Pas de Deux Page 26

“With all due respect, sir,” Max interrupted, the fire flashing in his eyes a startling change from his usual affability. “Mallory Collingswood is, without a doubt, the most professional musician I’ve had the honor to work with, and I will not stand here and listen to you attack her character.”

  “I agree completely,” Clara echoed.

  Mallory had to grit her teeth to keep from gaping at them, but neither seemed to notice.

  “All of this”—Max motioned toward the four of them—“is nothing more than a power play on your part because you’re mad she didn’t drop everything and come running when you called.”

  “Excuse me!” Hayes protested. “This is not… As the leader of this orchestra, she—”

  “Do I need to repeat the part where I pointed out she was doing the job we all agreed she should do?” Max droned, looking almost bored. “You can’t publicize how TRB needed one of ours to make this ballet happen, then turn around and interfere with her performance. I took the liberty of reaching out to Gianna, Brad, and Vaughn after we spoke last night, and all of them seemed to understand that yesterday was just a confluence of unfortunate events.”

  Mallory held her breath as she watched Hayes’ eyes widen. Max hadn’t just called Hayes out on what he had been trying to do, he brought back up. Gianna Ngo, Brad Abbott, and Vaughn Wosczyna—the Chair, Vice Chair, and the LSO’s largest donor, respectively—had been vocally displeased with Hayes’ leadership style for a while, and even she had heard rumblings of a coup within the voting membership that would oust Hayes from his position.

  “Furthermore,” Max continued, his tone carrying an unmistakable edge, “not one of them seemed to feel that Mallory was in the wrong for staying at her dress rehearsal.”

  Hayes glowered at Max. “I won’t forget this, Cole.”

  “Neither will I,” Max promised. “You seem to keep forgetting that anything that impacts on the performance of the orchestra falls within my purview as Music Director, not yours. So you can come at me with these little power moves any day of the week, Hayes, but you will not pull this shite with my musicians. Are we clear?” When Hayes just pursed his lips and continued to glare at them all, Max nodded. “Excellent. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Mallory needs to get back to Covent Garden to prepare for tonight’s performance, I am sure I have a mountain of emails to sort through since I was playing hooky all week, and Clara needs to get back to her sofa so she can begin to recuperate.”

  Mallory opened her mouth to point out that she had planned on playing in the midday concert, but was silenced by a look from Clara. Part of her marveled at how she had been ousted to the role of a spectator at what should have been her own flogging, but she was beyond grateful for the unexpected help.

  “Right,” Hayes grumbled after a moment. “Good luck tonight, Ms. Collingswood.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Mallory replied with her most polite smile. “I hope you enjoy the show.”

  Hayes nodded curtly in a way that suggested he wouldn’t be attending, and Mallory was honestly glad for it as she dipped her head and followed Max and Clara out.

  Once they were back in the elevator and safe from their voices being overheard, Max looked at her and Clara with the most mischievous smirk she had ever seen and drawled, “So, that went well…”

  “Very well,” Clara agreed. “That was more fun than I’ve had in a meeting with that man in years.”

  Mallory laughed as she pressed the button for the ground floor. “I can’t believe you lot did that.”

  Max waved her off. “He’s had his way around here for too long. I can deal with his posturing and schoolboy bully bollocks, but he should have never come after you like that. Especially after Clara and I both cleared it.”

  “I appreciate it.” And she did. She had known he would support her, but she had never expected Max to do what he just did. “But if you get flak for it, I will never forgive you.”

  Max scoffed. “Even if Hayes had the guts to try to take action against me, the rest of the Board would never support it. My job is perfectly secure. As are both of yours,” he added, flashing her a small smile as the elevator doors opened to the main lobby. “So get out of here. Clara, rest. Mallory, go rest your legs or stretch or whatever it is you need to do to get ready for tonight.”

  “But the concert…” Mallory protested.

  “Is going to be covered by the orchestra from the Royal Academy today.” Max laughed at her obvious surprise and explained, “I floated the idea by Marcus Apps over at the school yesterday when I inquired after Bellamy, and he agreed. It’s a win-win for everyone. You all get a break, and his kids get to take to the big stage for an hour or two.”

