“Jane. You’re an angel sent to me straight from heaven. And I have an hour until I have to be at the Huntress.” He watches me, head tilted. “You should come with me.”

“I’ll come with you, but um, I should bring, I mean, I have something, uh, lying around. From a friend of mine. From before. Let me grab it. Maybe we’ll get lucky and it will fit you. And that way if Harry doesn’t show you have something, uh—”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ll be—wait here a minute, I’ll be right back.”

I grab the outfit from my closet and hold it up, eyeing it for the millionth time for any problems or imperfections. Maybe the seam up the middle could be straighter. I got the measurements from the current dress, but what if I did something wrong? What if it doesn’t fit? What if he hates it?

I’m trembling with nervous anticipation, but not the freak-out kind, the I-hope-this-works kind.

I take a breath. If it doesn’t work, I can just try again.

“Here. I have this.” Back in Hugo’s apartment, I hand over the costume and then step back, keeping my eyes on the ground.

I can’t look. I twist my hands together, focusing on the clench of my fingers.

The room is pure silence.

After a few long seconds, I can’t take it.

I look up.

His eyes are wide. He holds the hanger with one hand, his other running down the side of the dress, a nearly perfect match for the existing dress, but a lush royal blue. The male side is a simple collared black button-up shirt and black trousers.

He holds it up to himself, perplexed. “This might fit.” His eyes meet mine. “You happened to have this lying around?”

“Uh. Yep. Try it on? See if it fits? I can make some minor alterations if needed.” This was my big plan. No plan—a challenge for a person who uses lists and memorization and routine and control and order to just get by. But in this case, it seemed like a viable option.

Dazed and confused, he shakes his head. “Yeah, I’ll try it on but, Jane. This is incredible.” He squeezes my hand, his eyes watery. “Thank you.” He passes me, escaping into the bedroom to try the outfit on.

It was really that easy?

I blow out a breath. No plan actually works sometimes. Who knew?

When the music starts and the light hits Hugo, his male profile facing the auditorium, I’m a bundle of nerves and anticipation and happiness. We finally did it. Hugo is auditioning, without Harry the Jackass. The more he’s told me about him, the more I want to scissor kick him in the shins.