STAGESTRUCK - The Complete Series (22 page)

Fifteen minutes before show time, I was startled by a knock on my dressing room door.

“Come in,” I called out. I sat at my vanity, admiring Mica’s work in the mirror. The door swung open and Dylan came in. He was in full makeup and his blonde hair was hidden by a dark wig. The thick makeup and dated clothing did nothing to mask his raw sex appeal.

“You look great.” I told him honestly as he took a seat on the couch.

“You look even better.” He smiled. “Where have you been all weekend? I tried calling you a couple of times. I thought that maybe we could talk about what happened at the bar.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” I told him. “I just needed some time to clear my head. I have to focus on the show, Dylan, I can’t even think about what happened at Joe’s.”

“That’s understandable,” he told me. “But I want you to know that you’re not off the hook, Kate. I know that you felt the same way that I did when we kissed. I’m sure that if we hadn’t been interrupted, the weekend would have been a lot different. We’re going to talk about it sooner rather than later.”

“Fine,” I told him. “But not before the show. I have to stay focused, Dylan.”

“I agree; we don’t have time now anyway. I just wanted to stop in and wish you good luck.” He rose from the couch, crossed the room, and lightly kissed the top of my head. “I know better than to mess up the hair or makeup.” He laughed. “But I promise you, by the end of the night I’m going to ruin Mica’s masterpiece.”

He left the room without giving me a chance to respond. I grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and made my way to the side of the stage. I didn’t go on until the second act, but I wanted to watch the other performances. As I settled into an out of the way spot, the other actresses started shooting me the hostile looks I’d expected. But just like I’d told Serena, it was my night and no one was going to ruin it for me.

I ignored everyone around me and kept my eyes focused on the stage. I was tempted to sneak a peek at the audience but I resisted the urge; I didn’t want to look like an amateur. The house lights flickered to signal that we were five minutes from show time and the actors in the opening scene took their places behind the curtain. The music started and I took a deep breath as adrenaline shot through my body. Knowing that I’d soon be on stage in front of thousands of people was a rush I’d never felt before.

The rush increased when I finally stepped out in front of the crowd. For the next hour and I half, I wasn’t Kate Harper. I was Loraine, deeply in love with Frankie Valli. The chemistry between Dylan and I was undeniable and when the curtain closed I knew that I would inevitably fall for him.

The curtains opened almost as quickly as they’d closed and we arranged ourselves on stage to take our bows. I stepped forward with the other actresses, bowed, and stepped back into place. Dylan took his turn last and the audience leapt to their feet. He rose, smiled, and quickly rushed to where I was standing. I blushed when I realized that he was pulling me to the front of the stage, but the audience cheered even louder. I bowed again; as I rose, I saw Dylan rushing back from the side stage with a bouquet of long stemmed red roses. I accepted them and the audience roared again. Dylan and I stepped back into line and the curtain closed for the final time.

The houselights came up and I was bombarded by my costars. They lavished me with complements and promised to see me at the party.

“You really did do a fantastic job.” Dylan said as he pulled me from the crowd.

“I’ve been on plenty of stages but I’ve never felt like this before.” I told him.

“I know,” he laughed. “Why do you think I keep coming back? Can I take you to the party?”

“I have to go with my family; they flew in for the show.” I told him. “I’m surprised you’re coming.”

“Are you kidding me? That friend of yours convinced Marion to send email invites to everyone at the theater. From what I hear, it’s going to be the party of the year. Are you going to introduce me to your family?” He asked.

“Are you sure that you want to meet them?” I asked.

“Why wouldn’t I?” He countered.

“My grandmother will get star struck and my parents might be hostile.” I warned him.

“Ah, let me guess. They didn’t appreciate that Times article and they think I’m a bad guy.”

“Pretty much,” I agreed.  “Also, my mom Googled you and wasn’t impressed with some of the things she read.”

“But none of it bothered your grandmother?”

“She trusts me and she didn’t believe the article for a second. She’s also one of your biggest fans.”

“So that’s one down, two to go.” Dylan grinned. “I’m sure I can win your parents over with one drink.”

“One down, three to go.” I corrected him. “My brother Nathan is here too. But he shouldn’t be a problem; he didn’t take the article seriously either.”

“I can’t say that big brothers typically love me, but I’ll do my best. I’ll get changed and see you there.” He smiled. “You really did a great job, Kate. Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” I told him. “See you soon.” I disappeared into my dressing room. I let myself jump up and down and squeal with delight for a minute, then started stripping off my costume.

“Sweetheart, you were fantastic.” My mother said as I stepped out into the theater. She was wearing her best church dress and beaming with pride. “I couldn’t believe that that was my little girl on stage.”

“You were fantastic, darling.” My dad added as he wrapped me in a hug. We pulled apart and I turned to Mimi; she had tears in her eyes.

