Backstage (The Barter System Book 4)

by McClendon, Shayne

  She felt a tingle low in her stomach and it was something she’d gone without for longer than she cared to admit. Following him up a steep flight of steps, his claims about the heat were not exaggerated. It was stifling on the second floor.

  Fanning her face, she told him, “Excuse my complete lack of professionalism. I have to take this jacket off.” She shrugged it from her shoulders and set it on the back of a chair in front of his battered desk. The form-fitting bronze sleeveless tank top clung to her torso.

  It wasn’t a top she wore without the jacket and the way his eyes widened was the reason why. At least her wide-leg retro slacks were comfortable and appropriate.

  Setting her portfolio beside her chair, she removed color copies of several sketches from the pocket and leaned over the desk to set them in front of him.

  “Act One, Act Two, and Act Three. Very simple if you have a reasonably talented artist we can hire. I need the writing and acting to take center stage. Lighting will be very important, sound even more so since there are several musical numbers throughout.” Removing a list of cast complete with headshots, she held it out to him.

  “Here’s the cast I’ve hired.” She sat, crossing her legs as her mother had taught her.

  “You cast the show already? Mikayla Johannson…your sister?” She watched him glance between the head shot and her face. “Twins.”

  For years, she and her sister had dissuaded advances from men thinking they were a two-for-one deal.

  Ezra immediately put her mind at ease. “It’s nice that you’re going to have family to rely on.”

  “Kayla has the lead female role.” At his raised brow, she laughed and pulled out a thick manuscript that contained music and the script. There was also a CD labeled with the name of the play.

  “She’s the best, I assure you. I’ve done all the blocking but feel free to offer suggestions. With the lighting and sound as well. Prior to this, I’ve only directed college productions so your expertise is welcome.”

  “May I ask what made you pick this theater?”

  “It’s almost the same size as our community center back home. I directed several plays there in high school and on breaks from college. Also, I love the history of the place.”

  They ended up talking for more than an hour and Madeline was impressed with the fact that he remained engaged.

  Still, she knew she’d taken up enough of his time. “I’d like to bring my sister by later today so she gets a feel for the place. She’s already learning her lines but I know she’ll want an image of the theater in her head. Kayla tends to be more visually stimulated.”

  “That’s not a problem. We can do a sound and light check when you get back.”

  “That would be great. Thank you.”

  “You’re organized and I think you’re going to do well. If the script is good and the actors capable, we’ll take care of the rest.” He flipped through the paperwork. “Isaiah Zelder is my stage manager.” At her chuckle, he smiled, “I assure you, he’s the best.”

  “I understand. I can’t imagine anyone but my sister in the lead role.”

  “Isaiah is incredibly private so I’ll communicate your instructions to him and his crew. They’re highly trained and capable of handling anything you need.”

  “I hope I’ll get to meet him at some point.” She stood and he walked around the desk to shake her hand. Grabbing her things, she headed for the door with a smile. “I’ll pick up your recommendations when I stop by with Kayla. See you soon, Ezra.”

  “It’s been a pleasure.”

  * * * * *

  It had been a long time since a woman affected Ezra Zelder on a gut level. The lovely Madeline Johannson was going to be hell on his peace of mind. He could tell already.

  With hair the color of rich mink, green eyes, and a figure that made him consider very bad things, her voice was the icing on the cake.

  Around five-seven, she carried herself beautifully and it was easy to see that she loved to laugh almost as much as she loved making a complete stranger laugh.

  The delicate scent of her perfume lingered in her wake and he couldn’t get the image of her bending over his desk out of his mind. It had taken everything in him to school his features and steady his breathing while internally screaming at his cock to settle the fuck down before he made an ass of himself.

  Reaching behind him, he picked up her manuscript. The first page sucked him in and made him laugh. Walking downstairs where it was cooler, he sat in the back row of seats to flip through the spiral-bound document.

  Two hours later, he heard the front door buzz to announce visitors. He’d zoned out on writing that was sharp and clever. Nothing like what he would have expected from a young woman out of Oklahoma.

  It had potential and he couldn’t wait to see what they did with it.

  In the lobby, he paused to take in the sight of the Johannson sisters standing side-by-side. It was a taste of what he’d be dealing with for months.

  Holy shit.

  One of them – he couldn’t tell them apart physically but knew it must be her sister – wore running shoes, black form-fitting jogging shorts, and a black tank top. Her long hair was in a ponytail and she shimmered with a light sheen of sweat. There was an MP3 player strapped to her arm. Her bubbly attitude was apparent even standing still and quiet.

  He identified Linn by her air of calm. She wore jeans and a black tank top with matching heels, her hair clipped on top of her head.

  The jogger stepped forward with her hand out and a bright smile on her face. “You must be Ezra. I’m Mikayla. Call me Kayla. Please excuse my appearance. I was in the middle of my run so I met Linn here.”

  They shook hands. “It’s good to meet you. Give me a few minutes to queue lights and audio.”

  Upstairs, he inserted their playlist and called his brother on the radio to come to the sound booth.

  “I’ll be up in less than a minute. Go schmooze our new clients.”

