“And how was your day today?” Carly asked, swirling her wine from across the table. Lauren noticed a nearby table smile in their direction. They raised a glass to Carly, and Carly raised hers back. She’d been recognized but didn’t miss a beat in their conversation.
“You first. Tell me all about the audition,” Lauren said, resting her chin in her hand.
Carly lit up. “It went as well as I had hoped. We ran the scene a couple of different ways. They put me on video, which is customary, and by the end, I think the director was really happy.” She leaned in. “Hennessy is a straightforward guy, and I don’t think he would have gushed as much as he had if the offer wasn’t coming, you know?”
“Of course.” Lauren sent a silent thank-you to the stars, which, on their way in, had glistened extra bright. Carly needed this pick-me-up in a big way. “I knew you’d nail it. Have you worked with this director before?”
“Never, but we run in a lot of the same circles. I like his style.”
“I liked the director from my audition today, too. I wound up with an extra one, which is why I was late. A casting director thought I might be a fit for another film her office was handling. So I ran over with it being so close and got to read for the part. Let me tell you, it felt like a much bigger deal than the low budget indie I read for first.” She hugged her shoulders together. “I felt Hollywood fancy. It was fun.”
Carly laughed and sipped the wine. “Sometimes you find the very best possible projects that way. What’s the film about?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t even get the title of the film because it was such a whirlwind getting there, but the sides were from a scene in a courtroom and I read for a witness. We did some workshopping, and then they had me read with another actor who’s already been cast.”
“Oh.” Carly inclined her head to the side. “That sounds like they really liked you.” She paused and set down her wine, as if mulling something over. “You said it was a court scene you read today. That sounds like my audition for the Hennessy film, strangely.”
Lauren froze. “I don’t think so. The director’s name was Rick.”
Carly nodded, her smile now tight. “Rick Hennessy.”
“Oh, wow.” Lauren didn’t know where to go. Had she known this was Carly’s audition, the one she’d been so excited about, she never in a million years would have gone in for it.
Carly shook her head ruefully. “We read for the same director today. Can you believe that? Crazy.”
Lauren blinked. “I honestly didn’t realize. I’m so sorry.”
Carly appeared unfazed, but almost as if she was trying for that. “You have nothing to apologize for. This town is pretty small at the end of the day.”
Lauren sat back in her chair just as two amazing plates of food were set in front of them. She laughed. “I don’t even know what to say now.”
This was certainly awkward.
Carly took a deep breath. She stared at her plate as if she’d lost her appetite. Lauren hated that. This was their celebratory dinner. “I don’t think we have to say anything. It is what it is.”
“Listen, I’m nobody and you’re Carly Daniel. There’s no competition here. Trust me.”
Carly shook her head. “Don’t say that.” She seemed genuinely bothered by that sentence. “You’re Lauren Prescott, and you’re definitely somebody important, and the only person to call me on my own bullshit in a very long time.”
Lauren smiled. “I think I was the only person crazy enough to.”
“So true. How is this so amazing? We need to invite the chef over and keep him.”
Lauren laughed. “See? That would never occur to me, a commoner.”
They ate in silence, but a weight had settled over the evening. They made small talk, smiled at each other, and marveled again and again over the amazing food. There was too much marveling, in fact.
“Are things weird now?” Lauren asked, finally, over dessert.
Carly shook her head. “No. Not at all.” A pause. She softened. “Maybe a little.” She offered a genuine smile. “I don’t want them to be.”
“Me neither.”
“Okay.” Carly reached for Lauren’s hand and kissed it. “Then let’s not allow it.”
“Deal.”
But when they went to bed that night, Lauren felt the distance manifest into the physical. Carly wasn’t herself. She kissed Lauren good night but remained on