Acting Up (12 page)

“You should. I think you'd be amazed, like I was the first time I heard her, which is why I cast her as the lead.”

Mrs. Cerillo remained unmoved.

Addison glanced at him and he shook his head, gesturing that they should leave. Mrs. Cerillo would not be won over by flattery like Lisa Turney's mother.

Addison shot him a disgusted look and tried again. “Ma'am, do you know the story of
My Fair Lady?
”

“No.”

“What about
Pygmalion?
”

“Yes,” she admitted with some reluctance. “The sculptor falls in love with a statue he's creating.”

“Right.
My Fair Lady
is a musical adaptation. A London professor transforms a Cockney girl into a beautiful, well-spoken lady. Our musical is similar, only set in a high school.”

“Why isn't the girl good enough as she is?” Mrs. Cerillo shot back. “God doesn't love us based on our appearance. Your musical is all about finding acceptance only when she changes to suit what others think she should be. That's not what I want to teach my daughter.”

Ethan couldn't help but agree with her. He had no idea where Addison was going with this.

“I agree with you, and that's the ultimate lesson of the play,” Addison said. “In the end, the people around Ellie are transformed. Not because she's pretty, but because of her goodness. I think people will feel the same way about Michelle. They will see her inner beauty through her voice, and they will love her. She'll touch so many people, which is the power of music. It affects people in a way no other form of communication can.”

Mrs. Cerillo seemed doubtful. “You think Michelle has that power?”

“She does. Doesn't the Bible say we're all blessed with gifts from God? What if Michelle's gift is her voice? What if she's supposed to use her talent for a higher purpose?”

Ethan shifted. Of all the arguments she could have used, using Christ was the most surprising. Her own faith seemed tenuous at best. Could she in good conscience say God wanted Michelle to be in a school play?

Mrs. Cerillo softened. “I don't want Michelle involved in your world.”

“I understand your concern, but Michelle isn't going to be alone. She has two parents who will protect and love her no matter what. I don't know what Michelle's future will bring. She may pursue music or simply sing for her own enjoyment, but you shouldn't deny her this chance to grow. As a person, as your daughter, and as a woman. She deserves a chance to prove she's more than the shy girl.”

“You believe in her, don't you?” Mrs. Cerillo asked with a touch of wonder.

Addison put on a good show of believing anyway, Ethan thought.

“Of course I do,” she said without hesitation.

“I thought directing the show was some sort of publicity stunt.”

Ethan nearly choked and covered by faking a cough. He couldn't say for sure Addison hadn't agreed to become involved for exactly that reason.

She glared at him.

“It broke my heart to tell Michelle she had to drop out,” Mrs. Cerillo said. “You'll look out for her, won't you?”

“Of course.”

Mrs. Cerillo nodded. “Okay. We'll let her come back.”

Addison surged forward, as if she wanted to hug the other woman, but somehow restrained herself. Instead, she grabbed Mrs. Cerillo's hand. “You won't be sorry. Wait until you see her.”

“We'll be looking forward to it.”

The door closed, and Addison turned to Ethan with a smile. “I'm getting pretty good at the talking-to-parents thing.”

“Almost too good,” he said, as they headed to his car.

She stopped her in her tracks. “What's your problem?”

He turned back. “It's one thing to work over the Turneys, but Michelle's parents are another matter,” he said, guilt eating at him over unleashing Addison's special brand of charm on someone as unsuspecting as Mrs. Cerillo.

“I wasn't working over anyone.”

“So, Mrs. Cerillo was wrong? This isn't part of some publicity scheme you've cooked up to make yourself look good for your Hollywood friends?”

Addison didn't deny the accusation. The color running up her cheeks spoke louder than words, though. “It wasn't my idea to direct the play, remember?”

“No, it was my mother's.”

She planted her hands on her hips. “Hey, I'm doing you a favor.”

“Out of the goodness of your heart, right?”

She opened her mouth, clearly ready to protest, than stopped herself. Ethan knew the truth then. She couldn't come up with a defense because there was none. His heart twisted, knowing Addison could be so calculating. He'd hoped he was wrong about her. Hoped there was more behind those gorgeous blue eyes.

Proving even he could be a fool where Addison Covington was concerned.

“Come on,” he said, needing to put some distance between them. “Let's get back to school so you can let everyone know about your successful mission.”

“You'd better watch yourself, Mr. Thomas,” Addison said, clenching her fists. “I have a tendency toward violence, you know.”

“Isn't that how you got into this mess in the first place?”

She jerked, almost as if he'd struck her. “No, actually. I got into this mess because my husband stopped loving me,” she said, her voice hollow and without any emotion whatsoever.

The light had gone out in her eyes. Because of him. Ethan sucked in a breath, shame slamming into him like a sucker punch to the gut. “Addison, I—”

“Let's just go,” she said, holding up a hand. “Like you said, there's a whole cast waiting for me, probably wondering if there's even going to be a show. Unless you don't want me to go back at all? It's not too late to tell them I've changed my mind about being involved in this insane endeavor.”

Ethan started to say something else, to explain why he'd lashed out, but he hardly knew why himself. Instead, he shook his head. “I still want you—”

They both froze.

He swallowed. “To direct the play, I mean.”

They climbed into the car, and the silence was deafening. Addison kept her face angled away for him. Ethan couldn't help wondering when he'd become such a colossal jerk. Addison might have her own reasons for directing the play, but so far she'd done everything possible to help the kids. She'd made a surprising — and gutsy — casting choice. She seemed to be turning into a champion of Michelle Cerillo, a girl who lived on the fringes of high school society. Even though he'd had his own misgivings, he had to admit Addison might be right regarding Michelle. Being in the play could do wonders for the girl's confidence.

