by HB Heinzer
The morning commute was Carly's least favorite part of the day. Even more than normal, everyone was in a hurry to get somewhere and common courtesy was non-existent. She could feel judgmental eyes boring down on her as she followed the fashion-forward pedestrian current in her cut-off denim shorts and bright orange oversized t-shirt slouching off one shoulder. There was no point in trying to look good when you were going to spend most of the day painting and cleaning.
The only comfort to be had from coming in so early was that she had a few hours before Dax would grace her with his presence. That almost made it worth the anxiety she felt over being the first person in the building. Ever since Phantom of the Opera, Carly was terrified at the thought of being alone in the theater Yes, it was irrational, but she had yet to find a way to combat the fear.
Moving the set was normally a job tackled when there were at least two people working. Too much could go wrong trying to do it alone. Unfortunately, no one thought to move the cumbersome pieces last night and they would need to be moved before the contractor could do his job. Carly cursed her irrational fears as she tripped, shoving the roof of a building directly into one of the heavy, velvet curtains.
"Hello?" A deep voice resonated from backstage.
"Out here," she shouted, still wrestling to pull the set piece out of the curtain without causing any damage Dax would make her fix later. She blew a stray hair away from her eyes as the lighting contractor rounded the corner.
The broad shoulders and angled jaw were all new but there was no mistaking the icy blue eyes looking down at her. "Adam?"
"Carly Turner? What are the odds..."
When did he get so tall? Carly shook the thoughts out of her head. There was definitely a rule about drooling over your best friend's little brother.
"Well, I think they're probably long enough that there's no point in buying a lottery ticket tonight," Oh god, did I just compare seeing Adam to winning the lottery?
"What in the hell are these?" Adam laughed, twirling the long blond pigtails that fell in front of her shoulders. The child-like hair restraints didn't seem like as good of an idea as they had this morning. Carly felt her glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose. Pushing them back to her face using a knuckle, she looked away. This was, without a doubt, the least put-together Carly had been in a long time and Adam happened to be here to see it.
Her cheeks heated under his critical gaze. "I'm not really going for the high glamor look when I'm moving set pieces." She was flustered. It wasn't a condition Carly was used to which put her even more on edge.
"That's good because you're off the mark if that's what you were trying to achieve." He grabbed his tool bag from the ground and moved to the front of the stage. "Hey Carly, it's a good look on you." When he threw a quick smile over his shoulder, Carly noticed he still had the chip in his front tooth that he'd had since they kids. What others might see as an imperfection added character to his All-American good looks. Carly had to fight the warmth she felt inside from that single glance.
Nice recovery.
"Let's go..." This time she did roll her eyes since he couldn't see her. She hoped the awkwardness would recede once he was working. She needed to focus on her checklist, not Julia's kid brother.
Even though she told herself she would disappear after showing him the light rigs, she lingered on the stage watching him work. "Are you going to be able to get it working?"
"That's the plan." He jumped off the stage heading to the control room. The way his jeans stretched over his thighs with every movement was jarring. She wanted to touch him to see if the denim was as worn and soft as it looked. There should be rules that kid brothers aren't allowed to grow up into sexy men.
Without Dax's constant interruptions Carly quickly got the prop tables set for the first act. By the time he sauntered in she had everything ready to go for the evening's rehearsal and Adam had located the problem. They sat side-by-side with their feet hanging over the edge of the stage while Adam waited for a vendor to return his phone call.
"Am I paying you to sit on your ass," Dax snapped, throwing his purse on the floor. She didn't care what fancy name Dax tried to give it, the brown leather bag was, without doubt, his purse.
Adam raised one eyebrow causing Carly to stifle a laugh. Dax was in a foul mood this morning and she wasn't about to give him ammunition. "My list is done and he's waiting on a part. It's either sit here talking or sit here in silence. I decided to be personable and keep him company." She stood and reached a hand out to help Adam up. "Now that you're here, I'm going next door to grab something to eat. I'll be back." Carly reached out her hand to help Adam up from his seat.
