Heartsville 02 - Unscripted (Nico Jaye) by Heartsville Read Free Book Online

discussed with an every-couple-of-months college friend. There was no way he’d tell Eli that Carter had been “something more” already.
    Clearing his throat, Teddy dodged the question. “Trust me, if he does, I’m sure I’ll be the first to know.”
     
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    The next couple of days were business as usual, and Teddy was pleased to see Wednesday’s dress rehearsal for Twelfth Night went smoothly. It was an ambitious production that set the Shakespearean comedy of love and mistaken identity in a cute little Brooklyn neighborhood, complete with roommate romance, a bad-egg brother, and shenanigans in between. Teddy thought it was just the lighthearted, fun, but thoughtful production people were used to seeing from the Oasis.
    He also had high hopes for Paul Aston’s visit Thursday afternoon. Before the meeting, Teddy ran through some of the Oasis’s facts and figures and tried not to be nervous about Carter’s presence.
    When Carter appeared in the office five minutes before noon, Teddy offered a hesitant smile. “Carter, hi, I was reviewing some of my files for the meeting. In case Paul asked for anything detailed, I wanted to have it handy.”
    Nodding, Carter approached Teddy’s desk and stood beside it. Teddy couldn’t help watching as Carter rested his hand on the surface, his thick fingers elegant and tanned against the dark wood. “Are you almost ready?” Carter asked.
    Teddy organized the papers in front of him into neat stacks and stood. “Yes. Yes, let’s go downstairs and wait there,” Teddy said with a nervous gesture.
    As they walked through the hallway and down the stairs, Carter cleared his throat. “I did a little research, and the Chicago Metropolitan Theater has a solid history of sponsorship for community businesses.”
    Teddy looked up in surprise and waited for Carter to continue.
    Or was that it?
    No disparaging remarks about needing charity for the Oasis to survive as a theater? No comments on how this place didn’t make enough money on its own?
    “They’ve recently begun outreach efforts beyond the Chicago area, sponsoring a small theater in Bloomfield,” Carter said, naming a suburb about an hour outside of Chicago. “Many large theater companies recognize the value of community theaters as the place where audiences are first exposed to live entertainment.”
    How had Carter…?
    “That’s… that’s right,” Teddy said slowly, surprised by Carter’s insights. “How did you…?”
    At the base of the stairs, Carter tilted his head for Teddy to precede him into the lobby. With an enigmatic smile, Carter said, “I told you I was here to take a hands-on approach.”
    Teddy’s gaze automatically landed on Carter’s hands.
    He swallowed hard.
    No, you need to focus, Teddy thought as a blond man in a navy suit jacket and open-collared shirt approached the glass doors of the theater.
    With a quick look at Carter that implored him to be on his best behavior, Teddy shifted into manager mode and hoped the rest of the afternoon would be smooth sailing.
     
    ***
     
    Teddy needn’t have worried because Carter was a complete asset in charming Paul. With both his knowledgeable head for business and his clear confidence, it was easy to see Carter’s success as a businessman wasn’t a fluke. Combined with Teddy’s specific knowledge about the Oasis, from the intricacies of running it to their regular audience, their united front was impressive and had Paul nodding thoughtfully and commenting on the theater’s bright future.
    Nearly three hours—and a lunch at the local brasserie on Carter’s tab—later, Paul’s visit finally came to a close. With promises to be in touch and handshakes all around, Teddy felt himself breathing easier.
    “That was—thank you. You helped a lot,” Teddy said to Carter as they stood in the lobby afterward.
    Carter nodded, a small smirk curling his lips. “Don’t sound so surprised.”
    Teddy’s eyes went wide. “No, it’s