Celebrate in Good Hope (Good Hope #22)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Wednesday afternoon, Gladys tapped a bright red nail against the clipboard. Roe had promised to help with the set-building today and had promised to bring Boone with her. She’d said she’d be here at two fifteen. It was now nearly two thirty, and there was no sign of either of them.

She really should have gotten her number so she could?—

The door to the theater flew open. Gladys’s irritation disappeared when she saw the two enter the theater.

Roe hurried to Gladys. “I’m so sorry. We had a crisis at the café and?—”

“Thankfully, nothing involving a pot pie.” Boone shot Gladys a wink.

“The cash register decided to go on strike.” Roe sighed. “Fortunately, it returned to life after Helen got frustrated and gave it a solid whack. By then, we had customers lined up, wanting to check out. I couldn’t walk out right then.”

Gladys offered an understanding nod before shifting her attention to Boone.

“I’m so glad to see you today, Mr. Boone.” Gladys allowed only the tiniest bit of pleasure to creep into her voice. She didn’t want to scare him off by showing her cards too quickly. “We could really use your help.”

“It’s just Boone,” he reminded her. “I’m happy to do what I can to help. If you need an extra set of inexperienced hands, that is.”

“I’d love any assistance.” Gladys suddenly remembered his injury. She pointed a finger at him, pausing to admire how the jewels on her hand caught the light. “Nothing too strenuous. Understand?”

“You got it.” He glanced around. “Where do you need me?”

“We have painting that needs to be done. Callum.” Gladys waved a hand and motioned to the boy in cargo shorts and a graphic tee who’d just entered the lobby. “After you get Roe and Boone started painting the flats, I want you and Brynn to run lines with Sarah Rose and Ava.”

“Brynn is still pissed at me about coming in late today.”

“I wasn’t happy about that either.” Gladys spoke matter-of-factly. “I forgave you. She will, as well.”

Callum shrugged. “Maybe.”

The boy turned and crossed the stage.

“Sounds like he and Brynn don’t get along,” Roe commented.

“Oh, they get along.” Gladys shot Roe a wink. “Fighting today, loving tomorrow.”

Callum was nearly out of sight when he skidded to a stop, apparently realizing he was alone. He turned and gestured to Roe and Boone. “Come on. Follow me.”

“You two go.” Gladys made a sweeping motion with her hand. “Enjoy.”

Roe hurried to catch up to Callum.

Boone didn’t have to hurry, his long strides quickly closing the distance, until he was side by side with the boy.

“How’s the wrist?” Boone asked as if he and the boy were buddies. His easy familiarity and ability to make conversation with anyone was a talent that Roe admired .

For a second, Callum looked blank, then he grinned. “Good as new. I get to play in the game on Saturday.”

“That’s great news.” Boone studied the boy curiously. “Are you the man in charge of this behind-the-scenes stuff?”

Callum laughed. “Naw, I’m more of a gofer.”

“How’d you get involved with backstage?” Roe asked.

“Just lucky. Or, more accurately, unlucky.” Callum’s droll tone had both her and Boone hiding smiles. “My brother and I took a class in technical theater at school last semester. Gladys got wind of it and talked to our parents, and they volunteered Connor and me.”

“How did Gladys know about the class?” Roe asked.

Callum shifted his attention to Roe and grinned. “You haven’t been around long. Once you have, you’ll understand and accept that Gladys knows everything. If she’s hazy on a few details, Ruby and Katherine fill in the blanks.”

“Are you interested in theater?” Roe inclined her head. “Is that why you took the class?”

Callum answered immediately, apparently not even needing to think about his response. “Hardly. It was simply an elective that fit with my schedule.”

“I don’t think I know what a technical theater class includes.” Boone’s gaze shifted from Callum to Roe, then back to the boy again.

That was one more thing Roe liked about Boone. The man didn’t act like he had all the answers.

Before Roe could explain, Callum responded. “Think behind-the-scenes—set design and construction, lighting and sound, stuff like that.”

Though Roe could have added a lot more, the boy did a credible job explaining.

“If theater isn’t your passion, what do you want to do?” Roe studied the boy. “I assume you’re graduating this May. ”

He could also be a college freshman home on break, but high school senior appeared more likely.

“I’m planning on attending Appalachian State University in North Carolina.”

“Why there?” Though Boone’s expression gave nothing away, Roe knew he was likely as surprised as she was by the choice.

“They have this cool Outdoor Experiential Education program. Most of the students in the program get certified in swift water rescue and become a wilderness first responder.”

Roe smiled her approval. “You like helping people.”

“I do, sure, but mainly, the program and region have everything I like—climbing, skiing, snowboarding, white water boating, all the fun stuff.”

“Maybe even a skateboard park or two?” Roe suggested with a smile.

Callum’s lips curved upward. “Absolutely.”

“What about your brother?” Roe asked.

“Connor wants to stay close. He’s thinking he might want to do something with math.” Callum’s tone made it clear what he thought of that option. “He’d like to attend a school in the area.”

