Celebrate in Good Hope (Good Hope #22)

Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

While Roe had enjoyed seeing the Victorian homes decorated for Christmas last evening, she and Boone agreed that, after the first house, the homes started blurring together.

Tonight’s event at Rakes Farm should be more entertaining. The Snowflake Music Festival was a new event put on by the Women’s Events League. The group, commonly known as the Cherries, was responsible for planning most of the holiday events in Good Hope.

The party had been billed as an indoor holiday street dance. Three bands would each play forty-five-minute sets with a fifteen-minute break between them. When Boone originally suggested they go on a date, Roe had been resigned to a dinner at Muddy Boots.

But when Boone had texted and suggested this instead, she’d said yes immediately. Peyton had told her that she’d heard the event was casual but festive. Peyton warned she would likely see more corny Christmas sweaters than anyone should be exposed to in this lifetime.

Roe settled for black leggings and boots and a cherry-red sweater the same shade as her lipstick. From the appreciative look in Boone’s eyes when she came down the stairs, the choice had been a good one.

Though he’d gone for simple in jeans and a gray sweater, her heart flip-flopped when he looked up at her and smiled. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you.” She returned his smile. “You clean up pretty good yourself.”

On the drive to Rakes Farm, she mentioned that Gladys would be contacting him.

Boone slanted a sideways glance as he wheeled the truck down the lane leading to Rakes Farm. “Why would she be calling me?”

“Melvin Boggs… You met him,” Roe began.

“Yeah, nice guy.”

“Well, his heart condition is a little more serious than first thought.” Roe didn’t really know what was going on with the older man known for a penchant for pranks. “He’s in Milwaukee undergoing tests. It sounds as if he’ll be staying and having surgery.”

“What does that have to do with me?” Boone asked.

“Gladys wants you to take over his sound job at the theater.”

Relief flooded Roe when Boone didn’t immediately say no.

“Did she want you to ask me?”

“Actually, Gladys plans to contact you herself.” Roe smiled. “She believes coming from her the request will carry more weight.”

“Well, she’s wrong.”

As Roe had already begun to fantasize how nice it would be to have Boone at the theater with her, his comment had her heart sinking. “You don’t want to do it.”

“That’s not what I meant at all.” Boone pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine. “I meant she’s wrong if she thinks her request will carry more weight coming from her. You’re the one I have difficulty saying no to. ”

Hope blossomed, and an eagerness filled Roe’s voice. “You’ll do it?”

Cupping her cheek, Boone leaned forward and kissed her. “All you needed to do was ask.”

The music from the first band of the evening spilled out into the snowy night as Boone opened the door.

“What the?—”

“This is incredible.” Roe tipped her head back. The snowy archway decorated with snowflakes, icicles and faux snow created a dramatic entrance.

Boone took care of the ten-dollar cover charge once they stepped through the archway, and she tipped the young man who took their coats.

Now, they were ready to enjoy.

A gobo projector cast snowflake patterns onto the dance floor while various snowflake decorations hung from the ceiling at different heights to create a snowfall effect. Tulle and fairy lights had been draped across the barn’s beams.

“I didn’t expect anything like this.” Boone’s gaze traveled around the room, lingering on the faux snow around the edges of the dance floor, tables and windowsills.

“We do things up right in Good Hope.”

Roe blinked. It was as if Gladys had appeared out of nowhere.

The older woman was dressed in a pale blue and silver caftan, with sparkling jewels around her neck and on her fingers—it was as if the décor had been designed to match her.

Boone offered Gladys a warm smile. “That’s what I’m beginning to discover.”

“You’re enjoying your stay here.”

Said as a statement, but Boone must have heard the question because he nodded. “Very much. ”

Gladys glanced at Roe. “I’m betting some of it has to do with this young lady.”

Boone surprised Roe by slinging an arm around her shoulders. “You’d be right again.”

