Part 14 (1/2)

Jen nodded. ”Then he could spend the next few years putting some work into it. Fixing up the kitchen, maybe finis.h.i.+ng the bas.e.m.e.nt. By the time we're ready to move on the value will have gone up by quite a bit. It's a smart business move.”

”So you and I would live here and pay him rent?” I asked. The idea made me feel weird.

”We'd contribute to the mortgage, yeah,” she said. ”But the great thing is that it'd be much cheaper. Our landlord is gouging us right now. At today's prices, Matt's mortgage would be about two thirds of what we pay now in rent.”

She looked so excited discussing these business matters. Jen was definitely a nerd when it came to stuff like this. And I could see her point-it would make financial sense for Matt to own the property. If it lowered our rent that would only be a good thing.

But living in Matt's house? Living with Matt and Jen? It made me uncomfortable, even though I couldn't put my objections into words. It just felt funny. Granted, Matt was here almost every night anyhow, he practically already lived with us. But still...

”Just think about it, okay?” Jen said. ”I think it would be really great, but it's up to you.”

”I'll think about it,” I promised.

”Matt will be here tonight if you have any questions,” she continued. I could tell she was excited about the whole thing, and I felt a little bad for my reservations.

”I think I'm going to see Nate after rehearsal,” I told her.

”That's almost every night this week, isn't it?” she asked, the forced casualness in her voice not lost on me. I had the feeling she was dying to ask me to dish about my relations.h.i.+p but was trying to restrain herself.

I wasn't quite sure what I would tell her if she did ask. I had been seeing an awful lot of Nate since the benefit. The truth was, we were having a great time. He was easy to be with, he was fun, he made me laugh. If I was any other girl I'd probably be trying to come up with ways to get my claws into him for good.

But in spite of all those good things, something was holding me back. I just wasn't sure how far I wanted to take it. I had an urge to tell Jen all of this, to ask her what I should do. But then again, she would probably just advocate for me to get serious with him. Jen made no secret of her opinion that I was only single because I was repressing issues about my dad's abandonment. Whatever that meant.

”I probably won't get to see him much in the next week,” I told her instead. ”What with tech and all.”

Tech week was my least favorite part of doing a show. During the week before the opening we would have dress rehearsal every day, a chance to run the entire show with all the technical aspects. By the end of the week everything should be pretty smooth, but the first few rehearsals would be rife with bugs. It was just about guaranteed. And that meant long nights trying to work everything out...

”When does tech start?” Jen asked.

”Tomorrow. We're going to run twice. I'll probably be at the theater all day.” Not the most exciting way to spend a Sat.u.r.day.

”So tonight's the last night to see the boy before all the craziness starts?” she asked with a smile. I rolled my eyes. ”And then Friday is the opening?”

”We have a press preview on Thursday,” I said, my stomach twisting at the thought. ”Then official opening is Friday, yeah.”

”And you reserved our tickets?” she asked.

”Yup, you guys are all set. Good thing, too, because we're totally sold out.”

Jen gasped. ”Oh my G.o.d, hon, that's amazing!”

”And scary.”

”Don't be silly,” she said. ”You're going to be great.”

”I hope so,” I told her. ”We all need to be great if we want to get this play to Chicago.”

Jen's face clouded a little. ”I'll be so sad when you're gone,” she said.

”It's a long shot.”

Jen only shook her head. ”Nope. This thing is going all the way. I can feel it.”

I smiled at her. I didn't say it, but I had a feeling she was right.

Four hours later and I was finally leaving rehearsal. Our final run before tech had gone really well. My frustration over Grayson and work had evaporated under the exhilaration that came from a good rehearsal. When I got to Nate's house, I was practically bouncing off the walls.

”Good rehearsal?” he asked with a smile.

”Awesome rehearsal,” I corrected. ”G.o.d, theater is amazing. Seriously. The next time I complain about something, remind me how good I feel right now.”

He came over to put his arms around me and I met him with an enthusiastic kiss.

”We should go out and do something fun,” he said, smiling down at me. ”Let's not waste this good mood.”

He took me to club in Ferndale so we could dance. Most of the guys I knew would drop dead before they would be seen out on a dance floor-not Nate. He seemed to have no inhibitions about looking ridiculous, as long as he was having fun.

The DJ mostly featured hits from the seventies and eighties, so the club lacked that compet.i.tive feel you got in many places. In fact, most of our fellow revelers were quite a bit older than us.

”This place is hilarious,” Nate said at the bar. We had finally taken a break to get drinks and we were now happily watching the crowd dance. ”Do you see that old dude in bellbottoms?”

”He's reliving his youth,” I told him. ”I think it's awesome.”

”You mean groovy,” he corrected, putting his arm around me. I was sweaty and disheveled from all of the dancing, but I didn't care. From the way he pulled me closer, I could tell that Nate didn't care either.

”Ready to get back out there?” I asked.

”I'd rather get you home,” he said in my ear.

”We've only been here for an hour!” I laughed.

”I don't care. You're gorgeous,” he said, his voice low. Even after all these weeks it still sent a thrill through me when he talked like that. I looked up into his eyes, which were dark and intense.

”Okay,” I said, happiness filling me up right down to my toes. ”Let's go home.”

An hour later, I was curled up comfortably in Nate's bed, trying to keep him from falling asleep.

”Talk to me,” I told him, slapping his chest. ”Come on, I need entertainment.”

”You're a spoiled child,” he moaned, throwing his arm over his face. ”I'm tired.”

”You're no fun,” I shot back. ”How old are you?”

”I don't understand how you're not sleepy yet,” he said, rolling over so he was facing me. ”You had to go into work this morning, you had rehearsal, we went dancing, I just totally ravished you...”

I laughed. ”Maybe your ravis.h.i.+ng skills aren't as effective as you thought.”

He raised an eyebrow at me. ”Don't make me show you again.”