“But not you?” Roe wasn’t sure why she pressed, perhaps because she found the differences between the identical twins fascinating.

“If I’m close, Mom and Dad will be on my back about staying safe.” His blue eyes held a sardonic gleam. “The way I see it, what they don’t know can’t worry them.”

More questions hovered on the edge of Roe’s tongue, they but remained unspoken as they’d reached their destination.

“Here we are.” Callum pointed to sheets of wood positioned on sawhorses. “Apply the primer, which is right there.”

Following the direction of his gaze, Roe spotted the primer and the brushes. “Thanks, Callum.”

“Sure.” Shoving a mop of red curls out of his eyes, he turned to go .

“Stay safe,” Roe called.

He turned back, a gleam in his eyes. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Eighteen-year-old Brynn Chapin believed herself to be a sensible young woman. She got excellent grades, participated in numerous extracurricular activities and worked part time at both Blooms Bake Shop and at the Good Tea tearoom owned by her mother.

The first step toward her career goal of becoming a clinical psychologist was to get her bachelor’s degree in psychology from a top-rated school. She was well on her way to making that happen. Just this week, she’d received her Restrictive Early Action acceptance to Stanford.

Brynn was sensible in all areas of her life except for Callum Brody. The connection between her and Callum had started in childhood.

He’d been a terror even back then, but he had a kind heart, one he didn’t let many see. Like when they’d played tag by her grandmother’s pool, and she’d slipped and hit her head, landing facedown in the water.

His quick action of immediately going for help had saved her life that day. But Callum had still felt responsible and insisted on gifting her his prized possession—Rafael, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, as a reward for her bravery.

He’d been as sweet as he was bold and brash.

Though they never dated, they hung out when Callum was between girlfriends. Which wasn’t often. Over the years, Brynn watched him ping-pong between girls. He had a type—the popular cheerleader type.

None of those girls knew him the way that she did or were as good a friend to him as she was. Especially his latest. Celia was the dance squad captain. She was nice enough and did well in her AP classes. But she was definitely a high-maintenance girlfriend.

Once school had started and it was clear Callum was crushing on her, CeCe had played hard to get for a while and then reeled him in.

The Dancin’ Queen had quickly discovered that Callum Brody wasn’t as easily “handled” as her former boyfriends. The two argued all the time. Callum hadn’t been with her at the stroll. Brynn had heard the two were on the outs, but she had yet to confirm that bit of gossip.

Now that Callum would be working on Gladys’s birthday party, Brynn was excited to get the scoop. Callum deserved better than CeCe. He deserved someone who understood him—someone like her .

Her attraction to Callum was something she’d never voiced aloud, not to Zoe or Emily or any of her other friends. As far as everyone was concerned, including Callum, she was simply his buddy.

Brynn returned to the workshop with an armful of freshly laundered rags to see Callum directing two volunteers to paint a flat.

When he saw her, Callum crossed the room to where she stood and lifted the pile of rags from her arms. “Let me take these.”

“You don’t need to?—”

“I want to help.” Glancing at the couple, Callum kept his voice low. “I’m sorry about being late. My car was out of gas, and Connor had to take me to get some.”

She opened her mouth and lifted a hand.

Whatever she was about to say was forgotten when he grasped her hand. For the briefest of moments, the simple touch made breathing, much less speaking, impossible.

“No excuses.” Those incredible blue eyes met hers. “I should have gotten gas last night so I’d be prepared. I won’t make that mistake again.”

Across the room, Roe watched the teens’ interaction. “I wonder what’s going on between those two.”

After studying them, Boone smiled. “I think they’re on the verge of kissing and making up.”

Roe gave a low chuckle. “Young love. Even when they don’t know what it is, it’s still pretty special.”

Leaning over, Roe scooped up two paintbrushes, handing one to Boone and keeping one for herself.

“I bet you were a heartbreaker when you were their age.”

Boone’s comment had a laugh rising up inside Roe and spilling out. “Hardly.”

“I don’t believe it.” He dipped his brush in the paint tray.

“Well, it’s true.” Roe’s thoughts drifted back to those high school years, a time that now seemed a lifetime ago. “I didn’t live anywhere long enough to break anyone’s heart.”

Boone studied her. “What was the longest you were in the same school?”

Roe flipped the still-dry paintbrush over and over in her hand and considered. “Eighteen months.”

“More than enough time.” Boone surprised her by leaning forward and brushing a kiss across her lips. “We’ve known each other for far less time, and I can already see that you could break my heart.”

He didn’t even glance at the teenagers across the room, and she didn’t either. It was as if she and Boone were alone, bound together by an invisible web of attraction.

Roe wasn’t certain if it was the words or the serious look in his eyes that had her heart stuttering. Still, he had to be joking, right?

The strange thing was, in the short time they’d been together, Roe had grown very—okay, extremely fond of him. She already knew that when their time together in the cabin was up, she would miss him.

Would she break his heart? Would he break hers?

She didn’t want to consider either possibility. Not right now.

As she couldn’t think of a better way to respond, she settled for a smile and gestured to the paint. “What do you say we get to work?”