Dax narrowed his eyes, "Where's he going?"
Just a few more weeks. "He got here right after me so I figure he might be hungry too. Plus, I'm not leaving him here with you. No one should be subjected to your mood. Seriously, you need to take a Valium or something before you start scaring the cast."
Now it was Adam choking back his laughter. She nodded to him and then motioned to the back door. "Let's go."
"That was impressive. I don't remember you being so mouthy." Adam chuckled as he opened the door. As soon as they were outside, he threw an arm over his nose and mouth. "Damn, did something die back here?"
Carly shrugged. "You get used to it," she lied. There was no way to get used to the smell of rancid meat and rotting fruit but there was also no way to change it. It was part of the reality of trying to make it big in New York. Even the shiniest dreams tarnish over time.
Carly led Adam to one of her favorite spots a few blocks away. Carly filed into the grill line. "I'll grab us a sandwich to split. You get sodas and chips," she instructed. When they had been walking to the deli, Carly worried that it would be weird having lunch with Julia's little brother. Instead, it felt completely natural, like they'd been doing it for years. Even more surprising, Adam pulled a Cherry Coke from the cooler and a bag of Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles. Somehow, he knew what she wanted. Was that a lucky guess or does he somehow remember my lifelong addictions?
Adam was the first person from home she'd seen in six years. Her friends from Wisconsin were all so busy with their own lives that it never worked to meet up and Gran Turner, Carly's didn't fly and couldn't sit for long car trips. It was nice to be sitting across from someone who understood her. As much as she tried to fit into the New York lifestyle, there were some Midwestern quirks so ingrained in her personality she'd never get rid of them and her city friends couldn't understand them.
"So, how's your sister?" It was one of the few things Carly could think of to ask since she really didn't know much about Adam, especially not as an adult. The last she had heard, Julia was living in Nashville and getting ready to file for divorce. A good friend wouldn't have to ask her brother how she's doing. A good friend would have kept in touch. Carly preferred to think their lack of communication had more to do with living life on different schedules rather than think admit they weren't as close as they once were.
"She's good, I guess," Adam said around a mouthful of corned beef and Swiss. "She's planning to move back to Wisconsin once the divorce is final. She says she's fine with it, but I'm not so sure."
"Julia's moving back to Wisconsin? Nu-uh," she exclaimed in disbelief. Carly and Julia swore they'd never go back to Wisconsin once they got out. "Madison or Milwaukee?"
Adam shrugged. "Not sure. She's been pretty vague."
It bothered her more than it should that Adam didn't seem to know very much about his sister's life. The siblings had relied on each other for support after their mom left. Growing up an only child, Carly liked to think that she would have stayed close to her siblings if she'd had any.
Adam excused himself to answer a phone call and Carly once again found herself watching him walk away. His confident swagger made it appear as though he was floating out of the room. There had to be some unwritten rule that you didn't check out the ass of a friend's little brother.
"The part
will be here in about two hours," he said when he returned to the table. "You in a hurry to get back?"
Carly shook her head. She knew she should get back to the Schumann and see what menial tasks Dax could find for her but she knew she'd have more than her fill of him tonight. Plus, she'd started work four hours early today, that should buy her some free time in the afternoon. "No. I can show you around for a while. I just need to pop back and let Dax know I'm going to take a longer break."
Adam laughed. "Believe it or not, I don't need a tour guide. I probably spend almost as much time in this part of town as you do."
"Huh?" She cringed at the unintelligent utterance. At some point, she'd gather her wits and the ability to form a complete sentence again.
"It feels like I'm always out here for work. I keep telling them it'd be cheaper to just move me out here but they haven't bitten so far."
It didn't make sense that a company the size of ETS didn't have sub-contractors to take care of repairs like the one Adam had been sent to make. "Why are you out here so often? Wouldn't it be more cost-effective for them to hire someone local to do the work?"