The older woman beamed before her gaze turned calculating. “I don’t know if you heard that Melvin has been?—”

“Roe told me. I’m sorry to hear of his troubles. But if you need my help, I’m happy to step in.”

Gladys blinked, clearly startled. “Just like that?”

The warm glance Boone cast at Roe had her grinning like a loon. “Just like that.”

“Well, perfect. Roe can give you the rehearsal times. I’ll…” Gladys fluttered a hand in the air. “I’ll see you both there.”

Once the older woman was out of earshot, Roe leaned close to Boone’s ear. “You surprised her. That isn’t easy to do.”

He turned her toward him. “It’s a win-win. She gets a sound guy, and I get to spend more time with you.”

Roe wanted to kiss him. She wanted to fling her arms around his neck and kiss him.

Never one for public displays of affection, she hesitated. Then a tiny voice inside her head reminded her that in a month, he’d be gone. Maybe sooner.

All she’d have were memories.

Flinging her arms around Boone, Roe kissed him with all the love in her heart.

For the next two hours, Boone and Roe spent every minute on the dance floor. In addition to all the favorite—and expected—dance tunes, they let themselves get swept into participating in a Jingle Bell Rock Dance Circle to the upbeat melodies of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”

When it was his and Roe’s turn to dance in the center, Boone joined her without worrying how lame it would look and had a blast.

Now, the second band was on a break, and he stood beside Roe, his palm resting lightly against the small of her back while she chatted briefly with Peyton.

Boone wasn’t sure if Peyton was there with someone, but the way her gaze kept straying to the single men in attendance while she spoke with Roe told him she might have come alone. Either that, or she and her boyfriend were open to new opportunities.

It had been that way with Celine. He’d always felt she kept her eyes peeled in case someone better showed interest.

Peyton’s expression suddenly brightened. “I’ll catch you later.”

Then she was gone.

Boone watched her make a beeline for a rugged-looking man with red hair.

“Hey, you.”

The feminine voice had Boone shifting his attention. Where Peyton had recently been, the blond woman who’d sat across from him and welcomed him to Muddy Boots now stood, her arm wrapped proprietarily around a dark-haired man in his late twenties.

Boone pulled her name from his memory. “Evie. It’s good to see you again.” He gestured to Roe. “You’ve met Roe.”

At least, he assumed they’d met, as Evie had seemed to be a regular at Muddy Boots.

“We’ve met.” Evie smiled at Roe, then stroked the sleeve of the man standing beside her. “This is Hunter. He’s a big fan.”

Boone and Hunter exchanged handshakes.

For several minutes, they talked football before the band began to play, and Evie squealed. “A polka. C’mon, Hunter. This’ll be fun.”

“Good to meet you both,” Hunter said before being tugged along by Evie, a pained look on his face .

Boone recognized—barely—the polka take on a Christmas classic. He turned to Roe.

She lifted her hands, palms out. “If you really want to, I’ll do it. But a polka…”

Her face held the same pained expression as Hunter’s had only moments earlier.

He laughed. “No polka for me. In fact, I’m ready to go if you are. But if you want to stay, that’s cool, too.”

“This has been so much fun.” She glanced in the direction of the dance floor, where the twins and their friends were getting down and crazy with the polka. “I’m so glad we came, but I’m ready for dessert.”

Boone glanced over at the dessert tables lining the walls. They’d stopped there earlier, sampling everything from snowflake sugar cookies to snowball cake pops. “We haven’t tried the frosted cupcakes yet, the ones with the edible snowflakes. Does that sound good to you?”

She slipped her arm around his and gazed up at him, her eyes dark with desire. “That’s not the kind of dessert I have in mind.”

Boone grinned. Once again, they were on the same page.

On Monday, after finishing the lunch shift at Muddy Boots, Roe headed straight for the theater. With Christmas only two days away, this would be the last rehearsal before the cast and crew took a couple of days off for the holiday.

