STAGESTRUCK - The Complete Series

by Ward, Alice

  “She received four panicked phone calls from her conservative, overbearing mother and realized that some publicity IS bad publicity.” I sighed. “Also, I had a run in with Serena outside the make-up room.”

  “Why don’t you tell me all about it over dinner.” He suggested.

  I laughed. “Yeah, right… that’s a brilliant idea. A scandalous article came out about us this morning, let’s go out for a night on the town.”

  “There’s a great place just down the street.” He told me. “They love me there, we’ll be safe.”

  “Someone is sure to see us, Dylan.” I argued. “And people recognize you… even if the press doesn’t see us, someone is bound to snap a picture with their smart phone.”

  Dylan sighed. “Kate, if you’re going to be a star then you’re just going to have got to get used to living in the public eye. Cameras will follow you wherever you go, do you really want to let them control your life? All I’m asking for is dinner… we’ll sit a respectable distance away from each other, with a table between us, and we’ll discuss your career. Is that too much to ask?”

  I studied him carefully. “I guess not.” I finally relented. “Let me wipe off some of this make-up, I look ridiculous… can I go like this or should I run home and change?” I asked, gesturing to today’s exercise set; yoga pants and fitted t-shirts were becoming my standard uniform.

  “You’re fine like that.” He assured me. “I’ll grab my stuff and meet you in the hall.”

  We snuck out the back exit of the theater and made our way down the busy street; Dylan wore a stocking cap, scarf, and sunglasses and blended into the crowd. We walked eight blocks to a small, brick storefront. A sign reading “Joe’s Bar” hung in the window.

  “They keep it simple.” I said, gesturing to the sign as we stepped into the bar.

  A hostess greeted us; she knew Dylan and led us to his favorite table. We sat next to the juke box, just a few feet away from the door.

  “I like to see people as they come in.” Dylan explained as he draped his coat over the back of his chair.

  “Do you need menus, or do you want your usual?” The hostess asked.

  “I’ll have the usual,” he replied. She turned to me.

  “What’s your usual?” I asked Dylan.

  “A cheeseburger and onion rings, with Sam Adams draft.”

  “Make that two.” I told her. The hostess disappeared; a few moments later, another woman arrived at the table with a pitcher of beer and two frosty mugs.

  “You’re food will be up soon, Mr. Matthews.” She assured him.

  “Thank you, Grace,” he smiled. “Now, if you don’t mind my friend and I have important things to discuss.”

  “Of course, Mr. Matthews,” she replied quickly before leaving the table.

  Dylan looked at me and smiled. “So, are you ready for your first night on Broadway?”

  “You tell me.” I laughed. “You know the business better than I do.”

  “I think you’re going to do just fine.” He grinned. “Better than fine… as long as you can keep the drama from getting to you.”

  “I’m going to have to do more than that to survive.” I sighed and told him about my encounter with Serena. “She’s determined to take me down.” I insisted. “If I do one thing that she could possibly twist to her advantage, I’m done.”

  “You’re overestimating her power.” Dylan insisted. “She’s a disgruntled make-up artist who’s jealous of your success. There’s nothing she can do to hurt you.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not so sure about that… the way she looked at me, she seemed evil… like she’d kill me if she could get away with it. I think that you and I should keep things strictly professional at the theater. I don’t want to give her the ammunition she’s looking for to take me down.”

  “We need to keep things strictly professional… at the theater.” He repeated with a sly grin. “Does that mean that we can be unprofessional outside of the theater?”

  My face flushed red. “No…” I stammered. “That’s not what I meant at all… I have a boyfriend, Dylan, I’ve told you that.”

  “Yes,” he agreed. “But does he understand you the way I do? Does he know what drives your passion, or the way it feels to get a standing ovation? Can he handle your long hours and the adoring fans you’ll have in a matter of weeks? Can he give you what I can, Kate?” He asked softly.

  I stared at him in disbelief. “They were all right…” I said softly. “You weren’t interested in my talent at all… you got me the role so you could seduce me.”

