Finally, Jeanine raised a hand. “Let’s stop there.”
Lauren lowered her script. She smiled at the room, returning to herself.
“That was great,” Carly said to her quietly, as the table conversed. Heather Kim pointed to something Jeanine had written on her pad and nodded emphatically, then wrote something back.
“Thanks. I’m nervous,” Lauren whispered. Carly, after everything they’d been through, still had an uncanny ability to center Lauren. It helped that the read had been with her.
“Lauren, I can’t thank you enough for coming back today. We’ll be in touch, okay? Can I get you a water or coffee for the road?”
Lauren held up a hand. “No, I’m good. Thank you for inviting me. I had a nice time.”
“Jeanine, do you need me anymore?” Carly asked.
Jeanine looked to the table. “No. I think we’re all set. I appreciate you coming in, and we’ll see you soon.”
“Great. I’ll walk out with Lauren.”
Lauren lifted a hand in farewell and headed out of the room.
“This was unexpected,” she said to Carly in the elevator.
“I should have given you a heads-up, but what if they hadn’t decided to call, you know? You look great, by the way. So pretty,” Carly said. She blinked and stared at the floor, probably feeling off-kilter.
“Thank you.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence. When they hit the street, the noisy sounds of traffic and people hit. They stood on the sidewalk, dodging the quick flow of pedestrians heading to business meetings, work, lunch, auditions, or who knew where.
“I don’t think I got it,” Lauren said, shrugging. “That’s okay, though. I’m thrilled to have met Heather Kim. It was worth the trip.”
“Don’t say that. You never know. I thought the audition went really well.”
Lauren passed Carly a skeptical look. “They seemed unsure.” She stepped out of the way so a very serious looking man could get past.
Carly mirrored her actions, stepping to the side. “There’s no way to know that. They were simply figuring things out. They’ll call.”
Lauren nodded. She gestured behind her. “I guess I better…”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
She saw the sadness in Carly’s eyes as they said good-bye. Regret bubbled up. Yet she didn’t know what to say. Carly was still a very scary prospect for her, but being in her presence felt like coming home. She didn’t want to leave. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“Not a problem.” Carly flashed her always beautiful smile. Lauren felt its effects all over.
She offered a final wave and headed uptown to the subway station. She didn’t have to think of this as good-bye. In fact, if the job did come through, she’d be working with Carly again, seeing her every day, working on scenes together. The very concept had her heart and mind singing. So was she going to wait for that call to come from her agent, and then hope that she finally managed the courage to leap back in to something she wanted so very badly already?
Hell no.
She turned around, hurrying back down the sidewalk, dodging pedestrian traffic, scooting through tight spaces, and making each crossing sign before it changed. She passed the production office and kept going, craning her neck to see if she could spot Carly walking farther down Ninth. After scurrying another block—yes!—she caught sight of the back of her blond hair, and it was only a matter of moments before she caught up. Lauren touched Carly’s shoulder and she turned. She blinked at Lauren curiously.
“Hey. What’s going—”
Lauren took Carly by the face and kissed her right there on Ninth Avenue in the freaking Meatpacking District of New York City. The best part of all? Carly melted and kissed her back.
“Lauren,” she whispered, coming up for air. She smiled. “You’re back.”
“Are we?”
“God, yes,” Carly said, her eyes glistening. “That’s all I want. That’s everything to me.”
Lauren smiled against Carly’s mouth and kissed her again. And again. And again. The people rushed past. The traffic lights changed. The cabs beeped their way through the city, but in that one spot beneath the sun and moon and stars and planets, two people meant for each other found their way back home.
* * *
“Ms. Daniel, the wine.” The sommelier at Becco presented the celebratory bottle of Sangiovese he’d recommended. Carly nodded at the label. “Who would like to try the wine?”
Carly gestured to her most beautiful date. “Why don’t you go ahead?”
He poured a taste for Lauren, who swirled it and sampled. “Wow. That’s fantastic.”
“Very good,” he said, pouring them each a full glass.