my waist to pull me against him, and I feel a soft brush of his lips against my shoulder through the thin fabric. “Good night, my Emma.”
Slowly, he drifts off as I listen to his breathing grow even and deep. I’m exhausted, but I just want to bottle up this moment a little longer. Sometime later, I fall asleep too.
Chapter 26
Emma
I’m so fucking nervous, I barely notice anything until I feel a stinging pain and realize I’ve chewed my nails down to the quick.
“Ugh,” I say, forcing my hands down. I broke that habit years ago, but it’s trying to get its claws in me again. My lips tilt at the stupid pun. Claws will be right if I don’t stop gnawing on them.
By way of distraction, I go over to one of the mirrors backstage. Wig, ironed flat and perfect. Makeup, heavy for the stage. Costume for the opening scene, properly spirit gummed in place. Lines could be practiced. I know them by heart, but it never hurts to have them fresh in your head when you step out into the spotlight.
I spend twenty minutes in a quiet corner with my eyes closed, visualizing the stage, my costars, and going through every line.
“Emma, you’ve got a couple of visitors over by the side entrance,” a backstage costume assistant tells me. “Make it quick, though. Curtain in thirty, and we’ve got the opening night cheer to do beforehand.”
Curious, I hurry over and see Claire and Nathan standing there, lifting my spirits. I’m still surprised Carly ditched me, but I truly hope she figures out whatever deal she’s got going with her Italian stud.
Claire smiles warmly at me, but I can see how she’s holding herself apart from Nathan. Like they’re not standing there together for the same reason. Me.
Well, at least she isn’t drawing down on him.
And Nathan is holding a bouquet of deep red roses.
“Hey! Thank you so much for being here. I’m nervous but excited too, you know?” I shake my whole body, letting the feeling of ants on my skin fling away into the air around me, and settle into myself. I’m Emma, but only for a few more minutes because when the curtain lifts and the lights shine, I’ll be Cleopatra for the next hour and a half.
Claire hugs me and then holds me at arm’s length. “You’ve got this, Sis. No doubts, no worries. Just breathe and become that old Egyptian queen. Live in her and bring her to life for the rest of us plebeians in the audience who couldn’t act our way out of a paper bag.”
“Just remember I get to die as her too,” I joke, loving her for her silly pep talk and for being here. She’s my sole family representative in the audience tonight because I didn’t tell my parents about the play. I’m sure they would’ve come, but they don’t get my desire to ‘play pretend’, and they never will.
They simply don’t want to. And I didn’t want any negative energy tonight when such a big dream is coming true.
I did want Nathan here though. After last night, I knew he’d come, but the roses are a sweet surprise. “Are these for me?” I say with a smile, accepting them.
“Of course,” he says, handing them over and then pressing his forehead to mine. “Although I’ve heard tradition says to save them for after the play, I couldn’t help being a bit of a rebel.” His lips quirk like he’s proud of the joke.
I grin, resisting the urge to kiss him because Stephanie the makeup artist would kill me if I messed up the red lip stain she spent fifteen minutes getting just right.
“Break a leg, Emma. Though I don’t think you need any luck. I’m sure you’ll be brilliant up there since you’re such a great actress.”
He says it with a cocky smirk, so many layers to the compliment.
Is he talking about my gig as Kitty at the party, the FBI spy, the double agent, as his obedient girlfriend, or even just a truly straightforward compliment from watching me rehearse?
More layers than an onion, but I choose to take him at face value.
“Thank you. And thank you for the roses too. They’re beautiful.” I sniff them, loving their rich, deep aroma.
Claire clears her throat, and when I glance over, her face is pinched tight. “You’d better get going, right? I’ll be in the audience, cheering you on.”
She’s so transparent, trying to break up any moment I might have with