Big Apple Dreams (11 page)

“Maybe it’s not such a good idea,” he laughed, heading for the door himself. “Are you ready to go? I’d like to go check on her myself before I go home.”

“Sure,” I said, looking at the empty house one more time before following him.

As we walked back down to the exit, I noticed I’d also missed the giant mural on the walls the first time we’d passed through. I didn’t know how, though—it was scenes from the show and green as could be.

“Some of the cast members painted that,” Evan said, catching me looking. “They have their own type of hall of fame
, or graduation list, as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“Every person who’s ever been in the show and gone on has their name on a plaque on the wall,” he laughed.

“Every cast is a family,” I laughed.

We were soon on the street, and I started heading to the subway station.

“Hang on,” Evan called me back. “We’re not taking the train.”

“Did you bring your truck?” I asked, following him into a parking garage.

“No.”

He passed a few cars and then stopped in front of a space occupied by a gleaming black motorcycle. He unzipped the backpack he’d grabbed from one of the rooms right by the door to the street and pulled out a helmet, holding it out to me.

“When Liz said she wasn’t coming I decided to bring my bike. It’s cheaper on gas. Is that okay?”

“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “I’ve never ridden one before, though.”

“It’s really easy,” he laughed as I took the head gear from him. “All you have to do is hold on.”

I buckled the strip under my chin and watched as he pulled another helmet out of his bag and put it on.

He slung his leg over the bike and then turned to me, smiling.

“Climb on,” he said, holding his hand out to me.

“Okay,” I giggled.

I stepped forward and took his hand, my fingers brushing his other side as I sat down behind him.

“Hang on tight,” he said. “You won’t hurt me, I promise.”

“Right,” I chuckled, wrapping my arms around him and resting my head on his back.

“Do you want to take a more scenic route,” he asked loudly after starting the engine.

“Uh . . . sure?”

“Great! Hang on,” he yelled as we pulled out and drove onto the street.

We weaved in and out of traffic too fast for my liking. I was glad he’d told me to hold on as tight as I wanted, because I was terrified I’d fall off if I didn’t. We passed several landmark buildings that were lit up in the night, but I couldn’t even hardly enjoy them. Finally, we arrived at the apartment building and the bike fell silent.

“You can let go now,” Evan laughed.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, my head still resting on his back. “I think my arms fused together.”

He laughed harder and slid his hand down my arm, wrapping his fingers around mine.

Goosebumps flashed down my skin, and I suddenly pulled away from him, a nervous giggle breaking through my lips.

“You drive very fast,” I said as my feet touched solid ground
once again.

“Another reason why I like the motorcycle—it fits through traffic.”

“I bet that comes in handy, since you work at the busiest intersection in the world,” I said lamely.

“It does. You should get one, too. You’ll be working there in no time.”

“I think I’ll stick with the subway,” I said, trying to shoo the butterflies his touch had brought on. “Are you ready to go see Lizzy?”

He looked at me for a second, a happy smile on his face before nodding and getting off the bike himself.

“She’s probably sleeping,” I said, trying to keep the conversation going.

“Naw. Knowing Liz, she’s probably curled up on the couch watching Pride and Prejudice.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “That’s what she does every time she gets sick. It’s not the remake either. She watches the full, six hour version with a puke bowl next to her.”

“Sounds . . . gross,” I said, making a face as we walked through the door.

“You haven’t even begun to see all of Liz’s weird quirks,” he laughed. “She is my sister
, though, so I love her anyway.”

“And I’m an honorary sister,” I said as we ascended the stairs.

He looked over at me, the happiness in his eyes fading some.

“Yes,” he said softly. “You
’re the sister she always wanted. My honorary little sister.”  

Chapter Eleven

“I’m so sorry, Chris.”

I covered my eyes with my hand, resting my elbow on the table I sat at. I’d stopped for coffee at a cute little shop and decided to sit outside, even though the weather was steadily getting chillier with each day. It was a somewhat shocking change for my desert system. I was used to not having to wear a jacket until October, and even then it was more of a light sweater.

“You’re sure you can’t get out of it?” he asked from his end of the phone call.

“I’m sure. April said that this lady was the best thing that ever happened to her career. I can’t let something like that get by me.”

“I just miss you, that’s all,” he said with a short laugh. “We haven’t gotten to spend much time together this week.”

“I know,” I said apologetically. “I have to figure out my job stuff, though. I need to take these classes.”

“If you say so,” he sighed.

I hated hearing the disappointment in his voice, but I was positive I was doing what needed to be done. My job at Olive Garden was not meant to be permanent. The itching under my skin was warning me I’d been to long without performing. The night at The Gershwin had done wonders for me, but it was just like a drug. I’d had a little taste after a dry spell, and now I craved it more than ever.