Adam laughed again. Carly wasn't thrilled at the idea of being his primary source of amusement for the day. "I don't normally do repairs. One of the big-shots knows someone at the Schumann, so he asked me to come out and personally take care of it. Normally, I'm on sales calls."
"Oh." It stung to know that someone she knew had been so close so many times and yet she'd never been in contact. She couldn't help but wonder if they'd have met up sooner if she had kept in touch with Julia.
As soon as they walked through the stage door at the Schumann, Carly knew a break was out of the question. "Turner, where in the hell have you been?" Dax's nasally shriek echoed through the empty theater house.
"Sounds like someone's in trouble," Adam whispered in her ear. Carly swallowed hard. There definitely had to be a rule about getting butterflies over a friend's younger brother. Oh, to hell with it, I haven't even talked to Julia in over a year.
Carly rolled her eyes. "He's just a drama queen. You know how theater people can be. I'd better see what his highness needs."
"Rain check, then?"
There was no way she'd have time before Adam went back to Wisconsin. The thought depressed her more than it should. "I'm going to be stuck here late every night this week. Maybe next time you're in town?"
Adam's shoulders fell. "Right. Opening week—" In a twisted way, it lifted Carly's spirits to see that he was upset.
"Turner!" Dax was in a mood today.
"I have to get out there. Try to find me when you come back with the part," she grumbled. She turned back as she neared the stage, "Hey, you said two hours, right? The queen will want to know."
Adam tried to stifle his laughter. "Yes, tell his majesty I shall return in two hours." Carly nearly lost it when he bowed flamboyantly before disappearing into the summer sun. Just as the door was about to slam shut, it was thrown open again. "Oh, and Carly... it's good seeing you."
Two hours later, Adam returned with a box that looked far too small to hold anything that had the ability to cripple the intricate lighting plan for their show. "Time to save the princess from the evil king."
"My hero," Carly shrieked, throwing her arms around Adam's broad shoulders. She kissed his cheek and immediately felt her cheeks burning red. Between feeling the firm ridges under her fingers and inhaling an intoxicating blend of body wash, soap and woodsy cologne, Carly knew she was in trouble.
"Turner, what in the hell do you think you're doing? Even if there weren't a hundred things to do, you can't screw the vendors." The embarrassment Carly felt at being caught was replaced by laughter at Dax's stunned expression. The laughter was quickly followed by anger as Carly hit her breaking point with his mood.
"Screw you, Dax," she shouted towards the stage, her arms frozen around Adam's neck. Not normally one to feel a need to explain her actions, Carly followed him. "For your information, Adam is a family friend. I have no intention on screwing him, backstage or anywhere else. And even if I was going to screw him, you're just pissed that that would be one more gorgeous man you're not getting." Maybe one of these days Dax would realize that Carly's tolerance for his bullshit directly correlated to the time she was required to roll out of bed in the morning.
Dax didn't respond to Carly's dramatic monologue. In fact, it was as if he hadn't heard a single thing she had said. That was good, she supposed, because needed to make it through this run so she had one more show on her resume. She couldn't wait until he had to find another whipping post.
When Carly turned to apologize to Adam, he was nowhere to be found. She reached into her bright green leather purse, grabbing a cigarette and her iPhone. Once outside, she crouched against the side of the brick building to tap out a quick email.
Hey Annie,
Do you ever talk to Julia? I heard a rumor she's moving back to WI, but not where. Let me know. We need to catch up.
C
In high school, Carly didn't go anywhere without Julia on one side and Annie on the other. If anyone would know what was going on with Julia, it would be Annie. Asking about Julia wasn't what Carly really wanted to talk to Annie about, but she figured it would be better to wade in to the conversation rather than jumping directly into the deep end by asking for information about Adam.
"You know those will kill you," Adam said, plucking the cigarette out of her mouth and taking a long drag.
"Have you seen what I have to deal with?" She deadpanned, "I figure it's me or them. I can't go to prison for killing myself. And wouldn't the same go for you?"