  “On my way.”

  Ezra opened the doors to main seating and gestured for the sisters to go first. Mikayla was almost vibrating with excitement. They stopped halfway down the center aisle and he shouted, “Lights up!”

  The house and basic stage lights lit the space.

  “Linn…oh my god…it is exactly what you wanted!” Then Mikayla ran for the stage and vaulted up. “You have outdone yourself. I mean it. Of all the places you’ve dragged me to over the last couple of months, this one feels right on so many levels.”

  With that, she moved to one side of the stage and bounced into five cartwheels across the wood. Ezra stared at her in stunned confusion.

  “We can fit the trailer you want and still have room for the dance scenes.” She gave him a small shrug. “I didn’t bring a measuring tape.”

  Ezra looked up toward the sound booth and called, “Cue track six.” Turning to the sisters, he told them. “Acoustic test.”

  “That’s our favorite,” Mikayla said with a wink.

  He thought they’d simply listen and was surprised as Madeline sedately walked onstage and took off her shoes. Kayla slipped off her sneakers and socks to step into her sister’s heels.

  Linn laughed. “Bear in mind that I’ll be wearing a positively huge dress with enormous fake boobs and more curves than I currently possess.”

  Ezra thought the curves she possessed were more than sufficient.

  The music started and they launched into a scene from Act Two. Linn danced in her bare feet as Kayla danced in heels and the two of them sang a raunchy number that made him grin.

  He watched them from the auditorium with his arms crossed over his chest. Their performance was ready for opening night and Ezra glanced up at the sound booth window, knowing his brother stood in the shadows.

  Isaiah was probably as impressed as his younger brother but he wouldn’t come downstairs. Not until the Johannson sisters left.

  They reached the last note and Ezra clapped.

  The rest of his brother’s
crew stood at the side of the stage and joined him in applauding a spur of the moment performance that was damn good. The twins bowed shyly then introduced themselves to the workers. They repeated each of the men’s names as if committing them to memory.

  A few minutes later, they put on their own shoes and Mikayla laced up her sneakers. She bounced up to Linn, gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek, and shook her comically. “I’ll see you back at the apartment. Ezra, it was awesome to meet you!”

  With that, she dropped from the stage, waved, and jogged up the aisle.

  “She’s very…exuberant.” He watched the quieter of the twins descend the stage steps gracefully.

  “Mikayla’s in her own category. She loves life and wants everyone around her to love it, too. She keeps me from being too serious.” Madeline extended her hand. “I love the theater. I’ll see you when rehearsals begin, Ezra. Please call if you need anything before then. Thanks for everything.”

  “The pleasure is mine, Madeline. I look forward to working together.” He walked her to the front doors and watched as she got into a cab with a small wave and a smile.

  By the time he made it upstairs, Isaiah was bringing down the lights and turning off the soundboard.

  Ezra sighed heavily. “Pretty, talented, and sweet. The perfect combination to ensure I’ll be hard until the show ends its run.”

  Isaiah turned to him with a frown, his voice carefully measured. “The other sister was…bouncy. She reminded me of Tigger.”

  When his big brother frowned, it made the devastating scar on the side of his face more pronounced. He frowned a lot these days and it broke Ezra’s heart. There was a time when Isaiah had been the more optimistic of the two.

  “I’ll avoid them both, just to be on the safe side.”

  “You make too big of a deal about it.” He thought about Linn and shook his head. “I guess avoiding them romantically while they’re using the theater is probably for the best.”

  Tilting his head, he regarded Isaiah closely. “You look…tense. Want to go drinking later? See what loose women we can pick up?”

  Isaiah shook his head. “No. I’m going to wrap up and head home.” He turned and left without another word.

  Wondering if his older brother would ever be happy again, Ezra sat down to finish reading Madeline Johannson’s script, making notes in the margins regarding blocking and lights.

  It was well after dark when he locked up and went home himself. He needed dinner and a cold shower to ease the tension that had been riding him all day. Months more of the same was in his near future.

  If nothing else, the twins promised not to be boring.

  Chapter Two

  Five weeks before opening night…

  Rehearsal was going well but Madeline found herself unable to focus on anything but the view.

  Ezra removed his dress shirt to help the crew hoist the set trailer to the stage. The main crew guys had maneuvered it through the back before she’d arrived. As soon as the cast showed up, one of the men – the biggest of them all – disappeared into the shadows of backstage.

  Though she’d only caught a glimpse of massive shoulders, Linn knew it was the elusive Isaiah Zelder, Ezra’s older brother, house manager, and all-around miracle worker for the theater.

  There were times she left at nine at night and returned the next morning just after dawn to discover more work completed than was honestly believable. He’d already created a faux shop and house complete with interior furniture and details.

  The man deliberately worked when none of the cast, vendors, or patrons was in the building. Though she found it odd that he felt the need to isolate himself, she certainly couldn’t complain about his work product.

  He was a well-oiled machine. A perfectionist after her own heart.

  Madeline stood in the aisle of the main hall watching Ezra’s muscles bunch and roll with the weight of the heavy set piece. It took all the guys to lower it into position but she only had eyes for him.

