Method Acting: An opposites attract, found family romance (Center Stage Book 2) by Adele Buck (web based ebook reader txt) 📕

Susan would hate that if she knew.

Not that Alicia would ever tell her. Alicia’s few friendships were loose, light things, reflecting the nomadic nature of her life. But keeping tabs on Susan was professionally smart. They were all too often up for the same roles.

She tapped “Reply” and thought for another minute before starting to type.

To: Susan Vernon

From: Alicia Johnson

Subject: Re: Ugh.

Oh, don’t worry about the silence. What kind of friends would we be if we didn’t let each other focus on ourselves from time to time? Sorry I couldn’t stay for much of the party. The reviews are FABULOUS, though. I hear there’s a possibility it will transfer to New York?

Alicia paused here, well aware that Susan’s tantrums had probably sunk her chances of staying with the show for an extended run, and thinking of New York, glanced down the quiet Capitol Hill street. Could she really stay here? For a while at least? She’d have to leave the cozy garden apartment in the old town house at the end of the summer when the professor who owned it returned from her summer abroad, but that didn’t bother Alicia, as much as she liked its charm. Moving on was nothing new to her. Alicia decided to table that thought and returned to her e-mail.

And Cath and Paul are getting married? Frankly, it’s about time those two crazy kids got serious.

Alicia liked the pair, what she knew of them. And Susan’s claims that Paul had always been into her had seemed all too…well, all too Susan to be true. A feral grin spread across Alicia’s face when she thought how much her bland acknowledgement of a thing that had been almost inevitable would tick Susan off.

We’re beyond previews, sweetie. A week into the run, if you can believe it. We had a big shindig for donors last night. You know the kind of thing: let people get a thrill from talking to actual actors. Balance a ball on your nose for some rich people. And I did meet a lobbyist! Tall, dark, handsome, and…kind of an asshole, to be honest. Oh, well. What can you expect from rich people anyway?

Realizing she was chewing on her nail again, Alicia whipped the finger out of her mouth and wiped it on her shorts. She wondered if she should keep that last piece. It was a bit more open than she usually was in her e-mails to Susan. Shrugging one shoulder, she let it stand.

Anyway, enjoying a day off. Hot and sunny here. How is it in your rural hideaway?

Xoxo-’Lis

Alicia tapped “Send” without reviewing the e-mail again. Either it would enrage Susan and Alicia wouldn’t hear from her again for a few weeks or months, or she would get a nice, gossipy message in a day or so. Either outcome was fine with her.

“So, this ‘trouble’ woman. Why so troubling?” Russell’s deep brown eyes filled with humor as he looked at Colin.

“I’m not sure. I thought we were having a nice conversation, if a bit confusing, and suddenly she just scarpered.”

“Scarpered.”

“Yes.”

“That British for ‘fucked off’?”

“Quite.”

“Can you think of anything you might have done to make her…er, scarper?”

Colin rubbed his chin. “I don’t think so. I mean, I got off on the wrong foot with her initially, but then I thought the conversation was going rather well.”

“Wait, wait, back up—what wrong foot?” Russell’s expression was amused. “And did you use that wrong foot to step on her toes?”

Colin grimaced. “Well, she is an actress in the production. And…I might have intimated that I thought actors were…not trustworthy.”

Russell blinked. “You called her a liar and were surprised that scarpering happened?”

“You’ve become all too fond of that word in a very short amount of time, my friend.”

“Don’t change the subject,” Russell said. “How the hell did you walk back from that? And don’t tell me it was British charm.”

“Oh, it wasn’t. It was an abject apology.”

“Abject?” Russell’s eyes crinkled. He was enjoying this too much, damn him.

Colin pinched his thumb and forefinger close together. “This close to a complete grovel.”

“Okay.” Russell took a long sip of beer. “And you managed to grovel, walk back from that, and still piss her off? How?”

Shrugging, Colin set his own glass down. “I have no idea. We were talking, I was a bit baffled. Every time I would think I had her figured out a little, she would surprise me. I was…off balance around her.”

“Hm. And she just walked off?”

“Well she said her castmate was calling her over.”

“You sound like you don’t believe her. Again.”

Colin shrugged.

“Let me get this straight,” Russell said, extending one finger. “You call the woman a liar having barely met her.” Another finger joined the first. “You managed to apologize well enough that she didn’t tell you to fuck off forever.” A third finger. “You still somehow don’t trust her when she says a colleague is calling her over and she has to leave.” Russell studied Colin’s face. “And if you looked anything like that,” he said, waving the three fingers at Colin’s expression, “she probably saw this distrust in your eyes. You should never play poker.”

“I don’t.”

“Good.” Russell picked up his pint again. “But I’ll tell you what as someone who’s been married, divorced, and live to tell the tale. This sounds like Tressa living rent-free in your head.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You meet someone new and the first thing you think of is what broke up your last relationship.”

“You’re saying I think she shagged the doorman of her condo like Tressa did?”

“Cute. No. I’m saying this woman…does she have a name, anyway?” Russell asked.

“Alicia.”

“You meet Alicia and the first thing you assume is that she’s lying to you. Like Tressa did. You’re looking for patterns.”

Colin shifted on the bar stool, turning this truth over in his mind.

Russell jabbed him in the ribs with an index finger. “Seems like Alicia got under your skin, dude. Any plans to see her again?”

“What would