Center Stage by Bernadette Marie Read Free Book Online Page A

him. Now he wasn’t comfortable in Zach’s presence.
    “Rockwell Theater.”
    “Slated for demolition for an office building.”
    John nodded. “But it’s still for sale. The owner wants someone to renovate it. He doesn’t want to sell so he hasn’t committed yet.”
    “You know an awful lot about this.” Zach leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.
    “Arianna mentioned something about moving home and having a community theater. She’d like to teach or something like that.”
    “And you’re thinking it would be a good place for her?”
    “It was a thought.”
    Zach moved in and rested his arms on his desk and clasped his hands together. It was a move John was familiar with. It meant he was thinking business.
    “Can she afford property like that?”
    John shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t even told her about it. I thought you should look at it. I’d be willing to invest in it and see what she could do with it.”
    “You’d invest?”
    “I live in a basement and drive a truck with two hundred thousand miles on it. I have some money stashed away.”
    The business look changed and the corners of Zach’s lips curled into a tight smile. “You’d do this for her.”
    “It’s an investment.”
    “It sure is.”
    John stood up. “Listen, if you think it’s a bad idea…”
    “No.” Zach stood and walked around the desk. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. I just want to make sure that you’re sure about this.”
    “Investment.”
    “And you’re sure?”
    No, he wasn’t sure. His chest hurt, his palms were sweaty, and he felt as though Zach had socked him in the gut. But he was crazy about the woman who had made it very clear that marriage was not an option. However, maybe an investment in her livelihood was.
    “I think it would be an awesome opportunity for some renovating the area. She’d do the rest.”
    Zach nodded slowly. “I’ll look into it.”
    “Thanks. I’ll be back with my files.”
    “How about I pick you up at lunch, and we’ll head out to Steve’s. Since you mentioned it, I’ve had a hankering for it.”
    “Sure.” John walked out of the office.
    For a man who didn’t like commitment, he’d sure made one, and now Regan would start asking questions—that part he was sure about.
     
    Arianna had successfully found the coffeemaker. Why she’d packed it with the bathroom items she wasn’t sure, except those were all of the last items she’d packed.
    The house was beginning to look more like a home.
    She’d gone to the store and bought groceries. There was, in fact, a Starbucks at the end of the street so she stopped. And because she couldn’t help herself, she picked up some of that imported beer John drank.
    Now she looked around and thought how barren it all was. She’d felt more at home in John’s basement earlier when she’d gone through the door, which they’d left unlocked, and placed the beer and replacement Hungry Man dinners in his refrigerator.
    It wasn’t something she needed to get worked up over. She’d given him her word that she wasn’t one to sleep around either, and she wasn’t. They’d kidded that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. She’d been very candid about never wanting to be married or have babies. But as she sat down on her own couch and turned on her own TV, she missed him.
    New relationships were the hardest, and she’d had her share. When they started, you missed the person. You wanted to sleep at their place always. Phone calls and text messages could get you through the day, but it was never enough. Then there was the need to move in together and talk about futures. That was when it usually went wrong.
    So where did they go now? They already lived together. Neither of them wanted marriage. Was this all there was to them?
    She rested her head back against the couch.
    She needed her sister. Regan would know what to do. It had only been two days, and she knew she was about to spill it all. All she could