by Rosie Sams
Most of Leslie’s spare time was spent down at the theater rehearsing her lines and practicing her part. Kerry and Melody had to agree that she seemed to be the happiest she had ever been. Acting was definitely something she was passionate about, and she was putting her all into it.
One glorious Saturday, a few weeks after Jamison’s arrival, Melody and Smudge headed downtown to open up the bakery. She wanted to try out a new recipe for a gluten-free, flourless version of her famous German chocolate cake.
“I think that this one is going to be a big success, Smudge!” she said.
Smudge, who had been fast asleep, let out a sigh at having been woken up.
“Everyone in town is so health conscious and looking for healthier versions of their favorite treats. It's important that Decadently Delicious keeps up with the times and offer them the alternatives that they want, don’t you think?” Melody looked down to get Smudge’s input and realized that the pup was already fast asleep again, and was paying no attention to her ramblings. “Well then, I guess I’ll take that as a hint.” Melody laughed, wiping her hands on a dishcloth, and sliding the tray of cakes into the oven to bake. “I feel as though, I shouldn’t have to be talking to a dog anyways,” she thought to herself. “Shouldn’t I have an assistant here with me?” She checked her watch, and sure enough it was a quarter past eight. Leslie was late, again.
Heading up the hallway to the front of the shop, she stood at the large windows that faced onto the sidewalk and looked up and down the busy street. Peering this way and that she scanned for any sign of the girl who was supposed to have been at work fifteen minutes ago. Then, sure enough, off in the distance, a tiny figure could be spotted running towards the shop. The figure grew bigger by the second, and only a minute later, Leslie burst through the door, panting and out of breath, once again.
“Geez, Mel. I’m so sorry. I thought for sure I was going to make it on time. I ran the whole way here.”
“Leslie, we’ve talked about this. I need you here, on time. You can’t keep letting all of your extracurricular activities get in the way of your work priorities. This bakery needs you.”
“I know, I know.” Leslie was leaning up against the inside of the door, looking disheveled and still trying to catch her breath. “I had an early morning costume fitting down at the theater. I figured I would have tons of time to make it here. I was wrong. I’m really sorry. But I do have some exciting news!”
Melody waited in anticipation. It was hard to stay mad at someone who was always so enthusiastic and full of life.
“Jamison was speaking to me this morning and mentioned that there is one final role that needs to be filled for the play! He needs a dog, and I thought Smudge would be the perfect fit!”
Smudge’s head lifted, and her ears pricked up at the mention of her name.
“Oh, no, Les. Thanks for thinking of us but we have lots of work to do here at the bakery, I don’t have time to be running her off to practices and performances.”
Smudge had sat up and seemed to be considering the prospect.
“I could take care of all of that for you, Mel. You wouldn’t have to do a thing. I could pick her up and take her to practices and have her back here as soon as we were finished. She’s the smartest and most well-behaved dog that I know. There isn’t another dog in town who could play the role as well as she could! Please, Mel, she will be absolutely perfect for it!”
Smudge had trotted over and was now sitting beside Leslie. The French Bulldog was looking pleadingly at Melody with her head tilted in anticipation as if waiting for a response.
Melody laughed, looking at the pair, and took a moment to think it over. It may not be such a bad idea, she thought to herself. I definitely don’t need one of my friends falling under Jamison’s spell, but having Smudge involved will allow me the opportunity to get an inside look at what’s going on down at the theater. Maybe find out more about this Jamison Shepherd character and figure out exactly what his intentions are with Leslie.
“Ok, fine.” Melody declared. “Looks like you’re going to be a star, Smudge!”
And with that announcement, Smudge let out a loud, excited bark and began wagging her tail excitedly.
“She’s going to do great, Mel! Trust me, you won’t regret it!”
Chapter Ninety-Three
The next day was Smudge’s big rehearsal day, and Melody had decided to take her down to the theater herself and take a look around. The building was made of old brick and stone and stood at the west end of Front Street. There was a grand marquis over the entrance that was currently awaiting signage to announce Jamison’s production.
The inside was just as old and luxurious as the outside. Plush carpets lined the front entrance, and all of the seats inside the theater were a deep, rich burgundy color, perfectly matching the heavy velvet curtains that hung on the stage.
Making their way down the steps between the rows and rows of seating, they headed towards the figures on stage, with Smudge excitedly in the lead. One man stood out from all of the others and seemed to be in control of the entire affair. Shouting out directions and commands and causing people to run frantically here and there in order to fulfill them. He wore a black pin-striped suit, and his dark hair was slicked back with what Melody assumed must have been an entire container of hair gel.
“That must be Jamison Shepherd, Smudge. He seems like a real peach.” Melody looked down at the dog, who seemed hesitant about approaching now. “I’m sure it’s just a busy day for him, girl. Don’t worry.”
Smudge wagged her tail with apprehension but continued towards the man, whose shouting was getting louder as they approached.
“No, no, no! I said stage left, not stage right! Come on people, pay attention here!” The yelling man threw his head into his hands in a dramatic display of disgust.
