Winter's Spell by Ursula Klein

Author:Ursula Klein [Klein, Ursula]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2024-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen—Tessa

Tessa was on pins and needles all weekend. She could feel herself getting jumpy and irritable in meetings; everyone seemed bent on annoying her. She found herself snapping at Chayo and Joy for no good reason, except that she hadn’t heard from Roxy in four days.

Four long days.

She should have been enjoying being in the middle of working on a show. This was her baby after all. Costumes were arriving, sets were getting built, and the actors were working with her in rehearsals on blocking, character development, and line delivery. In some ways, it was the most creative part of putting on a play. Nothing was set in stone yet. The relationships between the actors and their characters were still in process, and usually Tessa would have been laser-focused on her role as director.

But her unsatisfying interaction with Roxy at the brewery coupled with the lack of communication following on the heels of that absolutely perfect kiss in her apartment were making it impossible for Tessa to concentrate on anything. She kept replaying the conversation in her head and berating herself for making assumptions. Other times she’d find herself annoyed that Roxy was so sensitive. If she was so upset, couldn’t she simply tell Tessa what the issue was?

Tessa thought she’d been doing a pretty good job of hiding her inner turmoil from everyone else, but when Sunday rehearsals wrapped up around two in the afternoon, Chayo and Joy practically frog-marched Tessa to the box office.

Chayo closed the door behind her, and she and Joy stood in front of Tessa, identical looks of concern on their faces.

“It’s that obvious?” said Tessa. She felt her annoyance and frustration drain away, replaced quickly by a feeling of overwhelming sadness.

“Hey, no need to get all dramatic,” said Chayo. “We’re worried about you. You haven’t been yourself since last Wednesday.”

“Your aura has been completely off.” Joy rubbed her arm. Tessa sighed.

“I’ve been preoccupied with personal stuff.” Tessa sniffed. She was a complete and total crier, and anything even slightly emotional made her immediately turn on the waterworks. She could feel the tears gathering in her eyes, her throat closing up with emotion. Her voice shook. “I’m sorry.”

Chayo hugged her, and Joy did too. Tessa felt their warmth and goodness surround her; she was so lucky to have good friends and colleagues like Joy and Chayo.

“Don’t be sorry.” Chayo took a step back and pushed away a tear of her own from the corner of her eye. “Ay, chica, you’re going to make me cry. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Joy nodded. “Me, too. It’s not like you to be so snappish. Is there anything we can do to help?”

Tessa blushed. “I don’t think so. It’s…”

“It’s about a woman, isn’t it?” Chayo winked at Tessa, and Tessa couldn’t help smiling.

“Ohhhh,” said Joy. “Now I understand. It’s Roxy, isn’t it?”

Tessa hadn’t said anything to Joy before about being interested in Roxy, but Joy’s intuition coupled with Tessa’s inability to be subtle to save her life made her love life an open book, apparently.

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