Page 50

“We’d get kicked out.”

“What? Why?”

“You in yoga pants? Not good for my reputation around town.”

Carly laughed but loved that Lauren had just confessed to lustingafter her. “Moving yoga pants to the front of my wardrobe.”

“Don’t you dare,” Lauren said.

The Argyle was alive and humming when they arrived. Music playedfrom a quartet in the corner, waiters walked past with full glasses of wine ontrays, and everyone was smiling. The club, inhabited exclusively by TheMcAllister staff and the company fromStarryNights,broke into applause for Carly and Lauren as they made theirway into the drawing room. Carly turned to Lauren and applauded for her,because her journey truly was an amazing one.

Lauren, in her typical fashion, waved them off and turned a brightshade of red. She finally covered her face. Carly’s chest swelled withaffection.

“Will you excuse me for one moment?” Lauren said, eyeing somethingacross the room.

“Of course. I’ll grab us drinks.”

Carly watched as Lauren walked straight into the arms of a womanwho simply had to be her mother. Same chestnut brown hair and light eyes, withjust a few more lines on her face. The man next to her grinned just the wayLauren did when she was genuinely happy. When the women embraced, there weresentimental tears on both sides. Carly turned away to give them a moment andfocused on snagging those drinks. She should have invited more people to theopening, she realized. Her mother likely could have gotten off work at thevineyard and made the trip, if only Carly hadn’t downplayed the whole affairdue to a lack of experience. If only she’d anticipated how important the showwould feel to her.

Once Carly had their glasses of champagne, she turned to seeLauren beckoning her over.

Balancing the drinks, she maneuvered the crowd, accepting theircongratulations on a good show until she arrived next to Lauren.

“Thank you,” Lauren said, accepting the flute of bubbly. “CarlyDaniel, I’d like you to meet my parents, John and Karen Prescott.”

“Hi,” Carly said brightly. “It’s so nice—” It was too late. Shewas already pulled into a hug, very similar to the one she’d just seen bestowedupon Lauren.

“We know exactly who you are. Of course we do. And we’re soexcited to meet you in person.” Lauren’s mother released her from the hug butkept both hands on Carly’s shoulders. “You stole our hearts tonight. First youwere bristling and buttoned-up—then you were vulnerable and hurting.” Karenpantomimed each of the actions. “We rooted for you.”

“Thank you,” Carly said, feeling all aflutter. She’d received tonsof compliments on her work in the past, but this one carried a lot of weight.Karen said it with such unbridled, warm sincerity. Plus, she was an extensionof Lauren, so her opinion was weighted heavily in Carly’s book. “I was luckyenough to share the stage with an amazing co-star.”

“I can’t imagine who that could be,” Karen said, in anoverexaggerated tone that was so hokey, it looped back around to cute. “Oh,wait. That’s you!” She released Carly and slid an arm around her daughter, whogrinned, bashful at too much attention, as always. Lauren was the opposite ofan attention hog, Carly realized, which was rare in an actress. Perhaps it wasthat selfless quality that held her back from success in her earlier actingdays. Show business was cutthroat, and Lauren was a giver, not a taker. InCarly’s mind, it was a compliment.

“Listen,” Carly explained to Karen and John, “the minute Laurenstepped into the role, everything about my performance changed. Suddenly, Iunderstood Ashley and what her journey had to be. Without Lauren, I’m not sureit ever would have clicked into place.”

She and Lauren exchanged a private glance.

They’d been through a lot together. She almost couldn’t rememberwhat life was like without Lauren in it. In fact, everything before seemedunimportant, superficial, and so very far away. Her feet felt more firmlyplanted on the ground now, her self-awareness, though not always easy toswallow, was fully in effect, and she wanted things for herself that she’dnever wanted before. Who was she exactly?

Karen latched on to Carly’s wrist. “Seeing little Lauren, ourBoop, up there reminded me of when she’d stand on top of her toy box and singsongs fromAnnietoher stuffed animals. She would even act out the group orphan scenes, playingall the parts.”

Carly raised an eyebrow and faced Lauren. “Well, who knew?”

Lauren covered her face. “No more little Lauren stories, okay? CanI get you guys a drink?”

“No, no,” John said, taking Karen’s hand. “We’re getting out ofyour hair. Let the show people celebrate without the parents. So proud of you,Laur.”

Karen beamed. “Just wanted to stop by and tell you what a star youwere tonight, my tiny baby Boop.”

Lauren laughed. “Mother, you cannot call me that right now.” Shesoftened. “But thank you. Means the world that you were here tonight.”

Carly’s heart squeezed, and she felt like she’d wandered onto theset of a Hallmark movie where the parents were amazing and later, they’d lighta Christmas tree in the town square. “Fantastic meeting you.”

Karen squealed and cupped Carly’s cheeks. “Come visit us someday,you famous person. We’re just a couple hours by car. I’ll make you chicken andwaffles and a mimosa.”

Carly laughed at the specificity. “How can one pass that up?”

“They can’t,” Karen said, triumphantly.