Just What I Needed(14)

“Is there a particular order? Or do I just finish them as they’re brought to me?”

“I’ll get you a list. We need to have everything finalized two weeks prior to the first performance.” He skirted a stack of plywood and led me to a desk in the corner. “I know you were a late addition to the crew and we appreciate you stepping in on such short notice. I’ve drawn everything out, adding color so you can see exactly the look and style I’m going for. I made blank duplicates of the basic design, so if a concept doesn’t look right onstage, we can change it here first before tackling the paint.”

“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything.”

He smiled. “We’re a community theater group, but we don’t want to look like amateurs.”

“I get that. Trust me.”

“Good. I have to get back since I’m also Chris’s AD, but I’ll let you familiarize yourself with everything. Our builder set up his machinery outside so you won’t have to hear saws and hammers. He’ll have at least two pieces ready to go after lunch.” He cut back through the piles and disappeared.

I wandered through the space, gauging the materials. Then I sat at the desk and flipped through the schematics. Nate had been very thorough. But in order for me to get a feel for his designs, I’d need to start fresh. I pulled out my sketchbook and colored pencils and got to work.

Sometimes I listened to music while I worked. But today, with the door between the spaces open, I let the sounds of being backstage inspire me. Snippets of music. Laughter from the cast. Chris and Nate barking instructions and encouragement.

Every once in a while I’d hear the back door open and footsteps shuffle across the tile into the conference room, but I couldn’t see anything from my corner hiding spot. I’d finished re-creating half of the sketches when a sharp pain reminded me it’d been a few hours since I’d moved.

I stood and stretched until the tendon in my neck popped back into place. My left foot had fallen asleep, and when I took a step, I lost my balance and my hip connected with the rolls of paper, sending them crashing to the floor.

“Awesome.”

Just as I bent over to grab one, I heard a deep male voice say, “Let me help you with that.”

“Thanks.” I moved the closest roll back up and froze when I saw who had helped me: Walker, the sexy blue-eyed Viking I’d been dreaming about all damn week.

He stared at me.

Ha! More like he glared at me.

He bit off, “You,” as if too angry to say anything else.

My mouth opened to explain when Nate sailed into the room. “Trinity, I need some—” He stopped and his gaze winged between us. “Oh, good. I see you two have met.”

“Not exactly,” the bearded wonder muttered low enough for only me to hear.

Outside the room, someone hollered, “Nate, Chris needs you.”

“It never fails.” Nate grabbed a roll of masking tape off the table and breezed out the door.

“So who are you pretending to be today? Amelia Earhart? Because you’re not Amelia Carlson.”

I took a step backward. “What are you doing here? Are you stalking me or something?”

“I’d have to know your name to stalk you, sweetheart, and we both know you lied to me about that. So I’ll ask again. Who are you?” He tipped his head toward the door. “Unless you want me to go out there and ask Nate, in front of everybody, who you really are?”

“Just chill for a sec. It’s not what you think.”

“Babe, I’m so chill I’m fucking frosty. Who. Are. You?”

“Stop crowding me.”

“Have it your way.” He spun around.

“Walker. Wait.” I set my hand on his upper arm to stop him. The feel of his bulky biceps caused a strange tickle in my belly. This guy was solid muscle. He could break me in two if he wanted. And he seemed mad enough to do it.

Do you blame him?

He got right in my face. “I’m surprised you remembered my name. For the last time. Who. Are. You?”

“Trinity Carlson.”

He muttered about a weird T name and then demanded, “Why lie about it?”

“I didn’t lie.”

“Bull. Shit. Did you or did you not tell me your name was Amelia?”

I’d had enough of him looming over me. “No, I did not specifically tell you my name was Amelia. You overheard someone call me by that name and assumed it was mine.”

That literally knocked him back a step.

See? Not the only one at fault here, big guy.

Then he rallied with, “But you didn’t correct that assumption either.”

“No, but I didn’t lie to you, Walker.”