As Melody slowly approached him, she spied an elegantly dressed woman, hiding in the shadows, just off to the side of the stage. Her blond hair was perfectly set, and her clothes looked like they were purchased from a high-end designer store. She definitely wasn’t one of Port Warren’s residents, she looked far too glamorous to be from around here.
“Why in the world is there a dog in here?!” Jamison had finally spotted Melody and Smudge approaching. “Who on earth would you bring a dog into my production?!” He threw his arms up into the air in exasperation.
Melody wasn’t about to be intimidated by this arrogant man. “My name is Melody Marshall, and this is my dog, Smudge. I was asked to bring her here today by your friend, Leslie Mathers, to audition for a role in your play.” Melody could see the glamorous woman approaching, out of the corner of her eye. Jamison put his hand up to stop her.
“Oh, yes, why of course. I completely forgot that Leslie asked you to come here today. How silly of me. So, this is the dog that she was speaking of. Hmmm…” He crouched down onto the floor and inspected Smudge as if looking through the lens of a camera. “Mmmhmm,” he murmured. “I think she just might do. She has the look I need, but does she have the skill? Let’s see what this dog can do.”
Smudge looked up at Melody quizzically, and Mel shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.
“Let's just see if this dog has it in her. I need her to catch a very important, incriminating letter when it is tossed through an open window." He gestured a throw flamboyantly with his arms as he explained. “The dog will jump, catch the envelope mid-air and then run off stage with it in her mouth where she will need to wait until the climax of the play when she will bring it back out. Think she can handle it?"
Before Melody could answer, Smudge barked confidently and ran up on stage, waiting to wow the audience with her acting skills. Melody turned to Jamison and laughed. "I think she'll be able to handle it just fine!"
Melody took a seat in one of the front row chairs and waited for the audition to start. Leslie appeared on stage and to Melody's delight, began acting out the scene. She has got some amazing talent, Melody thought, impressed at her
friend's unexpected abilities. She said her lines perfectly and, exactly when cued, Smudge appeared on stage, leaped into the air, and caught the thrown envelope just as she should have. It was an absolute success, and Melody jumped to her feet to give the pair a standing ovation.
Jamison knew perfection when he saw it as well. "Well, Dog! You've got the job, I hope you don't mess it up on the big night."
Melody spoke up loud enough so Jamison could hear her. "Her name is Smudge, and I promise you she will be fabulous!"
Smudge jumped off the stage into Melody's arms, slathering her face with wet kisses. She was so proud of herself for doing such a great job and was excited to be a star. The wiggling of her little tail was proof enough of how she was feeling.
"It looks like she's pretty excited!" Leslie exclaimed to Melody, motioning towards Smudge.
"She did such a great job, Les, and so did you! I'm really impressed with both of you!"
"Thanks, Mel! And thanks for bringing Smudge down for the audition, I know that Jamison is really pleased with her. I promise you that I will bring Smudge to all of the auditions and take care of everything. You won’t have to worry about a thing, except for making it here for the big premiere on opening night!" Melody thanked her friend and gave her a hug goodbye.
"I'll see you tomorrow at the bakery, bright and early… I promise I won't be late!" with that, Leslie ran off, and Melody clipped the leash to Smudge’s collar, preparing to leave. She looked back one last time to wave goodbye but found that Leslie was already busy. She and Jamison had snuck off to the back of the theater and could now be found locked in each other's arms, sneaking a kiss.
Melody wasn't the only one who saw, though. Still in the shadows, the mysterious and glamorous woman from earlier was watching intently and looked none too pleased by the display.
Chapter Ninety-Four
Touching up her makeup and running a brush one last time through her hair, Leslie was finally ready for her date with Jamison. She had picked out the perfect dress and had been practicing her lines on every break at work. Wanting to get perfection, hoping to impress him. Jamison hadn’t been in town long, but they had been getting along fabulously and had been spending time alone together almost every day. Although he wasn’t what she would consider her typical ‘type,’ Leslie had fallen head-over-heels for this strange character, and all of his oddities and unique ways were causing her to fall further under his spell.
Since she had to work late at the bakery to finish up some big orders, the couple had agreed to meet at the restaurant for dinner. When Leslie arrived, the sight of Jamison’s red convertible out front let her know that he was already inside waiting for her. He wasn’t hard to spot when she entered, she could see him from the doorway. His red slacks and white shoes were not the usual dress for most of Port Warren’s residents. Waving, she hurried over to the bar where he was seated, chatting away to the young bartender.
“Oh, hello there, darling,” he said, rising to his feet and kissing both of Leslie’s blushing cheeks. “How are you this evening?”
“I’m much better now, I must admit,” she replied rather demurely. She wasn’t sure why, but this man, made her feel shy. Perhaps it was his experience or the fact that he came from the city, but she felt like a young girl beside him. “I’ve been practicing my lines, you know,” she boasted. “I think I almost have them all memorized now.”
“That’s very impressive, I must say.” Jamison nodded in approval and bringing her tiny hand to his lips, kissed it. “There are a lot of things about you that impress me, my dear. Your amazing acting skills are just one of them.” He peppered her hand with more kisses, causing Leslie to giggle with delight.
