The crowds cheered as the curtain closed. Drew walked to the front of the stage and grabbed Barb's hand. He felt her tense now that the play was over, but they had to take a bow.
"They loved it. We're hot together," he whispered.
"Don't start. It's all acting." She smiled brightly as the curtain came up and the cast bowed.
"We both know that's a big lie. We're a hit, and you're stuck with me." Drew wanted the play to succeed for his career but also to be close to Barb for the foreseeable future. She'd refused to give in and admit they were perfect together. He knew his younger age was part of it, but there was something more that held her back. A past relationship? She seemed reluctant to date much at all, at least publically.
The rest of the cast stepped back, and Drew and Barb took their praise as the leads. Barb had tossed every female cast member under thirty-five at him, but he'd refused them all. He had his eyes on the forty-two-year-old star, the diva herself with a fit dancer's body and shoulder-length reddish-brown curls.
Barb graciously accepted roses, and Drew was forced to let go of her hand. It wouldn't be long now. He'd waited for today for a reason. It was their anniversary of sorts.
Roughly a year ago, he'd had a supporting role in another play with his diva. But the chemistry between them was every bit as strong then. They'd shared one night of passion in her dressing room on that opening night. It had changed everything, but she'd come down with "amnesia". The play had closed early, but his passion hadn't.
Being thirty-three wasn't a crime to anyone except Barb, who'd dismissed him as too young. A straight man on Broadway, Drew was a hot commodity. Barb was more interested in not being seen as robbing the cradle than enjoying what they had.
Tonight, he'd take charge and change all of it one way or another. Before, she'd been the star and he'd been a nothing. Now, he'd held his own with her as a lead on a Broadway stage. He saw their future together, intertwined in every way. It might take a little demanding, but Drew was done building the new play and their relationship--the play had debuted and now it was time to get the relationship into the right gear. He was sure about Barb and had to take charge with the woman he loved.
)
