Sprinkled among these old friends, however, were a few younger people who worked for Burke’s theatrical agency. Garrett Miles, the partner who managed the financial and legal end of the business, caught her eye across the room and cut his way through the crowd toward her.
Garrett had been hired out of Harvard with an MBA and had stayed on to become Burke’s right-hand man. His affable manner and movie star smile masked a mind like a steel trap. Allison couldn’t say she liked him. He struck her as too smooth, too sure of himself. But right now Garrett was the only port in a storm of hostility.
“You look like the Goddess of Angst,” he muttered in her ear. “Are you all right?”
“I’m dandy,” she lied. “Did Burke happen to tell you he was leaving?”
“He did. Don’t worry, everything’s under control here. I’ve spread the word that he had an emergency and couldn’t stay. You won’t need to explain a thing.”
“Thank you, Garrett.” Her tone carried an edge. “I don’t suppose you offered to go in his place, did you?”
“Actually, I did.” He gripped her elbow and propelled her out into the dimly lit foyer. “Burke insisted on going himself. The problem was a personnel issue, not a finance issue, and he didn’t trust anyone else to smooth things over.”
“I see.” Allison exhaled, willing herself to relax. She had nothing to gain by alienating this man, especially tonight, when she needed his support. “Sorry about that,” she said with a raw laugh. “It’s just that I was hoping Burke could relax and enjoy his friends tonight. He’s been so preoccupied lately—working till all hours, coming home exhausted and then lying awake the rest of the night . . .” She glanced up to see Garrett’s gold-flecked eyes watching her intently. “If Burke were involved with another woman, I’d have something to fight. But my rival is that damned business. Short of burning the American Heartland Theater to the ground, there’s nothing I can do!”
Realizing she’d said too much, Allison glanced back toward the brightly lit great room. “Sorry again,” she said, forcing a smile. “I do tend to get carried away. Isn’t your wife here tonight, Garrett? I don’t recall seeing her.”
“Burke didn’t tell you?” One brown eyebrow lifted. “Julie and I separated last month. I’ve moved into one of the company condos. She’s filed for divorce.”
“That’s too bad—and no, he didn’t tell me.” Allison licked her lips, a nervous habit she’d been trying to break. “Burke doesn’t discuss company business, let alone the personal lives of his colleagues, with me. After all, I’m only his wife.”
“God, then you don’t even know, do you?” He was gazing down at her like a doctor about to deliver a terminal diagnosis.
“Don’t know what?” A sense of foreboding hovered over her head, as if a vulture had flapped down to perch on the chandelier. “Tell me what’s going on, Garrett. Now.”
“The American Heartland’s been losing money for the past year—and now, with the fall season on, it’s like the dam’s broken,” he said. “Last spring we took out a short-term bank loan just to get the place up to code. We fixed the roof, replaced the old seats, and got a new lighting system. But it wasn’t enough to improve our ticket sales.”
“But why?” Allison had always assumed Burke’s business was doing fine. “What’s wrong?”
Garret shook his head. “The building’s old and still doesn’t
have the technical setup for the spectacular shows that audiences want these days. And even with the agency reps scouting for talent, the top acts are out of our price range. Bottom line—most of our old customers are going for the big names, the flashy displays and aerial acts, or the dinner theater shows. We’re having to discount the tickets just to fill the seats.”
“But there must be something you can do.” Allison struggled against disbelief. This was real, and she needed to pay attention.
“The only way to compete with the newer, bigger places would be to shut down for six months, do a complete remodeling job, and reopen in the spring with a big-name act.”
“That sounds like a good plan. But what about the money?” Allison had run her own small gallery in Capitola. She was no financial wizard, but she knew the basics of what it took to operate a business. At the top of the list was capital.
“Burke and I are still weighing the options,” Garrett said. “Aside from just shutting down, we’ve got two choices. While our credit’s still decent, we can refinance the business for enough to cover the existing loan and make the updates. But it would leave us over our heads in debt. Worse, if we couldn’t make the payments, we’d lose everything.”
By we, Garrett meant Burke, who would take the risk and stand the loss—that much, Allison knew, was a given. Garrett had been made a partner for his expertise, but his financial stake was little more than a token. “And the other choice?” she asked.
“We could take on a new partner, an investor with deep pockets who could revamp the American Heartland and make it everything it should be—a partner with connections to some of the biggest names in the entertainment business.”
“That sounds like an easy choice. Do you have an investor in mind?”
“I do—someone who’s very interested and has the resources we need. But Burke’s dragging his heels—doesn’t want anybody else to have a say in his business. I think he’s in denial. The original bank loan’s due at the first of the year. If we just let things slide, we’ll be in foreclosure.”
Allison stared up at him, feeling as if the blood in her body had drained into the floor, leaving nothing for her heart to pump but thin, dry air. She must have swayed on her high heels because Garrett reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder.
“We’re trying to keep it under wraps,” he said, “but you need to understand. Burke’s been under one hell of a strain.”
“But why didn’t he tell me?” she whispered. “I’m his wife, for God’s sake, not some child who needs to be coddled and protected!”
Garrett’s fingers were smooth and hard against her bare skin. “Knowing Burke, I’m sure he had his reasons. Right now, the best thing you can do for him is go back to the party. Be nice to his friends. Act as if nothing has happened.”
“They don’t know?”