  “That’s not what happened at all.” Dylan insisted. “I got you the AUDITION for the role, because you’re incredible. Poppy was mediocre at best, and I hated working with her. We had no chemistry on stage. The fact that I’m attracted to you is a completely separate issue.”

  ‘I cannot believe that Dylan Matthews is attracted to me.’ I thought in disbelief. ‘This kind of stuff doesn’t happen to girls like me… this happens in fairytales.’ I snapped myself back to reality.

  “I have a boyfriend.” I reminded him again. “We’re very happy together… I’m flattered, really, but I’m only interested in friendship here…”

  “Indulge me for just a moment.” He insisted. “If you feel the same way after, I’ll never bring it up again.”

  “After what…?” I asked.

  He flashed me another dazzling smile, took me by the back of the head, and pulled my lips to his. He kissed me, softly at first, and I lost myself in the moment. I kissed him back, my tongue hungrily searching for his. Suddenly, a bright light lit the dark table. I pulled away from Dylan’s embrace and looked to the source of the flash.

  My heart sank and I knew my world was ending, just as Serena had promised only an hour ago. She stood in the doorway of the bar, a camera in hand and Max by her side. She looked at me with sick satisfaction.

  I looked pleadingly at Max. “This isn’t what it looks like, I promise.” I insisted.

  “Save it, Kate.” He said harshly. “God, I am such a fool… I still felt so bad about yesterday… I asked Steve to let me off early. You said you were going to run lines in your dressing room, so I went to the theater to surprise you.”

  “I see,” I said, looking at Serena. “And you brought him here?”

  Serena smiled innocently. “I ran in to him, and he asked if I knew where you were. I know that Dylan hangs out here, and since he was gone too, I figured that this would be the next logical place to check… I’m sorry, Kate, I never imagined that we’d be… interrupting anything.” She finished smugly.

  I looked her in the eye and knew that I’d been defeated. Even worse, I’d been responsible for my own undoing. Serena was to blame for bringing Max to the bar, but I was to blame for what he saw when they got there.

  “Is that why you brought a camera?” Dylan asked in amusement. “Because you didn’t expect to see anything?”

  Serena grinned evilly, “Having the camera was a happy accident… one that the press is going to appreciate.”

  I no longer cared about Serena, her camera, or what kind of reputation I was developing with the press. All I wanted was for Max to look at me, to forgive me and give me another chance. I looked him in the eye and pleaded for forgiveness.

  “I’m sorry,” I begged. “It didn’t mean anything… we were rehearsing for the show.”

  “Save it, Kate.” He snapped again. “I’ve heard enough of your lies… I JUST got off the phone with you… you promised that article was a lie… you promised Fiona!” He said, tears falling from his eyes. I pushed my chair from the table and moved towards him. He backed away and put up his hands.

  “Don’t touch me… don’t talk to me… I have nothing else to say to you.” He backed out the door and rushed down the sidewalk. I raced after him when Serena called me back.

  “Oh, Kate…” she sang. “We aren’t finished here.”

  I turned on her and tried to take the camera from her hand. “We
have nothing left to talk about.” I told her as she fought the camera from my grasp.

  Dylan joined the conversation. “Look, Serena is it? I don’t know what you hope to accomplish with that picture… do you think that causing trouble for us will make people respect you? Is that what you’re after?” He asked in that same amused tone.

  “I don’t care how people feel about me,” she insisted defiantly, “as long as they know the truth about her… I guess they’ll know the truth about you too now, lover boy. I’ll consider that a bonus.” She smiled again and made her way to the door.

  “Enjoy tomorrow’s paper!” She called out with a laugh as she disappeared onto the street.

  Dylan looked at me and smiled. “On the bright side, we’ve taken care of that boyfriend problem of yours… and if everyone believes we’re seeing each other anyway, why can’t we give it a shot?”

  I shook my head in disbelief; he had some nerve, acting like what had just happened was no big deal. “I have to go.” I announced. “I’ll see you tomorrow… maybe.”

  “Kate, wait…” He called after me. I ignored him and fled the bar.

