Stage Fright (Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Book 6) (15 page)

Someone was pushing their way through the crowd to us. Whoever it was wormed their way through hordes of cameramen and adoring fans, and we could track their progress by the sound of apologies. Finally, Damien burst out in front of us, his billowing curls atop a full tuxedo.

“Hey man, looking good!” Joe said, slapping him five. “Got the night off from the show?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Actually, Claire asked me to accompany her.”

He blushed beet red and stared at his feet.

“Like, on a date?” Bess asked.

“I guess so,” Damien mumbled, but the giant smile on his face told the whole story.

“That’s great. For both of you!” I clapped him on the shoulder. He was a little strange, but he was a good guy in the end. And maybe a celebrity like Claire needed someone like Damien—having him in the background let her shine all the more, and he seemed more than happy with that role.

As we took our seats in the theater, I looked around with a sense of satisfaction. Another case solved!

And as an added bonus: With the new cast, the show wasn’t half bad!