“I promise, I’ll do my best to find time somewhere.”

“Call me when you get it figured out, okay?”

“I will. Thanks for understanding.”

I ended the call and sighed, slouching down into my chair. The coffee was helping to warm me up, but I still felt like the weight of eighty textbooks was sitting on my shoulders. It was hard to explain things to Chris. He didn’t quite understand why I needed to do all of these things, despite enjoying a good show now and then himself. He seemed to think that doing one show in high school should be enough practice for the big times.

He doesn’t understand it like Evan does,
I mused as I took a sip from my cup.

I stopped myself there, the familiar fluttering filling my stomach at the thought of Lizzy’s brother. My honorary brother.

Chris. Not Evan. Chris. Remember how he kissed you the last time you were together? He is the one you like. Not Evan.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Chris was always polite and sweet and Evan had never made any romantic advances towards me. It was silly to feel the same excitement and nervousness when I was around Evan that I did when Chris kissed me.

I checked the time on my phone and sighed. It was time for me to catch the train to my voice lesson, or I would be late.

April had stayed true to her word and called her voice instructor the day after we’d met. I didn’t know what she’d told her, but when I got the information from Evan and called to set up an appointment, I got right in. It had been two days since
Wicked,
and I was already starting.

Getting up from my chair, I wove my way through the other tables and out onto the sidewalk. It was a beautiful morning, despite the chill. I could see the leaves changing in the park up ahead, frost gathering on some of the metal handrails leading down into the tunnel.

During the ride downtown, I leafed through my song book, trying to decide what songs to sing that would help the teacher, Sarah Goodhall, get a feel for my voice right off. It felt a bit like trying to pick an audition song. I wanted to showcase my voice, but I also needed to pick something that would show her what I needed instruction on.

I got off the train in the theatre district, still feeling the same thrill that shot through me every time I saw the iconic places around me. There were times that I couldn’t believe I’d actually moved to New York to follow my dreams. Besides the confusion with Evan, I was the happiest I’d ever been.

Once I’d located the building that held the studio space my lessons would be in, I checked my phone again to make sure I wasn’t going to be late. Satisfied with the time I’d made, I shut
it off and stowed it back in my bag, ready to devote all of the next hour to my voice.

A few flights of stairs later, I took a seat next to the door to the practice room, hearing singing already coming from behind it. After a couple minutes, the door opened and the prior student thanked the teacher as he left.

An older woman came to the door after he left and looked down at me, a smile on her face. The hem of her free flowing, flowery shirt rested on her thighs, covering the top of her jeans. Silver streaked, brown hair piled into a bun on top of her head, accented with a butterfly clip.

“Mara?” she asked sweetly.

“Yes!” I stood and shook the hand she offered to me, smiling widely as well.

“I’m Sarah. Nice to meet you! Please
, come in.”

She held the door open for me, ushering me past her into the small space.

A piano sat in one corner, a music stand by the backside of it. That was it. There was only one chair—the bench to the piano—and the black walls to look at.

“April tells me that you have a lot of promise,” Sarah said as she sat down, stretching her fingers out in preparation to play.

“That was very nice of her,” I said, blushing.

“Well, I know her very well. If she said you’re good then you are.”

“Thank you,” I said, the heat in my face increasing.

“Let’s get right to it then!”
She played a quick scale on the piano, deciding what to start with. “We’ll warm up, and then you can tell me about your singing history.”

“Sounds great,” I said, setting my bag down and laying my music book on the stand.

“She was amazing Lizzy!”

I pulled my apron out of my locker and tied it around my waist, Lizzy doing the same next to me.

“I breathe totally different
, now. I thought it was fine before, but she did something that just . . . you know? I feel like I could hold a note for the rest of the year and not even break a sweat.”

“I’m glad,” Lizzy laughed, pinning her hair back like normal.

“I need to tell April thank you. And Evan! Could you tell him I said thank you?”

“Why don’t you tell him yourself,” she giggled. “I can give you his number.”

“Do you think he would mind me having it? I never asked him if I could.”

“Oh, he won’t mind,” she said surely. “I’m surprised he hasn’t asked you for yours
, yet.”

“What do you mean?”

She looked at me with a smile on her face, pausing in her pre work routine.

“Nothing,” she said after a minute.

“Am I missing something?” I chuckled, bending down to retie my shoe.

“Not at all,” she said with a mischievous grin. “We better hurry
, though. They’ve done nothing but tell me how busy it is since I put my earpiece in.”

“Great,” I moaned. “I don’t like busy.”

“Then you shouldn’t have gotten a job at a restaurant in Times Square,” she laughed.

The evening passed quickly because of the rush and before I knew it, we had both clocked out and were on our way home.