“I’m very glad to hear that.” She smiled, “But seriously, Jamison, I want to find out how you really think I’m doing. I’m taking this acting thing very seriously, and I truly want to succeed at it. I feel like I could really go somewhere with all of this. I want your honest opinion, your true feedback. Please.” Leslie looked at him pleadingly.
Jamison sat up in his chair. “All right, my love, let’s talk business. Succeeding with this play is very important for me. I have the chance to really make a name for myself and to become one of the top directors in all of Manhattan. I would never, under any circumstances, cast someone, least of all my leading lady, who was not up to my extremely high standards. It is in my best interest to make sure that everyone who performs in any of my plays, does an outstanding acting job. I need people who know their lines, hit their marks, and are believable and passionate actors. You, my sweet Leslie, have all of this and more.”
Leslie was smiling from ear to ear from all of his compliments.
“Leslie, you are truly an amazing actress who could really become something. Keep up the great work, and I’m sure that one day you will be a star!”
With her head full of thoughts of becoming famous and her heart overflowing with feelings for the man that sat beside her, Leslie enjoyed the rest of her evening with Jamison and silently dreamt of all that her future could hold.
Chapter Ninety-Five
Opening the door to the Koffee Korner, Melody was hit with the lovely aroma of freshly brewed coffee beans. The place was busy for a Thursday morning, and the pleasant sound of jazz music, combined with the chit chat taking place around the room, made for a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Bradford sat at one of the corner tables, away from the rest of the crowd, and waved Melody over once she had finished placing her order.
“Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me, Bradford,” she said as she pulled out the chair across from him and sat down. “I was hoping that you could give me some more information on this producer fellow and fill me in on exactly what you have heard about his past? I’m a bit concerned that Leslie may be in over her head with him. Have you ever heard of him taking advantage of young actresses before?”
“As far as I know, Mel, that's all that Jamison does. From what I have heard, he has a history of taking in young ladies and getting their hopes up that they have a chance at stardom while he woos them. It has happened time and time again, with all of the productions that he has been a part of. Unfortunately, none of these ladies ever seem to make it to the stage. You see, Jamison Shepherd is involved in a long-time on-again, off-again relationship with the famous stage actress, Nicola Wilder. Nicola is rumored to be the one who gave Jamison his first big break and helped him make a name for himself in Manhattan. This happened years ago, and she still, to this day, uses this fact against him as a way to draw him back in under her wing whenever he starts to stray. In a way, you could say it’s almost blackmail. If he looks like he’s getting too comfortable with a new girl, Nicola swoops in and reminds him to whom he owes all of his success.”
“Poor Leslie. I don’t think she stands a chance with this guy.” Melody shook her head in dismay.
Pulling out his phone, Bradford punched in a few characters, doing a quick search before he flipped it around for Melody to see. “You can see why the guy is always getting drawn back to her, I mean, for an older lady, she’s absolutely stunning. It’s still no excuse for what he does to all the other women who come into his life, though.”
“Is that Nicola Wilder?” Melody asked, looking up at Bradford, a feeling of concern growing in the pit of her stomach. Bradford nodded as Melody continued. “I was down at the theater the other day, taking Smudge in for her audition, and this woman was there. She hid back in the shadows, just off stage, and watched every move that Jamison made. I’m certain it was her, though. She was dressed to perfection and had the air of a star about her. She only had eyes for Jamison and looked nowhere but in his direction. It seemed all very strange at the time, but it’s starting to make sense now.”
Bradford shook his head in disgust. “Sounds like the typical Jamison Shepherd scenario to me. This guy seems like he’s a real creep.”
“I agree with you, Brad, and I’m starting not to feel so good about this whole situa
tion. I’ve got to get down to theater right now and talk to Leslie. I don’t want to see her get her heart broken, and with Jamison’s track record, I think it’s inevitable if we don’t do something quick.” Gathering up her belongings and throwing her purse over her arm, it was only seconds before she was running out the door. “Thanks, Bradford!” she called over her shoulder and headed off towards the theater at a steady pace.
It didn’t take her long to reach her destination, and walking inside, she found that rehearsal was underway and in full swing. Leslie was on stage with Smudge, who like the good pup she was, hit her mark perfectly again. Melody decided that speaking to Leslie now may not be the best course of action. It would be best to wait until she was alone and could focus on everything that Melody had to tell her. She took a seat in the back row and waited for rehearsal to end.
After running the actors through a few more scenes, Jamison stood up and announced that it was time for a meeting and an update on the play’s progress. He called for the cast and crew to make their way to the front of the stage, where they all took a seat, watching Jamison intently for direction. He started off the meeting by giving praise to Sam Barnett for his outstanding artistic work on the set design, which Melody noted, was coming together quite nicely. Jamison continued by offering praise to Eleanor Kincaid. He stated that she was doing a magnificent job, and hers was an award-winning performance for a supporting role. It also appeared that Jamison had taken note of all of the hard work that Smudge had put into the production and offered his praise at the good job that she was doing as well. Melody smiled at this as she watched Smudge wag her tail. Then Jamison turned all of his attention to Leslie.
