“Get him in my back seat,” said Piper. “I’ll take him to the emergency room.”
“I don’t wanna to go the ER.”
“Then you shouldn’t have broken your leg on a Saturday,” she said practically.
Tucker looked miserably at Nate. “Sorry. I would never have tried it if I didn’t think I could pull it off.”
Nate scrubbed both hands over his red and gray beard as if he could wipe away the disappointment. “It’s all right. You just get yourself taken care of. This is why we have understudies.”
Understudies.
Tyler’s blood went cold as she reluctantly lifted her eyes to Brody. Her new leading man.
Crap.
They locked gazes for one long, humming beat. Then he was turning away, helping lever Tucker into Piper’s car. Tyler reached up and rubbed at the sudden ache in her chest.
Things were about to get up close and personal in a big way. It was one thing to keep Brody on the periphery as just another cast member. It was quite another to be playing opposite him, running lines, working on choreography. Kissing.
“Let’s get this truck unloaded,” called Nate.
The rest of the cast members, who’d been hanging around the loading dock watching the drama unfold, sprang into motion again.
Tyler still didn’t move. I can’t do this, she thought. I can’t go back here. Not even for the Madrigal.
Then Nate turned to her. “Thank God it happened early so we’re not having to pull a substitution right before opening night.”
Now’s the time to back out, thought Tyler. Just bow out gracefully and let Charlotte step in. The understudies can take over.
Except then everyone would know she was a coward. Afraid to get back on stage with the man she’d once made magic with. Letting her personal issues get in the way of the mission at hand. Failing everyone.
Tyler stiffened her spine. She could do this. She would do this.
In the wake of Piper’s brake lights, Brody crossed to the loading dock. If he’d seemed smug or pleased somehow to be put in this position, Tyler would’ve felt compelled to kick him or, at the very least, give him a sound lashing with her tongue. But he looked contrite, worried over his friend.
“I’ve never seen him miss the landing before.”
“A lot’s changed in the last eight years,” she said. “Tucker’s not quite as spry as he used to be.”
They both knew that wasn’t what she was thinking.
“Truck’s empty,” said Nate. “Let’s get to rehearsal.”
Brody gestured toward the stairs, a sweeping, courteous motion. “After you, Miss Haynes.”
Tyler swept past him, doing her best to categorize him only as Phil Davis, comedic half of Wallace and Davis. But no matter how many roles she’d seen him play, Tyler only ever saw Brody.
~*~
“Okay, let’s see where you are, Brody,” called Nate. “‘The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing’, from the top.”
Tyler lifted a finger for them to wait and put her head together with Mitch Campbell over some plans for their inn backdrop. Brody knew the architect from way back. He was Cam’s cousin, a few years older than him, Tucker, and Cam. Mitch had volunteered to head up set construction for the show, which meant wrangling all the untrained help.
More power to him, Brody thought. He didn’t
envy the man that job. He did envy the easy smile Tyler shot Mitch before clapping him on the back and moving to take up her position on stage. She’d smiled at him like that once upon a time.
She didn’t smile now as he crossed the stage. Her face was set in a carefully neutral expression. Fine. He could be every bit as professional as she could. Brody reached for her, curving one hand around her waist, the other taking her free hand. They fit. They’d always fit.