“For the sets and the costumes, I want to go with a very pastoral look,” Nancy said. “I talked to Violet, and together we sketched out a few of her ideas for the set and the costumes. Given that she has already blocked out the actors’ movements, we need to make her vision work.”

Nancy put several sketches on the table and turned them so that everyone could see. The sets looked to be convertible: when the scene changed from ancient Athens to a forest, the same structure would be there but the backdrop and smaller set pieces would change.

The forest set was definitely pastoral with loads of hanging vines and staircases that looked as if they were made of stone, while the costumes were mostly made of earth-tone fabrics with garlands of vines for the men and garlands of flowers for the women worked into the clothes.

“Impressive,” Mary said. She turned and looked at her husband. “What do you think? Can you manage that?”

“Of course I can,” Ian said. He gestured between him and Sully. “With our brawn and your girls’ sense of aesthetic, we’ll build the best sets and costumes this theater has ever seen.”

Lindsey couldn’t help but grin at his confidence.

“Exactly,” Nancy said. She looked delighted with her crew, and Lindsey noticed that she was glancing between Lindsey and Sully with a wicked twinkle in her eye.

She might have known. Butterscotch bars, her foot. Nancy was matchmaking and not even trying to be a little subtle about it. She glanced around the table and noted that Mary and Ian were looking pretty delighted as well. Great, it was a conspiracy.

She decided the best offense was going to have to be a solid defense.

“Fabulous,” she said. “Since it’s brawn versus aesthetics, how about we split up? Wardrobe can meet in one room while the set builders meet in another.”

Lindsey glanced around the table to see Mary’s, Ian’s and Nancy’s faces fall, while Sully gave her a blinding grin. It was as if he knew exactly what she was doing and he was amused by it.

“Whatever works for you,” he said.

4

Lindsey met Sully’s glance and felt her insides go all fluttery. How did he do that with just a look?

“Oh, wow, is that the lemon?” Mary asked.

She was looking at the stage, and Lindsey dragged her gaze away to see Ms. Cole, one of her more dour employees, on stage. She had the script clutched in her hand and was standing with Milton Duffy, who was also reading for a part.

“I think they are reading for the parts of Oberon and Titania, the faerie king and queen,” Ian said. “I could see Milton carrying it off with his Sean Connery good looks, but the lemon?”