Red Phoenix's Passion is for Lovers Collection (Boxed Set) (15 page)

Susan tumbled out of bed when her alarm when off. She grunted at Tesse in disgust. “You tossed and turned all night. I couldn’t get any sleep because of it.”

Tesse struggled to sit up. “I’m sorry, but my life is a shambles. What do you expect?” She put her head in her hands. “I feel like crap.”

“What happened with Jerrod? I heard you guys were alone in our room for quite a while.”

“Yeah, things got pretty heated, but I screwed it up.”

Susan came over and put her arm around Tess. “What happened, girl?”

Tesse kept the tears at bay while she explained, “I wanted Jerrod yesterday, but then… I just couldn’t. I still love Luke too much.”

Susan squeezed her tight. “You’re going to have to let the man go, Tess. Luke left because there’s no future between you. Think of it as a gift. He left so you could follow your dreams.”

Tess groaned in misery. A conversation with her mother suddenly sprang to mind. When she was eighteen, Tesse had told Julie that she would never give Luke up for a job. She had resented that her mother cared more about her own career than her marriage. But wasn’t Tesse doing the same thing?

Susan continued, “You love Jerrod, everyone sees it. And the man is crazy about you.”

“I know,” Tess agreed softly.

“You’re building it up into this huge thing it doesn’t have to be. Just march over to Jerrod’s apartment, rip off his pants and take the poor man. Once you do it, everything will be fine. Face it, Luke’s gone. He’s never coming back, Tess. I don’t see what’s so difficult here.”

Tesse realized that Luke hadn’t left a way for her to reach him. The cold reality that Luke didn’t want her chasing after him finally set in. It was over. The short-lived love affair in high school was all it was ever going to be.

Both girls jumped when someone started pounding on the door. “Tesse! Tesse Hayes, are you in there?”

Tess grabbed her robe, tying it around her waist before opening the door. Larry, one of the stagehands, was standing in the hallway dripping sweat while he tried to regain his breath. “Mr. Reagan”—pant, gasp—“needs you”—cough, gasp—“now!”

Tesse frowned. “I thought Jenny took my place.”

The boy took in a deep breath and spewed out, “Jennifer has strep. She’s no good for tomorrow’s performance.” A spurt of his heavy coughing followed.

Maybe Tesse was going to get her second chance after all! She knew she could pull it off, even if Mr. Reagan didn’t believe in her. “I’ll be right there. Let me shower and get dressed.”

“No time!” Larry insisted. “Mr. Reagan said it’s now or never.”

Tesse rolled her eyes in irritation. “Okay, fine. Let me get dressed at least.” She shut the door and grabbed her sweats. She was out the door in five minutes with Larry struggling to keep up with her.

Mr. Reagan was a wreck when Tesse arrived. He was screaming incoherently and handing out directions to the cast that didn’t make sense. “Look who decided to show up!” he yelled when he finally acknowledged her standing there.

Tesse took a deep breath and stepped right into the scene without a word to him. Thankfully, her voice was back and the tension in the theater relaxed as soon as she fell into the role of Christine. She sang to Raoul as if she were singing to Jerrod. She was going to let the Phantom go. She had to. Their love was a dream—a beautiful dream impossible to maintain in the real world.

“Better, definitely better,” Mr. Reagan said curtly after she finished. “Okay, people! We are starting from the beginning. Heads will roll if this isn’t perfect.
Perfect
, people!”

Spending the day in the theater was actually the best thing for Tesse. It reaffirmed that this was what she was meant to do. Her voice rang out loud and true, with an emotional depth not possible without real heartache to pull from.

“Halleluiah, the girl is back!” Mr. Reagan shouted, clapping his hands together. “I think we are actually going to pull this off.”

Tesse kept glancing around the auditorium to see if Jerrod had come to watch, but she didn’t see him the entire day. If he could hear her sing now, he would know the decision she’d made. Tesse was going to jump in with both feet. No more pulling back.

She underestimated the insanity of Mr. Reagan. The man kept them at the theater until two in the morning. He insisted in a clean run-through before they were given permission to leave. Dress rehearsals were notoriously laden with mistakes. It was expected and did not reflect on the performance of opening night, but Mr. Reagan had convinced himself that a clean run-through would make up for the week prior.

Despite the lateness of the hour, Tess was determined to go to Jerrod’s after rehearsal. Just as she was leaving, Mr. Reagan came up to her. “A little bird told me that you skipped several of your classes this week, Miss Hayes.”

“Unusual circumstances, sir.”

“I figure it must be boy trouble, which would account for your sporadic performance.” Tesse opened her mouth to defend herself, but he put his hand up. “I don’t care and I don’t want to hear excuses. What I
want
is for you to go straight to your room and get a good night’s rest. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Meet me here at seven tomorrow so we can run through a couple of scenes before your first class.”

Tesse groaned. Poor Jerrod would have to wait until tomorrow, but it was probably for the best. She barely made it to the dorm room before collapsing. Her exhaustion seeped into her bones and she lay there unable to move, not having enough energy to even to take off her clothes.

“Susan, I need you to do something,” she mumbled from her bed.

“What, Tesse? It’s after two in the morning.”

“I need you to set my alarm for six-thirty. I can’t move.”

Her roommate laughed. “Oh my God, Tesse. You’ve turned into such a diva!” She got out of bed and set the alarm for her, giving Tesse a pat on the head. “Go to sleep, Miss
Thing
.”

