At the bottom of the stairs, Evie gruffly shoved a plate of donuts at Bree.
“Here. Take these to Stephen.” Bree looked down at the plate and Evie avoided Bree’s eyes. “Everyone knows he gets grumpy at these auditions. He’ll need more than a double shot of Zazzy’Z espresso for breakfast.”
Bree hesitated, then pushed the plate back. “I’m not going to bribe him with donuts, Evie. Even if it would probably work with your magical elixir.”
“Who said anything about bribing?” Evie replied. “This is just a little reminder that you live with me, and if I lose my roommate because she can’t afford rent, I’ll be unhappy, and if I’m unhappy I don’t cook, and—”
“And if you don’t cook, no donuts or sequins. I get it.” Bree smiled down at her, still clad in her lipstick-pink bathrobe. “I’m touched.”
“I’m not doing it for you,” Evie added, pushing them into Bree’s hands once more. “These are primal instincts. Survival. No female roommate is as large and intimidating as you—”
“What a compliment. Thank you.”
“I don’t have a stake in this audition of yours at all aside from that.”
“Sure. Obviously.” Bree opened the door and called over her shoulder as she stepped onto the porch. “Shall I keep you apprised on how it goes?”
“Yes,” Evie replied and shut the door.
Bree turned down the steps, her thick hair up in a tight bun, the sun beaming on the dark green sweater covering the thin leotard. Her tights itched under the wool leg warmers, and just as she was reaching down to lift one drooping side, he caught her eye.
Slowly, she dropped her hand.
They went down the steps and met at their cars at the same moment.
Now Bree stood across from him, the man she hadn’t seen since he’d driven her to Anna two days ago, holding her hand the whole way. Neither of them had addressed the moment.
Bree tried to think of something to say but couldn’t find the words.
One of his hands held the keys to his truck, while the other gripped a leather messenger bag. On his feet were the type of scuffless shoes that were shined as the wearers sat in old chairs. In his eyes was a story, an itch to share.
“Got a most curious call a few hours ago,” Chip said, standing at the hood of his truck.
Bree shifted her weight and felt a light coming into her eyes. “Is that so?”
“Yeah.” Chip took a step toward her. Rested a hand on the hood. “Oddest thing. Seems your old pal Theo got wind of my financial straits and has an investor wanting to sink some money into a new project. She called this morning.”
Bree shifted the duffel bag on her shoulder. “Oh?”
“The coincidence was uncanny.”
“Mmm,” Bree murmured, nodding. “Indeed it is.”
He put a hand on his heart. “You can imagine how I felt telling her how perfectly timed her phone call was.”
“Oh, I’m trying.” Bree held her deadpan face.
“That Theo is a good man,” Chip said, carefully watching her eyes. A question, a curiosity flickered in his own.
Bree paused. Tilted her head. The slightest smile flitted across her face. “Yes. He’s wonderful.”
He frowned. “Really?”
“Of course.” Bree pressed her lips together to fight the smile. “Charitable. Polished. Charming. Like your girlfriend, I imagine.”
“Ex,” he said gently.
“Ah.” Bree nodded, her smile finally beating her will to look detached. “Ex. I see.” She let the silence linger for two beats. “Well,” she said at last with a shrug. “Perhaps we should get the two of them connected somehow.”
Chip’s brow rose. “That would be good.” He started nodding, a bit too vigorously. “That would be really good. The two of them would be perfect for each other.”
“A match made in heaven.”
“An angelic duo.”
“We could do their toasts at their wedding.”
“Oh, we’d have to.”
They both held each other’s eyes for one long moment.
“Well, I should get going,” Chip said, though his eyes weren’t checking his watch for the time.
“Yeah. Me too.” Bree held his eyes while popping open her car door. “Good luck, Chip. May you get everything you dream of.”
He blinked, and his smile lingered on her eyes, her lips. “You too.”
Chapter 23
Chip
He hadn’t wanted to get in his truck and drive to the Barter.
Not with the way she had stood there on the other side of the line, her hair in that thick, high bun, her cheeks highlighted by the rising sun. Her eyes had been like flashing emeralds, beckoning him closer even as he said he had