commit. Create the base reality.
In this base reality, Jasper needed to be a guy who could start a business and make it successful. He needed to trust himself and his team to be good enough to pull off this show. He met Fitz’s gaze. “That theater is going to be mine.”
Fitz smiled a brilliant, toothy smile. “Fuck yeah, it will.”
* * *
Hollyn sat in the back of the newly minted improv classroom at WorkAround with Jasper’s promise that he would definitely, absolutely not, under any circumstances call on her to participate. She’d threatened death and dismemberment if he broke that promise. But even with that assertion, she was having trouble relaxing.
She shifted in her chair and pulled a notebook and pen from her bag because taking notes would give her something to do. Plus, if anyone asked why she wasn’t joining in, she had a prepared answer. She would tell them she was writing an article about the class offerings at WorkAround. She needed to focus on that and therefore couldn’t volunteer.
Andi was next to her, cross-legged in the chair, and chewing on the edge of her blue-polished thumbnail, looking almost as nervous as Hollyn felt.
“You okay?” Hollyn asked.
Andi turned to her. “Yes. No. I kind of feel like I’m in line for a roller coaster. Like sort of excited but also kind of vomity.”
Hollyn gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m familiar with that feeling.”
It was how she felt every time she was around Jasper.
“Maybe I should’ve gone out and had a margarita or something first,” Andi said, her gaze flicking to the people still wandering into the class. “I mean, I have to improvise on the podcast, but I can edit my mistakes out, you know? And when I’m writing, obviously I can delete the crappy stuff. Plus, the pressure to be funny kind of makes it hard to be funny.”
“I don’t think anyone has to be funny. Jasper told me this is going to be a no-mistakes, judgment-free kind of thing,” Hollyn said, looking for the man in question. “I’m sure it will be fun, you know, for people like you.”
Andi scrunched her nose like she’d smelled something bad and turned her attention back to Hollyn. “People like me? Clarify.”
Hollyn looked down, doodling googly eyes on her notebook page, and shrugged. “You know, outgoing, confident, unafraid.”
“Ha.” Andi sniffed derisively. “Unafraid? Girl, we need to get to know each other better. You know what running a true-crime podcast and writing horror stories does to a person?”
Hollyn looked over.
“It shows you how freaking terrifying the world can be and turns you into a huge chicken,” she said. “I’m surprised I haven’t sprouted feathers yet.”
Hollyn frowned. “I guess I hadn’t thought of that.”
“The stories I come across…” Andi shook her head ruefully. “Well, it’d be ludicrous to be unafraid, especially as a woman.” She reached in her purse, which was by her feet, and pulled out a pack of gum. “But outgoing, yeah, I’ll give you that one. Gum?”
Hollyn took the offered stick, feeling a new camaraderie with Andi. Maybe her new friend wasn’t as fearless as she appeared to be. Maybe everyone was carrying something heavy in their personal-life backpack. “I’ll make you a deal,” she told Andi. “I’ll keep an eye out for murderers for you. You watch out for strangers wanting to have small talk with me.”
Andi grinned and popped the stick of Big Red in her mouth. “Deal.”
Movement near the door caught Hollyn’s eye, and she spun that way, catching sight of Jasper just as he walked in with a pretty African American woman with short curly hair and the brightest red lipstick Hollyn had ever seen. They were chatting quietly, serious expressions on both their faces. Jasper had changed out of his apron and button-up shirt into a T-shirt that said Maybe Tomorrow, Satan. His hair was a little mussed like he’d been running his fingers through it, and he just looked slightly undone in the best way possible. Something deep inside Hollyn gave a kick of appreciation.
He had a stack of papers in his hand and a backpack over his shoulder, and was chattering away. But when he turned his head and saw Hollyn and Andi, he gave a little wave with his paper-filled hand and a pleased smile. Jasper’s companion followed his line of sight and gave the two of them a quick once-over.
Hollyn waved back, trying to suppress her tics.
“Your boyfriend’s here,” Andi whispered as she raised her hand in greeting and beamed