Vaughn grunted. “No.”
“You’ll be fine.” Benita kept her gaze on the parking lot coming into view ahead of them. “I still think you should let me send your script to the producer I know in L.A.”
“I’m sure you do, but that’s not going to happen, Benny.”
“Why not, Vaughn?” She barely kept the exasperation from her tone. “It’s a great script. The music is strong. The lyrics are beautiful. Why don’t you want it to reach a wider audience?”
Vaughn was silent for several long seconds. “I told you, I’m not interested in flying all over the country, setting up performances.”
“Other people could do that for you.”
“I’m a teacher.” Vaughn stopped and captured her gaze. “That’s who I am and what I do. I’m not interested in becoming a playwright or a director. I just want to teach. Can you understand that?”
No, not really. But she knew he loved teaching and that he was good at it.
Benita’s sigh lifted her shoulders. “So you don’t want me to send it to the producer?”
Vaughn shook his head slowly. “No, I really don’t.”
Uh, oh. Too late. “All right.”
Vaughn smiled. “I appreciate your respecting my wishes.” He turned to continue on to the parking lot.
With a heavy heart, Benita fell into step beside him. She’d already sent a copy of Vaughn’s script to a theater producer, asking him to contact her as soon as he’d had a chance to read it. She didn’t feel good about doing this behind Vaughn’s back. But she felt certain she was doing the right thing in making this opportunity for him. She swallowed yet another sigh. This was a classic case of doing what needed to be done and asking for forgiveness later. She hoped he’d be in the mood to grant it.
CHAPTER 17
Benita considered Opal Gutierrez as The Trinity Falls Monitor reporter flirted openly with Vaughn in his office Thursday afternoon. Opal had curled up on the other gray guest chair in front of Vaughn’s desk. Wasn’t this supposed to be a newspaper interview? It seemed more like a speed dating session. The younger woman was entirely focused on Vaughn. Opal hadn’t even glanced Benita’s way since she’d arrived.
Does she even realize I’m here?
Benita checked her Movado wristwatch. It was almost a quarter after four o’clock in the afternoon. The reporter had been flirting with Vaughn steadily for almost fifteen minutes.
Benita unclenched her teeth. “I suppose we should start the interview.”
“Of course.” Opal laughed lightly as she bent forward to rummage through her tote bag. The emerald bodice of her figure-hugging dress fell away from her cleavage.
Benita shot a look at Vaughn to see if he’d noticed. Luckily for him, he hadn’t. Instead, he caught her eye, sending her a questioning look. Benita shook her head and made an effort to relax. It was the last day of April. It would help her nerves some if the weather actually warmed up. She was used to Southern California climes. These chilly days were making her tense.
Opal reached forward and set an audio recorder on Vaughn’s desk. “I don’t like using these things, but Darius insists I record my interviews. And, well, he’s my boss.”
“I think it’s a good idea.” Benita came to Darius’s defense. “You can have more of a conversation this way.”
“It’s a little intimidating for the person being interviewed, though.” Vaughn regarded the recorder with discomfort. “It’s unnerving to know that your every word is being recorded.”
Opal pressed her right hand to her bosom. “That’s what I said to Darius.”
Why was Vaughn agreeing with the reporter? Benita wanted to pinch him. Really hard.
“Isn’t that better than being misquoted?” Benita tried for a smile. Did it look as insincere as it felt? “Let’s get started. We don’t want to take too much more of your time, Opal.”
Opal blinked and looked at Benita as though finally registering that she was in the room. Benita set her teeth.
The newspaper reporter pressed a couple of buttons on the recorder, then settled back on her chair. “The title of your musical is Mystic Park. What’s it about?”
Benita considered Opal as she reclined in the chair beside her. Her long legs were crossed. Her hands were folded on her lap. She looked more like she was on a coffee break than interviewing someone for a serious article. Why should that bother her? Benita shrugged off her irritation. Opal could sit in Vaughn’s office wearing a bikini as long as she wrote a decent article, promoting his musical. She looked at the other woman again. On second thought, nix the bikini. More like a turtleneck sweater and Mom jeans regardless of the temperature.
“Mystic Park is based on Caribbean folklore.” Vaughn seemed comfortable with that question, much to Benita’s relief. “A farmer falls in love with a water fairy, but a jealous water nymph is determined to keep them apart.”