He needed to apologize.

When they came to a stop in the school parking lot, Addison turned to him. “My husband wasn't just satisfied with tearing our marriage apart,” she said, her voice husky with emotion. “He took the thing I loved most away from me, too. He shattered my career and my identity. Now, I want my
life
back. Can you blame me?”

There she was. A glimpse of Alice Jones underneath all the polish. The unvarnished version of the girl she'd once been. Only she'd lost a lot more than a marriage and career over the years.

“No, I can't blame you,” he said. “Believe me, I've wished the same thing a million times in the last two years. My life was torn apart, and it'll never be what it was. Yours won't either, and the sooner you accept it, the better off you'll be.”

She searched his face. “Have you truly accepted your life?”

When he wasn't contemplating taking a long drive off a short pier? Ethan let out a dry chuckle. “Some days.”

“So, you don't live what you preach?”

“I try to put my life in God's hand and trust He has a plan. I don't know why my wife died, but I do know I'm not the One in control.”

“Well, I'm not sure I have that same faith.”

Addison opened the door, and he reached over before she could run away. “I'm sorry about what I said.”

She shrugged him off. “Trust me, far worse things have been said about me lately.”

Ethan didn't like being linked to the vultures who'd tormented her. “And I joined their ranks? I'm such a jerk.”

“You're not a jerk. You're concerned about the kids.” She stepped down to the ground. “See you around, I guess.”

“Addison—”

She paused before shutting the door. “What?”

“If I ever come across your husband, I'd be tempted to do more than break his nose.”

The look she sent him was almost comical. As if she might be wondering if he had multiple personalities. Not a stupid thing to wonder right now.

Then she swiped a hand through her hair as a bubble of laughter emerged. “You've got to stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Being all heroic and adorable and
I'll slay the dragon for ye,
me lady.
” She slammed the door and headed for the school.

Ethan was so stunned he couldn't move for a moment. What was she saying? Did she see him as some sort of knight-in-shining-armor? A heroic and adorable knight? Which meant she did feel the same pull of attraction he'd been fighting since they'd first met.

He scrambled out of the truck after her. “Wait. I'm heroic and adorable?”

Addison didn't turn around but kept marching toward the building.

“How adorable?” he called after her. “Am I just a little adorable or completely adorable?”

By now they'd reached the front door. She glanced over her shoulder. “You're an administrator. Go administrate something.”

She did. Addison Covington wanted him, too. He suddenly felt like he could go out and kill the dragon for the fair maiden. He grinned down at her.

She rolled her eyes and walked away.

“Hey, Addison.”

“What?”

“You're pretty heroic and adorable, too.”

A week later Addison arrived home from rehearsal to find a note from Caroline Thomas taped to the door. Puzzling over what her neighbor could want, Addison walked next door. One of the twins answered her knock.

She smoothed his hair back to reveal an unblemished forehead. “Hello, Jason.”

He favored her with a one-missing-tooth grin and grabbed her hand. “Come see what we got.”

Addison allowed the child to drag her through the house. “Did you get a new toy?”

“Nope.”

They found Caroline pulling a pan of cookies out of the oven.

A heavenly smell almost knocked Addison to her knees. “Are those chocolate chip?”

“The last batch.”

Caroline transferred the hot cookies onto a piece of foil on the counter. Jason reached for one, but she pushed his hand away.

“Guests first.” Caroline set two cookies on a napkin and handed it to Addison. “Have a taste.”

Melted chocolate exploded in her mouth. “Wow. I don't think I've had one of these in fifteen years.”

“No cookies?” Jason asked in abject horror. “Were you bad? Daddy doesn't let us eat sweet stuff when we're bad.”

“No, I wasn't bad. I have to stay thin.”

Caroline shook her head. “Hollywood sure is a strange place.”

Addison chuckled. “So, what was the note about?”

The older woman's smile faded. “You had a visitor today.”

“He's in the den,” Jason said.

Addison couldn't imagine who'd come to see her.

Caroline put the plate of cookies on a tray, along with a jug of milk and three glasses. “Come see for yourself.”

Addison followed them to the back of the house where a death-defying battle was taking place on the TV screen. Carson was splayed out on the floor, while a dark-haired teenager lounged on the couch.

“Cookies,” Caroline called out.

The boys turned, and Addison's mouth dropped open as she got a look at the older boy. “Aaron?”

He stood up. “Hi, Addison.”

She blinked, but he didn't disappear. Addison knew there must be a logical reason why her ex-husband's teenage son was sitting in her neighbor's den, but she couldn't come up with one.

“I found him sitting on your front porch a couple hours ago,” Caroline explained. “I didn't know how late you'd be, so I invited him in.”

Addison studied him in amazement. Despite the shock of his sudden appearance, she couldn't help but notice how much he'd changed. Aaron lived in New York with his mother, and she hadn't seen him since he'd visited during summer break last year. He'd shot up since then. He was taller than her now, only his limbs hadn't caught up with the growth spurt yet. He was all sharp angles and lean lines.

Dark chocolate eyes so like Merrick's regarded her without expression from underneath longish bangs, which flopped down onto his forehead. He was dressed in baggy jeans and a T-shirt, but despite the casual look, Addison knew the clothes hadn't come from the local discount outlet.

“Jason, Carson, come into the kitchen and help me with dinner,” Caroline said.

The twins groaned. “Aw, but we wanna—”