“Katie, I’m so proud of you. I always knew that you’d make it. I can’t wait to read the morning papers.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here.” I told her through tears of my own. “There’s no way I can ever thank you enough for that.”

“You deserved it, sweetheart.” She smiled. “Now, I believe we have a party to get to.”

She took my dad by the arm and I turned to my brother. “Did you like the show?”

“I can’t get over it, Kate. You’re so grown up! You were amazing on stage and you look beautiful now.”

“You do look great.” Janette added as she peeked out from behind Nathan.

“So do you.” I smiled as I looped my arm through hers. “So, where is this party?”

“I told you, it’s a surprise.” Janette laughed. “But it’s close. Parker and Mark left after your final bow to make sure that everything is ready.”

“Yes, your friends are really charming,” Mom chimed in, “I can’t believe that they’re both single.”

Janette and I each stifled a laugh; Dad, Nathan, and Mimi let theirs out freely.

“What’s so funny?” Mom asked suspiciously.

“Caroline, those boys are a couple.” Mimi told her directly.

Mom was taken aback but she recovered nicely. “Oh, well that makes sense then. It was nice of them to go on ahead, I’m sure that everything will be perfect when we arrive.”

“How are we getting there?” I asked as we stepped out onto the street. “Do we still have the Trail Blazer?”

“No, I thought that we’d just hail a couple of cabs.” Janette replied.

“You’re more than welcome to ride with me.” Dylan’s voice called out from behind us. We turned in unison and I saw him approaching with a broad smile on his face. He looked dashing in a black suit and a starched white dress shirt.

“Family, meet my costar Dylan Matthews. Dylan, these are my parents, Caroline and Carl Harper, my brother Nathan, my grandmother Gloria, and Janette, my best friend.” My family nodded and mumbled their hellos.

“It’s so nice to meet you all.” Dylan said graciously. “I was just about to head to the party and there’s plenty of room in my car. My driver is pulling it around now, I’d be honored if you’d all ride with me.”

“Oh, Mr. Mathews, you’re even more charming in person than you are on television.” Mimi rushed. “The honor would be all ours.”

“It’s settled then.” Dylan grinned. “And please, call me Dylan. There’s Peter now with the car.”

We watched as a grey stretch limousine pulled up to the curb. A uniformed driver hopped out and opened the back door.

“Good evening, Mr. Matthews, did you have a good show?”

“It was fantastic, though the start tonight was Ms. Harper. Kate this is Peter, he’s worked for me since my very first stint on Broadway. I’ve repeatedly asked him to call me by my first name, but he refuses. Peter this is Kate Harper and her family, Caroline, Carl, Gloria, Nathan, and Janette. They’ll be riding with us to the destination I mentioned earlier.”

“It’s nice to meet you all.” Peter nodded as we filed in to the limo.

“You’re all determined to keep me the party venue a secret.”  I observed as we pulled away from the curb. “I don’t see what the big deal is, I’ll find out in a few minutes.”

“Well then, you won’t have to be patient much longer.” Mimi said dismissively as she turned to Dylan. “I must say Dylan; I’m impressed by your manners. I wouldn’t expect someone of your stature to take the time to introduce his driver. I bet you remember his birthday too, don’t you?” She smiled.

“Yes mam,” he blushed. “My mother always said that the biggest measure of a man is how he treats others.”

“It sounds like you were raised right.” Dad said, joining the conversation. Mom clinched her jaw and I was relieved that he was able to hold her tongue.

“Thank you, sir. The same can be said for Kate, she’s an amazing woman. You must be incredibly proud of her.”

“We are.” Dad beamed.

“Alright guys, we’re here.” Janette announced.

I looked out the window; we were outside of Syd’s but it didn’t look like Syd’s anymore. Velvet ropes had been set up on either side of a red carpet aisle lit by a giant spotlight. As Mica had predicted, several members of the paparazzi had learned about the party and were lined up against the ropes.

“Those were just supposed to be for looks, but I guess they’ll serve a purpose.” Janette said as Peter hopped out of the car and circled around to the back passenger’s side door.

“I can’t believe that you laid a red carpet across the sidewalk.” I told Janette. “That’s awesome.”

“We transformed the inside too.” She smiled. “It looked fantastic when I left earlier. I didn’t want to tell you we were coming to Syd’s because I didn’t want you to be disappointed. I know it’s not the fanciest place. But I couldn’t imagine celebrating tonight anywhere else, so we dressed it up. Do you like it?” She asked nervously as we stepped through the front door.

I was speechless as I took in the décor. The entire bar looked like it had been scrubbed from top to bottom. The tables were topped with black linen cloths and adorned with glowing white and gold candles. A string quartet played on stage and mingling waiters held trays of champagne.

“I love it.” I told Janette. “But you went overboard.”

“Oh Janette honey, this is just lovely.” Mom said as the rest of our group entered behind us. “I think Mimi needs to sit down, we’ll go ahead and get settled at a table. Will there be food? I’m famished.”

