Center Stage
Page 29

John stepped into the shower. He hoped the hot water would wash away his tension. He was sure he wasn’t supposed to hear April ask Arianna what she thought about their age difference.
Arianna’s answer hadn’t bothered him. In fact, he thought she handled it very well. But it was the few seconds of hesitation that had gotten to him.
What was he doing? She deserved someone her own age. He had nothing to offer a relationship at this point.
For most of his life his job had been the most important thing to him. He’d always been the man Zach and Tyler Benson could count on. They’d sent him all over the world to oversee projects.
Perhaps a relationship would hold him back, too.
With a woman at home, he couldn’t travel as he had. Those jobs could take a few months at a time.
Wouldn’t she want someone who could offer her more? He was too simple. The only thing he knew about theater was how to build one.
He hadn’t finished college, and he’d only squeaked out of high school.
He lathered shampoo in his hands and ran his fingers through his hair.
Was this why his wife had left him? His job was more important than she was?
In the past month he’d already put in more work with Arianna than he had in nearly twenty years of marriage.
John rinsed the soap from his hair. It had been his fault. He’d driven his wife into the arms of another man—a man who would be there for her and not leave for months at a time. This other man gave her the children John had never wanted.
The knock at the door had him dropping the soap from his hand.
“You doing alright? You’ve been in there forever,” Arianna’s sweet voice carried through the steam filled room.
“I guess I hadn’t noticed. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
“I thought we could go for bar-b-que and then maybe take April by the theater to look at it.”
Just hearing her speak to him put him at ease. He hadn’t treated his wife the way he treated Arianna because, he realized at that moment, he’d never loved her as he loved Arianna.
“You bet. I’ll be down in a few.”
April had a lot of energy, and John could see she even wore Arianna out.
She’d had one story after another during dinner. If he wasn’t driving, he’d have had four more beers.
That wasn’t to say she wasn’t a nice woman. She just talked a lot.
He was pleased, though, that she’d had the same enthusiasm when she’d tasted the food at Steve’s. It was the best, and most people agreed on that.
After dinner he drove to the theater.
“So, Arianna, what are your plans for opening night?”
“We’re going to have a soft opening, and my niece and I are putting something together. This will be held for my friends, family, and the community. But our first production will be Annie, in honor of the first musical I ever saw and it was at the theater.”
“That’ll be wonderful. You don’t suppose Eric will come, do you?”
Arianna didn’t answer right away, and John watched as her jaw tightened and she clasped her fingers in her lap.
“I can’t imagine why he would.”
John was grateful they arrived in front of the theater when they did. The tension in the car had become nearly toxic. Aside from that, he knew he’d get no sleep tonight. There was a lot to hash out with this woman he loved.
He put the car in park and unbuckled his seat belt. April was already out of the car and staring up at the building, which wouldn’t get a new coat of paint for a week.
John touched Arianna’s arm. “You okay?”
“Doing great.” She smiled through gritted teeth.
He didn’t take her demeanor personally. He assumed with the story of Eric would come some reason April made her so tense.
John stepped out of the car and Arianna followed. He walked up the steps to unlock the door.
“Arianna, this place is creepy.”
“Not once you’re inside. Besides it’s under construction. In a few months, it will be amazing.”
April made a noise of acceptance and followed after John as he stepped inside to turn on the lights.
A moment later, the few lights illuminated the lobby. John looked at Arianna. The glimmer was back in her eyes. No matter what this girl knew about the woman he loved, she couldn’t diminish the love she had for what she was building—what they were building.
“So…what’s this supposed to look like?” April questioned the run down lobby.
“This is our lobby. Over there is concessions. And over there,” she turned and pointed to the other side of the room, “is my office.”
April nodded. “Can we go into the theater?”
“Of course.”
Arianna led her through the large doors in the center of the room, and John followed.
The few lights that still came on with the switch, along with the work lights he’d turned on, gave the theater an eerie glow.
April only took a few steps through the door.
“When do you get your seats?”
John stepped up next to her. “We put those in last.”
“Oh.”
Arianna was hurrying toward the stage. “They just finished the stage. Isn’t it beautiful?”
John heard her gasp, and she turned toward him.
“The curtains are back.”
“And better than ever.” He walked through the theater to stand next to her. “Whoever Regan found to clean and repair them did a great job. I don’t know much about curtains, but I know they look great.”
Arianna covered her mouth and John could see tears surface in her eyes, but they weren’t sad tears.
“Thank you.”
He touched her face and looked into her eyes. “I love you. Everything here is going to be perfect.”
“I do believe it is.”
April had made her way to the stage and was walking up the side steps. “There’s a lot of room here. I think you’ll be able to do some big productions.”
John thought it might have been the most positive statement the woman had made all night long.
April walked out to the center of the stage. “I’m sorry, honey, but this place creeps me out. I feel like I’m being watched.”
Arianna laughed and followed her up to the stage. “Isn’t that what’s supposed to happen in old buildings?”