  “But the tickets. What are you going to do when people complain that they paid to see the LSO?”

  “I’m so glad you asked. This was Gianna’s idea, and I actually love it. Everyone who bought tickets expecting to hear us will be able to come back toward the end of the season for an outdoor performance here in the Centre courtyard complete with complimentary food and drinks.”

  “Do you think Hayes will sign off on that?”

  Max’s shoulders twitched in a shrug, and he ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t reckon he’ll be around to protest anything we do by then.”

  “So you, Gianna, Brad, and Vaughn are really going to push to vote him out?” Clara asked. “It’s not just rumor anymore?”

  He nodded. “Hayes was never happy that I was signed over his personal candidate at the time, and he’s chosen to show that by second guessing every decision I’ve made since. The players are increasingly unhappy about the situation, and several have complained to Gianna and Brad about it. This little power-play of his was the last straw so far as they’re concerned. So, don’t worry about it.”

  “Well, be that as it may… Thank you,” Mallory murmured earnestly. “For having my back like that up there.”

  “Any time, Mal,” Clara assured her.

  “Of course,” Max echoed with a gallant little bow. “Now, seriously, get out of here and go rest up so you can take the stage in Covent Garden tonight and show the world just how bloody talented you are.”

  “Okay. Thank you.” Mallory smiled. “Clara, can I give you a ride home? I’ve hired a car service for the week so that I don’t risk catching any rogue germs on the tube.”

  “A ride home would be wonderful.” Clara nodded. “Cheers.”

  “Brilliant.” She nodded as she reached to pull her phone out of her bag. “I’ll just call Noah, and then we can be on our way. Max, thank you again.”

  “Any time, Mal. Now, go.”

  Mallory huffed a laugh and snapped off a little salute. “I’m going…”

  “Hey.” Addison opened her door with a smile. She looked rested and ready to perform with her kit bag slung across her chest, and the black dress bag dangling from her left hand said she was prepared to celebrate at the party Nina was hosting for the cast, crew, and the ballet’s biggest donors once the curtain came down. “You know, you could have just texted me or something, and I would have come down.”

  “Yes, well,” Mallory murmured as she took a step back to give Addison room to close and lock her front door. She held her hands out to take Addison’s things, but when Addison didn’t hand them over, she shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat and lifted her right shoulder in a small shrug as if to say, I have better manners than that.

  Addison arched a brow at her as she pulled her key from the lock and dropped it into the side pocket of her bag. Her right hand found the crook of Mallory’s elbow as they began making their way toward the stairs. “You’re spoiling me, you know. Going back to having to walk to and from work every day is going to be brutal after this.”

  Mallory covered Addison’s hand on her arm and gave it a light squeeze. “This isn’t spoiling, darling.” She glanced over at her as they started down the stairs and flashed a small smile. “This is simply me making good use of the car and driver I have at my disposal. If I were to make
a genuine attempt to spoil you, it would be with fancy dinners out, weekend holidays, and so many other things I wish we had time for.”

  Addison slid her hand down to lace their fingers together in Mallory’s pocket. “Someday we’ll have time for all of that.” She gave Mallory’s hand a squeeze. “But you do spoil me. In so many little ways that I don’t think you even notice it most of the time. And sending your driver to take me to and from work every day very much falls into that category.”

  A small wrinkle furrowed Mallory’s brow as she pushed the gated door that guarded the entry to the upstairs apartments open. The car and driver thing, she understood, but she couldn’t think of anything else she had done for Addison that could even remotely be considered spoiling. Part of her wanted to ask what it was she had done, but what mattered more was that Addison wasn’t bothered by it. “Is that okay?”

  “Yes, sweetie.” Addison smoothed her thumb over the back of Mallory’s hand reassuringly. “It’s never a bad thing to show me you care.” She gave Mallory’s hand one last squeeze before removing her hand from the pocket and slipping it into her own. “Hiya, Noah,” she greeted the suited driver who was standing beside the car, waiting to get the door for them.

