want to rent it, like everybody else. Right, Mia? We don’t want any favors.”
“But, Z . . .” Mia began.
“Zakiyyah is right. Let her rent it, Jules,” Ashton said, turning to Mia. “That’ll be a hundred bucks a day.”
“Z!”
“That’s fine,” Zakiyyah said. “Whatever it costs. Full price. No discounts.”
Julian glared at Ashton.
Mia glared at Zakiyyah.
Ashton rolled his eyes.
Zakiyyah took out her wallet.
“When’s the audition?” Julian asked Mirabelle.
“Ten-thirty.”
“I need to drop you off like right now and jet,” said Zakiyyah. “I’m going to be late.”
“Mia, if you want,” Julian said carefully, “I could take you. So your friend could get to work on time. And then you can return the dress to me right after, so it won’t cost you anything.”
“Absolutely not,” Zakiyyah began to say, but Mirabelle cut her off.
“Yes, please, Julian,” she said, beaming. “If it’s not too much trouble.”
“It’s no trouble,” said Julian.
Zakiyyah rolled her eyes. “Mia, no!” she whispered.
“It’s fine, Z,” Mia said, and louder to the two men, “maybe I can help out, to return the favor. Is there anything I can do for you around here, work the register, sweep the floor?”
“Mia, we talked about this! It’s not . . .”
“It’s fine, Z!”
Zakiyyah could not leave fast enough, slamming the door on her way out.
“She’s really nice,” Mirabelle said to Julian and Ashton, standing by the counter, watching one woman storm out, one woman stay behind. “She’s just worried about me, that’s all. She’s like a mommy hen.”
“Yes, she seems super sweet,” Ashton said. “Friendly, too.”
“What the hell did you do to that poor girl?” Julian said to Ashton when Mirabelle was out of earshot.
“Nothing! I was an angel like always. She might not have approved of my attire.”
Julian grinned. “Good thing you didn’t wear your Thunderpussy shirt,” he said, looking Ashton over. “Or she might have killed you.”
41
Crystal of Souls
AFTER HE DROPPED OFF MIRABELLE AT THE GREEK, JULIAN waited for her in the parking lot. The callbacks were closed set.
She was gone only a few minutes. When she came out, she looked dejected, though stunning in that violet gown—like he couldn’t take a deep breath stunning. The girl was making him inarticulate.
“Don’t give up,” he said. “They have to think about it.”
“They thought about it,” she said. “Told me on the spot I wouldn’t make a good Beatrice. Too something or other. I stopped listening when I realized I wasn’t getting the part.”
“Oh, shame. What about the narrator?”
“They have someone for that already.” She shrugged. “C’est la vie. I didn’t want this stupid part anyway. I have more auditions tomorrow. Plus, like I said, Abigail Jenkins is flying in from London next week. That’s the gig I really want. Medea. I’m going to London, I feel it.”
It was a warm sunny late summer morning.
Julian had Buster Barkley to train before his meeting in Century City with a former propmaster from the Scream movies. “Can I take you home?” He smiled lightly. “To your actual home this time. Because I’ve got a full day . . .”
“There’s something beautiful in those hills,” Mirabelle blurted, pointing up to the eucalyptus lining the desert mountain. “It’s like a rainbow wishing well. Do you want to come see it with me? We can only catch it at noon, and only for a few seconds. I think you’d like it. I hardly ever get to go up there. I want to make a wish for London. I need all the good karma I can get.”
What could Julian say but yes to a violet girl asking him to follow her to a wishing well atop a mountain? Where had he seen a girl in a flowing purple dress like this before? For the life of him, he couldn’t remember. She was like a painting.
A painting of a memory.
His palm opened up, as if he could almost feel placing his hand on that dress, on the girl’s back. Quickly he clenched the hand into a fist, hoping she didn’t notice. “You’re going to hike in a dress and high heels?”
“I’ll be careful. But you’re right, the heels are a bit impractical.” Half a minute later, below layers of purple silk, she had her black boots on and laced up. “I’m ready.”
“Lead the way,” he said, taking a swig from his Japanese thermos filled with lemon ice water and offering her some. He took off his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He knew he’d get too warm after hiking up a mountain.