  His body was perfection but she’d seen many good-looking men. She knew he was immensely wealthy but his money meant nothing to her.

  There was something about him.

  The way he talked, thought, and laughed could take her by surprise at the worst moments. She struggled constantly to hide her reaction to him. In all her adult life, there had never been a man she wanted more. It was inappropriate and unprofessional.

  Her hormones didn’t give a fuck.

  Unwilling to cross the boundary the two of them had constructed without ever mentioning the necessity, she satisfied herself with admiring him from afar.

  It gave her comfort to know he was not immune to her either. As a woman accustomed to the attention of men, he could not hide his attraction to her as effectively. If she were a different person, she’d push his limits; draw him to her by any means possible.

  In their family, Madeline appeared to be the quiet one, the thinker, the Johannson most likely to create a graph to visualize her point.

  Only her sister, her twin, knew who she really was on the inside. Just as she knew Mikayla in ways few ever bothered to discover. Their outer personas hid much about them. While Madeline was considered the “smart” sister, Mikayla was thought to be the “bubbly” one.

  As a result, men typically underestimated who they were and what they wanted.

  Pulling her phone from her pocket, she took a picture of Ezra as they lowered the trailer the last few feet and she knew all the men were safe from injury. It caught his definition, his strength, and the laughing smile on his face beautifully.

  Saving it, she wouldn’t actually need it when she went to bed alone…again. It wouldn’t be necessary to fuel a night of dreams featuring him…again. Nor would it be required when she touched herself, coming with his name on her lips…again.

  His hair was so dark that it was almost black and her fingers itched to touch it. His eyes were deep brown, heavily lashed, and always sparkling with humor and intelligence. A sculpted upper body narrowed into a firm ass and long legs she wanted to curl around naked…right now.

  God is testing me. If so, I’m failing miserably…and probably drooling on top of it.

  When the trailer was secured in place, Ezra released the ropes and removed the heavy work gloves he’d worn, slapping the other guys on the back. By the next day, the plain black cage-style trailer – similar to those used by zoos and circuses – would resemble a medieval gypsy cart. She had no doubt in Isaiah’s ability to pull it off.

  She couldn’t wait to see what he’d done with her initial ideas for the backdrops. They were curing in a locked storage room and would be in place over the next week. Mikayla had managed to get a peek but Linn was unable to get a rational word out of her sister lately.

  Ezra glanced back and gave her two thumbs up. It made her smile. He jumped from the stage to the floor in one deft movement. As he approached, it took every ounce of her formidable will to control her breathing and not jump the man in desperation.

  “It looks outstanding, Linn.”

  “I think so, too. It’s already helping me see the final result.”

  “When you first described the idea, I had trouble grasping what you wanted to do.” He grinned. “My brother nodded and told me you were a genius.” Gesturing at the stage, he added, “Now, I can’t imagine the play without it. As the set comes together, I’m anxious to get on with it already.”

  Linn laughed. “I know the feeling. Unlike a built trailer, it has more substance. I know that also translated to weight. Thank you for helping the guys get it in place. You’re very…capable, Ezra.”

  “Though I realize you are giving me a compliment, it kind of makes me sound like the soft guy behind the desk who managed to take the stairs without getting winded.”

  His dark eyes sparkled in the soft lighting and she almost lost her train of thought. Putting her hands on her hips she replied, “I’m from the Midwest…I don’t do backhanded compliments. You’d never be winded taking the
stairs, Ezra. You’re in peak physical condition.”

  Too much information, Madeline!

  Clearing her throat because he stared at her hungrily, she added, “Once all the backdrops are in place, we’ll be good to go with full dress rehearsals.”

  “Have you looked over the documents regarding the charity shows?” He gestured to the side of the stage and they made their way into the area behind it.

  She held her ever-present clipboard against her chest. “I’m in love with the idea. It will give us practice before officially opening and it’s for a good cause.”

  “Generally, we book the first five nights with large charitable organizations. There’s a two-week break and then opening night. The foundations cover operating costs up front and whatever is cleared at the door is given to them.”

  Madeline shook her head. “There’s no need for them to cover the overhead for the space, cast, and crew. We’re flush and I’m more than happy to increase their take-home.”

  “That’s generous of you.”

  “It’s the right thing to do.” Staring out at the stage, she imagined the set design aspects scheduled to go in place. “Every day, it becomes more of a reality.”

  “You’re organized, the play is outstanding, and the primary cast is nailing their lines. You’ve conquered half the battle.”

  Two of the supporting cast members were squabbling nearby but out of sight and she rolled her eyes. “If I can get the other dancers to mesh, we’ll be golden. Some days, it feels like I’m back in high school.” Straightening the small desk she used, she gave him a sincere smile. “All of this would have been impossible without you and your brother, Ezra. Honestly, y’all are a godsend.”

  “It makes me happy to know you’re pleased.”

  She snorted. “Pleased? I never know what magical changes will have taken place when I come in each morning. The technical aspects are perfect and I love the people you brought in.”