“Is that a new nickname? Because I could really work with that. Hell, I’m so sexually frustrated that if you called me Clarence I’d be here for it.”

“Decisions, decisions.” Lauren stood and offered Carly her hand. “Since we’re not able to tear each other’s clothes off quite yet, how about dinner instead? I know a pizza place with the craziest of crusts.”

“Do they have red wine? I could use a glass.”

“They do.” Lauren inclined her head to the door. “Let’s get outta here, Clarence.”

Chapter Ten

Ethan smiled at the company, who stood together on the apron of The McAllister’s main stage. It was close to eight p.m. and this was the last official moment of rehearsal. Lauren had been through a million of these moments, but never quite from where she sat now. She looked at Trip, who beamed up at her with pride from his spot at the SM’s table, and turned back to Ethan.

“This is where I take my leave,” Ethan told the company. “I’ll be here for opening night, but as your cheerleader. The show is ready for the world, and I, for one, can’t wait to see how it affects the ticket holders who will file down these aisles tomorrow night. We’ve come a long way.” Lauren looked down the row of her castmates, from Carly standing next to her, to Kirby on the other side. TJ and Nia down the line. Her gratitude rose straight to the top.

Yet a new chapter was going to start very soon.

Lauren had planned to allow herself to sleep in the next day, so she’d be as fully rested as possible. Only that hadn’t gone as smoothly as planned since she’d tossed and turned all night, imagining herself forgetting her lines, getting locked in her dressing room, or, worse, losing her lunch all over the stage in front of the world. She would make up for it by drinking several tall glasses of water, advice she always gave her own actors.

When she arrived at the theater for opening night, she took a moment in the parking lot to study the building that now meant so much more. As she made her way down the hall, she was greeted by friends and production staff, just as she would have been for any other opening night. Except instead of heading to her office for show prep, she walked to her dressing room. What was this life?

“I got you these,” Tinsley said, from where she stood in front of Lauren’s dressing room. Lauren accepted the bouquet of red roses, too lavish for their friendship. Yet she knew Tinsley had a crush, and Lauren refused to be anything but graceful about it.

“You are super sweet to have gone out of your way. Thank you.” With her free arm, she leaned in and hugged Tinsley, who smiled.