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Where was she supposed to go with this? On one hand, Ethan’s wordswere incredibly flattering. On the other, they didn’t really matter. She wasthe fill-in for the fill-in. “Well, maybe we can talk about why it worked sowell today with Evelyn and recreate—”

“Do you really see that going well?” Ethan asked, now up andmoving with purpose, except he didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Just extraenergy he needed to burn off.

Lauren grimaced. “Not exactly, no. But if she’s a professional,she’ll try to take the notes.”

“I’ve given her eighteen thousand notes since we’ve started,” hesaid, with a hand extended outward. “She’s cold and unfeeling when playing acharacter who should be warm and lovable, which I’ve seen her pull off nicelyin a dozen different roles. She hates Carly and it reads all over the scenelike spilled blood on a white carpet.”

She watched Trip wince at the reference.

Ethan noticed, too, and pointed at Trip. “What did you think? Youwere here.”

Trip hesitated and passed Lauren a look, as if to ask forpermission to speak honestly. She nodded at him, granting it. “I lovedeverything about the run today. They had fun together, but there was still thisball of sexual tension that kept me engaged. It’s the first time I’ve beensucked in by the story since we started.”

Ethan snapped his fingers and pointed at Trip. “Thank you. That’swhat I’m talking about, too.”

“Ethan, I’d be happy to keep running lines with Carly.”

“Can we do some right now?” He looked at his watch. “I know we’reoff the clock and rehearsal is officially over, but if you’ll show me the finalscene of act one, I can know more.” He ran his hand over his scruff as hewaited for her answer.

Technically, according to Equity rules, rehearsal was over, andasking Carly to work longer went against good standards and practices. Shecouldn’t do it. Lauren opened her mouth to advocate for Carly, when Carly herselfturned from across the room. She’d been engrossed in her phone and had seemedto be out of earshot. Apparently, that had not been the case.

“I’m happy to run the scene, Lauren.”

Lauren stared at her, and then back at Ethan, running out ofoptions. “The last scene?” she asked.

“If you don’t mind, that is. I don’t want to put you on the spotif you’re uncomfortable in any way,” Ethan said, more gently.

It was a big scene, the happily-ever-after fake out that gotripped away from the audience after intermission. There was a kiss in thatscene, a pretty serious one. She closed her eyes and did her utmost to appearunaffected. She was a professional, and she could do this. It was for the goodof the show. “I don’t mind,” she said, retrieving her script.

She joined Carly onstage.

“You good?” Carly asked and gave her hand a squeeze. That did it.The nervous energy, the self-doubt, the overthinking all seemed to slide awaywith that one moment of contact.

“I’m great. Shall we?”

Carly nodded.

“So, we’re doing this?” Lauren asked, as Mandy. She went fortimid, excited, and fully in love.

Carly stepped into her space, hands at her side, confidence onfull display. “Do you know what you’d be getting into? I let teakettles whistletoo long on the stove. I scream when spiders show up.” Her proximity alone senta series of tingles across Lauren’s skin. She didn’t try to move herself out ofit, however. She put it into what the character would feel. “I know I’m not theeasiest person to love. I’m pretty sure I just lost my job, and my cat movedout. I’ll probably be homeless myself in a matter of—”

“Ashley?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re talking a lot.”

Carly grinned and cradled Lauren’s face with one hand. “Should Istop now?”

“You should definitely stop,” Lauren said. “I have a lot of thingsto figure out, but one of them is definitely not you. You’re staying.”

Just as the script dictated, Carly brought her lips to Lauren’sand kissed her with determination, and tenderness, and love. Lauren’s entirebody went instantly warm, and she had to steady herself or her knees would giveout. What was abundantly clear was that they kissed really well together, theperfect amount of give and take. Lauren’s limbs felt like Jell-O when shepulled her lips from Carly’s. She opened her eyes slowly and smiled. Justanother day at work, right? She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t for thelife of her remember her next line. That’s because she was supposed to bereading from the script. “Oh, um, one moment,” she said, flipping the page, hercheeks on fire with embarrassment.

Before the scene could continue, Ethan’s voice cut them off. “Ithink we can stop there. I’m going to chat with Wilks about the future of theproduction. I want to thank you both for such a committed rehearsal.” Ethandidn’t dwell or stick around for chitchat. He left notes for Trip about thebreakdown for the following day and was out of there.

“You did great,” Carly said quietly in Lauren’s ear. She kissedher cheek quickly and gave her some space. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lauren nodded, still in a haze of what the hell was happening. Sheturned to Trip, who sat behind the table, arms folded with a big old grin onhis face.