Wedding Belles Read Online Free Page B

anything you put your mind to. I know you can. And I truly believe you’re going to be the best director in town.”
    “Hmm.” She pursed her lips.
    Gil reached down to slip off his boots then rolled up his Levis. Taking a step in her direction, he slipped on a rock and almost fell. She reached out her hand to grab his. “See there?” he said with a wink. “Once again you’re savin’ my neck. It’s a sign from above.”
    “It’s a sign that you need to pay attention, that’s all.”
    “Lottie.” He gripped her hand and gazed into her eyes with greater intensity than before. “Those fellas last night were out of line with some of the things they said about, well…about the way you dress and all.”
    “Just the fellas?” She did her best to pierce him with her own gaze.
    “Shoot, I’ll admit I overstepped my bounds by putting you on the spot in the first place, but you have to know how much I’ve come to depend on you, Lottie. You’re at the center of everything around here, so I can’t imagine trying to pull off anything without your help.”
    Well, when you put it like that…
    She glanced down at his fingers still intertwined through hers and bit back a smile. “Let’s say I go along with this nutty idea of yours,” she said at last. “What would I need to do?”
    “Woo-hoo!” He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into the air then turned in a circle in the shallow water. “I knew it. Knew you’d come to your senses.”
    “Gil, put me down! You’re going to drop me!” She relaxed as her feet touched down in the water and didn’t mind a bit that he stood so close. He seemed to be paying her more attention today. Trying to win her over with his charm, no doubt.
    She caught her breath. “I—I haven’t made up my mind yet. Just asked a simple question. What would I need to do? If you plan to pull this thing off by the fall, we’d have to move quick.”
    “I’d say it’s critical to get the women here by the end of May so there’s plenty of time to rehearse.”
    “It’s not that easy,” she argued. “I can’t just have Augie put a notice in the paper and expect a bunch of single women to show up.”
    “Maybe you can.” Gil reached with a fingertip to brush a loose hair off her face. “Maybe it is that easy.”
    “How so?”
    Gilbert’s fingers lingered on Lottie’s cheek, bringing a tingling sensation. “He can send out the notice to other papers in Denver and New York, where people frequent the theater.”
    “But what’s the draw? Will they be paid? We can’t offer them money when there’s none to be had. Sure, we’ll make money if the show’s a success, but what kind of professional actress would wait till then to get paid?”
    “Right.” He took a step back then began to walk along the bank of the river, kicking up water. After a moment, he looked her way. “I know what we have to offer them. You said it last night. We offer a free vacation in beautiful Estes Park—free lodging, food, everything—in exchange for being in the show. We bring them here for the fresh air and sunshine. Most of these theater folks live in the big city. They could use a getaway, no doubt.”
    “Still, real theater people are accustomed to being paid.”
    “We’ll have to think on that. Maybe we could offer them room and board during the months we rehearse and then a share in the proceeds plus a small salary once the show debuts.”
    She paused to think that idea through. “Might work. Guess we could talk about it. What time frame are you thinking for all this?”
    “If the ladies arrive at the end of May and stay six months, that’ll put ’em here through the end of November. I’m guessing we can get the costumes and set pieces made in a couple of months, so maybe August first for a debut? The show could run from August through Thanksgiving when the weather gets bad.”
    “Not sure about all that. These women are going to be hoppin’ mad when they realize we’ve