Chapter 53

“Do you really think I can do this?” Shea whispered to Bradford as they sat in the seats of the Imperial Palace.

“You know you’ve memorized this scene,” he told her, reaching over to take hold of her hand. “We’ve worked on this scene so much, I could go up there and do it with you.”

She turned to him with an excited look.

“Would you?” she asked, grabbing his hand with both of hers.

He laughed and shook his head, saying, “I’m not the one auditioning. You are.”

Seeing her face fall, he added, “You can do this, Luv. I know it, and I know that deep down, you do too.”

He kissed her hand and said, “I have faith in you, Shea.”

She smiled at him and leaned forward to kiss him.

“Shea? Are you ready?”

She jumped away from him and looked toward the stage, where Linda, the director, waited.

“Be right there,” Shea called back.

She leaned over and brushed her lips over Bradford’s, saying, “For luck.”

“Definitely,” he said, smiling at her.

She walked up to the stage, tr