Stages | Episode Two

By Katie Paul

Sophie Walker spends each night in darkness at the side of a stage, producing the alchemy of theatre. Her job is invisible to most people and so, it would seem, is her life.

On a hot New Years’ Eve overlooking Sydney Harbour, Sophie kisses someone who isn’t her husband and sets in motion a series of events that threaten to destroy her marriage, her job and her reputation.

Will Sophie survive the affair or will she damage herself and her husband forever?

This is a tale about love, sexuality, success, feminine beauty and enlightenment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katie Paul
• Release date: Dec 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311527653

Katie Paul

Katie Paul has more than one guardian angel. The first additional divine being was sent her way during the first thirteen days of her life when she was left in the hospital waiting to be adopted. She qualified for a second additional supernatural helper forty-five years later, on the day her husband decided to take his own life.Because of the hard-work and long suffering patience of her three guardian angels (who she calls Bob, Fred and Hugo) she has pretty much shrugged off any lingering damage these two events might have caused. She also believes that they might have had a hand in her recovery from bulimia which she inadvertently developed when competing in two body-building competitions. She is now at peace with her natural curves and has discovered that sexy is an attitude and not a body shape.As she approaches middle-age, she has fallen in love for the first time. She found her handsome boyfriend online and is now shacking up with him in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. She tried being married once and didn’t like it, so she’s not likely to go down that road again. Her boyfriend takes her to tropical beaches to compensate for working away too much, makes her go kayaking and cycling with him, and he leaves the room when she watches 'The Bachelor' and 'Millionaire Matchmaker'. He likes that she’s grown her hair long and gone gracefully grey, but he isn’t keen on her getting any more tattoos or piercings.She used to work in theatre, stage managing plays, musicals, orchestras and opera, but she gave it all up to write books. Her stories are about loss, love, lust and longing. Her characters get a bit raunchy at times because that’s the way life should be – full of big juicy moments. She is sure Bob, Fred and Hugo agree.

Book preview

STAGES

a Sophie Walker Novella

Episode Two

Copyright © 2014 by Katie Paul

SMASHWORDS EDITION

All rights reserved

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events or locales is purely coincidental.

Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written consent is strictly prohibited.

The author greatly appreciates you taking the time to read her work.

Please consider leaving a review wherever you bought the book, or telling your friends about it, to help us spread the word.

Published by GRETEL PARK PUBLISHING at Smashwords.

Contents

Title

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

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CHAPTER ONE

December 31st was a hot, sticky day. The forecourt of the Opera House heaved with people, some of them visitors who had no appreciation for the Australian sun, exposing their pale European skin without the protection of sunscreen. Sophie, wearing a halter-neck red dress that skimmed over her hips and plunged between her breasts, waited by the entrance, searching the crowd for the sight of James’ tousled blond hair. Her heart beat in her throat, perspiration trickling between her shoulder blades. It had been eleven days since she had found out he was flying in from Texas, and in that time she had fluctuated between being excited to see him and dreading their meeting. Would he notice that she was heavier, no longer as lean and sculpted as she had been in those first weeks after competing? Would he find her repulsive? She wouldn’t blame him.

The tickets to the Lord Mayor’s Party lay inside the folds of her purse. She had asked Michael if he wanted to come, but he had brushed the idea away.

‘Why would I want to spend an evening with pretentious wankers and D-grade celebrities?’ Michael had said. ‘I’d rather do something I enjoy. Terry’s hosting an all night Vision Quest tournament. I’m going over there.’

‘You don’t mind if I go?’ Sophie had asked.

‘Go right ahead, if that’s your thing.’ He must have noticed the hurt look on her face. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I know it’s part of your job to brush shoulders with those kinds of people. Enjoy yourself.’

She hadn’t told Michael about James — there was nothing to tell. James was a colleague, another part of her job. If any of the cast and crew from any show she’d worked on had been coming to Sydney, she would have done the same thing.

