was hurting.
Tara was chattering away about the play and her friends, and how cool it was that Dan was going to come to the performance. She reached into the sea green bakery box on the table and pulled out one of the macarons. “These are so good.”
“Nothing from Viti’s shop is ever less than bliss-inducing.”
“Amen to that.” Tara finished the last bite and leaned in, curiosity swirling in her eyes. “You like him.”
Always, she thought. In fact it was probably more than just liking him. She was halfway in love with him already, and that was halfway too far because it was beyond any hope to think there could be more between them. He was leaving, and Jane didn’t think she was equipped to handle what Danny Gallo could do to her tender heart.
*
Tara Fallon was impressive. The thought was on an endless loop in his head the more she talked about the renovation. She’d found him and Jane as soon as they’d walked into the school, and once she walked them to their reserved front-row seats, she took him on the tour she’d promised.
He’d lied about not being back to the school since graduation; he’d actually come in after hours a few weeks ago. Matt Hennings, the theater director, had given him a look at the upgraded facility. Matt grew up next door to Dan’s family and he’d spent more than a few nights babysitting Matt and his little brother. When Mel told him the district was running short on funds to bring the theater program to the next level, Dan knew he had the power to make it happen. It wasn’t for the five million that Tara had quoted, but the amount was in the seven figures, and Dan had no problem sending them the money.
His agent and his business manager thought he was crazy, but why did he have all that money if he couldn’t do some good with it? The arts were important, and they were consistently shortchanged. He had his business manager write the biggest donation check of his life and send it off. Nothing had felt that good in a long time.
Dan had been a jock in school, playing football and lacrosse, but in his heart he had always been a writer. He believed in words, in paintings and photographs, in sculpture, and in film. He knew math and science were important, but the arts spoke to the soul.
Jane got this. She might have been a scientist by training, but her appreciation for what past civilizations left behind was grounded in the arts. The beautiful things humans created told a powerful story, and unearthing those stories had been Jane’s passion.
Like her mother, Tara’s enthusiasm was contagious as she walked him through the tech booth and then the changes made to the stage. This was her domain. As the stage manager, Tara made sure the production ran smoothly. She coordinated the actors, stage crew, costume and prop departments. The modifications to the stage wings made controlling the flow of people and scenery so much easier.
“The drop-down prop table has been a game changer. It was one of those little additions that made a huge impact. Also, the expansion into the classroom next door gave us rooms for quick changes. The actors have privacy and we have space to store costumes.”
“This is amazing, Tara.” Every inch of the stage was well thought out and functional. “I appreciate the tour. I was never a theater guy, but there were more than a few times I brought your mom something to eat when she was here for long days, painting sets.”
“You did that?” Tara’s eyes went dewy at his admission. “That’s so sweet!”
“Eh, that’s what friends do for each other.”
“I guess.” Tara gave him a sly grin and the side-eye. “Sounds like you were a very good friend to her.”
Sure. Until he’d graduated. Then he wasn’t just a lousy friend, he’d hurt her. He wasn’t proud of the way he’d acted and was trying to do better.
“I have to get to work.” She smiled, anticipating their closing night. “Can you find your way back?”
“I can manage. Thank you for the tour. Break a leg.”
He’d barely gotten the words out when she dashed off with a wave. Dan could feel the energy ricocheting around the space. It was electric, even more charged than a locker room before a big game. He envied Tara. She had so much ahead of her, and if she embraced every opportunity, she’d never have