  A taxi sat nearby; I slid into the backseat and gave the driver my Sunnyside address. I knew that the ride would cost four times as much as a subway ticket, but I was too upset to care. As the taxi moved down the city streets, I wondered how in the world I’d ever manage to put my life back together.

  PART 2

  BOOK DESCRIPTION

  STAGESTRUCK is a steamy New Adult romance by Alice Ward - This is part two of a two part series.

  Kate Harper is now focused on launching her new career. She's set to take the stage for her Broadway debut, proving that she deserves her time in the spotlight.

  Without Max in his way, Kate's costar Dylan Matthews aims to sweep her off her feet. Their blossoming friendship, quickly wins them the title of 'Broadway's Favorite Sweethearts', but before their relationship has a chance to fully bloom, Kate learns that not everyone loves a love-story.

  Just as quickly as Dylan entered her life, trouble begins to brew. An unsettling photo left at her doorstep begins a series of strange events that grow more and more concerning as time goes on.

  The police believe Kate may have a stalker, but Kate gets the feeling that there's far more happening than meets the eye.

  With already so much to contend with, Max makes a reappearance in Kate's life. But having him nearby doesn't dispel the danger that's brewing for her.

  Can Kate survive the dark side of fame? Or will someone dim the lights of Broadway permanently for her?

  And what about Kate's love life? Who will she end up with? Who will be there for her when she needs him the most?

  Find out all the answers in the second and final part of STAGESTRUCK!

  The STAGESTRUCK Series is intended for a mature audience, 18+ only.

  CHAPTER 1

  I paced the floors of the baggage claim area of JFK airport, anxiously awaiting my family’s arrival. It was Monday morning, just hours before my debut performance in Jersey Boys, and I was beginning to second guess my decision to meet my family’s plane. I was a bundle of nerves and I knew that dealing with my mother would likely make things worse. I checked the arrival board for what seemed like the hundredth time in five minutes; their flight information had changed from “On Time” to “Landed.” I took a deep breath and braced myself for the reunion. Five minutes later, I heard my brother Nathan’s voice boom through the baggage area.

  “There’s our little starlet.” He called out as he approached me. Mimi and my parents followed closely behind him. Nathan wrapped me in a bear hug and I was thankful that he’d been able to make the trip. Since I’d been a bit of an outcast in high school, my big brother had been my best friend through a lot of lonely years. Having him here for my big night made everything feel complete.

  “Kate darling, you look too thin. I hope that you’re remembering to eat, what with your busy life and all.” My mother offered as a greeting.

  “Caroline, back off of the poor girl.” Mimi insisted. “Kate, you look fantastic.”

  “Thanks Mimi,” I replied as I hugged my grandmother.

  “Mimi’s right,” my father chimed in. “It looks like New York suits you, cupcake.”

  “I’ve missed you, Daddy.” I told him as I broke away from Mimi and embraced him. “How was your flight?”

  “As good as a flight can be,” my mom sighed. “I swear, I hate airplanes more and more every time I get in one. It’s uncivilized, the way they herd you on and off, makes me feel like livestock.”

  “Now, Caroline, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration.” Mimi scolded her.

  My mother rolled her eyes and I turned to Nathan. “Want to grab the luggage?” I asked.

  “Love to,” he replied quickly. I turned to our parents. “The theater provided a SUV, it’s waiting outside in temporary parking. It’s a dark blue Trail Blazer, the driver’s name is Frank. You guys can take Mimi and get settled, Nathan and I will grab the luggage and meet you out there.”

  “A Trail Blazer, huh?” Dad asked. “That was nice of them.”

  “Oh don’t be silly Carl, it’s not like they sent a limo.” Mom said as they turned to the exit. Nathan and I exchanged a look and made our way to the baggage terminal.

  “So be honest, how bad was the flight?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Not as bad as our trip to Disney, not as calm as our trip to Niagara Falls,” he replied.