Boone had been at the theater every day this past week, helping out. It was tech week, which meant that over the past seven days, technical elements such as lighting, sound, set changes and special effects were integrated into the performance. Though theater wasn’t Boone’s passion, he’d thrown himself into the tasks.

Sometimes Roe would catch his eye, and they would share a smile. The shiver traveling up her spine at the interaction made her feel like she was back in high school again.

Roe had to admit she initially hadn’t expected much from the small production, especially when she’d learned the musical’s focus was on Gladys Bertholf’s life.

As the days and weeks had passed, Roe found herself blown away by the quality of the production. She discovered the musical score was written by a woman Gladys had mentored nearly thirty years earlier—a woman who’d gone on to achieve great success on Broadway.

It wasn’t simply the music that was top-notch. The librettist, a term for the book writer responsible for crafting the narrative structure, creating the characters and writing the dialogue that connected the songs and advanced the story, was also a former mentee of Gladys.

Now, living in Connecticut and in his eighties, the man had clearly retained the talent that had brought him fame and fortune for over a quarter of a century before his retirement.

Thanks to the contributions of these two talented industry professionals, Spotlight shone brightly. The production was a heartwarming and inspiring musical about the life of a girl who dreamed of being onstage from a young age and in the “spotlight.”

The storyline followed Gladys’s journey from childhood, starting with her first stage performance as Little Bo Peep in Babes in Toyland at age nine and ending with the woman’s final performance in this show at the age of a hundred.

The musical, a story of perseverance and passion, highlighted Gladys’s lifelong commitment to the theater. The premiere, set for the eve of her one hundredth birthday, was touted as a rich and emotional narrative filled with music, dance and the enduring spirit of a woman who lived her dream to the fullest.

The casting of Ami’s daughter, Sarah Rose, as young Gladys and Fin Rakes as Gladys in her prime, then ending with Gladys portraying herself at the end was inspired.

Roe wasn’t surprised that Gladys had retained the final say on all casting decisions. What surprised Roe was the amount of decision-making Gladys had given to her.

Gladys, the official director, was on set every day. Yet, the older woman had sat back and encouraged Roe to take the lead on tasks she normally would handle.

Roe worked hard to preserve Gladys’s artistic vision and didn’t take for granted the opportunity she’d been given. Though no pay was involved, gaining this additional experience as a stage director would only strengthen her résumé.

It was obvious that this show was important to Gladys. While Gladys had willingly handed over the reins, the older woman scrutinized Roe’s every move. There was not a doubt in Roe’s mind that if she made a decision Gladys didn’t agree with, she’d hear about it.

The actors and crew had been in high spirits all day. With one last run-through scheduled for the twenty-seventh and then the dress rehearsal on the twenty-eighth, the finish line was in sight.

As much as Roe enjoyed life in Good Hope and working on Spotlight , she was well aware it would come to an end. New Year’s Eve was fast approaching.

Roe couldn’t delay speaking with Fin about her theater contacts any longer. Immediately after everyone was dismissed, Fin slipped into the office for a closed-door meeting with Gladys. Roe saw no option but to stay behind and try to catch Fin after her meeting.

Time ticked on. Roe paced and practiced her speech in her head. Everyone else had walked out the stage doors an hour ago, but Roe would wait for as long as necessary. If she didn’t seize this opportunity, she might not get another chance until after the production. And she wanted to get another batch of résumés sent out as soon as possible .

No matter how much she wished otherwise, this wonderful life she’d been enjoying wasn’t going to last.

Finally, after another fifteen minutes, Fin stepped out of the office with her phone to her ear. Roe stayed in the shadows until the woman pocketed the phone.

“Fin, do you have a minute?”

Fin jolted and whirled. A smile quickly replaced the startled look on her face. “Oh, hi, Roe.”

Roe would have preferred to ease into the conversation, but she could see Fin was in a hurry. “I know you’re eager to get home, so I’ll get to the point. I’ve heard you have contacts in the entertainment industry in LA and possibly elsewhere, too.”