  “Miss Leigh. I’ll put your things in the boot.” He smiled and gave a small bow as he pulled the door open. “Big night tonight. You ready?”

  “We’ll find out soon enough,” Addison drawled playfully as she handed him her bags before slipping into the back seat. “It is very weird to only be heading over there now, though,” she observed with a smile once Mallory had joined her in the car and Noah had closed the door. “Usually I’m there by five at the latest on performance days. I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not actually running late.”

  “I’m sorry. I thought this was—”

  “We’re not on until after eight thirty,” Addison interrupted, placing her hand on Mallory’s knee. “There’s no reason for us to get to the theatre that early. We’d be going apeshit with nerves if we had to sit around and wait for Gabs and Matt to work through the first act.”

  “I’ve been nervous all day,” Mallory confessed. “I can’t remember the last time I was this nervous for a performance.”

  “Me too,” Addison replied quietly as Noah climbed behind the wheel. She smoothed her thumb over Mallory’s knee in a light caress as the car pulled away from the curb to merge with traffic headed toward the theatre.

  Driving from Addison’s to the theatre took longer than it would have for them to walk the same distance, but the car was warm and quiet in a way that the city outside certainly wasn’t, and Mallory was grateful for the calm that surrounded them as they made the ride in companionable silence.

  Noah handed them their bags once they were standing on the sidewalk outside the stage door entrance, and doffed his cap as he bid, “Break a leg, ladies.”

  “Ta, Noah,” Mallory murmured as she slid the strap of her violin case over her shoulder. “There’s a party after the show, so it will be late when we’re done here.”

  “That’s fine, Miss,” Noah assured her with a smile as he slammed the lid of the boot. “My wife is in Hull visiting our daughter this weekend, so I’ve got nowhere to be. Just enjoy your party and give me a bell when you’re ready to head home.”

  Mallory nodded and turned to Addison as Noah made his way back to the driver’s door, and heaved a soft sigh as their eyes locked. “Shall we?” she asked as she pulled open the stage door.

  Addison took a deep breath, and her lips curled in a small smile as she let it go slowly. “We shall.”

  “Addy, I have autograph req—” Josh began the moment they stepped inside.

  “Not before the show,” Addison cut him off, though not unkindly. “I’ll be down afterward to deal with all of that.”

  He ducked his head in apology as he shifted the stack of programs to the side of the counter. “Right. Sorry.”

  Addison nodded and started making her way down the hall to the lift.

  Mallory arched a brow as she jogged to catch up. “Superstition?” she asked knowingly.

  “Yep.” Addison pursed her lips as she pressed the button to call the lift. “Surely you do the same?”

  Mallory chuckled and shook her head. “Autographs of orchestral musicians aren’t particularly sought after. The last time I signed anything was for a little girl back before Christmas, and it was because of the mailing for my role here.”

  “That’s too bad. You guys are incredible.”

  “Thank you,” Mallory murmured as the doors to the lift opened and they made their way into the car. Her nerves returned with a vengeance as the doors slid shut and the lift began to move. The ride to the second floor was silent as the weight of their impending performance settled around them, and that silence wasn’t broken until Addison reached for her hand once they had stopped outside the dancer’s dressing room.

  “Hey, Mal.”

  Mallory’s hummed as she turned to Addison and arched a brow in silent question.

  Addison sighed and pushed up onto the balls of her feet to lay the softest of kisses to Mallory’s lips. “I’m going to be lost in my own head here for the next few hours,” she murmured, her voice heavy with apology as her heels touched back down. “I won’t talk much, if at all, and I’m going to seem like I don’t want to be bothered,” she elaborated as she stroked Mallory’s shoulder, “but just know that it’s not because of anything you’ve done. Okay? It’s just how I am before performances.”

  “The same goes for me, darling.” Mallory smiled reassuringly as she took Addison’s hand from her arm and kissed her knuckles. “You just do whatever it is you need to do to get yourself ready.”