‘Sophie. Sophie,’ called a male voice with an American accent. James was striding down the hill, waving his arm above his head. He wore aviator sunglasses and a wide grin. He swept Sophie into a hug with familiarity he hadn’t shown before. He held her for a long time, breathing into her hair. She could feel his chest rise and fall against hers, his hand touching the bare skin of her back.

He released her and let his gaze travel the length of her body. Sophie felt a metal band of shame constricting her chest. She raised her eyes to look at the sky. The sky is blue and my potential is limitless, she said in her head and slipped off the silver bracelet on her right wrist and on to her left. James was still smiling. He must be an expert at hiding his feeling.

‘Bloody hell, Soph,’ he said. ‘I’ve never seen you in a dress. You’re built like a Coke bottle.’

Sophie’s eyes grew wide.

‘No, silly, it’s a compliment,’ he said. ‘You look stunning. I don’t know … like some kind of goddess.’

‘You don’t look too bad yourself,’ she said, letting her attention rest on him rather than herself. She felt a surge of desire which took her by surprise. She imagined unbuttoning his shirt, her hands on his chest, following the trail of hair down his belly. She shook her head to dislodge the thought. ‘I’m glad you found a tuxedo,’ she said, her voice sounding hoarse.

He straightened his bow tie. ‘It’s for the wedding,’ he said.

Sophie raised her eyebrows.

James laughed. ‘No, it’s not. I hired it.’ He pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head. ‘It’s bloody hot. Let’s get a drink.’

‘Lead on,’ she said. He took her hand and pushed through the crowd.

As the sun dipped down into the west, the boats on the harbour came alive with strings of lights like necklaces draped over their sails. On the stage at the Lord Mayor’s Party, the winner of X-Factor crooned his version of Unchained Melody.

Beth came over, dressed in black, holding a clipboard with the evening’s run sheet on it.

‘Can you believe this stuff is going live to air?’ she said. ‘Those poor people who don’t have anything better to do than watch TV. I’d at least watch a movie on ABC.’

‘All the talented artists wouldn’t agree to work tonight. At least we don’t have the dancing dogs like last year,’ said Sophie. Beth laughed. She looked at James and then quizzically at Sophie.

‘This is James Parkin, the production manager I worked with on Fault Lines,’ said Sophie. ‘He’s here for the Sydney Festival. James, my second-in-command, Beth.’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ said James. ‘How do you keep this chaos under control?’

‘I just yell at everyone like Sophie taught me,’ she said. She grinned and touched Sophie’s arm.

‘Let’s hope she doesn’t start yelling at me,’ said James.

‘You look beautiful tonight,’ said Beth, ‘that colours suits you.’ She put the clipboard under her arm and looked at the stopwatch hanging around her neck. ‘Got to go, it’s time for the dancing dogs to warm up.’

‘Please God, no …’ said Sophie.

Beth grinned and shook her head. ‘I know it’s after Christmas but I bought you something,’ she said. ‘I’ll leave it at Stage Door and you can grab it on the way home.’

‘Beth—’

‘It’s nothing. Have a good night you two,’ she said and disappeared behind a wall masked by a line of potted palm trees.

At nine p.m. fireworks lit up the bridge, the harbour, the city and the night sky. Sophie had seen five New Year’s Eves from this vantage point, but she never grew tired of the spectacle. It wasn’t the explosions of light that fascinated her but the sound. Each boom made her jump, the harmless sting of fear causing her to tremble.

When James went to the bathroom, Sophie sent a text to Pip.

What should I do about James?

Do whatever you want, Pip replied. There are no rules on NYE.

‘This party’s crazy,’ said James, when he had come back. ‘I just walked past a couple screaming at each other. She slapped him and stormed off. Poor fellow started crying.’

‘Do you want to get out of here?’ said Sophie. ‘I have an idea.’

At Stage Door, Rex was standing guard. ‘No sir, you need a green wristband to go to the Northern Broadwalk,’ he said