“Thanks, Susan.”

“Shut up and go to sleep,” Susan mumbled.

Tesse drifted off to sleep thinking about Luke. She was finally ready to let him go. Just like the musical, once she took Jerrod’s hand there would be no turning back. Tomorrow her Phantom would be lost to her forever.

Day 1 & Counting…

T
he annoying alarm went off far too soon. Tesse smashed her fist down on it and rolled out of bed. She grunted when she hit the floor.

Get up, girl. Today’s your big day.

She struggled into the shower and stood under the warm cascade of water. The shower was invigorating and life returned to her tired body. By the time Tesse left the dorm she was feeling ready for her big début. Mr. Reagan even had a latte waiting for her. “I want our star to be happy today,” he explained, handing to it her.

Tesse smiled uneasily when she took it. He hated his students drinking caffeine. “This isn’t a test, is it? You’re not going to throw me out of the show if I take a sip, are you?”

He chuckled. “No, it’s a onetime treat. To be honest, I am impressed with the quality of your voice and the sense of angst you bring to your role. It’s convincing, even for a seasoned director like me. I’m not one to give out warm fuzzies, but the fact is I know you have real talent and I want you to shine tonight.” Tesse took a drink of her coffee to avoid having to say anything after such high praise. “So enough of this touchy-feely crap, let’s get to work,” he grumbled.

Morning rehearsal went well and Tess quickly caught herself up in the classes she missed. The day seemed blessed, everything fitting together like a beautifully orchestrated song.

She looked for Jerrod in the cafeteria during lunch, but didn’t see him. She tried his phone, but he wasn’t answering. Tesse hoped he would come to her performance. If not, she planned to skip the cast party and seek him out. Tonight Tesse was determined to show Jerrod just how she felt about him. The thought of it gave her pleasant chills.

Tesse was flying high all day, and it only got better when she received a large bouquet of roses at the theater just before curtain call. Tesse opened the card and sighed happily.
“Break a leg, Tesse. Your number one fan will be in the audience cheering for you. Love, Jerrod.”
She kissed the card and hugged it to her chest. Yep, everything was going as planned.

Three minutes before the show, Tesse received another flower. A single carnation with a note attached. She told Larry to put it in her dressing room, but he insisted she read it. “Come on, Larry, you know I don’t have time for this. The show is about to begin.”

“I was told to read the card to you if you wouldn’t read it yourself.”

Tesse hastily grabbed the note and read by the flashlight Larry provided. “
Tesse, look for us in the middle of the fourth row
.”

“Us?” she asked Larry.

He smiled impishly. It was obvious he knew what was going on, but wasn’t telling. She took a quick peek through the curtains. Her eyes scanned the crowded auditorium. It was a sold-out show. Tesse searched for her mysterious admirers. She gasped when she saw
her
face.

“Mom?”

Tears pricked her eyes.
She’s here!

Luke was sitting beside her dressed in a formal tux and looking more handsome than she’d ever seen him. She closed the curtain, her heart racing wildly as Mr. Reagan shouted, “Places, people!” and the orchestra began to play…

Tesse had no time to think. She smoothed out her gown and stood in the wings. She waited with bated breath, listening to the famous melody that began the musical. There was nothing else like it. Loud and haunting, it sent chills through her.

When she finally took the stage, she was on another plane of existence. No longer Tesse, she
became
Christine. She forgot about her mother, Luke, and Jerrod. The music carried her along; the story was her story. She sang to her Phantom with all the love she had inside and then she embraced the sweet love Raoul offered. The choice was too difficult; it tore at her heart.

When the Phantom asked her to sing for him, she sang with a voice strong and pure. The notes that had proved difficult in the past now flowed out effortlessly. The audience rose to its feet during the song. Tesse exited from the dramatic scene to deafening applause. Steven, the boy who played the Phantom, even commented, “Tesse, that was amazing! You gave me goose bumps just now.” She thanked him even though she couldn’t take credit for it. Something else was carrying her along to perform better than she ever had before.

As the end of the musical approached, Tesse began to shake. She knew what was coming and she dreaded playing it out on the stage.

“Make your choice, Christine!”

Her choice was to move forward with the safe love of Raoul and live the life she had dreamed of as a little girl. It was within her grasp.

Or…

She could embrace the unknown world of the Phantom who had loved her from the beginning. The man who had shaped her with his love, but whose future was dangerous and uncertain.

She kissed the Phantom hesitantly. His future was frightening, but she melted into his embrace—the power of his love consuming her. When he pulled away, she leaned in again, needing more of his fiery passion. This time reality blurred and she gave fully into her desire. Steve groaned as he responded to her unrestrained kiss. Their kiss lingered far longer than it was suppose to, and she could feel the audience hold their collective breath. They longed for Christine to stay with the Phantom.

Then came the pivotal moment when the Phantom insisted that Christine leave his side. Tesse began to cry. She took Raoul’s hand, but she sang her youthful love song meant for him still looking back at the Phantom, tears streaming down her face.

When the curtain closed, the applause rocked the tiny theater. Tesse slowly returned to earth when Steve pushed her take a bow. The two of them walked back out on the stage to a standing ovation. Tesse scanned the crowd until her eyes locked onto Luke’s. He was crying, as was her mother. Julie threw her a kiss.

My mom’s proud of me
.

Until that moment, Tesse never knew how much that meant.