Free Carousel Nights by Amie Denman Page B

for a fresh shirt because he ripped the sleeve almost off his other one.”
    â€œHow did that happen?”
    â€œHe said he was crawling under a retired beer truck and hooked his shoulder on something. I wondered why he was wasting his time on one of those old beasts, but now I know.”
    Performers started coming through the cast entrance, and June called them over to review their costumes. An enthusiastic group by nature, the summer performers oohed and aahed over the costumes as if they were a royal wardrobe. Twelve young men and women ranging from eighteen to twenty-two—they were talented, excited and nervous. I was one of them not that long ago. June knew they hoped to use Starlight Point as a stepping-stone to something bigger, perhaps even Broadway. That’s exactly what she’d done, and she wanted to help them.
    â€œMay have to fatten you up just a little,” Gloria said to one of the dancers, patting her cheek in grandmotherly fashion. “I don’t think I ever made a costume with such a small waist. No idea how you have the stamina to do five shows a day.”
    June glanced at the dancer, wondering what her reaction would be. Christina was a sweet, but very quiet college sophomore who hoped to make it big as a dancer. But, my goodness, she is a walking skeleton . Why hadn’t June noticed before?
    Christina glanced nervously around as if she hoped the other dancers hadn’t heard. Competition , June thought. There was too much of it among performers. It was healthy when it made them strive to be their best, but it had a dark side, too. June understood too well. She’d never breathed a word about the weakness and pain in her knee, not even to her own sister.
    â€œMeet you at the Saloon after lunch,” Gloria said. “We’ll do the same thing there. Wait until you see what we’ve got for your steampunk show. Some of the craziest-looking things I’ve ever made.”
    Gloria rolled out the door leaving June and Megan to run the dancers through the first of several dress rehearsals. Dancing in tights was one thing, dancing in a sequined gown with accessories was another.
    Two hours later, the backstage dressing area started to look like it was ready for the live show’s premiere in only two days. The sets were on stage, with parts of them in the wings for quick changes. Her Broadway-themed show would definitely wow Starlight Point guests. June had high hopes for the steampunk show, too.
    And then there was the parade.
    A little part of her wanted to admit Mel was right. Doing ten daily shows and a parade was nuts. But she’d dreamed some big dreams before and, so far, she was still climbing the ladder, not backing down.
    * * *
    M EL FELT THE BURDEN of single parenthood most in the two months before opening day and throughout the summer. Being able to grab Ross from the Lake Breeze and ride the carousel during his lunch break helped alleviate some of his guilt over his long summer hours. But he could never make up for the lack of a mother.
    â€œGot one stop to make, buddy,” he said as they walked up the midway. Mel’s aging silver truck was parked in the marina lot, and it was a nice day for a walk through Starlight Point holding his son’s hand. He wished Ross could stay five forever.
    He stopped at the theater. Mel hadn’t been inside the place in a week. He’d put his electricians on a wiring job here, but he wanted to do a quick final check himself before they started pulling heavy amps with all the new lighting June thought they needed. They should be able to land airplanes with all the lights she ordered.
    He and Ross came through the midway doors under the marquee. As part of a surprising compromise, June and Evie had agreed on fresh yellow paint and rows of new lightbulbs instead of a major face-lift. They’d cut ties with the architect and put major changes on ice. Maybe they were lucky June was using all her energy