Carly laughed quietly as she stood. “Magical shampoo. All part of my plan to woo you. You better get ready for Froot Loops in the morning. I make a mean bowl.”
“Post-it notes, magical shampoo, and Froot Loops. Who knew I was that easy?”
“Easy?” Carly gasped. “I’m working overtime over here, killing myself in the name of the woo.”
Lauren lowered her voice. “Do you want a tip? You don’t have to.”
“What if I want to? What if I like doing things for you? Because I do. I love the way the sides of your mouth quirk up when I say something funny. Makes me want to be a permanent comedian, and I’m amusing at best.”
Lauren’s chest swelled. She resisted the urge to place a hand over the pang. “Well, when you put it that way.” A pause. Her stomach fluttered. “So, will I see you…tonight? You know, after the show?” She tried to play it cool, but she still felt vulnerable when she put herself out there with Carly, almost as if she was asking the pretty girl to prom, if prom involved tearing each other’s clothes off, which, technically, it often did.
“I certainly didn’t want to presume anything. But I hoped we might see where the night led. If it’s to one of our places, then that’s purely bonus. Plus, I need my Rocky IV fix at some point soon.”
“That chubby little dog can’t get enough of you.”
“It’s mutual. His tan curlicue tail alone is worthy of a visit.”
Lauren studied Carly. She seemed herself, yet not. “How are you feeling about tonight?”
Carly blinked several times, which was a total tell. Yep. She was in her head, and just as nervous as Lauren was. “I’m trying not to think about what’s going to happen in just a couple of hours. I spent the day buried in loud music to keep me from dwelling. My mind is a dangerous place.” She pointed to the dressing room around them. “I dashed in here as soon as I arrived, to distract myself. You have a remarkable way of doing just that for me.”
“So, it sounds like you’re anxious.”
“A basket case. You?”
“Nervous in a good way.” She ducked her head and captured Carly’s gaze. “I think you’re going to be surprised by the energy you find coming back to you from the live exchange. There’s nothing like it.”
“What if what comes back to me causes injury?” Carly looked entirely serious. “What if they throw things? I was thinking about that at three a.m. What if one of them just gets angry and pelts a cell phone at our heads.”
Lauren smothered a smile. “I can safely say that in my entire career I’ve never had an audience member try to take down an actor.”
Carly appeared morbidly serious. “Tonight could be that night, Lauren.” She looked around as if expecting ominous music.
Lauren’s dresser, Maddie, arrived at her doorway with her act 1 costumes and a steamer. “Hey, there. All set for me?”
“Yep,” Lauren said, swallowing her own fear. Maddie’s arrival signaled the official start of opening night. This would kick off her prep for the show, leaving little downtime before the curtain went up. She smiled at Carly, who offered a nervous smile back.
“See you out there,” Carly said and gave her hand a squeeze.
Lauren grinned back. “On the other side.”
* * *
“Actors, to the stage please. Places for act one.”
Carly stared at the ceiling, glaring at Trip’s voice floating in through the sound system to her dressing room. She made no move to obey his request. She couldn’t. Her fear kept her glued to her chair, staring at her own seemingly distorted face in the mirror. Once she’d said good-bye to Lauren, she’d systematically come apart, realizing how ill-equipped she truly was. Even Lauren, who had been out of the acting game for a while now, was more prepared.
Moments later, Janie arrived at Carly’s door, wearing her headset. “Hey, Carly? We’re ready for you onstage. It’s time.”
Carly gripped the edge of the dressing table so hard she thought she might snap her fingers. Yet she couldn’t seem to let go. “I’m not ready,” she said quietly.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t hear you,” Janie said. Carly couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything except the dark waves of Janie’s hair and the clear plastic framed glasses she wore that seemed to be so trendy now. She had a vanity pair of her own.
She tried again. “I need a minute.”
“Okay.” Janie watched her for a moment, her brows low and