re making a lot of assumptions for someone that just breezed back into Gigi’s life. I’ve known her for over a year and she’s never even mentioned you once. Sorry, dude, but you must not be that important to her.”
“I feel like you’re getting a bit defensive, Matty. You might want to calm down. I don’t do well with confrontation.”
“Dude, are you insane? Are you on medication? Is Gigi safe with you here? If I sound defensive it's because you’re telling me that you’re going to actively try to keep my girlfriend from me. Who are you to tell me anything!”