When we arrived at Dean Ryder's house, I expected a sit-down dinner with fancy china and steaks. However, when we arrived, she led us into her backyard to outdoor patio furniture and the smell of barbeque.

She was dressed more casual than usual in one of those cheesy kiss-the-chef aprons over a t-shirt and jeans. A silk headband tied back her dark hair.

"Lexi, EK," she smiled. "Welcome. The food is nearly done. Lorne is setting out the last of it."

We found Dr. Tunstelle beside the grill, flipping corn. Her husband, also Dr. Tunstelle of the history department, sat at the patio table with his nose absently in a book as their three kids ran around the grass behind us. The biggest surprise was Lorne in an apron carrying a plate of smoked ribs.

"Looks like Mr. High and Mighty is living with his aunt this summer," Emma Kate whispered. "Can't believe I didn't know that."

"Yeah," I said. "Would have been nice to know as a heads up."

Since we'd dated and broken up, being with Lorne in anything less than rehearsals was a little strange. Back in my freshman year, we were cast as lovers as a long-term assignment for a class. When Lorne asked me out, I thought it would be good practice for when we had to go on stage for our final.

Lorne paraded me about and showered me with gifts and affection in public. When we were alone, he was always correcting me. The last straw was when for our three-month anniversary, he got me a necklace, put it on me before I could say if I liked it, and when I tried to examine it, he started saying how he'd paid so much for it, and it was a sign so he could show everyone how much he loved me.

I took off the necklace and told him that I couldn't be with someone who only bought signs to show affection. He was hurt and yelled, but I called Emma Kate and left.

Most of my friends considered the time I'd dated Lorne as little more than temporary insanity and had instantly let me back in the fold once we were broken up. I'd learned some valuable lessons about dating, and I wasn't about to repeat any of those mistakes again.

Emma Kate and I took our seats at the patio table with the professors as Lorne added a palter of potato salad and a pitcher of lemonade to the table.

"Are you joining us, Lorne?" Emma Kate asked.

Lorne shifted from one foot to another. "Only to eat. Kayleigh and Jude are picking me up for some indie concert an hour away. Kayleigh follows the band's pianist on Instagram, and she's insisting the music is good."

"What's the band called?" Emma Kate asked.

"Rasping Whispers or something or other," Lorne said. "I don't know. The demo she sent me wasn't really my thing."

"I'll look them up," Emma Kate said.

She was always looking for new music. If she wasn't so good on stage, she'd probably join a band or become a DJ. Her ear for music was way better than mine, and she had perfect pitch. I always called her if I needed help arranging a song for an audition.

"So, what do you think of the group we have assembled for the cast?" Dean Ryder asked.

"The nonmajors are dead weight," Lorne said.

"Lucas Collins is a good addition," Dr. Tunstelle said.

Lorne rolled his eyes. "He's an English major. I don't care how much Shakespeare he has memorized. He's not an actor. And that football player-"

I cut Lorne off. "His name is Parker."

"He's dead weight," Lorne said. "Regardless of his name. He has no training or prior experience. He's just here for credit."

"I thought his audition was good," Emma Kate said. "Lexi did a great job prepping him."

Lorne coughed. "So, Lexi helped him. Thought he seemed a little too well-rehearsed."

Emma Kate glared daggers across the table at Lorne. Had either of us known he was going to be here tonight, we would have approached this a lot differently.

While I used to date him, Emma Kate had her own beef with Lorne. The moment she'd started to shine in the theater program, he was there to bring her down a few pegs. Apparently, because he was a year ahead of her and the Dean's nephew, he felt he had the right to succeed more than her.

"Well, with a little more practice, he'll be in tip-top shape," Emma Kate said.

"Assuming she doesn't spend all that practice time with him making out," Lorne said.

Emma Kate stiffened. "Jealous?"

"As if," Lorne said. "I don't need a football bod to prove my worth. I swear if he gets Ferdinand because he has abs, this whole workshop class is moot."

Dean Ryder sighed. "Lorne, I told you if you were going to disrupt this meeting, you could eat upstairs."

"Sorry, Aunt Arlene," Lorne said.

"Get going then," Dean Ryder snapped.

With that, Lorne gathered up his plate, put another scoop of potato salad on it, and walked into the house. When he was gone, Dean Ryder let out a sigh.

"Sometimes, I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy," she said. "If his mother hadn't turned gold digger and taken off... I don't know. His father was hoping he'd mellow if he stayed with me this summer, but I'm not sure that plan is working."

"Things will get better," Dr. Tunstelle said. "Right, honey?"

She nudged her husband. He frowned and looked up from the book on Russian Tzars. He nodded and went back to his book.

"He will get what he wants," Dean Ryder said. "I'm not worried. My nephew is not untalented. He just has an ego."

"The size of a blimp," Emma Kate muttered.

"What was that, dear?" Dr. Tunstelle asked.

"Nothing," Emma Kate said. "So, are we getting to the cast list or not?"

Dean Ryder passed a tablet to Emma Kate. Leaning over her shoulder, I looked at the cast list that our teachers had created based on the auditions.

"We're sidelining Chase again?" I frowned. "I mean, I know he's a self-proclaimed behind-the-scenes guy, but he's not a bad actor."

"Nor is he better than anyone else," Dr. Tunstelle said. "And this isn't the only class he's taking this summer."