Fin gave a cautious nod, her expression watchful.

“As you might already know, I’m searching for a new job. I’ve been sending out résumés, but so far, no nibbles. I’ve been a stage manager and a director and have stellar references, but it’s a tough market. Thanks to Gladys allowing me to help out, you’ve seen my work. I was hoping you might have contacts you’d be willing to share. And would you be okay if I used you as a reference?”

There was more Roe could have said, but she’d run out of breath.

“You’ve done a stellar job, Roe, you really have. In fact, Gladys and I were just discussing that.”

Pleasure rippled through Roe. “Thank you. I love hearing that. I pride myself on giving every production my all.”

“I must admit I’m surprised by your request.” Fin paused. “Gladys said…” Fin stopped herself. “No matter. Yes, I can get you names. Let me speak with Gladys to see if she has anything to add.”

Roe hadn’t thought to ask Gladys. Now that Fin had mentioned it, why hadn’t she thought of it? Gladys had been around a long time, and the people she’d pulled in to help with this project were icons in the industry. “I’ll ask her?— ”

“Leave that to me.” Fin rested a hand on Roe’s arm. “I’ll speak with her. You’ll have what you need by the end of the year. Does that work for you?”

“Ah, yes.” Roe couldn’t hide her pleasure. “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much.”

“Like I said, you’ve done an excellent job here. Gladys and I… We’ll find a place that’s perfect for you.”

“Then Fin said, and I quote, ‘We’ll find a place that’s perfect for you.’” Roe had saved this little tidbit of news until she and Boone were seated in front of a roaring fire, enjoying Lucky Charms green martinis.

Boone glanced down at his martini glass and took a cautious sip. He discovered that while the drink might look strange, he liked its sweet and creamy flavor. So much so that he took a second sip before speaking. “That sounds extremely promising.”

He was happy for her—truly, he was—but he had to force enthusiasm into his voice. “You’re on your way.”

“I don’t have a position yet,” she reminded him.

“You will.” He never doubted that Roe was meant to soar.

Working the sound equipment for the past week had given Boone time to observe her. She’d been out there doing whatever was necessary to improve the production and keep everything moving forward.

While she could be stern at times, she was also fair and usually right on target with her suggestions.

“I can’t believe how fast this month has gone.” Roe took another sip of her drink.

Soon, it would be time for them to go their separate ways. Boone tried not to think about that day. It was difficult for him to imagine a life without Roe.

He’d never known anyone like her. They just fit .

They didn’t talk about the future. What was there to say? His future was still up in the air. While he continued to heal, rehab was slow-going, and there was no guarantee the team would want him back even if he did get back to full speed.

Which left his future as unsettled as hers.

If only they had more time…

“I was thinking today that we haven’t even talked about what we’re doing for Christmas.” She gave a happy laugh.

The simple act of Fin telling her that she would help her out had clearly put Roe in a stellar mood.

“You’re right. We haven’t.” He inclined his head. “What are you thinking?”

She always had an opinion and was never afraid to voice it. That confident honesty was only one of the many things he admired about her.

“I don’t know your thoughts on church, but I thought we could attend a Christmas Eve service.”

Surprise flickered across Boone’s face. “You want to go to church? I didn’t realize you were religious.”

“Well, I don’t know that I’d say I’m religious, but growing up, we went to church every Sunday.”

“Did you have a church in Minneapolis?”

“Not a regular one. The first couple of years, I’d at least go at Christmas, but it wasn’t as nice not having anyone to go with. Is your family religious?”

“Not at all. At least, not growing up. My parents never went and never took us. I had a couple of teammates who were religious, and they invited me to go to services with their families. I went once or twice. I can’t say it was my thing, but I can appreciate the community feel. And I liked joining them for volunteer work.”

Roe waved a dismissive hand. “It’s okay, then. We don’t have to go. ”

“No, let’s go. It’s something you’ve been missing, and I’d be happy to experience it with you.”