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She smiled at him. “I have no reason to say no at this point.”

“Until you do.” His face held affection and understanding.

She shrugged. “This business, Wilks…I’m not sure I’ll ever have atrue handle on how it works, and I’ve been at it for years.”

“That’s because it’s always changing, presenting one surpriseafter another. One of the reasons we love it.” He opened his arms for a hug,and she moved easily into them. Since she’d started work at The McAllister,Wilks had been not only a solid boss, but a kind mentor. He’d shared his wisdomwith her, and she trusted him.

“Thank you for everything,” she said. “I mean that.” This wasn’t necessarilygood-bye, but it felt like it.

He released her. “I feel I should be saying those words to you.You’re a class act, Lauren Prescott.” He shook his finger at her as he walkedaway. “And for selfish reasons, I’m going to pray you walk through those doorsin a few weeks. I have a theater to run, you know.”

“Good-bye, Wilks. I’ll miss you.” He kept walking. He was a sweetman, but sentimentality made him a little itchy.

Saying good-bye to Carly had been a different story. They’d beapart for under a week, but after the intensity of the last month and a half,she’d feel empty without Carly by her side. They’d become an inseparable team,both at work and after.

“Do you have something to put on in case you get cold?” Lauren hadasked, as they stood outside of her place, waiting for the private car thatwould take Carly to the airport.

Carly gestured to her Chanel bag. “I have a cardigan tucked away,just in case.”

“Good. What about snacks for the plane?”

“I’m flying first class, but if you want me to carry a sack lunch,I can. We can write my name in my clothes, too.” She grinned.

“Cheeky,” Lauren said. She was nervous, and when she was nervous,she overprepared. That apparently now extended to Carly, too. “I’m taking careof you. It’s what I do.”

Carly had held on to the sides of Lauren’s unzipped hoodie. “Youtook very good care of me this morning,” Carly said, alluding to theirleisurely morning in bed. With Carly’s housing running out when the showclosed, she’d spent the last couple of days at Lauren’s place, which had beenthe perfect way to decompress from the run of the show. Not that they’d done alot of resting. “When does your flight arrive on Friday?”

“A little after four.”

“Perfect.” Carly got her idea face on. “We can go somewherefantastic for dinner.”

“I’ll leave that planning up to you.”

Carly took a dramatic step back. “Who are you? The Lauren I knowplans everything. Get off her lawn.”

Lauren laughed. “I’ll miss you until then. Even your overlydramatic proclamations.”

“I don’t know. After a few drama-free days, you may decide life iseasier without this girl. Who’s going to lament loudly when you’re out ofmilk?”

“No one as loud about it as you are. That’s for sure.” They heardthe sound of a car pulling into Lauren’s street. She glanced sadly in thatdirection and back. “Kiss me.”

Carly hadn’t hesitated. In fact, she’d wrapped her arms all theway around Lauren, making her feel cherished. Her eyes had misted, which wasridiculous. It was a few days, for God’s sake.

Still, her heart ached.

“Do you have snacks for the plane?” Lauren’s mother asked, pullingher back into the fold of the present conversation.

She laughed. “We’re more alike than even I realized.”

“Why do you say that?”

She squeezed her mom’s hand. “Not important. Can I ask yousomething?”

“Is this about how to make your chili spices richer? I’m a bigproponent of a longer marinating period.”

Lauren laughed, fully aware that her mother was joking. “It shouldbe about the spices, but no.” She sat down on the bed, abandoning her packingfor a moment. “When did you know Dad had your heart? As in, for good. Donedeal. This was the guy.”

“When he knew every fault and weakness in my arsenal and stillcraved me just as much.”