"He's taking two summer classes?" Emma Kate frowned.

Dean Ryder sighed. "Chase is taking three. Our workshop and two others with another department. Dr. Tunstelle and I weren't sure he could handle being on stage too. I don't want him to fail any of his courses, and of course, he'll be understudying for all of the lords."

It made sense. Glancing down the list, all of the casting choices were logical. The golden trio had important roles. They were talented, but it would also keep them quiet. Everyone would have their chance to shine. A few of them might be a little disappointed with smaller parts, but that's how it went when everyone in the theater department was so equally talented.

"The list is missing a few roles," Emma Kate said.

"We weren't sure how you'd feel about our idea," Dean Ryder said. "Now Bradley is plenty talented and could easily play Prospero, but we aren't against a little traditional gender-bending."

"My name isn't on this list," I said.

Dr. Tunstelle nodded. "We could cast Bradley as Prospero, but we wondered if what the show needs is a powerful female lead. A mother's protective wrath lends a new edge to the text."

Emma Kate's eyes lit up. "You want Lexi as Prospero, don't you?"

The idea was appealing. I knew that casting me as the lead would make Lorne and his buddies livid, but it would be a chance to prove exactly how talented I was. A chance to show them all up.

"I believe that she would be a great Prospero," Dean Ryder said. "A mother trying to get her daughter ahead. Then we can add Bradley to the drunken duo."

"I like it," Emma Kate said. "Women of magic versus the men of the world. I'm drawing up new ideas already. What do you think, Lex?"

Glancing over the cast list, I nodded. This was a good mix. Dean Ryder and Dr. Tunstelle had thought through this in the best ways possible to challenge us and yet, at the same time, play to our strengths.

"If you don't think casting the directors as two important characters will cause a problem, I fully support it," I said.

Dr. Tunstelle took the tablet back. "I think that you're right for the roles. This cast fell into place easily. Even if we gave Prospero and Ariel to Maddox and Bradley, it would still be a good production. I just think this take is more unique."

"For the creative teams, we should put Bradley with Chase on lights and finishing set design," I said. "And we can talk Maddox into taking Raisa under his wing to help with costumes. Then we put Riley on makeup. She drew us a few mockups of Caliban in SFX makeup. Her ideas are pretty sweet."

Dean Ryder nodded. "I know SFX takes a while. Did she give you an estimate on how long our Caliban would be in the chair?"

"I'll ask," I said. "She needs to coordinate with Maddox about Caliban's costume anyhow."

"This sounds good, ladies," Dr. Tunstelle said. "We'll release the list at midnight during Maddox's party to give you all a day to rest. I look forward to seeing what you two do with this production."

Emma Kate ran half a dozen more ideas off our professors as we finished up dinner. This show was her baby. I'd only agreed to put my name down to co-direct because Emma Kate had given me a big speech about how the department would be more likely to take her seriously if she had me, her levelheaded studious friend, by her side.

I never figured myself as a director. Knowing my way around a stage and getting people to listen to me were two different things.

We left just as it was getting dark. Emma Kate drove us back to the apartment complex. We found Riley crashed out on the couch with our fourth roommate for the summer Gesha Zang watching some crime show. She was one of Riley's friends and a brilliant digital entertainment and technology major doing a coding internship with a professor at the university.

"How'd it go?" Riley asked.

"The show is cast," I said. "Cast list will be out at midnight during Maddox's party tomorrow."

"Can I assume I'm in charge of makeup?" Riley kicked her feet back on the coffee table. "I'm thinking Miranda needs to be very fresh-faced, maybe with a little silver for a glow."

"You're hired," Emma Kate said. "But they want a timeframe for how long it'll take to do Caliban's makeup."

"I'll have to practice," Riley said. "Know anyone who wants to get turned into a monster for fun?"

"You could try Parker," Emma Kate laughed. "But you should coordinate with costumes before you finalize a design."

Riley gave a pout. "I assume that means I'm working with Mad Maddox?"

Emma Kate nodded. Riley both loved that Maddox could get his hands on things from Hollywood since his dad was a famous director and his mother was an actress and envied the seemingly endless resources at his disposal.

"You promised not to call him that anymore," I said.

Riley blew a strand of hair out of her face. "He's asking for it going by a name like Maddox."

"I wouldn't mind taking the Mad Maddox for a ride," Gesha said. "Imagine that heavy plastic from daddy burning a hole in his pocket."

"Sadly, you aren't Maddox's type," Emma Kate said. "But he makes our production budget stretch to the max. That's why we keep him around."

Not to mention the fact that girls like Gesha swooned at the mention of his name, and he was a born actor. Somehow, I had a feeling that no matter how Mad Maddox seemed to our simple wallets, his money didn't solve all his problems.

Money couldn't buy happiness. It kept a roof over our heads and gave us a place to laugh and smile. After all, who needed a mansion when they had friends like mine?

Hey everyone!!! This chapter took longer than I was anticipating. I hope this was able to shed a little more light on Lexi's past relationship with Lorne. We'll be heading to Maddox's party next to get the full cast list. Let me know what you think. I'm mostly done with major edits on Before the Curtain Opens so I'll be spending more time on Summer Tempest now. I'm really happy with my edits over there so if you want more Shakespeare head on over and check it out. You might find Parker and a few other cameos from this book. Enjoy!

--Eliana