Adam extended a hand and pulled Carly so she was standing close enough to smell his cologne, even over the rotting garbage. "True," he agreed, "But it'd be a waste for you to kill yourself. Plus, you're going to be one of those scary broads that sounds like a dude someday. That will really kill the cute little sex kitten thing you have going on now. I, on the other hand, don't have to worry about sounding like a guy or killing my sex appeal."
Deflecting the attention off herself, Carly smacked Adam in the chest. "Stop it. You're the creepy little brother, you don't get to call me sexy."
For a moment, Adam looked almost hurt by the statement. "Creepy, huh?" Carly worried that she'd offended him until her started laughing.
"I... uh..." Once again, words failed her. She rolled her eyes. "Shut up, you know what I mean. So, are you done? Does his highness have light once again?"
"Yes, all is well in the kingdom." He bowed before her and she broke out laughing. It was fun to have someone laid back to talk to. "Guess I'd better let you get back to it."
"Yeah, I guess so," she said without trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. "Next time you're—"
"Turner," Dax threw the door open, almost hitting Carly in the face. "We're getting ready to have a rehearsal in here. Care to join us?"
"Coming," she snapped. When she turned to give Adam her phone number, he was turning onto the street at the end of the alley. She had obviously misread any vibe she thought she had gotten from him.
When I sat down last year to start writing my first book, it was very much a solitary journey. I wasn't sure what I would do once the book was finished, I didn't know anyone doing the same thing I was doing. Since that time, I feel truly blessed to have been welcomed into the community of indie authors and bloggers. There truly are far too many people for me to thank individually, but please know that, even if you're not listed by name, I appreciate the support you've given me along the way.
Katie Mac ~ Without you, this book would be a bit of a mess. Thank you for being an awesome babysitter. I mean, thank you for editing my baby and sending it back only as chopped up as necessary.
Michelle Streeter ~ Who would have thought that one search for a group on Facebook would have led to one of the best friendships a girl could ever hope for? I blew you off for over a year when you told me I needed to write a book. I'm glad you never stopped pressi
ng me! I'm looking forward to a trip in the near future involving sandy beaches and fruity drinks!
Sarah Penn ~ I don't even want to do the math on how long we've been friends, but you've truly been there for me during some of the highest highs and lowest lows. Not many people would read a genre they aren't typically interested in just to give someone their honest opinion but you do it time and time again.
Debra ~ How in the world did I wind up so lucky? No matter what I need help with, you're there. And when you read, you pick up the littlest details and you're not afraid to tell me when something sucks. Because of you, I'm a better writer. And because of the hard work you do for me and all the other authors out there, readers know about our books.
Nic and Dee ~ Thank you for always being willing to share Colton and Rain with the world! In less than six months, you've gone from two women running a blog that I enjoyed to two amazing friends. I'm looking forward to having some fun with you ladies in the future.
To my family ~ Thank you for putting up with me hiding out in the alcove when I'm in the groove. You've eaten far more quick food than any family should, but you do it without complaining so I can live my dream.
To the readers ~ When an author hits the publish button on a new book, it's one of the best and worst feelings in the world; at least for me. It feels amazing to accomplish something, to reach the finish line on another book, but there's the fear that no one is going to buy it, everyone's going to hate it and there will be no point going on. And then, you start emailing and jumping on Facebook to tell me what you thought of the book. It's in that moment that everything is worthwhile and the delicate balance of life returns. Thank you for always being there, for unknowingly pushing me through the days when it feels like the writing will never end.
With the exception of three years spent in the middle of Nebraska, H.B. Heinzer has called southern Wisconsin home. During that time in Nebraska, she imagined one of her favorite authors living on the far western edge of the county, just south of the highway. At the time, becoming a novelist was a distant dream for her. Now, she is the author living in that location. Ironically, she later found out that same favorite author lives just outside the town HB lived in for the first eighteen years of her life.