“Hand me your phone,” Lizzy said as the subway train rushed under the city.

When she handed it back, I saw that she’d added Evan’s contact
information into my address book.

“Thanks,” I said, happy that she’d remembered.

Hey, Evan, it’s Mara. Thank you so much for the night at
Wicked
! I had my first lesson with April’s teacher today and it was great! Would you tell her thank you for me?

It didn’t take him very long to reply, which I didn’t find surprising. He was probably just getting home from work and unwinding.

Sur
e
I’m glad that it all worked out so well for you.

I smiled to myself
, and then snapped a picture, sending it to him in my next text.

For
my contact picture on your phone, I explained. You can send one of you to me, if you want.

I gasped with wide eyes as his picture came back.

Lizzy burst into laughter as she leaned over and looked at what he’d sent me.

“Good old
, Evan,” she said, shaking her head.

I looked down at the shirtless picture again, eight abs winking at me from underneath his well-built chest and perfect smile.

Thanks haha.

I saved the picture with his information, hoping that Chris would never see the picture. I doubted that any man wouldn’t be jealous seeing that pop up on their girlfriend’s phone.

My pleasur
e


I tucked my phone away, my face burning again as Lizzy burst into renewed laughter.

“Does he send that picture to everyone?” I asked.

“Only girls he thinks are pretty,” she said, smiling at me again.

“Oh.” The butterflies erupted in my stomach and I grinned a little, enjoying the fact that he thought I was pretty.

“Oh, Mara,” Lizzy giggled. “I love you. You’re so sweet.”

“What did I do?” I asked, confused.

“Nothing,” she chuckled.

“Okay? I love you, too,” I said giving her a side hug.

“Someday, we’re going to look back at this moment and laugh at you together.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, resting my head on her shoulder.

“I know. That’s why we’re going to laugh.”

Chris poured me a glass of wine as I looked out over the cityscape, enjoying the twinkling lights.

“It’s beautiful,” I said, taking my glass from him.

“You’re beautiful,” he replied, watching me take a sip.

As soon the glass left my lips, he took it from me, pulling me up against his body with his other hand. His face moved towards mine, and I closed my eyes, anticipating the kiss that was about to happen.

His lips met mine roughly, moving in a way they never had before
, bruising my mouth in their anxiousness. The one hand clutched me to him at my back, the other, having set my glass down, and weaved its way into my hair.

I moaned as I wrapped my arms around his chest, eyes flying open as I realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

I was kissing Evan! His muscles rippled as he tightened his hold on me, lifting me into the air and guiding my legs around his waist.

I melted into his touch, matching his passion the best I could. My heart soared at his touch. We were finally together!

He took a few steps forward and sat me down on the counter in front of him, his hands sliding down my legs, pulling my heels off, tossing them behind him. My stockings came next, a thrill going through me as his hands brushed my thighs under my skirt, drawing the thigh highs off in the sexiest way I’d ever seen.

He broke away from my mouth for a moment, kissing the skin on my legs as it was revealed , dropping each s
tocking on the floor once it was completely off.

Gasping for breath, I laid back, shoving the glasses out of the way as he unzipped my skirt, his lips brushing my hip after the fabric slid off it.

He climbed up on the counter after me, popping the buttons off my shirt as he ripped it open. Frenzied kisses landed on my collarbone and neck as he pressed himself against me.

I drug my fingers down his back, uncontrollable feelings of ecstasy running through me. His skin was so warm and strong. It was everything I’d ever wanted without realizing it. I didn’t care if I never did anything else ever again in my life as long as he kept kissing me.

His lips met mine once more and his fingers traced the outline of my black, lacy bra.

“Mara,” he panted, the need almost driving me insane.

“Mara . . . Mara!”

I opened my eyes in surprise, Lizzy standing over me with concern etched into her face.

“Are you okay? You were whimpering in your sleep.”

I blinked a few times, trying to gather my surroundings. I was in my bed, right where I’d crashed after work. From the light coming in outside, it looked like it was still early morning. Suddenly, the dream crashed back into my mind full force.

“Yes!” I rushed to say. “I was, uh . . . having a nightmare. I dreamed I was onstage and forgot my lines.”

“Nice,” she said, crawling back into her bed. “You were just kinda loud. I thought I’d wake you up to make sure you were fine.”

“I’m sorry,” I said the blush and horror deepening on my face.

“It’s fine,” she said with a yawn. “I’m glad I helped stop a nightmare.”

“Yeah,” I said with a nervous laugh. “I, uh, need to go to the bathroom anyway. Thanks.”

I quickly got out of bed and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Leaning on the sink, I looked at myself in the mirror.

My face was definitely flushed, partly from the dream. My heart was racing a million miles a minute
as I touched my lips, remembering Evan’s touch.