  When Nathan and I were in elementary school, our parents took us to Disney World. Between the airlines losing our luggage and three hours of rain every day of our trip, Mom had had plenty to complain about. We’ve judged every family vacation against it since.

  “What is she so pissed off about?” I asked. “You’d think she could just be happy for me!”

  “She’s incredibly happy for you.” Nathan insisted. “And she’s really proud, we all are. But I think that all of this Broadway stuff scares her. Mom has spent her whole life in Waterloo, she’s used to a quiet life. She doesn’t know how to handle all of the attention you’re getting.”

  “I’m sure that that article didn’t help.” I sighed. “Were you home when that came out? How bad was she?”

  “I wasn’t home, but I talked to her plenty.” Nathan told me. “It hurt her for you that people were saying such awful things. And I won’t lie; she was embarrassed and worried about what her friends would think. But I managed to talk her down. I think the bottom line is that she’s worried about you and she’s not handling it well.”

  “Maybe she’ll understand after tonight’s show.” I suggested. The belt finally started moving and suitcases fell out of the shoot. I recognized my mother’s color coordinated luggage tags immediately, and we grabbed the suitcases as they passed by. Nathan loaded them on a cart and we made our way to the Trail Blazer. Mimi was up front with the driver; dad sat next to the driver’s side window and mom perched in the middle of the bench seat.

  “Flip you for the third row?” I offered.

  “No need, I’ll climb back there.” He insisted. We settled into our seats and Frank pulled away from the curb.

  “I’m so excited about The Plaza!” My mother said as she smoothed the legs of her black wool slacks. “It’s so nice of your boyfriend to put us up in such a fancy place. He seemed like such a doll when I spoke with him, I can’t wait to meet him in person.”

  I cringed at the mention of Max. We hadn’t spoken since he stormed out of Joe’s Bar on Friday. I’d sent him a text Saturday morning, apologizing for the kiss and insisting that it meant nothing. I asked him to call me when he was ready to talk; he’d replied with a short message telling me that he’d send a messenger to the theater to pick up the emerald ring he’d given me.

  “Actually, mom,” I began slowly. “Max isn’t paying for the room, the theater is. Turns out, he isn’t as nice of a guy as we thought he was.”

  “Well, I hate to hear that but I trust your judgment. And my goo
dness, if the theater is paying for The Plaza they must think a lot of you.” Mom replied.

  I couldn’t believe it was that easy, but I wasn’t going to question it. The truth was that I was footing the bill for the rooms myself. If my family knew that, they’d insist on staying somewhere cheaper and paying for it themselves. I wanted them to have a glamorous New York vacation, so I figured a little white lie wouldn’t hurt anything.

  “Kate, are you sure that you can’t stay for lunch?” Mimi asked hopefully after Frank announced that we were five minutes from the hotel.

  “I’m so sorry, Mimi, but I have to get to the theater. There’s a lot to do with it being my first night. But I’ll see you right after the show, and we’ll ride to the after party together.”

  “Alright sweetheart, I understand.” She replied. “I can’t wait to see you on that stage. I’ve known that this moment was coming since you were just a little girl.”

  “You’re seats are right up front.” I told her with a smile. “You’re going to have such a good time. And it’s early, you should get out and enjoy the city for a few hours since this is your only day here. Just be ready to leave the hotel at seven, my friend Janette is going to pick you up and take you to the theater.”

  “Alright, darling, I guess we’ll see you tonight.” My dad chimed in as we pulled up to the hotel.

  We all climbed out of the Trail Blazer and I hugged everyone goodbye. They wished me good luck as a bell hop came and retrieved their luggage and then they disappeared into the lobby. I climbed into the passenger seat and tried to refocus as Frank drove back to my apartment.

  ***

  I climbed the staircase to my apartment and decided to check in with Janette before going home. I knocked on her door and she answered a few moments later; she was in her bathrobe and had her hair wrapped in a towel.

  “Hey,” she smiled as I stepped in to the apartment. “Did your family get here alright?”

  “Yes, I just dropped them off at the hotel. I told them that the theater is footing the bill, so play along if they mention it.”