Stage Fright by Gabrielle Holly Read Free Book Online Page B

undershirt showed through the rips. When she’d walked into the theatre that morning, Bridget had raised an eyebrow. Maybe she was fishing for a reaction after all.
    “Cute shirt,” Bridget said from behind the concession stand. She was giving the chrome a final polish.
    Everything, it seemed, was down to the final polish. Mike had proven a masterful general contractor. He’d orchestrated the deliveries and tradesman with admirable precision. The drywall specialists followed the electricians and plumbers and they all wrapped up their work just in time for the team to paint the ceilings and walls, before the new carpet was installed. A fresh dumpster was delivered less than thirty minutes before the university students arrived to pull down the old drapes and start cleaning the murals. Bridget had just begun to unpack the speciality bulbs when the cherry-picker Mike had hired from a local sign company pulled up to the kerb to install them. Most of the seats in the theatre could stand to be replaced—or at least reupholstered, but Mike said that project would be deferred until after the theatre had some cash flow.
    As well as he’d managed the professionals on the project, Mike had also squeezed every drop out of free labour when he could. From the students restoring the murals to his own team, Mike had inspired them all with free pizza and beer and his contagious enthusiasm.
    Toni was glad to count the modern-day Pied Piper among her friends and it suddenly dawned on her that perhaps he hadn’t come into her life by accident. She thought back to their first meeting at her rundown bed-and-breakfast in Iowa. He’d been a guest and one of the men who blew through town every year to re-enact Civil War battles. Mike had never once since then mentioned an interest in that period of American History. He’d stepped up when Thomas’ original cameraman had unexpectedly quit and had proved a competent replacement. And he’d saved the day when Bridget had fallen ill. Without Mike she wouldn’t have sold the inn, bought the ice cream parlour, met Liam, examined her relationship with Thomas, come here to the Bijou…
    Toni glanced at Bridget as she stood back to admire her work on the gleaming metal. “Where’s Mike?”
    “He’s up in the booth, but I’ve got the punch list if you’re looking for something to do,” Bridget said.
    Toni ignored her and headed for the staircase. She dragged her hand over the refinished railing as she ran up the steps. She found Thomas with Mike in the projection room examining the Whisper Reel Deluxe. The two turned and stared at her as she fought to catch her breath.
    “Hey, Tone. Mike is just showing me the thousand places this behemoth needs to be oiled in order to show a film,” Thomas said.
    Toni pulled in deep lungfuls of air until she could speak. “Thomas, I need to speak to Mike alone for a minute.”
    Thomas looked perplexed, but stepped out of the booth and shut the door behind him. Mike, on the other hand, seemed as if he’d been expecting this conversation. He pulled a padded stool from under the work counter and motioned for Toni to sit.
    She shook her head. “No thanks. I’ll stand.”
    “Suit yourself.”
    Toni stared into Mike’s eyes, trying to find answers there when she wasn’t even sure of the question. Finally it came to her. “Mike, are you a fucking ghost?”
    Mike threw back his head and laughed. “No, Antonia, I am not a fucking ghost.”
    Goose bumps broke out over Toni’s skin. “How’d you know my name is Antonia?”
    “Well, your nickname is Toni. You’re Italian. If you were French it would probably be Antoinette. I suppose it could have been Antonietta or Antonina, but Antonia is a much more common derivation.”
    “Quit screwing around, Briggs.”
    Mike dragged the stool a few inches closer, gently grabbed Toni’s upper arm and said, “I really think you should sit down.”
    Toni did as she was told, but her mind raced. She replayed every