Page 35 of Forbidden Romeo
I blink, emotion swelling inside of me as I shake my head. “Money can’t rewrite the past, Holden.” But leave it to a Dorsey to try.
“I know that. But gifts are my love language. Please let me do this for you.”
I nod with a single, small dip of my chin.
“Good,” Holden whispers and holds up his phone. “Your time starts … now.”
Exactly twelve minutes later, an alarm blares through the store and Holden approaches me, his eyes flicking down to the single shoe box I hold in my hands. A simple pair of nude t-strap heels.
“Seriously? One pair?”
“This is all I need.”
His lips curve up, revealing perfectly white teeth and dimples in his cheeks. His eyes crinkle at the corners, the soft light catching the angle of his jaw, highlighting its sharpness and the dimple in his chin. He stands tall with confidence, exuding a natural charm that makes my heart skip a beat.
“Sandy, can we add the black boots and the black hard soles as well to this order?”
“Holden—”
“Katherine,” he stops me, brushing a piece of fallen hair off my forehead. “Please. Let me do this for you.” He tugs his wallet from his back pocket. “Besides, we can expense it for the show.”
“Like my rent?” The question is out before I can stop it and I wince, hating myself a little for ruining this otherwise wonderful evening.
His smile fades, transforming into a curious question as he slides his credit card across the counter towards Sandy. “Yeah, I guess… why?”
Dammit. I look down at my feet and scuff them along the stunningly glossy hardwood floors. “I got a letter from USEA the other day.”
“About your rent?”
Before I can nod, Sandy excuses himself. “I’ll go wrap up the shoes for you.”
Once he ducks into the back room, Holden spins to face me. “Katherine, what’s going on?”
After a deep breath, I fill him in on everything within that letter.
Splotches of red warm his cheeks. “Misappropriation of funds? They said that?”
Again, I nod. Holden scrubs a hand over his jaw with an exhale. “I’ll call USEA. I’m sure this is some stupid mistake. Plenty of shows pay for their actor’s housing?—”
“Yeah,” I interrupt. “Famous actors that they bring in from out of town to star in a show to boost ticket sales. Not a nobody actress plucked from obscurity who already lives in the city.”
“But—”
“Holden, it’s not worth the fight with USEA.”
He’s quiet for a moment, staring at me. “I know you won’t let me cover this cost for you?—”
“Absolutely not! I have more money saved now that I’ve had a few regular paychecks with the show. Unfortunately, not a year’s worth. But I emailed my landlord?—”
“Ah, the lovely Ms. Greene,” Holden says through a grin. “My number one fan.”
I roll my eyes despite him. “Anyway, she agreed to refund the money to the production company as long as I sent in three months rent in advance and a copy of my contract for the show.”
“You have three months in advance saved?”
“Almost.”
Sort of.