  Addison smiled, clearly relieved. “The wig mistresses prefer you to have your make-up done before they arrive, which will be in about thirty minutes.”

  Mallory nodded. They had gone over all of this the day before and, should her nerves return to the point she couldn’t think clearly, she had the pre-show schedule written down and tucked away safely in her bag. “After hair, it’s time to warm up.” She frowned as a thought she hadn’t considered before this moment occurred to her. “Is that something you would prefer to be alone for?”

  “It is,” Addison confirmed, her eyes soft with apology. “It’s late enough that the studios upstairs will all be empty for the night, so I’ll take Ashton, and you can use Fonteyn. I talked to the stage manager, and he’ll be running separate calls for us—basically treating the ballet as two separate, back-to-back performances—so there will be a half-hour call to remind us of where we are on the clock. I won’t get dressed until the quarter—about eight twenty or so on this schedule—and then I’ll head down to the stage.”

  “The curtain comes down on the first part at a quarter past eight,” Mallory continued. “Intermission runs until eight thirty-five.”

  Addison smiled. “Exactly. Quarter call is at twenty, the Five at the half-hour, and then the tabs go out again. The corps does their thing, and then it’s all us.”

  “And then it’s all us,” Mallory echoed as she lifted a hand to gently cradle Addison’s jaw. She sighed as she traced the curve of her cheek with a tender thumb, savoring this last moment of togetherness, and blinked as she let her hand fall away. “I’ll see you in a couple hours.”

  Addison nodded and pushed herself back up to steal one last kiss. “See you in a couple hours.”

  Mallory waited until Addison disappeared inside her dressing room before heading for her own. She had never arrived at a venue so early before a performance, but because this was the first time she was doing anything like this, she figured it was best to follow the house traditions.

  And, as it turned out, it was a good thing she did.

  Two hours had seemed like an excessive amount of preparation time in the abstract, but it turned out to be precisely enough time to allow her to get everything done. She had seen Addison only once in the time since they’d separated, and she had looked s
o focused with her eyes on the floor and her headphones on that Mallory doubted she even noticed her.

  Mallory waited until the quarter call before making her way downstairs with her violin case in one hand so it wouldn’t rub against her costume and a stainless water bottle in the other to help ward off dehydration from nerves. Gabs and Matt offered her thumbs ups and broad smiles when she saw them backstage but didn’t try to talk to her—respecting her preparation process while still obviously pleased with how their own performance had gone—and she returned their smiles with a small one of her own before she made her way toward the small table where she would leave her things.

  She took a slow, deep breath as she opened the lid of her violin case, the click of the latches drowned out by the sounds that filtered through the heavy curtains that separated the stage area from the auditorium, and let it go slowly as the stage manager called the five. The call seemed to usher the corps back to the wings, and Mallory kept her attention on the dark wood of her violin as she did her best to ignore their murmured conversations and the whisper of fabric being adjusted after the quick change.

  She lifted her bow and violin from its case and, heart thudding heavily in her throat, turned to soak in these last final moments before taking the stage. She had a feeling all the details would be later lost due to her nerves, but it seemed important to try to commit it all to memory. Her gaze drifted over lithe dancers in gold- and silver-hued dresses and matching shoes, looking out onto the stage with a confident set to each of their frames as they awaited the call to take their places, bodies warm and legs already limber from the first act.

  The call of, “Beginners, please!” reverberated through the wings, and Mallory watched as the corps sprung into motion, moving as one through the drapes and onto the stage.

  The stillness that descended on the wings in their absence was palpable—certainly more than enough to send the faint-hearted running—but she barely noticed it because just then, as if she somehow knew when things would quiet, Addison arrived backstage. Her brow was smooth, carrying no hint of stress, though her expression was focused, her shoulders beneath the zip-up hoodie she wore over her dress were relaxed, and her gait even and confident. She looked poised and prepared and ready to conquer the stage, and Mallory was struck breathless as she looked at her, utterly amazed that, out of everyone in the world, she was the one blessed enough to see her like this.