“Yes, Mrs. Harper, the food will be served in just a little while.”

“Great. Carl, why don’t you go to the bar and get us something to drink? I’ll have a diet soda and get your mother a glass of wine.”

“Get me a scotch,” Mimi corrected her. “I’m on vacation.”

“Now that’s my kind of woman.” Dylan laughed. “Can I escort you to your table?”

“Well of course you can.” Mimi beamed like a school girl as she wrapped her arm through Dylan’s and he led her to a table.

My mother’s jaw clenched even tighter and I wasn’t the only one who noticed it.

“Mom, you promised to keep your mouth shut.” Nathan gently reminded her. “Besides, he doesn’t seem like such a bad guy. You can’t believe everything that you read on the internet.”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut, I don’t want to ruin Kate’s big night. But I don’t buy his act for a second; he’s just trying to win us over.” Mom insisted.

“Just be nice.” Nathan said as he led her away.

“I don’t think I’d like to be around if your mom blows her fuse and tells Dylan what she really thinks of him.” Janette mused as we watched them walk away.

“You’re here!” Mark’s voice filled the restaurant. I turned to see him and Parker approaching us from the entryway. “We had to make an emergency trip to the market for the kitchen staff. Have you been here long?”

“No, five minutes tops.” I told him.

“You were amazing tonight, Kate.” Parker told me. “Mark and I have been talking about the performance since we left the theater. I hope you don’t forget us little people now that you’re a big star.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I laughed.

“So, do you like what we’ve done with the place?” Mark asked, gesturing around the bar. “I think that the string quartet was a classy touch. But they’re not on all night, after the food service is over a cover band is going on. They have a big song book that people can make requests from; we thought it would be a fun touch.”

“This is all amazing,” I told them. “But like I told Janette, you guys went overboard. Just renting the bar for the night must have cost a fortune, not to mention everything else.”

“I got the signing bonus and Parker landed another big account last week, which landed him a bonus as well. We also had a benefactor, who’s asked to remain nameless.” Janette smiled.

“I see.” I replied suspiciously. “And was this generous, nameless benefactor my costar or my grandmother?”

“I’ll never tell.” Janette smiled.

Syd’s regular bartender took the stage, stepped up to the microphone, and announced that dinner would be served shortly. We joined my family and Dylan at their table just as the wait staff started filing out of the kitchen. I was relieved that the menu was simple: everyone received a variety of food in appetizer sized portions. Our waitress deposited our plates and returned a few moments later with salsa, spinach dip, queso, and a platter of chips and crackers for the table to share.

“We thought about having a buffet, but the stage was the only place we could have set it up and the bands needed it. I hope we haven’t broken any etiquette rules, having formal service for casual food.” Janette said nervously, glancing at my mom.

“No honey, it’s lovely.” Mom assured her.

“It’s perfect.” I added.

As we ate, my family got to know my New York friends. Janette and my mother were getting on surprisingly well; Mom even accepted a glass of wine when Janette offered to get one for her. Dad was in a serious conversation with Mark about the New York public school system and Mimi was dominating Dylan’s attention.

“I need another drink.” Parker announced. “Join me at the bar?”

“Sure,” I agreed. “I doubt that anyone will miss us.”

We stepped up to the bar and Parker ordered two Manhattans.

“You remembered!” I smiled.

“We toasted your first night in the city with Manhattans. It only seems fitting to have one tonight… so, Dylan Matthews is at our table, charming your family. Do you know what you’re doing there, Kate?”

“I’m not doing anything Parker.” I shrugged. “He’s my costar, he’s being friendly.”

“I don’t know about that,” he replied. “This is a little overboard for someone who’s just being friendly. If you’re not interested in Dylan, you need to put some distance between you. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who takes no for an answer.”

“I can’t put much distance between us; I have to work with him every day.” I reminded him. “And maybe I like the attention, is that a crime?”

“Not at all, I just want you to promise that you’ll be careful. You and Max just broke up a few days ago, I’m not sure you’re ready to get involved with someone new, ESPECIALLY someone that you work with everyday. Not to mention, Dylan doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to his personal life.”

“I appreciate your concern Parker, but I can handle myself. As for Max, I doubt that he’s wasting any time thinking about me. We weren’t together very long, I don’t need a mourning period.”

“Alright, if you’re sure… I really am proud of you, Kate. I knew that you had to be good, but I wasn’t expecting to be blown away. I underestimated you.”

“So maybe you should trust that I know what I’m doing.”

“Touché.” He laughed. “We should get back to the table; Dylan looks like he could use a rescue.”

I glanced back to the table and laughed; Mimi had somehow convinced Dylan to slow dance to the string music.

“Like I said, he’s interested in more than friendship.” Parker said smugly.

“Yeah, and he’s making a great case for himself.” I replied. Parker laughed as I set off to rescue Dylan from my grandmother.